Scott you are taking it the wrong way. Its not that we have any more talent than the P boats , its more of an issue of more boats getting in the way of a important race for points in a paying class.
I have to agree I don't like having to pass slower boats in turns and also being passed by larger boats and getting washed down. We work very hard for our position on the course and to lose ground because of someone thats not in your class really sucks. We are there to race F1 boats not everyone else.
PS you look like an idiot when you get passed by on TV and the other boat has 40 MPH on you and you have to explain he was in a different class.:p
Mad Dog

Waterboy... don't forget the little guys (One Design Class)

well said. It does sound weird that a boat that blew by a so called Pro boatlike it was anchored, is just a boat that costs twice as much, twice as loud, and much bigger,does not count and does not win anything. Good idea to run the Pro boats by themselves, we would not want the P boats getting in anyones way.

Mad Dog, whatever everyone else agrees on is fine with me! As for the Pros and" Sportsman", Bobby I don't understand. Who is considered a Pro and Sportsman, what separates them? Wins, amount of $$$$$$ put into engines,Number or letter on their boat, size,color,.....sponsors,speed?????or is it when you win a purse does that make you a Pro? How about photos in magazines? There are a lot of crews that put their hearts,souls and bank accounts into their boats and I feel they are ALL Pros one way or another! As for different starts,that's absurd.

When you explain it that way, OK, But until you get 15-20 F1 boats its not going to happen. If you have 5-10 boats racing by themselves, I think the average Joe would lose interest quickly.
I race P5 and almost everyone passes me.
I am not looking foward to Racing with the 200mph Callan boat in St Cloud, that scares the hell out of me. My 24 pantera at 70 mph is like a bump in the road for him. He can go right over me. look at his partner and say"did we hit something"
We also take racing seriously and aside from F1, I think the best, most hardfought racing is in P5 and P4.
The bottom line is, until a class grows large enough to have its own race, we are all together and if someone is out there for a joyride instead of serious race, they should anchor up in the spectator fleet

ScottB,Well said!

What is considered a "PRO" or "SPORTSMAN" class in most motorsports is determined by the sanctioning body, and what type of racing they want to promote.

In NASCAR, the top three series(classes) are Winston Cup,Busch and the Craftsman Trucks in that order.By focusing on these series, NASCAR has successfully developed a racing product that has attracted an ever growing gigantic fan base, thus attracting fans, media attention, sponsors and ultimately $$$$$$$ for the organization and the race teams.

In NHRA, its Top Fuel Dragster,Funny Car and Pro Stock.

There are many other series and SPORTSMAN classes offered by both sanctioning bodies that support the PRO classes, that the general public does not really know or care about.Other than your die hard race fans, how many people know what a NASCAR Modified or NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car is?The point is, would either NASCAR or NHRA be as successful as they are if they promoted all of there many classes equally?I dont think so.

I think APBA Offshore is headed in this direction.
Super Cats,Super Vees,F2 & F1.Give these classes the TV time, purse money and sponsor opportunities.The other classes, Outlaw, P-Class, Sportsman...whatever they are called....should be the support or feeder system.
In my opinion thats a good thing.

Randy...

i hate to get involved in this, but i need to voice my opinion.

I agree with you in one sense and that is that the "Pro Series" competitors have more to lose / gain in each race. While the P class competitors (in my view) are just as addicted/talented, they are more in it for the enjoyment and competition. Otherwise, they would buy an F-1 F-2 or SV 1 or SV2 boat and do the circuit. Some of us just dont have that luxury of time or money to be competitive in those classes. So we race P-class solely for the love of the sport and the excitement of being part of the action while competing with others in the same classes. As far as having separate races or starts, I disagree. You know better than anyone. You blow by some F-2 boats. Should they be in a different race?? No. So, as the rules state, slower boats stay to the inside while faster stay on the outside. everybody has the same conditions to deal with.

Generally F-1 speeds are right there with P-4 speeds. So just stay the hell away from us P-5 guys and you wont get hurt..

I still love ya ...dont take it personal

So much for faster boats to the outside..
photo coutesy of Mike Merola
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Didn't mean to tic anyone off about Pro vs P (sportsman) classes. After the Daytona race last year, I heard alot of feedback about the F1 and A boats having to fight to get around the P boats.
Although the slower boats are supposed to stay to the inside, the course is designed with a "dog leg". This dog leg presents a problem because there is not an "inside position" on that portion of the course, causing boats to cross each other for 1/2 the course.
Augie, as far as seperate starts "being absurd", The last APBA race I was in, Cleveland, there was 3 seperate starts! F1, A, Batboat, P12345, and PX. This is nothing new...?See you in Daytona.
BOB G.