FORCE 10/11-12/02 Offshore Race
 

Poker Runs America lists an offshore race in Islamorada, FL on October 11 & 12...is this still scheduled?

i don't know what has happened with FORCE. steve david used to frequent OSO. maybe he can shed some light.

Hi,

The Islamorada event was cancelled due to a lack of financial support from Holiday Isle. OPBRA's John Kenyon, along with Ronny and Kathy Babin worked their tails off trying to make the event happen this year, but to no avail. The Holiday Isle "cheerleader" these past many years was one of the principal owners of the resort. He subsequently moved to Naples, FL. and the on site staff did not posess the enthusiasm for the event that he once exhibited.

Ronny Babin who is the current VP of OPBRA will be assuming the Presidency of the organizaiton as I step down in November. He's a real go getter, previously active with the Corpus Christi event until his move to Florida. He has unbridled enthusiasm for Offshore racing and we have great hope that he and his team will make a Fort Lauderdale Offshore race a reality in 2003.

Thanks for your interest.

Steve David

Steve,

how has the racing been going this year?

ray van

Hi Ray,

Thanks for writing.

This season for the Unlimiteds has been one of the most competitive in a long time. Three different winners in 6 races. Our team got our butts stomped pretty good at a couple of the eventswhich really pointed out the necessity for a new hull in 2003. The Miss Madison/O Boy! O Berto we ran this season, was built in 1988, and bless it's soul, was extremely competitive until this year. The newer designs have app. 25% less frontal area and 5 to 6 inch wider tunnels. There are other hull configuraiton differences that make the new design more efficient and more stable in most any condition. Credit goes to a Seattle guy by the name of Dale VanWeringen. A quiet, unassuming person with an inherent mind for what works.

My team has committed to build a new hull subject to our sponsorship renewal. My crew are a combination of some of the finest folks I've ever raced for and the City of Madison is one great!!! owner.

On the Offshore side, we were having a very strong year in Miami, Deerfield and Marathon. I couldn't make the other ones because of conflicts with our Unlimited race dates. I had a neat opportunity to team up with Mike Seebold behind the wheel in Miami, Brett May in Fort Myers and Benny Robertson for our win in Marathon. I couldn't ask for better, more competitive wheel men, they're nuts :)

We've still got the Worlds in New Orleans for the F-275 pending Reggies go ahead. I gotta tell you, racing for Reggie has been awesome. No matter what people may say of him, I have never, ever in 32 years of racing met a more determined, skilled and knowledgeable racer & builder then Reggie. He is in the bilge, changing props, changing drives, X dimension, you name it to get eveything he can from his hulls. Even when we raced against he and his son, he still provided us with everything we needed to compete. This was my 3rd. season with Reggies team, and I hope to continue with them into next season.

Thanks again for writing, take care.

Steve David

steve,

i'll have to bump into you in NO. should be a great race. thanks for the update on the unlimiteds. i know this is OSO, but it's nice to hear about other events.

ray