From the Desk of OPA
04-17-2006, 09:05 PM
#1
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From the Desk of OPA
Sit back, grab a bottle of your favorite beverage and relax, enjoy this moment, as it's been a long time in the making.
Unification is alive in Offshore Racing! Wow it felt great to finally say that.
For the first time in many years, the offshore racing organizations are talking and finding ways to work together rather than finding ways to harm each other. Maybe it will be different this time since the racers are in charge of the asylum and there's no promoter looking to line his pockets with their money. This time the racers hold the purse strings and will be making decisions with their own best interests and the interests of the fans and sponsors in mind.
OPA – headed up by Ed Smith (Smitty) has taken the lead on bringing the offshore troops back together. You know Smitty from Wazzup Racing and the Jersey Boyz. Last year, the first piece of the unifications puzzle fell into place when OPA and the Blue Water Offshore Racing Association (BWORA) came together and ran some joint races during the 2005 season. This year, OPA and BWORA came up with a formula that allowed for racers to race for free AND share in a $25,000 purse at almost every event. That alone has caused fifty-six race teams to register with OPA for the 2006 season.
The second piece of the puzzle recently fell into place when POPRA – (The Pacific Coast Powerboat Racing Association) signed on to use the OPA rulebook during the 2006 racing season. Kevin Cooper, the President of POPRA and Smitty came to an informal agreement that allows POPRA to use the OPA rulebook and for both groups to acknowledge registered OPA/POPRA boats at races on both coasts, should anyone want to take a drive. With an East Coast and West Coast circuit using the same rules, a showdown in November at the Worlds is something we can all look forward to watching.
Now that OPA, BWORA and POPRA have come together, they needed somewhere to hold their East vs. West Performance Class World Championship races. Key West was the first choice, but because of a rule that requires every boat to pay over $3000 in registration and entry fees, OPA, BWORA and POPRA decided to built upon the relationship that was forged last summer when OPA and BWORA shared the racecourse in St Clair with boats from the Offshore Super Series.
The final piece of the puzzle came into place when OPA and OSS came to an agreement that will have the two groups sharing the racecourse in St Clair again this summer and in Destin Florida for a joint World Championship event, November 5 – 12. At the Worlds, the Performance Class boats will run on Wednesday and Saturday while the OSS boats will race on Thursday and Sunday. A full week of racing is more than any fan could ask for. Plan on being in Destin to witness one hundred boats racing for the title of World Champion.
Everyone is welcome in Destin. If you're not an OPA or OSS racer and want to race in Destin, the rules are as follows. To race with OSS, you'll need to meet their rule requirements and have run in at least two races with any organization during the 2006 season. For OPA, it's a bit different, the rule is - bring it. No entry fees, and OPA won’t collect 2007 registrations fees until next January, so you won't pay a penny to race in Destin. And you'll run for a $25,000 purse. Who could ask for anything more?
The groundwork has been set and OPA is looking forward to a long a mutually rewarding relationship with OSS similar to Busch and NASCAR racing. Every sport needs a minor and a major league so this unity between the groups should help to bolster the racing fleets and begin to bring this sport back to it's former glory.
The simplicity of this deal is why it will work. No money is changing hands, no one is “in charge” just four separate racing organizations each with their own identity working together for the betterment of the sport. Each with their own series of races, yet coming together in November for one huge party. With harmony within the sport and solid platforms to build upon, the racing fleets will swell in 2006 and watch out 07.
Get ready folks, the best season of Offshore Racing in many, many years is about to get started. No matter where you live, there's a race in your backyard.
