Talk's cheap
 

In the beginning of my boating life, going to Lake Nacimiento, I would race anyone that would get off the beach. That let into full time an IHBA Top Fuel campaign in the early 90’s. After getting into Offshore Racing a few years ago and mostly racing the east coast circuit, it really amazes me that there are so many hot boats on the west coast and so much” bull s***” of how fast everyone’s boats are. All I hear about is Havasu this and Parker that. Why is it that the Pacific Offshore only has a 15 boat turn out?
The end of this month is the Scope Poker Run, last year had a 120 plus boats. This year the run is on Saturday and POPRA’s race is on Sunday. What a better time for all the “Bench Racers” to come out and put there money where there mouth is.
I’ve talked to the powers to be at POPRA and it seams they are bending over backwards to attract the Poker Run boats to stay over and run on Sunday.


Check this out from the POPRA web site along with OLN covering the race:

An agreement was reached today with Time Warner to provide 80 commercial spots in the local Huntington Beach area promoting the 2005 Huntington Beach Offshore Grand Prix. Our commercial is currently in production and will be ready for the August 22 launch on Discovery, ESPN, ESPN Classic, ESPN2, FSN, FSN2, History Channel, MTV, E! and MSNBC. Huntington Beach is a great city with great fans. We look forward to bringing our fans, sponsors, and racers together.

I'll be there !!!

Re: Talk's cheap
 

Roy I hear ya! I've talked to Paul about this many times and it comes back to the same issues.

1) Insurance
2) Insurance
3) Races have classes and rules; Poker runs= no rules or "run what you brung"
4) You can't take 4 of your friends on an offshore race.
5) No cold beer for lunch.
6) Insurance
7) Races aren't as much fun as chasing a bunch of friends around the delta all day.

oh, in case I didn't mention it already; Insurance.

It's too bad that racing has gone this way. I know there are a whole lot hotter boats on the poker run circuit than the POPRA circuit. Maybe if there where more West Coast races like they have back east it would be more popular.

Re: Talk's cheap
 

Lofty:

(I think) YOUR WRONG: "the racing" family is so much closer than you think. I have had more fun on the Delta than I will ever admid. In my opinion, racing Offshore is all about being there. It almost seams that when the green flag drops all the fun is over. I've have crashed twice racing. I fell safer upside down knowing that someone would be there withnin 30 seconds than blasting to Catilina, hoping that if there was a problem someone would stop to help.
Poker Runs have NO rules. If you saw what it was like in Havasu at the start you may change your opnion.
As far as a cold beer for lunch, what about the guy that had 2 six packs and is right next to you at 90 mph with no life jackets when you have your wife & kids with you.
I was at the bridge to bridge run and saw a cig (with his wife and kid) go 104 mph NOBODY had on PFD's.
Sorry if I seam so hard. I've been racing since I was 6, saftey ALLWAYS comes first. I love Poker Runs and will probably never stop going. In my opnion, racing is by far, a safer envoriment to be in.


Unless you know something, all the race's that I've been to, insurance has never been a problerm

Roy...

Re: Talk's cheap
 

amen brutha, very well put . . . i haven't been racing for quite as long but have very quickly come to appreciate all the effort that is put in by the safety crews and all involved.

Re: Talk's cheap
 

I wasn't trying to argue, I agree with everything you say. I'm just telling you this is why poker runs are much more attractive to most folks than racing. I hear people say this all the time.