"The main thing that's happening in Key West, it's not only the TDC, it's all of the businesses. When you go and ask them for a sponsorship or an ad in the program, the answer we get is, 'Why should we? [The event] is gonna happen anyway.' ".

You would think that the pizza joint would fork up some money for sponsorship, so they can sell,pies at $100 a clip on Friday night for no wait, and $50 on Saturday night. Yes that what we paid last year for a pie when your hungry and drunk.

Huh? No bragging. Just the truth.
A bum looked up a friend's skirt & got his ass whipped on the courthouse lawn for it. Cops came, said looking up a skirt wasn't illegal. Cops said he deserved it & that we should go to jail for it but because the dude was a degenerate they would introduce him to the island's homeless person relocation officer. They all laughed about it & once they ran us they kicked us loose to go have more fun.
As for the GEM car story. That is all true too.

BUMP: Any updates? i see rumors. Has an announcement been made???

As it happens, I spoke with two different offshore racers today, as well as two other reliable "inside" sources, and despite the rumors that have been posted as fact elsewhere no "official" announcement has been made. However, I expect there will be some kind official announcement within the next two weeks. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Well even if it does come here I can say next year I am doing the FPC run anyway.

Leaving KW would be a shame. I just got back from four days there had an absolute blast. Sure hope SBI wakes up and realizes that KW is the perfect venue.

It is but only for those that can afford it.

If you are trying to reach out to the masses and famiies to gain new fans....it might be one of the worst places for it

Things change. As racers you learn to accept and adapt, everyone else will do the same.. Most Poker runners have some "racer" in them anyways (Some have a lot). The Poker run boats will come where the races are. We go hand in hand with each other. Plain and simple.

It would be a shame to split us apart for the World Championships if they move. We love seeing all the performance boaters and offshore boats (big and small) .

I think you are wrong.......While it is nice to have a "speed week" with all types of go fast boats I don't think you have as much of a following as you think since the overlap is what boosts your attendance. I can remember groups of poker runners leaving on Sunday morning before the races to get back to Miami and missing ever race on Sunday on purpose!
Just as a point......other than Key West: How many races feature a poker run of significant size around the race dates? I can't think of one, so that would negate your "poker runs will come where the races are" idea.

Move that event to Clearwater and I would bet Key West is still the Poker Run destination! Remember that poker run is the finale for many up north boaters before they put the boat up for the winter and Key West is simply a better boating vacation destination than Clearwater. I understand the racers want the most bang for the buck and KW is not it but the PR crowd is of a different mentality since it is also a vacation for them. Just looking at the pics of the Boca Grande sand bar party it looked like a lot more fun than standing 3 deep at the sea wall and watching boats break.

Congrats on your win......You guys deserved it after all your troubles last season!

KW is KW and that will never change ^^^^ well said +1