AB From Windsor

Just received an email from the Offshore Super Series announcing the cancellation or their 2008 Offshore Worlds. Read in the email that "OSS met with the Conch Republic Powerboat Racing organization in Key West and attempted to put a deal together, that would allow OSS boats to compete this year in Key West for a Unified Worlds Championship but the offer was rejected. We have the devastation from Hurricane IKE, Stock Markets crashing, Gas prices sky rocketing and races being cancelled because of the economy and lack of sponsor's. If there was ever a time that all racers and Race Associations should bury the hatchet and work together, it is now. What has happened in the past is the past and it is time to get over it. It doesn't make any difference to me and most race fans, who made the mistakes or who is to blame. What is important now is that everyone get together and work to strengthen the sport, holding grudges will only continue to destroy the sport till there is hardly anyone left racing and it will never grow. It is in the hands of all the racers and owners who call the shots because without you there is no Sanctioned racing. Tourism is hurt, sponsors and the boating industry is hurt and right now no one needs to be hurt any more then they are now. For those of you who don't think this bull**** squabbling is not hurting the sport think again, it is killing it. I just can't believe that, this mentality of holding a grudge is allowed to continue and tolerated by most racers and the race fans. I don't know what happened in the talks and really don't care except for the fact that there was an opportunity to finally race together and that chance was blown away by possibly ego's and hatred which will destroy the credibility of the sport in the future. United We Race is not just a slogan it is the future of the sport and for those of you that don't get it, I feel sorry for you because without it the sport will be nothing like it should be and you can take credit for it. No one wants to go and see a handful of boats racing, they want to see a lot of boat's racing and making it exciting and not boring and if you don't get together it will end up being boring. Racers, owner's, sponsors and race fans it's up to you, where Offshore Powerboat Racing is going to go now and in the future.

stainless

Amen!

MANITIE

AB......Whats the problem....read the rules for racing the Worlds...ever team is invited...not the Orgs....the teams...and ever Org will have teams attending the Worlds, just like last year....
What are you talking about when you say no one wants to see a handful of boats racing....there were 60 boats last year and more will be there this year...there will be 3 turbines teams racing in Key West for the first time....Its the attitude of yours of " It is in the hands of all the racers and owners who call the shots because without you there is no Sanctioned racing." that you think another boycot will help our sport....
The OPA, Super Cat Series and POPRA Orgs are all OK with it.....deal with it....

So OSS made a offer to the Conch Rep. and they rejected it....So deal with it....its not up to us to decide how the Worlds should be run....

All orgs agreed....race where you want to....and thats what were doing....you pointing fingures dose nothing good for our sport.....in a perfect world...yes we will all race together and not have to pay a penny and get paid to show up......yes in a perfect World....but this is not a perfect world and we seen what boycotting dose to our sport....no thanks.....will just have to deal with our 70 or so boats in Key West this year with no boycot...

Wazzup Racing

Just my opinion. But, why contact the conch republic? That only pisses off JC more. Kinda like going behind his back. I could be wrong, but if you need his number it's listed.

Bilgerat

Why does anyone from any org. need to contact JC other than to let them know they will be attending, so it can help him plan for space alotment. There needs to be no "Deals" struck, or offered. Key west is a great race, the only "Worlds" and all are welcome, ( i think you needed to race 2 races with someone within the year leading up to it ) It is simple, Show up, Pay your entry fee, registration fee, etc. what ever is required and RACE !!

MANITIE

Bilgerat.....well said....it dose not get any easier then that....and in return you get 3 days of great racing, a great town.....and get to meet up with freinds you have not seen in a while and have a great time.....

Not that some people even care....but there is around 50 days till the Worlds......if its becasue of money...there are ways to raise the money to get the teams that can't afford to pay the fee's.....half of the OSS teams are already coming....so you would only need to raise around 30k or so for the fee's.....if the energy is put to raise the money instead of trying to get around paying....everyone can show up....

