APBA memberships
 

Where has everyone been sending their APBA racing memberships. According to the February Propeller (page 5) they should be sent to APBA headquarters and not the APBA Offshore headquarters as stated on the Offshore web-site. What has everyone done. I saw this mentioned in a previuos thread but don't remember the outcome if any.

that's a good valid question....anyone?? :confused:

the last time I did mine was in Ft. Myers @ the registration table..
2years ago...

i had been buying mine at the race venue through apba offshore. hmmm now what?

DID IT IN KEY WEST LAST YEAR, YOU MUST NOT HAVE RACED

KEVIN
F1-46

Memembership
 

I spoke with Lynn and sent everything to her attention per her request..St Pete address......:)

I thought I would get a more definite answer. I think I"ll email both organizations and see what kind of response I get.

Thanks for the replies. I'll post the responses from APBA hdqtrs and APBA Offshore.

When you pay at the race sight don't you pay more than the discounted price for early registration. For instance if your pay your annual racing membership prior to 2/28/03 it costs $260.00 after that it costs $310.00. The cost to register your boat is also higher after 2/28/03 except for P class which remains at $400.00.

Also it makes me wander why APBA Offshore makes you pay prior to the World's for the next season. With all the rule changes, engine deals and other uncertanties it seems unfair to collect a years membership when some people will not be able to race the next year. Any opinions? BTW they are still registering A & B boats which I thought were going away.

Ray

APBA RENEWAL
 

I renewed my membership through APBA OFFSHORE. When I received my new membership card, I also got a letter stating that APBA had not received a payment from APBA-OFFSHORE, but they were still going to honor my renewal. Thought that was kind of strange!

Send your memberships to Eastpointe, MI!!! Also, if you are putting on a race, send your sanction and insurance money to Eastpointe, MI.

..and the intrigue continues...:confused:

I smell a serious power struggle. Seems the rub is between APBA (headquarters) and APBA Offshore....the tension of opposites...

I sent both organizations email on 2/21/03 after close of business. As of this moment I have not heard from APBA Offshore. The APBA national organization emailed me on 2/24/03 and the reply echos the post from SCARABFAN. This doesn't smell good at all.

the APBA 2002 season ends in november...the offshore pro series is still running (worlds) in november...i had everyone done a month prior to worlds in 2002 and delt with detroit directly...we were not even legal to run f2 in 2002....so i paid for 2003 and will have to pay for 2004 at worlds this year for 1 last race...but the boat registration does go with the boat so when it's sold, include that as well...

that's all i know....if that helps anyone???

APBA Offshore
 

APBA Offshore has their i's dotted and t's crossed. Michigan tried to pull some crap and it didn't work. You'll get a announcement soon on this. BH

With all due respect Brian, that is your opinion, and not one that is held by a great many others. APBA headquarters, based in East Detroit Michigan, has been around for 100 years and aside from them leasing this category on a long term lease, (which I opposed then and remain steadfastly against) most of what they do is right on the money.

Because this matter will most likely result in litigation (suprise!!!!!) I won't comment on it any further other than to say that I trust and support the APBA Board of Directors over the llc.

Good news, no matter who messes with who, there will be Offshore racing and guys like yourself are going to have fun. Best to let the politics run their course, and you guys have a ball.
Your enthusiasm is admired, same for Randy, Rick and every one of you.

be safe,

Steve

Well said Steve!

Mike Allweiss seems to have made some commentary. This is from his recent letter to members on the APBA Offshore site;

"we proudly can proclaim that the revolution is over and the businessmen have won."

Revolution is a strong word in the context of a "political" battle...;)

why?
 

Why do I support the LLC?

1. CRE (the 90 mph F1 boat went away)
2. Purses are up.
3. Look at our race sites now.
4. APBA Offshore is my family and I'm faithful.

Brian Hollis

Don't know what this is all about, but, received a letter today from APBA- Offshore instructing us to send the money and registration to them. I don't have a problem with that. What I have a concern with is why? Letter could have included a reason. I'm sure we'll find out "why" soon enough.

