For those of you who dont remember who Ike Batista was - he ran a Cougar Cat - and was prepared to offer something like 4 or 5 Million dollars to organize and promote the sport - this around the year of 1990 or so - Offshore needed a big cash infusion to promote the sport- TV, Sponsors - etc. - but thats when OPT started and the groups split up - a shame as the egos of everyone ignored a once in a life time event to really put Offshore Racing on the map - Now look at Ike - still the evervesent attitude on 60 minutes too - Now One of the most Richest people on Earth - and Offshore Racing - well - (you can answer that yourself)

Yup I remember the 50 footer Spirit of the Amazon a killer 4 engine boat. and yes it sucked that the racers looked a gifthorse in the face and turned away from it!!

egos will never change just the faces of them at the races!!!

Eike had no agenda beyond building the sport he loved to race in. The sponsor's lone request was that the racers in the Open and Superboat class simply agree to commit to one organization for a season in exchange for a 7 million dollar commitment. This threatened the "control" of a bunch of officials, race promoters, and those racers who wanted to be "unique". They voted it down and instead followed OPT into bankruptcy, followed by SBR into bankruptcy, NPBA/USPBA/USOffshore into OPA, and APBA Offshore into a legal morass. Did I forget OSS and Supercat Racing....how about SBI?

Now Eike is the richest man in the southern hemisphere and we have races in puddles.

T2x

That showed 'em, Huh?

We were all set to run Ike's new circuit. He was going to pay to ship our boats to Europe and South America to race. We just had to show up.

Would have been a VERY sweet deal!

true , now is anyone selling your old videos I have a few from around 1987.
are you in any of the old ff videos from jeff?

phil are you reselling videos from nnrt

No - Richie and Darren Own the video Library - I only have one film that has never been published from 1996 - that I did for a private guy that owned the copyright - and has since given it back to me - For any and all videos - speak to Rich or Darren -

Your question - did Rich ever appear on a FF video - I seriously doubt it -

There were interviews of Ike Batista in our films too - one that comes to mind was the one in NYC - when he set his proposal -

Phil

Could it have really been that simple? That is a shame...it's weird to wonder "what if" and to think of how much may have progressed if it wasn't for the jerks.

Any names of who drove this invitation into the ground? Just curious!

I will answer your questions in order.....

1. www.big-seas.com or http://www.historicraceboats.com/dvds.htm

2. Nope....I started with NNRT and went on to ESPN, ESPN2, Prime, MSG, Speedvision, SPEED, TNN, TNT, etc.....all thanks to Phil. He probably regrets putting me in the Helicopter back in 1981....... Both of our lives were changed forever....