So here are just a couple of ways to make this happend....

How about take a small % of the LOTO prise purse and put it towards the Worlds...and maybe take a small % off next years OSS equipment fee's and membership fee's so that money can assist the racers for Key West.....or how about hold a event in LOTO...with takin donations to see everyone race in Key West....with the amount of fans that everyone talks about seeing 1 Worlds....and with the hudge turn on that LOTO gets....I would think that would raise a good amount.....If we all want 1 Worlds....I think people could put there heads together and come up with ways to raise the money....were only talking about 8 - 10 teams that are not coming becasue of the fee's....

And again....this is not bashing anyone.....its finding ways to get us all to race in Key West....

Pete B

The offer was approved by the Conch Republic, JC was the one that said "NO".



The deal breaker was the 2009 registration fees!

It is simple, charge a flat onetime racing fee. this is what will bring a Unified world championship.

The Conch Republic has knows the bigger the show the better, the more beds filled the better! the more beers sold the better.
I am not saying JC should not make money, but these wars of words will continue to hamper any growth of the sport.
And all you have to do is watch the stock market, to know the fly by night millionaires wont be buying new race boats.

AB From Windsor

When I made the comment about no one wants to go and see a handful of boats racing, I did not mean at Key West but with Offshore Races as a whole. If people still hold grudges with other orgs, it will affect the boat count at the races in the future, does every site have 50-70 boats racing there, if so great, if not how do we get more boats out to race and not only at Key West? There are a lot of race boats out there and I know that they all can't make every race due to the location and travelling time, budget's and jobs etc. but as a race fan, I would of love to hear that talks between the OSS and the Conch Republic Offshore Race Association went well instead of, rejected. No one was pointing fingers and no one said that their isn't enough boats at Key West. When a said that it is in the hands of the racers and owners, I never mentioned boycott , infact I am against it or else I wouldn't of said anything on this forum. What I meant was that the racers and owners can say something just as I have and if it means telling the Conch Republic or anyone else about how you feel as a racer or owner and how can we make it better with the other guys or orgs. I was just making a statement. You can do what you please and race where you want. I am sure there will be many boats racing from other orgs. including OSS. The point I was making is that, there was a good opportunity to try and get every one together not only for Key West but at all the races which they could attend. Isn't that what most racers and race fans want? I know that is what I would like to see.

MANITIE

Pete...that was the deal breaker from the start....the fee's,
from talking to Ron P. its seems thats what is stopping some of the OSS racers.....but Bruce responded the best in a post he put up a week or so ago about why JC charges his fee's.....

All racers are invited....we all paid to race....again..it would be great if we did not...and even better to get paid to show up....but thats not happening anywhere.....

Last year Evil Ed put up the Cleveland Construction money and a few of us added to that to get the racers in OPA to Key West....I think we ended up bring down 7 or 9 teams....this was also a last minute thing.....if you really want to barry the hatchet.....the first thing that our sport needs is for some to stop throwing it at SBI/APBA....and work on raising the money to get the 8 or so teams there...

Ron P is well aware of how hard and how much time gose into putting on a race....not to mention 3 days of racing with 80 boats.....we all have been around...its not easy....

Let give a little credit were credit is do....Key West is a big event....and a week long event....why not work on ways to get the other racers there and pay the fee's.....if not so be it....we are never going to make everyone happy...we all know this....

MANITIE

AB....and I think we all want what you speak of.....but it is going to be very hard to get eveyone to race togehter during the year....to many Orgs not enough racers....

But don't you think Key West would be a great start....I'm only responding to you post about OSS approaching the Conch and they said no....like Smitty said....its kinda going behind JC back...and I don't see how you can barry the hatchet when you go behind the promoters back.....and when other Orgs see this....don't you think they may also be thinking...well they did it to SBI/APBA....they may also do it to us.....

We all want the big boat count....during the whole racing season and at the Worlds....but we need to take some steps and maybe start at this years Worlds....don't you think.....