Sault Ste Marie, MI

[Howie Nichols]

For anyone travelling through Michigan and the U.P. on their way to Wakefield.

Sault Ste Marie, MI this weekend - APR Superleague Series Race.

Tentatively there are 4 SLT's, 10 SST45, 10 SST120, and 14 SST60's

Stop in on Saturday while driving in to Wakefield. Only 300 miles east of the Nationals!

See you there!

[dholt]

Hey Howie....why don't you hitch a ride and get back on your knees for some Wakefield action?

DSR..DMR..FER!!!

[Howie Nichols]

We thought about going and bringing the JH, did some more testing and boy is Becky ready to go! But we head to WV the weekend after Wakefield and that 4 letter word got in the way of being able to do it all. Good luck to everyone have a safe trip and safe racing. I'll be watching via Hydroracer and cell phone for results!

[Rob D]

I didn't know the 45's were showing up or I would have hitched a ride with the old man and brought mine. Maybe next time.

Rob

[Grin&Barrett]

See you there Howie

Matt

[Rob D]

45's

Any results on the 45's

Rob D

[Grin&Barrett]

The 45 results are on hold because of inspection, I don't have the details but there are 3 appeals in right now I think. F2,F3 & SLT results are posted here
http://www.aprsuperleague.com/buzz.html . I have some pictures posted here
http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forum...ead.php?t=2934

Matt

[KellyLadd]

The 45's...?

Let me tell you all a little story about the Soo race and 45's...

Our initial APR experience. People are all nice. Seems pretty organized. We didn't quite get the boat count we had hoped for, but it wasn't due to lack of effort. Trenton left many of us in bad shape... But we had fun. Good course. Great night time activities planned for us. And it was decent racing Saturday and Sunday. No wrecks. Reduced # of laps, but we understood given the cir***stances. We were done by 1:30 Sunday and I was excited to get to Wakefield for the SO Nationals...

That's when things fell apart. We were Titus'd to the hilt. After 3 hours of inspection our motors were in more pieces than after the Divisionals, Worlds, or Nationals. Keep in mind, this is a backyard race of 6 boats - and 3 were rookies. Finally he finds something wrong with the 2nd place motor and stops engine inspection with a grin on his face. Then proceeds to recite the fuel results. Apparently on the 4th fuel test he performed, our cheif inspector for OPC decided, 'we have a problem'. The fuel sample had been taken hours earlier, and so I think he knew the results well ahead of time. 1st and 3rd place show a positive result for propylene oxide. All I know is that we were both using Shell gas and he showed a test where some yellow stuff turned brown. Titus is no fuel expert despite pretending to be. He did NOT keep the test equipment chilled/cold as the test instructed - and it was over 90 degrees out. And we provided another sample of gas from down the street that tested positive straight from the pump. We begged him to send an official to the local gas station to confirm these results, but they would have no part of it. Apparently, the EPA does not allow propylene oxide in pump gas. So someone is in the wrong here - luckily, it's not me.

It became horribly apparent Titus was not going the complete inspection until we were all pitched for something. Then he didn't even care that the 4th thru 6th place boats were half way home at the time.

To top it off, it's now 6pm as we are writing our appeals - Titus proceeds to clear the 60's and 120's from inspection without measuring a single thing. Might've did the digatron on gas is all. Boy, did we feel welcome then. It was like we were being shown a lesson and made fun of at our expense.

Maybe not everyone in APR had it out for us, but inspection is all I can remember. I am all about playing by the rules, but that was ridiculous. I look forward to the public apology I expect once the lab upholds my appeal. I ran nothing more than Shell pump gas, and by rule, it is automatically legal.

Too bad too... I thought APR might've actually wanted to help out the 45's. Maybe they just wanted to bait us into some technical DQ's to go against our HOC points in order to give their 60's and 120's more of a chance.

I'm sure this all sounds ridiculous - it's pretty late at night. But I can't sleep because I'm still pissed. If you don't believe me, ask APBA's senior exec's. Don Allen and Steve Hearn who attended the race - they couldn't believe it either.

