No Farm Club?

[mdaspit]

I haven't been to many NBRA races yet, just a few- McAlester, Pineville, Stillwater, and they have been great.

But I find one thing a little concerning...There weren't any kids racing.
In fact, not many young people at all. No farm club. (With the exception of the young Mr. Miller)

Hmmm... in a sport that is struggling to keep its head above water, what happens when all of us older guys stop racing?

It's like a ticking time bomb. Especially when you consider that a high percentage of racers today come from racing families.

I haven't been to any ODA races yet, but is it any different up there?

Am I wrong about this?

[johnml390]

It feels weird to not be considered one of the kids racing any more. Guess that's growing up though. Started racing in 2003 the day I turned 14. Raced A Hydro, A Runabout, and B Runabout that weekend. It was the 2003 NBRA Nationals in Pineville,LA. Now I'm 20... And it just feels like time is flying by soo fast. I can still remember that weekend like it was yesterday. How nervous I was and everything. How excited I was to win a heat of A Runabout in a race that was only decided by a few inches. I think we may have one Novice in Pineville this year... IF she isn't stepping up to A. And if the missouri crew comes. I think that'll be one or two more maybe? I'm not sure. If needed I may go out in Novice like last year at the race in Pineville and give them a close race. Tara beat me last year. I need to try and take her down this time. Haha.

[Dave M]

Just A Few

Only a few I see regular like at the NBRA Races. Tara Cook seems to be the dominator in Novice, Jim Homefield usually brings a kid or two to race in Novice, Braxton comes to some of them.

You are right though, there is not as many kids racing in NBRA as there are in APBA.

I think Gardner is planning on getting his boy into this season. So that will be a good thing.

I guess y'all down south forgot how to reproduce !!! To much warm weather down there, us Yanks deal with the cold winters, lots of time spent indoors.

[ram95]

Yeah Dave, you're right on the money. They need some cold winter nights!!. Electric blankets are nice too. But, there's nuthin like building a fire in the oven when it's cold outside.

We've got some young(er) blood coming along up here in the hinterlands of NE.

Alex

[mdaspit]

I guess y'all down south forgot how to reproduce !!! To much warm weather down there, us Yanks deal with the cold winters, lots of time spent indoors.

Well you know what they say, it's not the heat...It's the humidity.

[Dennis Crews]

My Mom has a picture of my brother when he was grade-school age kneeling in a big chair while wearing my Dad's racing helmet. His left hand clenched around an imaginary throttle and his right arm extended, grasping a steering wheel that existed only in his mind.

You take that same picture of a youngster today and one hand is clenched around a cell phone while the other hand is reaching for the Play Station controller.

If you will take the time to examine my avatar, you will see me at eight years old proudly kneeling in a just finished Lowrey 4-point hydro with my Grandpa Andy Lowrey looking on. THAT is how you instill a passion into a child.

[DiGia54D]

My Mom has a picture of my brother when he was grade-school age kneeling in a big chair while wearing my Dad's racing helmet. His left hand clenched around an imaginary throttle and his right arm extended, grasping a steering wheel that existed only in his mind.

You take that same picture of a youngster today and one hand is clenched around a cell phone while the other hand is reaching for the Play Station controller.

If you will take the time to examine my avatar, you will see me at eight years old proudly kneeling in a just finished Lowrey 4-point hydro with my Grandpa Andy Lowrey looking on. THAT is how you instill a passion into a child.

Thats hitting the nail on the head right there. Me and some friends were talking about the same thing the other day. Between Cellphone texting and Xbox/Playstation has actually taken over kids ideas. I took my son to a race 2 times and he spent most of it texting.

[mdaspit]

I took my son to a race 2 times and he spent most of it texting.

Oh man, you have to be kidding me! I've heard about it, but I always thought it was kind of an exageration... We're doomed.

Just by looking around, I'd say that in the next 10 years, a bunch of guys around here will not be racing anymore.

Unless we start a Geriatric Class. (me included)

I guess that in the future, Boat Racing will be in just a couple of regions around the country?

[Bowers76-S]

Outside??

I teach seventh grade and the kids barely go outside! It is 72 degrees here in Tennessee this weekend and when I asked them what they were going to do this weekend they said play XBox. I told them they should go outside and they said for what?? They do not know how to do anything outside anymore or even do anything to get their heart rate up or break a sweat. Amazes me...and is sad...

[mdaspit]

[QUOTE They do not know how to do anything outside anymore or even do anything to get their heart rate up or break a sweat. Amazes me...and is sad...[/QUOTE]

Wow, unbelievable.

I'm glad to be out in the country. Kids here are still raising steers for 4-H, Barrel Racing their horses, roping, driving their 4 wheelers thru the mud...
For the time being anyway.