May 07 - OSS - Pickwick, TN
May 19 – OSS - Ft. Myers, FL
June 4 – OPA - Algonac, Michigan
June 11 – OSS - San Juan, PR
June 25 - OPA- Point Pleasant, NJ
July 9 – POPRA – Long Beach to Catalina, CA
July 9 – OPA - Mentor, Ohio
July 16 - OSS - Toronto, Canada
July 30 – OSS and BWORA/OPA - St. Clair, MI
August 13 – OPA - Fall River, Mass
August 20 – OSS - Orange Bch, AL
Sept 10 – OPA - Ocean City, MD
September 17 – OSS - Las Vegas, NV
Sept 24 – OPA - Cambridge, MD – Performance Class National Championships
November 05 – OSS and OPA - Worlds Destin, FL
For more details, visit these web sites.
www.pacificoffshore.com
www.offshoresuperseries.com
www.oparacing.com/
www.stclairrace.com
Thank you,
OPA
Unification is alive in Offshore Racing! Wow it felt great to finally say that.
For the first time in many years, the offshore racing organizations are talking and finding ways to work together rather than finding ways to harm each other. Maybe it will be different this time since the racers are in charge of the asylum and there's no promoter looking to line his pockets with their money. This time the racers hold the purse strings and will be making decisions with their own best interests and the interests of the fans and sponsors in mind.
OPA – headed up by Ed Smith (Smitty) has taken the lead on bringing the offshore troops back together. You know Smitty from Wazzup Racing and the Jersey Boyz. Last year, the first piece of the unifications puzzle fell into place when OPA and the Blue Water Offshore Racing Association (BWORA) came together and ran some joint races during the 2005 season. This year, OPA and BWORA came up with a formula that allowed for racers to race for free AND share in a $25,000 purse at almost every event. That alone has caused fifty-six race teams to register with OPA for the 2006 season.
The second piece of the puzzle recently fell into place when POPRA – (The Pacific Coast Powerboat Racing Association) signed on to use the OPA rulebook during the 2006 racing season. Kevin Cooper, the President of POPRA and Smitty came to an informal agreement that allows POPRA to use the OPA rulebook and for both groups to acknowledge registered OPA/POPRA boats at races on both coasts, should anyone want to take a drive. With an East Coast and West Coast circuit using the same rules, a showdown in November at the Worlds is something we can all look forward to watching.
Now that OPA, BWORA and POPRA have come together, they needed somewhere to hold their East vs. West Performance Class World Championship races. Key West was the first choice, but because of a rule that requires every boat to pay over $3000 in registration and entry fees, OPA, BWORA and POPRA decided to built upon the relationship that was forged last summer when OPA and BWORA shared the racecourse in St Clair with boats from the Offshore Super Series.
The final piece of the puzzle came into place when OPA and OSS came to an agreement that will have the two groups sharing the racecourse in St Clair again this summer and in Destin Florida for a joint World Championship event, November 5 – 12. At the Worlds, the Performance Class boats will run on Wednesday and Saturday while the OSS boats will race on Thursday and Sunday. A full week of racing is more than any fan could ask for. Plan on being in Destin to witness one hundred boats racing for the title of World Champion.
Everyone is welcome in Destin. If you're not an OPA or OSS racer and want to race in Destin, the rules are as follows. To race with OSS, you'll need to meet their rule requirements and have run in at least two races with any organization during the 2006 season. For OPA, it's a bit different, the rule is - bring it. No entry fees, and OPA won’t collect 2007 registrations fees until next January, so you won't pay a penny to race in Destin. And you'll run for a $25,000 purse. Who could ask for anything more?
The groundwork has been set and OPA is looking forward to a long a mutually rewarding relationship with OSS similar to Busch and NASCAR racing. Every sport needs a minor and a major league so this unity between the groups should help to bolster the racing fleets and begin to bring this sport back to it's former glory.
The simplicity of this deal is why it will work. No money is changing hands, no one is “in charge” just four separate racing organizations each with their own identity working together for the betterment of the sport. Each with their own series of races, yet coming together in November for one huge party. With harmony within the sport and solid platforms to build upon, the racing fleets will swell in 2006 and watch out 07.
Get ready folks, the best season of Offshore Racing in many, many years is about to get started. No matter where you live, there's a race in your backyard.
