Frank, I love the point/counterpoint of this discussion. I agree with you as why teams do leave the sport. This year, by far, has the most costly of rule changes since the inception of the Factory Classes. I would keep running what you have and let this whole thing go where it's headed. I would only go for the "new stuff" if I were building a new boat.
Let the Pioneers take the arrows!

You both have good points pros and cons.How far are we getting off course with Factory racing is hard to say but as compared to 5 years ago it has changed alot.F1 has gone from mid 70mph to mid 80 mph boats.Everyone said it was inpossable to go more than 80 mph but somehow we do and its all leagal.The word stock has changed but for the better.They are now safer than they ever were but faster.I hate the idea of more classes but I liked the idea of one motor.They tried the 502 (415) hp and not enough teams ran.Maybe another attempt in the future with the 496 merc motor for all in a simillar Factory format.Pitch a couple of small classes and start it in 2004 but let people get fired up now.The 496 would be less expensive and put speeds back to where we started.
Randy

Just a reminder that when Factory came out the 500 carb had the same issue of being expensive but was over come by reliability.I dont want to see everyone spend more money but if you want equal HP and 2 differant manufactures then maybe its time to do away with the 500 carb and 500EFI. They have great resale value and most of us have bought them at a dealor price anyway.You could sell your motor ,drive and gimbal for close to $20,000 and put it down on a new setup.Now you have all new no rebuilt for aprox $15,000.Thats not that bad guys for what we spend anyway.Do we want to do this?No,But if it maintains equality then I'm for it.I think it stinks to have 4 differant motors in Factory class but they are trying to keep everyone happy that has already bought motors.You know the saying you cant please everyone all the time so dont even try.Keep it equal in Factory and show case the talant and setup.To many variables will hurt the class and change the whole concept of equal power for all.
Randy

HEY GUYS REMEMBER WHEN THE EFI CAME OUT THEY HAD A CLASS OF THEIR OWN, WHY NOT A SEPERATE CLASS FOR THE 525, WITH OUT THE WEIGHT RESTRICTION, AND LET THE 500 HP AND THE EFI'S CONTINUE TO RUN THE WAY WE HAVE BEEN. ARE ALL THE BOATS COMING OUT OF THE FACTORYS RUNNING THE 525 IN 2003 I BET THEIR NOT. IM GOING TO RUN MY 500 HP CARB. AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS IVE BEEN TOLD IF I GET BLOWN AWAY BY THE NEW 525 A NEW RULE CHANGE WOULD HAPPEN PER MIKALUS.

KEVIN
F1-46

Kevin,
I spoke to John at SBI and I believe thats is what he is going to do.The F1 class will stay the same and they will run a seperate class for the Vortec.To me that makes the most sence,I agree with Randy its crazy to run four different motors and four different hps.The factory class was built to be an affordable class and they have lost the vission that started it all.Every time they do something like this it sets the sport back again.Iroc is still running equal hp motors for years that what the class is about not keeping up with technlogy I dont buy that story.It money for APBA and thats all it is!

Frank

Without making more classes in Factory and sticking to 1 engine only sanario which motor would you pick?And my guess is yes all new Factory Race boats will use the new motors.And Kevin no one is going to blow you away in your boat.
Randy

Randy,

I think there is a good chance some boats are going to be blown away with the HP3's. Even with 350 lb of extra weight, you should see lower ET's (faster average speeds), as some hulls will carry the 350 better than others.

In the long run, I can see the Factory boats running the HP3 from either Merc or GM. The Merc 525 (502 block) is not going to be around long from other posts I have read here. Were going let other teams prove reliability of the HP3 this year and see what Mercury Racing decides to do next year.

In the meantime, I guess will just have to figure out how to out drive you fast guys.


J

Frank

If SBI were to run two Factory-1 classes, one for Vortec and one for Mercury, you would have an even more pathetic # of entries than there is now. You might have 1 boat in each class. Now that's exciting!

Everyone has valid points and opinions and each solution will have drawbacks. I really dont see $15,000 is worth 1 mph, but obviously my wallet is not as thick as some. Yes, inevitably the 500 will become obsolete, but wouldnt it make better sense to use that money to move up a class. I know there is no way we can compare ourselves to the Nascar circuit, but they have a simple formula that has proven to work. You have ARCA, Busch, and Winston Cup. You have different make of vehicles, but the same horsepower in each of those. When you do good on one circuit, you move up. To quote Days Of Thunder:"All cars are the same right" " Yeah so the rulebook says" "So then its up to the driver right?" It should be in the driver/throttleman's hands and not who has the fattest wallet. As BJ said one boat in every class is so exciting, and believe me, I speak from experience, it royally sucks, but either make a rule to do away with the 500's and put them into the P class or make seperate classes. Lets put the racing back into the driver/thottleman's hands and make racing more exciting for the fans, which will make the purses bigger and then possibly more racers and so on. I know opinions are like @$$holes, everyone has one, and thats just mine...
Trent

I guess at this point all we can do is see what shakes out this year and make adjustments for next year.I'm sure APBA will make changes as the year gos on until they get a handle on it.I still dont understand why the change but they make the rules.I know it not to make us faster...and I would think that would be the only reason you would introduce a engine with more HP. I guess we just need to do what we do and that race and leave the politics to APBA....

Frank