J

Looks like it is going to get interesting soon....

Looks like it is going to get interesting soon....

I heard that there was a "hostile takeover" of APBA Offshore by SBI & Reggie. The source indicated that they were working through/with APBA headquarters. This information is over a week old and judging from the letter MA posted on the APBA Offshore site at least a battle is over. Let's hope the upcoming season doesn't suffer....:confused:

a "hostile takeover" by SBI & Reggie, now that's the funniest thing I've heard all year :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

LMAO !!!
 

No offense tachyon, but I gotta agree with 53.
Reggie can't afford, (is not allowed) to spend anymore money in boat racing, so I'm thinking that's a pretty far out there rumor.

I wouldn't call it a rumor as it was from a reliable insider. The enterprise value of the Offshore LLC may be lower than you think. The LLC is comprised of multiple partners who may have incongruous investment goals and private equity has rare opportunities for liquidity. In europe, the premier franchise, UIM Class 1 recently sold for $1. Things that don't make (or loose) money aren't that valuable. Aside, I was careful to word what I said as SBI & "Reggie" and not "Fountain". I agree Fountain is probably not in a position to be venturing into things outside their "core" business presently. Additionally, at least one other group/entitiy was determining investor interest.

Believe non of what you hear and half of what you see. The above is half of what I personally saw.

Hopefully, the business people will take care of business and the rest of us can watch, race and in both cases enjoy.

Tachyon,

There are, at a minimum, "two insides" in the immediate case. I am presuming you've heard from one of those on the llc side. I would further presume that the insiders to whom I've spoken, have a 180 degree opposing view to what you've heard. Should the llc disappear (an occurence I would be pleased to see) the category would most likely be restored to the membership as it was prior to the llc. In such a scenario it would be governed by a Commission made up of race sites, equipment owners and other stakeholders. The leader would be an elected Chairman serving with minimal compensation. The professional staff would be compensated.

I'm not certain who you are, but, at least on a good day I know who I am and I served as Senior VP of APBA from 93-96 and President from 96 thru 98. As such, I had a fairly good view of the inside. By the way, I found it a much prettier view than what the llc has allowed it to devolve into.

That said, the core strength of Offshore has been the racing members. While I may be off keel here, I believe the racers just want to race, have fun, recoup what they can of their expenses and return to race again another weekend.

If you find I am factually wrong with any of this, please advise.

While we're here, a letter from the llc to APBA making certain representations does not by it's mere existence create fact......

Steve,
With all due respect, I feel you're vision for offshore, a 'commission' as you put it, is a little askew. There would be far too many players, too many conflicts of interest there...Look what happened to RSVP....You think the power struggles are bad now, it would only get worse.

Today's format far surpasses and eliminates many of those problems.

A centralized organiziation, which owns the race sites and is built upon solid relationships with the localities works much better than a non-unified group of multiple entities.

What you do instead? I'd like to hear more about this, as I hope I'm not misunderstanding you?...

The only problem Mother APBA has with Offshore is that Offshore won't willingly allow itself to be fee'd and nickel-and-dimed to death; You can only milk a cash cow so long before you get kicked. [not to mention a certain few members on the APBA board who clearly have monetary conflicts of interest]

As for a hostile takeover...LMAO! :D Good luck on that one...

Thanks Mike A,

I heard these rumor's several weeks ago and new it would make it to the board soon. What I have wondered for the last couple of years, with all of it's players in place, Martin, Lynn, Mike Tomlinson and many others, is why does the LLC. need the APBA, it looks to me the APBA needs the LLC., With a bussiness plan that seems to be working, enforcement of the rules and pay outs being paid out, a constent growth in sponsors it looks to me that everything is working acording to plan as stated several years ago with the formation of the LLC.

I'm not trying to take sides the 2 organizations seem to have their place, but how could a 3rd organization or an organization run by a manufacture make the sport any better.

just my .02

Edddie Simmons

Eddie,
 

Your questions and observations are right on. I just hope the old blood in APBA starts looking to the future, instead of desperatly trying to keep things status quoe, right up untill the end of APBA.

crickets?
 

