2014 National points OPA
 

Whats the deal with points with this new race added to the schedule (LOTO) I would assume that we will be able to drop one race this year if LOTO is a points race. Just want some clarification on this now. If I am incorrect on this and we cant drop a race then many teams season will be over due to not being able to ever have a chance of regaining the points lost on this last minute race added to the schedule.

I think OPA's timeframe for the announcement was adequate. It was out there before the first race even happend and that was sooner than some races have been announced in the past.

Randy, Please tell me in what sport a team can actually plan not to attend a race/event and still expect to be a National winner?

If you remember or are unaware of ......... back in 2010 (with Sunny Isles on the schedule) teams were allowed to drop a race. The same year the AC race was cancelled with teams only receiving 50 points for that race. Where is the fairness that #540 Boat Responsibly attended EVERY race on the schedule, then had to drop 50 points, and loose the National title by 18 points to #512 Specialized Racing?
(Results from 2010 http://www.oparacing.org/results_2010.html)

As well as that same year, the Class 4 National Champion did NOT even show up at the National title race. Where is the support to the race promoters and their event?

Are you saying that only teams should be able to drop a race when they are a greater distance for NJ/NY/MD teams? For the Michigan teams they are approximately the same distance from LOTO as they are NJ.

(This is me speaking strictly from a personal opinion)

Assumption is wrong. I have been advised that there will be NO dropped point races.


Keep this in mind, even though Typhoon attended all the national races last season .... Tug It was only 40 points behind you. dropp

If points would have been allowed to be dropped last season, the High Points champion would not have been Cleveland Construction it would have been Wazzup II. Take a gander and see for yourself http://www.oparacing.org/results_2013.html

I am just stating my opinion here, I don't speak for anybody else but me.

I totally understand the need for boat count. I also understand that OPA does its very best to put on 7 to 8 races a year like its normal.

From an owner or racer point of view its really tough when races are added to schedules at the last minute. Some of us have regular jobs and can only get away a certain amount of time and its tough to find more vacation time when there is none to have.

Anyway the idea of being able to drop a race has been around for a long time and part of it is to allow teams to drop their worst finish which in turns should make the standings closer. That's the theory. Another reason is to allow a team to miss a race anytime during the year and not be out of the National hunt.

Other teams pick races based on their strengths, for example rough or calm water.

My fear is that if teams start missing these early races they would be less willing to participate in races that are far from their home base.

I would agree if in fact it was a worst finish scenario. A finish means you attended the race :whistle:

Again, why penalize a team that does attend all the races?

On a bigger perspective, if boats don't show up to the sites, then the site will NO LONGER EXIST. There really is a bigger picture.

Bring into the HOME BASE aspect of it, well, this is the approximately the same distance for the Michigan teams to LOTO as it is NJ/NY/MD.

When looking at the schedule for last season to this season, there is ONLY 1 National race that is different. (In 2013 it was East Tawas for LOTO and in 2012 it was Atlantic City for East Tawas)

As well as, well, um um um........ SVL boats kinda took themselves out of the race with incidents on the course.


============================================


Instead of wanting to throw-away a race.............. why don't you guys come up with possibilities on how to create bonus points.

Dee,

Using your logic of not penalizing boats that attend, why would 50 points be given in the cancelled races. 50 points is easier to make up than 100!

The boats that did not go to NJ because they were not ready or simply because they did not want to go or could not go only loose 50 points which again its a lot easier to make up.

Again, To win a true National championship in my eyed you have to beat all the teams all the time, not win by default. To me winning by simply attending races is not winning on the water but rather on the highway.

I will race whenever Kevin allows me to and be happy about it.

Wil

A complete penalization would be to award teams NO points when a race is cancelled.

Again this is my opinion (and have always felt this way), if you want a National title, you should be at EVERY race. You should not be able to pick and choose the race(s) you want to attend. If you don't support the sites, there won't be places to race

We could go on about this topic forever.............:food-smiley-007:

Dump the points system and race to win every race you can go to. Just my opinion.

If that's the case then Biloxi counted as a points race for the teams that went? I just want to get this straight. I was told one thing and now into the season it has changed. It cant work like this changing on the fly. What next ? Double points at some races to get people there? ALL this should be in stone at the beginning of the year IMO.:cartman:

That is NOT the case, Biloxi was a DIVISION race and announced that way in the press release on April 2nd, NO POINTS were awarded towards the National standings. Just as LOTO was announced that it was a NATIONAL race in the Press release as well. If you go to the website, you will see that NO points were awarded for Biloxi, as well as the races that count towards the National Championship http://www.oparacing.org/standings.html

NOTHING about National points has been changed on the fly. April 30th the LOTO announcement was released, OPA has NOT released anything about being able to drop a race.

