Offshoreonly.com - 2002 offshore drivers poll/photos

Critical Lift will be on the APBA tour this year after taking a year off to paint and re-rig the boat.

When i see things like FORCE surface, i like to see and hear more than ideas. A non-paid staff, no information on the structure of the entity, no partners, no hints of financial stability, the list goes on.

We knew the partners of APBA Offshore LLC; budgets were discussed when the feasability of race sites needed to be considered; we knew who were volunteers and who were paid, the paid staff more responsive by necessity to the members. We certainly knew the financial stability of many of the partners, unless you are in the dark with respect to Credit Reports. And with all of that, it is a tough go to organize, promote and produce an offshore race.

I sense because of what has been written, and i may be wrong, that the FORCE group is more of an organization intending to fragment the APBA as opposed to helping the cause of offshore racing. If there was ever "impure motivation" for what is sure to be a struggle, that is it. Market research (the poll) is fine but i get nervous by the necessity to say "without editorial comment." Only a person who has made editorial comments a weapon would need that caveat to get responses. Strange stuff.

I wish anyone good luck who can make offshore racing be the motorsport we all want it to be. With APBA's two hour shows on Fox's new format of Speedvision, the Speed Channel - a huge development for sponsors - why would i go break equipment someplace else? As Tom Cruise said, show me the money!! And most importantly, tell me about the TV deal. Absent that information...

Ted