I'm glad the record has been set straight! All of this rumor / silly season BS happens EVERY year! BH

Mike,

I appointed you as the Offshore Chair some 5 years ago when you were controlled by a commission. Since then, in the llc autonomy, almost every race site has disappeared (Biloxi, Palm Beach, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Washington NC, Baltimore, Buffalo, Cleveland, Holiday Isle, San Diego and so forth. As well, many of the stalwarts that built Offshore have been left in the llc wake. The Culvers and Waldrops to name but a few.

That said, you have your agenda, you also have great strengths. While I disagree with your tactics, if you can build this sport into something better, I wish you only good fortune. I would hope that in so doing, you leave less scorched earth in your path. Not all of your naysayers are your enemies, including me.

Good luck,

Steven David

I think both Mike and Steve should be commended for handling thier respones to this issue with class.Maybe some day they can work together again...maybe even get Reggie and John to join in too.Hey, anythings possible!

Mike,

Thanks for your direct response. That came from the Mike I knew and liked (and still do, disagreements aside). Brash but straight forward.

I appreciate your offer but I know you'll just liquor me up and not respect me in the morning :)

Let's indeed agree where we can, agree to disagree when those crossroads come upon us and move on as Friends. After all, only Friends could call each other pricks and still communicate:p

Steve

Mike Allweis and Steve David

As the thread starter I think I should be Mike's guest at Daytona.
After all I provided the avenue for you guys to vent. Mike and Steve could split my expenses. Seriously, the topic has drifted far off course and it should not have. After emails to APBA National,
APBA LLC, Mike A, Steve, and Ted Zoli, I am still not sure where I am going to send my renewal. Unforunately I have not been provided with an explanation of what the consequences would be if I sent it to either organization. Is there a penalty for sending it to National Headquarters or LLC? Will I somewhere down the road have to pay another fee? Read some of the early replies in this thread if you haven't already done so. I am not the only person concerned.

?
 

Raynman:

Are you racing in APBA Offshore? Just curious - BH

St Pete
 

Send it to St Pete - I did and got my card - BH

MrOffshore;

I got an explanation. I am going to renew thru St. Pete at the first race I participate in. Not likely to be a national event due to circumstances, but I do intend to race APBA this year.

raynman

Steve and Mike,

I respect you both, and what you are both trying to do. I have to agree with Steve though on this one and ask "what about the venues?" I started, and chaired the first Roth Holiday Isle race in 84 and was sorry to see it go. From what I've been told, it was not an OPBRA series of issues, but APBA-Offshore issues which caused the demise of one of the oldest annual race sites in the country. Divisional or not, it was a venue everyone looked forward to.... Mike, can you shed some light? Keep in mind, I support the forward momentum of APBA-offshore and will be racing in your P1 class this year.

Todd Cimmino

guy's get over it.

it's been said 100 times. if a race site is not going to pay what we are worth then we are not going. if you have noticed many of us are being paid for what we do. it's not a millionare sport any longer. we all asked for it we got it.

i want rules.
i want competition.
i want purse prizes that don't come out of our own pocket.
i want good race sites with people who actually want us there.
i want to get paid to race.
i want good referees.
i want good inspectors.
i want cranes at every race.
i want the merc truck at every race.
i want smaller courses so the public can see and IE we make money.
i want smaller course for close competition.

these are many things I\we asked for over the years and we have them. so let's support the people who granted us our wishes and go racing. if you don't like it race sbi. simple as that.they make rule changes in nascar every year to keep the competition tight so it's exiting racing, keeps the fans exited and spending money.
so please i have hears enough and it's ridicules. either leavem or joinem. stop airing this crap in public forums for the fan's to see all of us *****ing. it's stupid.

Treadwell

Ok thats settled. To make things simple send your checks to me. Make you'r check payable to C A S H I will see that your money gets put to proper useage:D