Don't know what to tell you Randy, need to talk with that person who told you differently.

I recall something be said about having to check in Friday at the first race at Hopkatanagin (or was that the 2nd race?) Once Gary and I read that we would miss a full Friday of work it changed our plans completely - unfortunately other issues arouse that eliminated us. But I do a agree with Randy, on the fly changes for teams drive 10-12hrs each way is not a good thing.

Yes it was. The post was made on March 28th for race weekend of May 2-4. (Title of thread was "Possible 2 days of Racing at the Lake Hopatcong Grand Prix"). And if you visited the website you would have seen in a yellow box with red writing

"PERMIT PENDING
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
RACING​​​
Schedule to reflect changes if approved​​"

So you would have received notification in reference to the Schedule changing to 2 days of racing. That email was NEVER sent, nor any other notification to state that the schedule had been changed. Did you ever reach out to any of the numbers on the website and ask any questions about a possible schedule change in Lake Hopatcong?


BTW, I also recall that there were posts and numerous emails sent out about getting registration paperwork in by April 11th, 2014. But I won't even go there.............


Bottom line ............ need to be happy that there are places to race and show up on a Friday to Race on what ever day(s) it is!


Also, the LOTO race is 2 days of racing. Everyone will be racing on BOTH Saturday & Sunday. Registration is ONLY on Friday which closes at 4pm!
Check the schedule http://www.oparacing.org/race_1.html

Ladies and gents, I would LOVE to tell you Everything you want to hear...but as I always tell you, Smitty's phone number is, work, 732-920-3945 or cell, 908-910-8025, call him, he will give you the correct answers. And Dee, thank you for all you do.

I for one am glad to see OPA picking up race sites. As we all know, they are hard to come by and harder to keep. It is in everyone's best interest to take advantage of sites that want us. Having said that, we won't be going to LOTO. It is too far, requiring too much time away from our business on such short notice. Drop points or not, we just can't do it. I know other teams are in similar situations as well. It is what it is.

Rich
Smith Brothers/CRC 611

Unfortunatly being from Tennessee, EVERY RACE is 10-12 hours away. LOTO being no different. Wish we had a race or two closer to us so we didn't have to travel so much all the time but there just isn't an option at this time. We look at the events and have to pick the ones we want to do and do what we can to make those events. At the end of the day we just have to remember what is a hobby and what is our career. Sometimes that line gets blurred.

I agree with what Rich is saying here. We'd love to go, just can't pull it off, points race or not. That being said, I did think (Iv'e been wrong before) that I heard an OPA official say at Lake H when talking about LOTO that we would be allowed to drop one race. Seemed like the idea went over well at the time. Personally I'm all for it, especially with 90% of OPA teams being from NJ/NY and some races in Michigan and now LOTO. I can certainly see why some people aren't for it though. We will be at St. Clair this year, but its not going to be easy. Loto is a hikeeeeeee for us, and even flying in its still a 4 hour ride from the airport. I don't believe that being able to drop one race would totally diminish boat count at certain races, but I'm an optimist.
See everyone in AC!

This in itself would be the problem, your bringing up something on a open forum, than never saying it's a go, or no go on said open forum.
And that is the uncertainty and doubt injected into the schedule.

Last year there were 4 teams that attended every race. Most of them mine, and Evil Ed. What difference does it make when you all pick and choose anyway. Next what I see is a single class getting together and forming an agreement for none to attend a particular event so no one gets an advantage. If I get wind of this, your entire class will loose all points for the year. For once will someone impress me, and say hey....whats best for the sport. Not just ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! Getting rediculous.

hey...whats best for the sport. Not just ME!!!!!!!!!!!

Smitty, just had to answer for ya.

See everyone in the Ozarks.........let's RACE.....

The Pirates......

I would so set this up, than show up to screw everyone over.. :daz:

Lol..slick rick what you up to this year?? Running 5 or 6?

What does it say on the trophy, "OPA National Champions", or "OPA Champions of the Northeast United States, and maybe a couple in Michigan"?

LOTO will become one of the best race sites on the schedule as long as the boat count continues to rise. Plenty of water and LOTS of spectators both on shore and in boats cheering each one of you on. I understand that it is a looong trek for many of you, but the ones that show up will be greatly appreciated.

I will tell you when we came to loto for the shoot out we were treated like rock stars the people on the raft off we off the hook cheering like made men very cool
:thankyouthankyou:

Lots of valid points on all sides here. But bottom line is opa is struggling just like many other organizations and businesses are and sometimes we all need to be a little flexible. It's not always easy it's not always completely even and it's not always fair, but I believe some decisions are made with good intentions and bad results.
Just my humble opinion

Y

Very true, we were there too, it was awesome!