C_Spray

iTrader: (2)

I'm still trying to find East Entwhistle, Indiana...

Peter Noone, right, T2x?

T2x

It's right next to West Entwhistle.........

........................ Herman's Hermits played there many years ago.

T2x

T2x

Yeah...but they threw him out for breaking up the Town Hall.

T2x

THEJOKER

I've learned to jisten and now I'm typing in a healthy forum! Now where's my Nutri Grain Bar? HAHA - BH

T2x

Doesn't one of your Llama racers have a "fun home" or something we can turn into a school for Advanced OSO Banter?

T2x

cuda

I hate to go to the Nascar card, but here we go. Nascar doesn't run it's Busch Series on the same track at the same time as Winston Cup. Now imagine that and multiply it by the number of classes in offshore. That's a pretty good definition of confusion.

Also, as pointed out, there is a lot of loyalty to the drivers, mostly because of their personalities, and the fact that Nascar promotes them as such. I can't think of many things more boring to watch (other than soccer) than 40 cars that look alike and run within a couple mph's of each other on a round track. Think about it. How many fans would be in the seats if they all drove white cars with no numbers on it. People don't come to races to see great racing, they come to pull for their favorite "personalities". If Nascar ran such a race, even if it was the greatest and most spectacular race of all time, nobody would remember it if they didn't know which "personality" won the race, and most likely wouldn't come back to see another race, no matter how great it was. You can even apply this to the NFL. White shirts vs black shirts, no names. How many would love to see just great football being played? Not many I imagine. People need to have something they can sink their teeth into. Something they can get behind and pull for everytime out. That's how you get a fan base, not by supplying "great racing". Even in our major sports, the advent of free agency makes it harder to pull for a certain team when one of you favorite players jumps ship for more money.

I was a casual fan of Nascar for many years, but I haven't watched a race since #3 went to the big winner's circle in the sky. You had to love some of his comments. Back in the mid 80's he and Jeff Bodine had a feud going on a reporter asked Dale if he was going to make up with Bodine. Dale anwered "well, I was thinking of taking him deer hunting, but I'd probably make him wear antlers.......hunting accidents do happen you know". The reporter stayed after Dale and Dale says "I just ain't got nothin' good to say about that pea brained Yankee". From that point on, I was an Earnhart fan, no pc crap in those answers!

T2x

Well said...........

Offshore needs two things then:

1. A coherent class to watch

2. 10-30 talented, colorful personalities

The rest as they say........will follow.

T2x

cuda

The problem with trimming classes is the same problem with trimming the national budget, everyone wants cuts, just not in their jurisdiction.

C_Spray

iTrader: (2)

This is how they wound up with so many classes - people showed up with boats and wanted to run. So is having lots of classes really a bad thing?

I do agree that only about 6 or so classes should be "National" or "Pro" classes. Drag racing is a good analogy - a handful of top classes with the other classes serving as filler for both the crowd and the competitors. Nothing wrong with having Points champions for each class at the end of the year, though. If they're willing to race - God Bless 'em.

Never really understood having both "National" and "World" champions, though, UIM or not. (And this was way before the LLC, so don't blame them.)

As far as limiting techology goes, it's a sign of the times. There's not a single truly unlimited racing series in the world anymore. That includes Formula One, NHRA Nitro classes, and "Unlimited" Hydroplanes. The ability of teams and engineers to spend money has far outstripped the fans' and sponsors' willingness to pay for it.

If you miss Open class speeds, watch the PX class events for the next few years. That's home ground for the "too much money" folks.

Soon enough though, even the restricted technology of SuperCat will have them up to the old Open class speeds.

T2x

If you want to build the sport on a national TV basis...One Class... not 6.

AND......while a multitude of non televised classes appear to be harmless, of and by themselves, they give the "big fish, small pond" racers too many places to hide.......From "real" competition.....and it is this "real" competition that any sport needs to create interest, rivalries etc. The funny thing is that many of these classes.... Factory 2, SCL, Outlaw ?, Super Vee, Super Cat have annual budgets that are not that far apart....so the old adage of "I can't afford it" doesn't hold water.

I believe there should be "development" classes (for racers with less than ____ years experience, an "economy" class or two..... and the rest should step up to some premier class. If Super Cat is too expensive, that can be remedied.....but the best way to solve race budget problems is to gain sponsorships......and....

The best way to gain (non boating industry) sponsorships $$ is fan interest and TV ratings........as opposed to dropping your pants every time a (boating industry) sponsor says bend over.

The ONLY way to do that is to have one featured class and identifiable personalities....and the leverage that goes along with it.

T2x