May 07 - OSS - Pickwick, TN
May 19 – OSS - Ft. Myers, FL
June 4 – OPA - Algonac, Michigan
June 11 – OSS - San Juan, PR
June 25 - OPA- Point Pleasant, NJ
July 9 – POPRA – Long Beach to Catalina, CA
July 9 – OPA - Mentor, Ohio
July 16 - OSS - Toronto, Canada
July 30 – OSS and BWORA/OPA - St. Clair, MI
August 13 – OPA - Fall River, Mass
August 20 – OSS - Orange Bch, AL
Sept 10 – OPA - Ocean City, MD
September 17 – OSS - Las Vegas, NV
Sept 24 – OPA - Cambridge, MD – Performance Class National Championships
November 05 – OSS and OPA - Worlds Destin, FL
For more details, visit these web sites.
www.pacificoffshore.com
www.offshoresuperseries.com
www.oparacing.com/
www.stclairrace.com
Thank you,
OPA
Last edited by Ron P; 04-17-2006 at 09:40 PM.
04-17-2006, 09:30 PM
#2
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Re: From the Desk of OPA
I would like to be the first to congradulate all parties involved in making this happen.GREAT JOB.It will be a great year and we wish everyone a safe season. 
04-17-2006, 09:54 PM
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Re: From the Desk of OPA
Great job. Thank you. This will be the biggest, and best, an most of all friendliest Worlds ever. And a great beginning of a super future.
Congratulations from Tokyo!
Congratulations from Tokyo!
04-17-2006, 10:08 PM
#6
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Re: From the Desk of OPA
The Key is All Are Invited. Good Job Smitty and all that put this together.
Egos have been set aside and the racers are moving the sport forward.
Egos have been set aside and the racers are moving the sport forward.
Re: From the Desk of OPA
04-17-2006, 10:17 PM
#8
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Re: From the Desk of OPA
gdfatha,
You got to be kidding? This is the best thing that's happend to Offshore Racing, EVER.
I can dig up a 10 year old Powerboat magazine with an article titled,
"What is the Future of Offshore Racing"
You really should accentuate the positive.
You got to be kidding? This is the best thing that's happend to Offshore Racing, EVER.
I can dig up a 10 year old Powerboat magazine with an article titled,
"What is the Future of Offshore Racing"
You really should accentuate the positive.
04-17-2006, 10:21 PM
#9
Re: From the Desk of OPA
Marc- you need to understand 2 things.
1. OPA et al. are doing what they can, no more, no less. No one can deny that great strides are being made.
2. Ron signed this as a director of OPA, not a writer for EBM-the unbiased news reporter sign is off
Congrats to all involved, I am proud to be a small part of all of it, let's go racing!!!
1. OPA et al. are doing what they can, no more, no less. No one can deny that great strides are being made.
2. Ron signed this as a director of OPA, not a writer for EBM-the unbiased news reporter sign is off
Congrats to all involved, I am proud to be a small part of all of it, let's go racing!!!
04-17-2006, 10:41 PM
#10
Enjoy the show
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Re: From the Desk of OPA
Marc, what's misleading? The word Unification? I guess you were let down when the letters APBA didn't follow. Sorry, this wasn't their party. It's ours.
I think my words were very clear, maybe not liked by all, but clear. And like Ted said, If I'm acting as a reporter, it will be printed in EBM. Not here.
I just write this stuff, give credit where it's due. Smitty and Augie did all the heavy lifting on this one, plus everyone in POPRA and OSS is excited about joining up for a huge event in Destin.
I think my words were very clear, maybe not liked by all, but clear. And like Ted said, If I'm acting as a reporter, it will be printed in EBM. Not here.
I just write this stuff, give credit where it's due. Smitty and Augie did all the heavy lifting on this one, plus everyone in POPRA and OSS is excited about joining up for a huge event in Destin.
