Ron P

Randy, 5K is not even close. That was last year.

Flashwave

Randy, let's face it. You, I and all the other racers want a killer deal. After all, our efforts are selling these over priced engines and packages for the manufacturers, and happy to do so. So what will it take to change out to a Vortec? It costs $5000 for a full CRE overhaul on a HP500 give or take. If GM wants us as part of their marketing program, then they need to step up for the RACERS. If they do, then Merc has to step up or move over.

Wouldn'tit be cool to have a GM, Merc, Ford, Dodge rivalry happening in Offshore? Now that could bring in some money.

It will be interesting to go beyond speculation and see what they actually do.

Jim

Dredgeking

pantera did run the viper v10 engine for a bit this year. i was hoping that would add to the engine wars. never heard what happened to that deal.

audacity

we MAY have to run a different lower now???!!!!!!!!!

HyperBaja

Vortec will benefit tons from this. More publicity, i bet they will beat the mercs.

Wild

They also need to give the race teams that participate in the race program a green sheet deal on Trucks

Just like the CEO said on the pre race key west show, "they dont want to see these Vortec boats being pulled by Fords and Dodges"

Offer a deal on the engines and a Greensheet truck every other year or something

Just my .02

xtremeracingf1

I dont think Merc is will to do anything at this point.The amount of engines that would be used in APBA is such a small number it wouldnt make scence for them.If the Vortecs were used in F!,F2 you are talking 45 engines,I dont think that is the market they are after.They will probable take a back set this year and then make a bussiness decission from there.They can pull the plug any time by not suppling Gmc with outdrives.No one has mentioned they are screw without the outdrives.Volvo tried it and feel on there face with the DPX600 that Inovation built for them.Cost them Millions to learn a serious lesson about the High Performance Market.
Mercury is so involved in the OEM market with boat builder that this isnt even a thought to them.Some of the larger OME builds use that many engines in a week....
Dont get me wrong what Vortec is doing is great for the races.The only reason they are doing it is because they are not Mercury and they have to.Mercury is after the consumer bussiness,that where they're marking dollars go.They are looking at a much bigger picture,it would be years before Vortec could even be seroius about being any kind of threat to Merc.

RLW

I would like to be able to buy straight from GM. Buying from Innovation sounds expensive already. But if your racing, it would have to be spec'd. It is to bad that you guys (racers), of all people get boned when it comes to promoting their product.
There is a way around all of this mess.
Factory Direct from Tonawanda, NY. HP3 crate motors! Why couldn't they be marinized at the factory? Of course, this would be for the recreational performance boater. Price them at $10,000 complete. Compared to what I see these shops get for a performance motor, they would sell thousands of them.
$5000 to lease and $5000 to rebuild sounds like a decent deal but Ron P says it will be more.
Gotta bring the costs inline in order to grow the sport.
In regards to the original question. Yes! The Vortec motors should be allowed in F1 and F2.
I like new and improved technology.

xtremeracingf1

The Merc 525 are also a seroius motor,then are coming off the dino hot.From that I've seen they are ant where from 538-550 HP.Make sence why they are doing away with the 575,they are so close in HP.That fresh water cooling is a great option,your running alot cooler and making some HP....

Ron P

According to Steve Miklos, vortec twin engine boats will need to carry an extra 400lbs and singles will carry 250 lbs to compete head to head with the HP 500s. Next year the hope to have a different lower unit skeg to create the extra drag rather than the extra weight.

APBA does a lot of testing to come up with these numbers.