Just like so much of this article is false are you all sure Mr. Fountain was not mis-quoted?

Seems to me that Hanah Karp has a hidden agenda. She obviously did not do proper research. All in all though Offshore Racing could benefit from the tone of this article. Lots of NASCAR comparrisons and look how NASCAR took off with it's old 'ole boy, bad boy image.

The people that read the WSJ and know nothing about offshore racing and believe every word Karp wrote would never be race fans of any motorsports anyway. The people that would watch motorsports racing and read about fast boats, loud boats, parties, girls, the beach and sun most likely think...hell yeah, I'm there!

I find it very interesting that this woman spent so much time at the race sites (Pickwick and Marathon that I know of) and her remarks about the SBI award ceremony seemed to be thrown in as a ficticious attention grabber.

I have hesitated posting because I'm not a racer and have no technical knowledge of the raceboats but have been involved for 18 years. But such slanted reporting in such a " credible" form of the media is not fun to read.

I was at that awards event from the setting up to the tearing down.
Simple facts........Reggie was misquoted. He did not fly the cheerleaders in..........a sponsor did. He knew nothing of it.
Sean is correct on his post, and it's true people had to be announced more than once because it was on a beach and people were having fun for god's sake...............
I just feel that if there are that many things that I know that are wrong....how many other things did she make up or misunderstand.
It all goes back to the research.......or did she care?

ON THE OTHER HAND..............if I were an everyday "rest of the country" sports fan or business person, who doesn't know that much about powerboat racing............I may just be attracted by that HUGE picture on the front page of the sports/entertainment section of the WEENEND JOURNAL............I might just "scan" the article and make a note to go to one of these events in the future or go online and get more info.
If you haven't seen the actual paper..........try to get one just to see the "wow" factor it presents....... It's worth it.

sorry for the speech, now don't bash me..........I'm very sensitive

Pat D./Marathon/SBI/APBA

RG.......the slam was about the poor English when critisising the article. I didn't know that English was his second language.......so if nobody knew, then yes they would.

Have a great weekend. We're heading for the boat!

Did someone say something?

"this is shaping up to be the summer of the cigarette boat."

god I hope so......BZ

I love machines that look extrordinary, sound extraordinary, and perform in extraordinary ways. By their very nature extreme machines will attract attention both wanted and unwanted. I can't change what the "quota people" who pervade industry, government and most environmental organizations think, but I can positively influence many folks that I come into contact with. I think that we miss a big opportunity for positive PR. Please see the big thread(s) regarding "what's the dumbest thing you'll be asked at the docks/ramps this year?". Come on guys, you don't have to even read between the lines to get the sense that too many of us fall into the attitude of " I'm too special or important or rich or busy or smart to deal with the small people". Sure some of the questions/comments are fueled by envy or misguided environmental wrath but more often its just curiousity and even a bit of awe and a desire to talk to someone that has something so cool. I know that if I don't stop, count my blessings and respond kindly, I'm likely to come off as some imperious egotistical jerk. If I can let my passion and enthusiasm shine when answering questions then maybe I'm part of the solution. There's certainly enough factual information that people like the WSJ writer can mangle, omit and manipulate; let's don't hand them our worst stereotype to write about.
Jeff

VERY well said.......

Darn good post!!!

jhiguy377; T2x and others

You my friend are so right. The other shoe could drop any day and it is those of us who love this type of boating that will be the deciding factor on if we get legislated out of existance.

Make friends out of as many non-hiperf.boaters you can, we will need them when crunch time comes. And it is coming.

i sent her a nice e amil as well....