Thanks for the input Jo. You are right about most of the accidents occurring in the corners. Frankly, teams need to simply slow down in the corners. Remember the old saying that in order to finish first, first you have to finish.

Jo, what are your thoughts on the 496HO package for Factory class?

Mike

Hi Mike,

I think the 496 HOs would reduce the costs on maintanence: (for example on the drives and gimballs) and would allow manufactures to produce a competetive F1 or F2 race boat at lower costs for customers looking to get into Factory class racing.Bottom line I will support it.

I think it is important to make the change from the 525 or 500 EFis as easy as possible.For example the boat we built this year for F2 has Sportmaster Bravo 1 drives which have shorty lowers.If you change to a standard Bravo 1 lower we would need to re-glass the transom and start all over.For us being a manufacture it would require quite a bit of work than just dropping in a pair of 496 HOs.For a customer racing now in the F2 class it would require them to invest even more time and money to make these changes. So I feel if we could just try and make the transition to the 496 HO motor without having to change around the drives allowed this past year it would make the transition that much easier for everyone.

I just feel that by slowing for example the F2 boats from going in a straight away at 85 MPH instead of 92-93 MPH in flat water conditions into a tight turn with a bunch of boats running side by side (might not) reduce the chance much for spin outs and accidents to happen. Maybe I am wrong. It just seems to me that the higher speeds in F1 and F2 now which in average have increased by 4-5 MPH from a few years ago have not been the only cause of the spin outs and boats running into each other.

Like I said before I will race in any coarse you guys decide to put together I am just offering my input.

Have a Merry Christmas Mike and I will hopefully be racing again with you guys in 2004.

By the way: It is hard to slow down and give up valuable time and position in the turns because in the Factory classes it is very hard to make the distance back up.It seems like there are many good teams going for it and I like that.I just want to increase the safety for all of us in the sport.

Regards,

JO

jo, these are very good points you bring up.It is good to hear input from a racer and manufacture.

Jo,
Its good to hear from you again..as a racer and a manufacture on your pionts and I would thinK the other manufactures would agree with you 100%.....

Mike,
I would have to agree with you....I have made it this far with you and APBA ....and from were this post started, from the F1 teams, I think their are more then just 2 or 3 teams that are going this way....along with the teams that read this but don't post...and I respect them if they don't want to....but with the support from the guys you see here.....and some long time racers like Tred., Jo, BC,BJ and others these are die hard races....and some new teams along with other racers that are looking at the Factory class plus the P class guys and the big boys including the SVL teams....I would have to say in the last few days since you and Steve M. have spoken the tide has change some if not alot.....I think your family is standing up and supporting you......and I might be wrong.....but I think they have decided to swim with you and Steve and the rest of the LLC members.......

I guess I could add this to one of my gifts for X-MAS....a chance for us to talk and stick together and race till the end..........DAMM DOG IS TYPING ON THE COMPUTER AGAIN.....LUTE D. GET YOUR DAMM DOG OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!!

Gino

Gino,

$1000.00- that must have been a BIG Girl for you to spend that much!!! HA HA-

Chrissy

Everyone,

Just remember that these rules are yours. Steve and I do not want to dictate anything to you. Again, he and I are volunuteers now but we will offer our advice and assistance so you can end up in the best possible place.

In that regard I think Jo might be right about the drives issue but we need to hear from more of you before we make the change. BTW - has anyone looked at the rules we posted?

Based on emails I have received I am confident this program will work extremely well. Many boats will convert right away, others we have not seen in awhile are going to brush off and come back, and new boats will be built and enter the fray.

We will talk to John to see if he is interested in the class and if so we will work something out so SBI can run it as well.

Mike

Hey Chris Reindl,

Are you putting on 2 races this year ??

Are they GLSCS?? ,APBA??, OSS??

I heard one in Cincinnati and one in Louisville

have these been set in stone yet ??

What are the dates ???

the Cincinnati race going to be same place as last year or moving toward town ??

Chris,

we had 41 boats at the GH race this year

the rules have changed for ORL...but have they changed for the GLSCS???Marc??...

NO 5 or 6 blades for 2004 in factory classes!...so much for technology! why not just go back to 3 blades since we got this class in reverse anyway!?