Originally Posted by cigresaleishigher

Having been in more than one run, its definitey a test of who's fastest in whatever conditions happen to occur...pretending like no one cares whos first to the card stop is like believing O.J. didnt do it..get real.

Originally Posted by SHOCKWAVE

Well, I guess I better weigh in on the race boat thing, since I have been invited back to the Chicago Poker Run by all the great friends we made while we were there last year. After 20+ years on the circuit, I decided to take it down a notch or two and try poker running.I thought it would be fun to take the boat to no pressure events, with no politics, and just meet a lot of new people, show off my stuff and run my boat to have fun, not compete. Hell, I even stopped for lunch! Very different than racing I tell ya.... Wyatt Fountain and I ran the boat about 80-100 mph at best. We got passed many times, but couldn't care less. We were having a ball. When I was at the docks prior to leaving, I saw some of the iron these guys had and said holy crap, we're gonna get embarrassed.But it did not matter, because we did not come to race. Only to have a fun day. Our twin 750 Mercury Supercats were definitely not the largest motors there, believe me. And a bunch of the cats took off at the start, never to be seen again.
We had fun running alongside of other boats giving them a close look at a race boat with them waving and snapping pictures the whole time. I was loving it, and it wasn't about the speed. It was about being there,not having to run balls to the wall, being treated as friends by people we've never met, and getting a chance to run with a whole bunch of other boats with the same idea of having a great,relaxing, enjoyable day.
We relaxed so much that Scott Sjrogren and Wyatt and I almost went to Canada, I swear I saw a maple leaf flag, until we realized that we missed a card stop.
And a word about safety if I may....we went into the event as we go into a race. Switliks, helmets, emergency air. We had them, so why not use them. Between Wyatt and myself we probably have 40 years racing and boating, so I think we were highly qualified to bring our race boat and use it in a safe and courteous manner.It is fully insured, so don't be afraid to run next to me.Take lots of pictures, we love it. I imagine not many people get a chance to ride alongside of a World Speed record holder and Super Vee World Champion, side exhausts screaming, boat riding as if on rails.
It's all about fun. And I had a ball, and will have another one at this years Chicago Poker run. The problem (?) of having a raceboat come to your poker run is not the raceboat's problem. It does create some kind of excitement, seeing something up close that you would ordinarily not see.The real problem is the people in that raceboat and how they conduct themselves.If they think they are there to race, well,maybe they should go back to the racecourse.That's how people get hurt.
I am looking forward to returning to Chicago and see all my new friends from last year. And I think they all would like me to bring The Rio Roses back again.

Regards to all,
Rich Troppoli
Rio Roses

Originally Posted by ApacheCarl

"Heres to you Mr. "Fountains are the fastest boats on the planet because Reggie says so"

Originally Posted by cuda

Glad to read that Marc, at first I thought you had moved to Cali. Which Spectre do you miss more, the 30, or the 36?

I wish I could go to that Catalina deal, that would be fun to see.

Originally Posted by cuda

Lord knows I hate to sound like a Reggie fan, but I believe the record books say so too.

Originally Posted by monstaaa

Originally Posted by cigresaleishigher

Having been in more than one run, its definitey a test of who's fastest in whatever conditions happen to occur...pretending like no one cares whos first to the card stop is like believing O.J. didnt do it..get real.

Originally Posted by JCPERF

Its funny how a vee hull comes to a poker run in cat water and pushes everyones sh1t in and its a problem.Now everyone will kill Reggie on this thread screaming bloody murder that he was racing.Stop the bullsh1t [enlight of the misfortunes that have happened at other poker runs].Everyone is still going to go to poker runs and run their boats balls to the wall!!!!Remember the only difference last time i checked between most poker run boats and race boats is a number on the side of the boat.In fact most poker run boats are running faster than race boats!!!!Poker run boats dont have rules to go by.I put my dick out now so you can start kicking it in the dirt.