Circut racing vs. long distance racing
 

This has been touched upon in a couple other threads.

Which would you rather participate in ?

Which would you rather see in person ?

If televised which would be more entertaining ?

Are the adopted classes and breakouts ok or not ?

Me personally, id rather race marathon style races, watch closed circut racing in person, watch offshore marathons on tv, and im not sure about the classes... I like that it puts everybody on a somewhat level playing field, and keeps it more affordable but hate the mph breakouts.

If I could organize a race id set it up like a poker run...

Multiple checkpoints, this would be cool because you could have open water running but still direct the racing into spectator friendly rivers or bays, and no mph breakouts with few classes possibly designated by h.p or even total c.i.d.

Whats everybody elses thoughts?

MD

its funny, i have been racing for eight or ten years now and it always felt kinda odd throwing these things into turns on closed courses. Sort of like if i tried to run a Trophy Truck at Indy or Daytona. :D


I would love longer open ocean courses that had to be navigated. I still do enjoy the racing we have now none the less. Funnest race i ever did was Point Pleasant a couple years ago after that hurricane went through saturday night up the coast. Big water, what a blast that would be great on a long course! Ed thought i was nuts, coulda'a stayed out there for hours :cool: equally as fun was the Miam-'Bimini race also a couple years ago. I kept looking back waiting for land to go out of sight, that was cool. Left the GPS off and did it with a compass. Its a cool feeling being out there.

We seem to think likewise with the thread starter...
This is my thought in a nutshell.

Me personally, id rather race marathon style races, watch closed circut racing in person, watch offshore marathons on tv, and im not sure about the classes... I like that it puts everybody on a somewhat level playing field, and keeps it more affordable but hate the mph breakouts.

Long distance like the old Benihana I used to sit on the beach in Lavallette and watch every year. You could have classes done by CID broken up by further N/A and forced which would be interesting because it adds another element of talent. Who cans squeeze the most out of the cubes and keep it reliable, or not. It would also be at the racers discretion to choose mild or wild.

Not a fan of the bracket/breakout rule racing that is done today at all. That being said, it is no slight against the racers as it is the field they have to play on currently. Hopefully that will change.

As a spectator the only races I will watch are ones run in a river like St. Clair or Detroit.
For the racer I'd like to see some distance open water racing.
To sanction the races I'd like one organizer which probably means the current three must fail and a new group appear.
ed

Also be cool to have the classes be shared by i.o. & o.b.`s

Have some type of equalizer

I.e.
Class 3; max hp....i.o. 525 o.b. 300

Class 2; max hp.......i.o. 1100 o b. 600

Class 1; max hp.......i.o. 2100 o.b. 1200

Unlimited class; unlimited hp combos

Not exact science but im sure everybody understands what im getting at.

This would make the racing more focused on boat selections and their set ups.

Dave

Having run the Benihana GP out of Point Pleasant several times in the mid 70s, I have to agree with you.
I wonder how many can still plot a course with out a GPS unit and race with only a compass. it is pretty cool coming thru a fog bank and seeing your check point in front of you and you were right on course 8-10 miles off the beach.
In the 80s ran a race and at the drivers meeting they were asking for check point co-ordinates.
the old days

Thank you
Jim

Jim, do you think these guys today could hit the BA buoy from the Seaside pier without a GPS in 5 to 6's?

Steve,

Lets not forget the rain or fog out there.
and still have a fleet of 100+ boats show up. Think back
the 1976 Benihana GP had 40+ P Class boats show up alone.

Am sure some of the guys today could find it, but makes you wonder.
I've talked to long time boaters out here about charts and plotting a course and they look at me like i was talking a foreign language. Things sure have changed.

Thank you
Jim

Jim, still do overhere...