OPA please
 

Not to argue with the powers to be BUT I have gotten several calls from people asking if I was bringing my class 5 boat as well as the SVL. With out knowing what the line up times are I don't know if it is worth working on getting it ready or not. I am not the only team that has these problems with scheduling. Many of the racers have asked to have a steady line up that is consistent at every race. Please understand our issues and the frustration we endure never knowing what is going on till the last min. Pre determine if its a 2 start (preferred by most) or 3 at the beginning of the year.
From what I have heard from everyone this mandatory Friday registration is a killer and for some a deal breaker. I understand OPA needs to get a lot done over the weekend but asking people to take off another day of work for a 3 day week away is hard. These are just suggestions and not sure if you (OPA) have heard the same concerns. Sometimes people never let the powers to be know what they are thinking and there for they think everything is great. There is always room for improvement in any business and listening to your customers has major value for growth.
Does anyone else agree? or disagree?

I am not going to dispute what you are saying and have heard the same myself.

Those that have problems NEED to send Smitty an email as to why the cannot show on Friday for registration. Keep in mind, all boat races are a 3 day event.

However, with the lack there of teams that have submitted their registration, how can we have a realistic understanding as to which boats are coming to plan accordingly.

PEOPLE SUBMIT YOUR REGISTRATION!

Ok You ask, I answer. If we race on saturday, I would absolutely make sure, the only classes that ran would be the ones with all in attendance. We need everyone there. Gonna be BIG.
The reason we are pushing Friday is simple. More and more the teams are getting used to rolling in late saturday, race sunday and run for Home. I get it. Work, family, etc. But for instance Lake Hopatcong.
A large portion of the money Jay raises comes from spectators spending money at the Bar and at the grille. Sunday alone does not pay the bills. The property at the Lake, costs Jay 5000.00. We need the spectators there spending, and watching racing on both days. Last year I am not so sure Jay broke even. If the same happens this year, you can kiss the site goodbye. SO, although many of us race for fun, we have a responsibilty to the site to make sure we provide enough of a show, for them to raise the dough. Randy, we have always made sure that what ever boats were there got to race. If it involves 1,2,3 or 4 races, we'll make it happen.
While some look at this as a problem for them, I understand. But where will you be when the sites fold up due to a poor revenue stream. As far as how many races a day we run, all depends on how many boats show, how many teams are doing double duty, etc. Don't ever know because no one registers in proir to the event. Imagine throwing a wedding for your Kid, and no one answered to let you know who was coming. Kinda hard to plan for. Offshore is no different. Not to mention, how much more local could this race be? I could see if I was asking you to go to Biloxi or something. If a team has a problem with friday registration send me an email at [email protected], and I will take care of it. We do the hard part. All you need to do is get to the race.. Thanks Randy for the chance to answere some questions. Smitty

Thank you for the reply. You heard it guys. Get you paper work in this weekend !!!!!!!!!!!! WTF it takes about 20 minutes and your done. Your screwing your fellow racers by not taking care of a simple request.

Thankyou.

That being said, I will be there for both days. Due to budget constraints, I was only able to make the one day last year and made the best of it.

I came away with some great scenery photos with race boats in them and looking to take it up a notch this year ! ;)

"I could see if I was asking you to go to Biloxi or something." Smitty

With all due respect Smitty, you are asking people to go to Biloxi, you took over the race because of your new affiliation with APBA. Now you are asking teams to be in Biloxi on one Sunday and be back in Jersey for a race on the same Friday instead of on Saturday as had been planned all along. Taking an entire day out of available travel time makes it even more difficult for teams to consider both races, it almost makes it an either/or situation.

Please fill out and bring the OPA Media Credential form
http://www.oparacing.org/uploads/Media_Form.pdf

This is similar to what was scheduled last season with East Tawas & Atlantic City. Back-to-Back races are difficult period. Keep in mind, Biloxi is a Divisional race and Lake Hopatcong is a National race.

As stated in the Press release about Biloxi
".....Yes the amount of time we have to organize has put a strain on things, .............. We will be working closely over the next few months to align our schedule in 2015 to better accommodate Biloxi to not have the conflict of our season opening National Race in Lake Hopatcong, NJ which occurs the following weekend........."

Has The Crying stopped yet? ok good, Strictly Business and Team Typhoon are ready to race !!! we will be there on Friday both teams are registered. I am aching to race. With all the preparation that goes into our events and all the things that can go awry why don't we do our very best to support the sites? I've raced Biloxi and its an awesome site, we will definitely be there next year. Lake Hopatcong is off the hook! and two days off racing? Sweet! Thank You Jay and Crew for all the work you guys put in to make it happen. Can't wait to see everyone. Louie

PS. no one knows truly the difficulty of stacking the classes and figuring out the heats and how many races we will have in one day due to the constantly changing attendance due to breakage, commitments, health, tow vehicles, shall I go on? to do this prior to the actual race is pretty tough I thank Smitty for always making it work.

What is the best case scenario if 50 boats show up to lake H? What would be planned on for Sat.? I understand that on a short course that Super Cat will need there own race with possibly class one. Would Sat. be heat races for what classes? Points for 2 races (Sat and Sun)? The good news is you can get a lot of racing in at this site. With the pits,crane,ramp and docks all in one location as long as us racers are on time and ready in our boats it will be an outstanding weekend of racing.

I don't see that Smitty is asking anyone to go to Biloxi. It is a race that doesn't count towards the OPA national points, so most of the small OPA teams from the north probably won't go, but some of the budgeted teams and the teams from the south surely will attend.

As far as having to be there Friday, many if not most of the teams do arrive Friday at some point. OPA has been very clear that if a team can't make the Friday registration, to contact Smitty and it will be worked out.

The big problem is teams not registering when they have been reminded repeatedly to do so.

We need to remember that race sites don't need us.....we need them. If a 2 day race format is needed, then that is what we need to do.

Downloaded, typed in all information as my hand writing is not the best and printed . Ready to be sign in person with an OPA representative as a witness.
Thanks !

Thanks Tim. See you in a few weeks

Form must be submitted to an OPA registrar