National Champion ...legit?
 

It seems to me that almost every boat past or present in offshore racing has "national or world champ whatever year " marked on their boat. While I will say most of them have been earned and earned well their are a few that i must question about their legitimacy. The ones Im talking about are the classes in which there is only one boat that shows up to more races than its competitors and they spend the entire season racing against themselves with no competion whatsoever. How could you go around and feel good or use a national or world championship to help market your marine business when you didnt race against any other boats all year? Ive seen it to many times in all the years i have watched and been apart of offshore racing . I think that offshore racing no matter the sanctioning body should have a rule in place that if you show up to a race in your class and no other racers show for your class that they should place you in a "P" class type race so that you have some competion to race against . In classes such as superboat unlimited or turbine classes where there are never many competitors put them together . Yes I know that turbines are generally faster than their piston counterparts but the rules for the turbines could be changed just like they did in the unlimited hydros to even the playing field by restricting the fuel going into the engine of the previous winner and if they win again restrict it more . At least this way there is more competion on the course and less boats running wide open for no reason and no competion and still getting to call themselves champion when they never really earned it .....they just spent way to much money to race against themselves. I mean really if I showed up and entered an offshore race in lets say a 40' Sea Ray cruiser and was the only one in my class and cruised around the course at 20mph all day long and I showed up to every race would you consider me an offshore racer or a national or word champ just because I earned all the points (the only points for the class). It happens all the time and it bothers me to not see some sort of rule to change this. If you dont think it happens look at the SBI standing for this year and last year for Superboat unlimited. only one competitor for most of the season and absolutly no competion most of the season. Kindda like a Sprint cup race season where Tony Stewart was the only one to show up to every race and called himself the champ.

I agree.

Another glitch would be if they haven't raced in 10 years, why would a manufacturer hang onto the WC logo. At some point it becomes a marketing idea vs. truth in advertising. Reg loves to say his boats went XXX MPH with the disclaimer of 10 gallons of fuel/ one skinny captain, no gear, no water on board. Honest but not realistic since no one will ever use the boat that way in real life.

I think these guys should just spend there unlimited funds and enter their boats in poker runswhere there are more boats that run the same speeds as they do and then they will at least have bragging rights as to who is faster......oh wait Reggie already did that sorry! But anyway it just doesnt make sense that you are a champ when all you had to do is show up , run one lap ,put the boat back on the trailer pick up your check and leave. If I ever get back into offshore racing I wouldnt even bother putting my boat in the water and risk breaking parts if noone else showed up to race against.

In most cases it means little or nothing. If you're buying an MTI, you're not a guy who would be swayed to that brand simply because of some purported championship they'd won.

On the other hand, the average Fountain buyer might also buy a Ford because they were a NASCAR or NHRA pro-stock champion. There's about that much difference between their production product and their race boats.

Id like to see someone from SBI/APBA or OSS chime in here to try to legitimize this and see if it could be fixed!....dont think it will happen though! Ever wonder why offshore cant keep any sort of real tv coverage.. could a lack of real competion in their premier classes be a contributing factor besides other issues.

sounds like the case in Sbi.The opa racers are earning it.

Bring back F-1 and F-2 racing the way it was intended to be, win and then announce 'World Champions' as your sales tool.

And you'e got to have some sort of mandatory minimum for each class as well.

and whats even worse...how about being inducted into the hall of champions just because you made all the races on the schedule, but beat no one. thats another joke in my book.

I completly agree and applaud the OPA for breaking loose and trying to create a real series. The other thing that really bothers me about this is that you dont even need to run any other races but can work and test your boat all season while others use their equipment and beat it up but you can show up and run in the world championships and win and now your the world champ. It happens not to jump on Kilocat but look at the Budlight/Bud select or whatever they are called now you run OSS races all year except for a select few then run the SBI world finals and win and call yourslf a SBI world champ when you didnt even run in any type of points championship type system. Yes I know the series need sponsor money and butts in the seats but I just dont think anything about this system is right!!!!

The APBA had thisd handled- but they pushed a bunch of rich guys with big egos just a little bit too far. So then we had all these different, competing series- all with different, mismatching classes and such.

Maybe someday we'll have reunification, a handful of clearly identifyable classes and races with more than one boat.

I can tell you from memory who was the world champ in 1964, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. I can also tell you who was world champ since: Everybody. It must be the most watered-down title in the world. In the alternative, if it attracts new entrants, who cares?

Thats the problem i think though . At least in the premier classes No one wants to spend a million or better on a boat to go out and race themselves. I believe if you want real competion you need to go into the cheaper, lower speed classes like the factory classes or the outboard cat classes that seems to be where the real racing is!

I have to run my Fountain that way.....its the only way I can keep up with the World Champion Sunsations.:D:D
Chris..I do own a Ford also. Its a F350...I guess its from watching to much of the Nascar Truck series.

I do think its kindda funny that none of the national or world champs that are members here have chimed in to dispute this subject.

So How many boats does a class need???
Many classes arent recognized, in europe as they are in the states. Class 3 6 litre is the only clas I know of where it is run around the globe. Gary Ballough and Paul Whittier race Cat OB here in the states with OSS, and SBI, as well as in the ME.
they run against teams from around the globe.

Do you think its funny when Poker run teams wear matching shirts/uniforms and call themselves world champion poker run team?? While there is some amazing hardware at poker runs,
I would say most dont want to take a Race cat of the same caliber into a turn with 4 or 5 other cats.

could be 2 reasons ...