Kevin Ladd-

[Rob D]

So any news for next year ?? With any race organization?

[race4kaos]

Next Year...?

I'm just taking one day at a time right now and trying to finish 1 more race this year without getting crashed out or DQ'd. It's more challenging than one may think...
If Titus has his way, I don't need to worry about next year. Neither would Jimmie.

I get your point though, buddy. I was the one supporting both Champ and APR. I didn't want opportunities to get lost or bridges to be burned. I begged people to come to the Soo. I even got someone else a local sponsor and made the policy that the race winner would pay the entry fee for any rookies attending. In the midst of my repairs, I helped get a new guy on the water for his first time. But at this point I have given up on being the proactive coordinator. Now it's about self preservation.

I will never forget how Titus openly accused me of putting one of the banned substances in my gas in front of fans, family, competitors, and the race sponsors/promoters. I just think it could have been handled better. I didn't put any propylene oxide in my gas - I don't even know what it is.

45's will always be welcome in Trenton, Bay City and Kankakee. The political differences between series and the OPC commission must take a backseat to evaluating what is best for the sport. The more I learn in OPC, the more I am disappointed...

[14-H]

Calm, cool and collected

Kevin: You ought to take your minute before you go "losing it" on Hydroracer as well.

First, Mr. Titus is very well respected in OPC and APBA. So is his wife. He has a reputation similar to your father-in-law of being hard working and thorough.

Second, you must understand that propylene oxide is toxic. Mr. Titus along with a host of other inspectors in the APBA are very concerned about this substance and a few others being in racing fuel. It is a known problem in other forms of racing. Some inspectors fought at the annual meeting for an immediate life-time ban for this substance showing up in a competitior's fuel. Mr. Titus, as I recall, was an advocate for having appeal measures to ensure an unsuspecting racer would not be wrongfully penalized. If the reagent test was used on your fuel sample, it is not very difficult to understand and interpret in detecting propylene oxide. Moreover, propylene oxide has a low boiling point. I think it's 94 deg F. So, if anything, a delay in measuring fuel in temperatures above 90 degress would work to the advantage of someone with this in their fuel since the propylene oxide evaporates. Nevertheless, a full lab analysis ought to clear the air on your fuel. It worked in clearing you last time. Remember?

You are correct that the EPA does not allow propylene oxide to be placed in automotive fuel. You might do some investigating, however, and see if it is commonly used in storage tanks in the north (illegally) since it is a known freezing inhibitor.

Finally, on the one hand, you criticize Mr. Barrett, the king of insults, for doing what he does. On the other hand, you turn right around and do it yourself. Ed.

Add: Let it not be said that I don't offer constructive criticism. How about this? Why don't you ask a commissioner or other officer of APBA (anybody) to go over to this station, take a sample of gas and run the test on it? Do it today! This might be helpful in your appeal. Ed.

[Jim]

the problem in this situation is that although mr Titus's reputation and love of the the sport and safety of the sport seems to be agreed upon by those who know him... on this weekend, he seemed to be only concerned about all of the above in one class, not the other three. That's the first issue. It was an apba race, so you don't get a free pass in tech, but the invited class to a series race, not running for their points, gets nascar teched and the other classes, 60-120 get two kisses shy of a "thanks for comming, your good to go" just doesn't make sense. (this was a series points race for them!) I know, their series (apr) they can teardown who they want. But if you were there, as were some senior apba people, you would be scratching your head as well. The answer to the second issue, concerning tests given and how they are administered, will hopefully be answered in due time. But after scratching the surface, making calls when work permits ect.. it is starting to look like the toys some inspectors are using to administer tests might be either a little over the head of those using them, or at a minimum, the directions on how to use them are not being read. regardles if the error is in ones favor or not, if you have the equipment to run fuel tests, use it correctly. there is enough grey area with fuel, we don't need another. Let's not forget, there was another boat tossed for the same. I did speak to a 120 driver at the race, and his only comment was, "you guys (the 45 class) are getting hosed" when he saw what was going on in inspection.

