It would be great to see F1 & F2 get back to the fleet sizes of a couple of seasons ago.


2000 St.Clair MI 22 F2 boats into the first pin, NOW THAT was fun
I would love to see those days again also! Jo

Now, with the politics and personal stuff having been aired, let's go back to the original discussion:

Randy thinks, F1 is out of control, confusing, unpredictable, and he suggests going to one engine, such as the 496, or "a less expensive package the public can relate to."

J says, Factory needs to change with technology. And allow GM in.

Treadwell is worried about the high speeds.

This pretty much describes the conundrum the class is in.

Let me throw in another thought: There are new technologies which allow much lighter and yet equally strong (or even stronger) hulls to be built. The stuff is expensive. With the current weight limitations, there is little incentive to employ new layup technologies.

i didn't get that from tread's comments at all.

most other forms of professional racing changes just about every year, if not within the year....if you don't change with them your not going to be in front. the APBA is not there yet but i think they are headed in that direction. i guess we'll just have to see.

Exactly. Is there a boat manufacturer out there who would continue to build heavier boats just to comply with APBA regulations?

screamin,
since the beging of the f classes just about every manufacture built boats heavier to comply with the rules . so i don't think that's a problem.

frank,
those teams you mentioned really don't say much. they did not have the money to continue. and i am not talking about upgrading motors they couldent even make there boats competative. some of the problem is you get some racers in a class they think they can race, but it's not just about hoping in a boat and going in a circle. a lot of it is setup. when the teams don't place and find themselfs to far back they quit because of lack of knowledge, and or support from there manufacture.

plus the fact f2 was looking really strong this year untill the accident in daytona. that wiped out two teams right there and anybody else who was on the fence. if the accident did not happen you would of seen about 12-15 f2 by savhana. i know of three that are being built right now and will be debuted in savhana.



Traedwell

maybe someone will buy tom's total marine or R&S's formula with new 525 power in it???...these boats can be bought for a damn good price i would think??

tread is correct...savannah should be a real good showing for both f2 and the sc class

joe your right. nascar changes there rules every year that cost the teams tons of money. it's real simple. apba is trying to sell a product. you are the product. if apba is told i will buy your product but we need this then they change the rules to accomadate. so it's either you change with them and become part of the product or you don't. it's really simple actually.

the other major problem i see is racing is getting saferr. the more money we make the more we can put into safty just like nascar. so if we can sell our product the better off we will be. the more popular the product becomes the easier it will be for us to obtain sponsership. so if we all toned the *****ing down so potential sponsor would not see it we would be on our merry way. if we all got sponsors then we would not care who changed what where and when.

Treadwell

First, let me say to Frank that I have been in a race boat or two, including a Factory 1 boat that I still own and now use for recreational purposes only. (ok there was that time in Marathon last year that I just couldn't resist...). Let's just say I've paid some "Factory Class dues" as well as a few other classes over the years. I love racing Factory 1, and since there is always a chance that I may return to Factory class racing I feel I have earned the right to add my .02c here.
Now, back to Factory class...
Joey and Peconic, and Treadwell make some exceptionally good points here. I'm sure there are a few that get disheartened at times. Considering the economic times and other events in our nation, I'm sure that has some effect on overall boat numbers. Since the Factory classes enjoy a great amount of popularity and had the most numbers to begin with, then it stands to reason that these will be the most noticeable when numbers drop. Also, as Joey pointed out, many of these teams have moved up to other classes. Sounds like a natural evolution to me.
Peconic pretty much summed up the high points. I don't think Randy is trying to say Factory has gone to heII in a handbasket, as you kind of made it sound. Fact is, Some guys will do nothing but complain about anything & everything, then stand back and say somebody should do something about all this mess. In Randys' case, I think he is simply looking back at how factory racing has evolved, making evaluation of what it has become, and asking questions and offering ideas as to how to make it better. Sounds like simple reasoning and forward thinking to me.
I will agree with Peconic that there are new materials out there and builders can do some neat stuff with them. On the other hand, that stuff is expensive, and usually only used in the higher end custom boats. So, in order to keep team owners/racers costs down, I would rather see weights set as such that there is no need to use super lightweight materials. This keeps any/all of the boat manufacturers in the game, even the lower end brands, rather than a select few custom builders that have the backing and the capabilities to use these high tech materials. It keeps manufacturers cost down, allows enough weight to make the boats stronger, hence safer.
I'm not saying I'm against advancing technology. Quite the contrary. In fact, there are other classes that will benefit from this technology. And If some manufacturers want to use the high tech stuff in Factory class, great! But rather than make the boat lighter and stopping there, why not add bulkheads, or hull thickness, or more solid stringers to make the boat stronger with that extra weight you have to play with. Don't make a potato chip boat, then add a thousand lbs to a storage compartment.
Joe Todesca,
I think it was 1999<?> St. Pete World Championships when we had over twenty Factory 1 boats. You're right. It was exciting as heII having all those boats lined up side by side at the start with a couple of feet, (or less) between us.
(meanwhile, you couldn't have drove a needle up my ass with a sledge hammer).
Give it a year or two. I think you'll see Factory get back to those numbers again.

ok the truth!!!...randy just wants more f1 boats to enter so he can make more money!!! but not me....yeah right!LOL

treadwell,
that was very well said.