1 its the weekend (some people actually do stuff) and
2 alot of the racers I know dont venture out of the racing section

Exactly....More so #2.

That was my exact point. Cigarette hadn't raced a factory boat in years and Sunsation has had a couple of boats race but were factory helped but not 100% factory sponsored. Sunsation doesn't build race boats, it is not their market. Cigarette doesn't built race boats (Skater builds them for them). The WC logo is cool but certainly not the reason anyone should buy any boat.

I certainly don't believe "Budweiser is the king of beers", Ford's "quality is job one" or even Chevrolet is the "Heartbeat of America."

What im saying is that if you show up and there isnt anyone to race against would you be able to feel good calling yourself a national or world champ? I guess what Im saying is there is a serious flaw in the system as we know it in offshore and too many people out there calling themselves national or world champ when there wasnt any competion to race against. (I think we all know some people who have been doing this for the last few years)

Um ... we had 33 boats in Harrison Twp ... and Geico wasnt there. Your comment is a huge slam to all the guys/gals who put together the OPA race sites and support. We do appreciate Haggin but he did not provide the purse for Harrison or St Clair. His help with the food and such at St Clair was greatly appreciated but the race would have happened in St Clair, just like it did in Harrison Twp, even if Haggin wouldnt have shown up.

I won the World championship in 2003-2004 in APBA I also won the Nation Championship and the Great Lakes Championship. 2003 we ran a total of 20 races running every APBA and every Great Lakes races that year. We had a lot of competion back then and I was running P-3 with a 30 Phantom called Fortress. I know what you are saying by winning a Championship racing against nobody but that's not his fault nobody wants to play. I have been kicked out of a class for having to good of a boat.

I dont think anyone wants to race against themselves. (well may be not everyone) It is just the way things are at some events.

Also I would worry about OPA. Unlike any other organization that I am aware of, OPA racers are building their own sites. We actually had 38 boats in Harrison Twp and I guarantee you it will be much bigger next year. Louie is doing NY and it will be a top site, Smitty pretty much does Point Pleasant and Ocean City and I wouldn't be surpised at another racer promoted site next year. If you want to grow the sport dont just show up and take everything for granted. Do something big to better the sport.

Oh yeah. I did earn my title. It cost me a boat, two shattered teeth and a ton of $. And I will never forget that week!

And there you go.... sure miss that class. Best racing ever!

Yeah you're right its not their fault if noone else wants to show up but I think in that situation they should stick you in another class ,like a "p" class . Yeah the p classes have speed restrictions but at least you would have competion. Put turbines and pistons together and speed restric them on a per lap average and competion would be close and its good racing for the fans especially when only one or two boats show up for each of those classes.

Well duh ...

Doesnt matter ... lets say for arguments sake you were referring to somebody else... its still wrong and still a slam to rest of the org ...

But it is no more and will never be again, many have tried .

MORE THAN ONE

Nope and they should never ever do that! It is a poker Run not a race!

Great point.

What happened since to create the current mess you ask?

Back then you built a boat to fit a class.

Today, you demand a class to fit your boat....and you get it.

Anyone who participates in the continuous massaging of rules or creation of "new, bolder" classes so he or she can show off some new piece of hardware....isn't a real boat racer.....and fans, IMHO, want to see real boat racers and real boat racing.

and don't get me started on bracket racing.......... if you want to be locked together so you can all shake hands running around the course.....simply bring an electric bumper car ride to each race....it makes about as much sense.

Many boats racing even up is a Champ boat race. One boat running against itself....is an ego trip.

T2x

you were at St Clair you didnt enjoy watching the yellow boat race itself and claim top gun honors??

OK,

I think we are getting off topic here, I think the original question proposed is why to MFG's put "World Champions" on their boats and claim to be world champions when they haven't raced in years or decades?? Better yet when a MFG puts World CHampion on their boats and they don't even build race boats (thats Amazing) or race their production boats?

Let me really blow your mind, what if I as an individual took a boat, raced it with no support from factory, took their logos of of it and won a world championship, are they entitled to be "WORLD CHAMPIONS", let that stir in your head!!!!!!

WILL
World Champion, one beer at a time:drink:

i have a world champion canoe....made up stickers and everything. actually its my fathers. anywhoo.......:grinser010::rolleyes:

It may not be their market but Sunsation has in fact built several purpose built raceboats.

Green one did as well :)

As in "World Champion Cigarette Racing Team"?

Or Formula being a "World Champion" because they sponsor an Unlimited Hydro?

It's all part of the same disease. If Championships mean nothing for drivers, owners........ or builders, what's the difference?

By the way I ran a World Championship race for 28 Skaters yesterday morning and nobody else showed up. As I result I am proud to announce that I am the current August 10th, 2008, Babylon Harbor World Champion in the 28 Skater Class.

After the race I was quoted as saying while I mopped my brow with a towel: "This is a team sport and I wouldn't be here without a lot of help from a slew of people. Let me start by thanking Peter Hledin for his great boat, Mercury Marine for the super outboard powerplants and props, my family for backing me all of these years, my wonderful crew, ( a bunch of Long Islanders headed up by Joey Imprescia), Francesco's Pizza, the gas girl at the Anchorage Marina, Lifeline Jackets, Channel 7 for an accurate weather forecast, and all of the countless fans who have cheered us on around the world. I promise that, with your support, next year I will connive another meaningless World (or Universal!!!!) Championship for all of you."

T2x........... Current Babylon Harbor 8/10/08 World Champion.:D:D