[race4kaos]

calm reply...

Jim, good points. Sounds like you witnessed it first hand like me. Others have PM'd me with similar comments.

14-H, you never seem to miss replying to my posts. Thanks for the attention. I agree and disagree with some of your points.
1. I agree I posted with too much emotion. I'm very frustrated with boatracing in the last 3 weeks - it has got the best of me.
2. I have also heard good things about Jeff and Sally Titus. And I can appreciate what they do for APBA/OPC. But you were not there. I am not alone in thinking the 45 inspection was 'over the top'.
3. I understand we must keep our sport safe. And intentionally adding harmful chemicals should not be tolerated. But until someone is proven guilty, they should not be executed. I am trying to salvage my reputation from a wrongful fuel accusation last year. That is why I ran straight Shell pump gas from the same station that has always tested good in the past. And the way the DQ went down did not help my effort any.
4. Prior to your insightful suggestion, I obtained an MSDSheet from the Shell distributor that provided the gas to my station on 7/27. However, I am skeptical of it's accuracy. Apparently volume deliveries for commercial commodities do not need to provide MSDS's on regular basis. The last time they have claimed to change their formula was 3/13/2003. This is the case all over the US. With recent world events, I doubt the formula is the same as it was over 4 years ago. In my continuing efforts to clear my name, I have contacted the local EPA office and am trying to get them to directly sample the fuel. This looks to be an uphill battle however.
5. I would like to remind you I begged the officials at the Soo to come get a sample from the local Shell station on the spot. They refused.
6. Let me also remind you, you are not a fuel expert. Neither am I. But I believe the directions for the fuel test performed that resulted in my DQ states the testing compound (not my sample) must be kept cold. Though I understand that's not practical, it wasn't. I have no idea what effect that might have. Also, my test resulted in a brown parcipitate, not red as the instructions read.
7. My factual post(s) is not comparable to Barrett's beligerant attack of lies. Give me a break. Wouldn't it be ironic if I get banned from the sport [despite my contributions] before him.
Finally, can I suggest you stick to kneeling down? Maybe you haven't given it any consideration, but maybe one of the factors I used in my decision to change my focus in categories was to get away from your criticism.
Stop worrying about me... go be a dad or something.

Respectfully,
Kevin Ladd

[Fox]

fuel concerns,

I have gotten my fuel from the same two stations in bay city since I have been racing stock and opc. Just last year was the first time that my gas tested illegal, luckily I had it tested before the race. I would suggest everyone keep the local inspector busy buy requesting a full fuel inspection prior to racing each and every weekend.

At one of these gas stations that same year a racer got gas from my trustee station on saturday and there gas was legal and then went back to the same station to get gas for sunday and guess what....they were thrown out for sunday. This team went to the station to ask when a new shipment came in and yup it was saturday night so... no matter what is posted or on paper (like you looked for from the station) different shippments come in with different mixtures on a day by day basis and we can't do anything about it.

It sucks that you are being the ginnie pig kevin, I know by going thru this you will be educating everyone on both sides and therefore helping us all avoid this in the future.

Jay Fox
I'll drink your gas anytime

[14-H]

****Wouldn't it be ironic if I get banned from the sport [despite my contributions] before him [Barrett]?.
Finally, can I suggest you stick to kneeling down? Maybe you haven't given it any consideration, but maybe one of the factors I used in my decision to change my focus in categories was to get away from your criticism.
Stop worrying about me... go be a dad or something.

Respectfully,
Kevin Ladd

Kevin: You're too late. Barrett was already suspended for a year once. I still think that you ought to get someone with some "nuetralness" to go sample the fuel and do the test. How about Don Hagerl? I'll even help you get some of the Germain Reagent to him to do the test. Sicking the EPA on the gas station will not go over well and, if you think the SORC was slow, well... you'll be a dad before you get a response from the EPA.

Okay, Kevin... I'll leave you alone. Ed.