Von Bongo

As a "fan" I am wondering why there are not a variety of courses much like NASCAR? The cars run super speedways like Daytona and Talledega, small ovals Rockingham and even road courses like Sears point.

With the complaints about "inshore" courses and multiple turns..blah..blah. Why are there not a mixture venues with a least one or more true offshore race? Fan tickets can not come anywere close to paying for a race and I doubt it ever could so why not vary it a little? I mean how many fans watch the Baja 1000? Yet it is a pretty big deal to win.

I hear Indy is a lousy place to actually watch a race but it is still pretty prestigous to win. Why not the same for boat racing? Wouldn't a race team love the bragging rights winning a run to Nassau or some such destination? What about the builders and engine builders. If a Toyota wins it's class at Baja you gotta figure it's a pretty tough machine for offroad racing. Wouldn't Reggie like to claim that his beak boat won the true offshore race of the year?

With the advances in electronic navagation fewer people should get lost, so whats the deal?????

Just my lunch hour thought for the day.

Shane

A topic that has been debated over and over again. There are "road style" courses from time to time. Courses that make rights and lefts. Ft. Lauderdale is one, or used to be anyway. But a good point nonetheless.

Iggy

I was reading about it someplace, maybe here, but that same topic was mentioned.
I remember watching the Hennesy Grand Prix in New Jersey (1970?) and back then they used to go from Point Pleasant, N.J. out to somewhere on Long Island and back. After the boats headed out on the northern leg the spectator fleet would all go home because the race boats wouldn't return for several hours. No one wanted to sit at anchor in rolling seas for 4-5 hours.

The current courses are designed with spectator viewing as a priority. No spectators, no money.

I do recall reading that back in the old "long" course days the boats would throttle way back to conserve engines and fuel while out of sight. They would pour it on only for the spectators.

JUSTONCE

I think that would be cool, like a point A to B banzai(sp) run.

eyezlee

what about an "offshore" race at an inland lake like Ozarks or Cumberland or Grand....

cuda

I think that would be a great race. Think about it, they don't have to run far offshore, so the logistics of safety crews would be easier to deal with. Think of how many people could see the boats run along the route. How bout they run from Miami to KW, spend the night there, then leave the next day with thier time differences of finish applied to the race back, ala the Tour de France. That would put the boats close together again for the return run. Festivities could be held at both ends of the race course.

Donzi Corleone

I agree with Cuda and Fever Mike that venue seems to have $$$ at both ends of the course.

yahoo

I heard a rumor APBA was going to race to and from the bahamas. They would race over, run about 4 laps there and stop. Then in a couple of days race back and run some laps here.

Sounds like a great race.

The slow boats would go first followed by the supercats.

And a poker run would follow them all up.

Formula Outlaw

Sarasota has a pretty good course as run by the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix, both left and right turns, runs close to shore in front of both Lido and Siesta beaches, and is relatively long in length. The APBA's Sarasota Offshore Showdown is using basically the southern half of the course and will be run in front of Siesta Key only. On the "old" course there were straightaways the boats could really climb up in speed, the "new" course, unfortunately, won't allow that. APBA, in it's effort to make a "spectator" friendly course, has, in reality, lost a lot of the appeal of the racing. I've seen the layouts of all the race courses in both SBI and APBA races and without question, the "old" Sarasota course, by today's standards, was the best of both worlds. I do not have any idea why APBA was so insistent on shortening the course. It's going to lead to a lot of traffic problems, where before people had two vantage points to watch the race from land, now there is only one. More people, less space equals more hassle. Duh.....I personally am thrilled APBA (no politics here please) is back. Irregardless of how people may feel about Allweiss, the fact is simple, APBA is the Ringling Brothers/Barnum&Baily of Offshore Racing and SBI is a backyard carnival. Since the Suncoast Offshoe Grand Prix lined itself up with SBI after the 2001 races, the last two years the number of boats, and the event itself has dropped 50% both years. What's it gonna have next year, 12 boats? I am afraid that after 19 years, and having been called at one time the Indy 500 of Offshroe Racing, the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix might be in it's death throes. It's really too bad, and the problem with the whole mess is simple, EGOS. And there may be people who read this involved with the Suncoast Offshore who do not like what I'm saying here, but I challenge anyone, anywhere, anytime, to prove me wrong. And if you try, bring your best shot, cause I'm gonna leave you flat on your back. It's the stupidest, childest, "I'm gonna take my ball home" I've ever witnessed first hand. Stuff your egos you know where and support ALL offshore racing, that's what it's about. That's my opinion and all of you are entitled to it. Nuff said.

bryanh

We are working on one for next year as long as we can get a permit from the lake of the ozarks