2006 F1 class
 

Time is getting near...The "2006" SBI / APBA meeting will be held in Ft. Lauderdale this year. A conference call is being set-up for the F1 class to discuss some possible changes for the coming year.We would like to try to have the first conference call after Deerfield and before the Worlds.
Anyone that is interested in running F1 next year or would like any information about what is on the horizon please fell free to contact me. I can give you the Time & Date of the conference call, and you're welcome to be part of it. We would like to hear from as many of you as possible, I know there is a lot of great F1 boats out there. If you have any concerns about your boat lets talk about it and see what can been done for the future.
2005 proved to be a good start with 6 registered F1 boats. We would like to see the class grow from there,and welcome all to at least be heard. I have spoke to a lot of teams one on one and now is the time to put it to paper and vote on the future of the class.
Everyone seems to have opinions now is your time to be heard and make a differance...our common goal is to make our class and the sport in general better.

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Good luck with the class Frank, I'm sure its in great hands. KW will be the last race the LaveyCraft F1-11 will run as a factory class boat. LaveyCraft has had a registered F1 boat since 1996. :(

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Good luck Brian in what ever class you decide to run, I'm sure you will do great .

Thanks for all your PM's I'll reply to you all ASAP when I have more info. Some of you have said we should have a meeting in Deerfield, but I just dont know if we will have the time to put it together by then.

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Are you considering MORE rule changes before Key West?? Will equipment owners have a vote? Please let me know.

Brian

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Brian,

There will be no rule changes for 2005 running though KW (Merc header change only).
Might not be any for 2006... Just somethings we are looking at and depending on what the class as a group decides.This was a good year and a learning curve to a NEW class. Hopefully we will continue to move forward and make it better for the future.Yes equipment owners will have a vote same as we did last year in Atlanta when we as a group decided and voted on the changes that were made.

Dave the CMI Headers that are approved are the same as the Headers used on the Innovation Motor, and has been posted on the SBI web. site. The part # and one style of header is the only header that is approved for the F1 class. After testing the E-TOP Header part # 13820 from CMI on a Merc 496,Innovation forward the Dyno Sheets to the board to review and they have decide to allow teams with Merc 496 HO engines to have the option to use the same header Innovation is using on their motor.

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Brain.....I have been in a cave lately....your not running F1 no more....

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Not in Factory 1 for 2006 :(

I'm leaving all options open, we will be racing something in some class. We'll just have to wait and see what the new year brings. :D

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Brian good luck this weekend and be safe, we'll see you in KW it should be a blast and some great racing...

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Brian, I hope you reconsider and continue to run in F1. The class is growing and is having growing pains but it will be a top class in the years to come. More boats and teams are getting interested in this class and with the sponsorship possibities there is light at the end of the tunnel. Dave

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

I don't see growth, I see more changes and my sponsor has lost interest. It doesn't pay for them to open their checkbook if there's a changing rule book. They want a level playing field and to know that all rules will be in effect and enforced. Until this pans out I think I will have a hard time convincing them to come back. :(

Good luck Dave, you have one hell of a boat. I can't wait to see how you guys run in the rough stuff in Deerfield. I know that Frank loves to run in the "rough, rough, rough" :D

Brian

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Brian, Keep in mind that this was the first year of the changes of the motor packages, etc.... This will all pan out and the class will be stronger than ever. I have a couple of large sponsors we are working with and waht got their attention was the fact that the races were getting noticed by TV, movies, actors and famous faces. This is a VERY positive note on the things to come. What we need is to pull together and MAKE this class noticed to the public by doing appearances at local resturaunts, etc... to get the public interested. Put your boat on display at a wing resturaunt, etc... give out a hundred dollars worth of free chit to the kids and fans. Invite them to the races with team t-shirts. Let them feel that they are part of something and they will follow. This is what we need to do to get the class out in the open and the fans interested again. The fans love this class because they can own or do own one of these boats. It doesn't matter if they have a 19' Baja....they will route for the Baja that is racing because they own one of the same make. We need to all get out and make this happen in your own towns. My thoughts, Dave

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Well said Dave it all about us as Racers and it is up to us to make it happen.

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Exactly my point, Frank. We need to quit asking what everyone should do for us and build the class for ourselves. "Build it and they will come" Wasn't that in a movie some where....anyhow, we need to get the race
boats out on the dealers show room floors for display, giving out to the people, fans, etc...Publicity from the dealers with race boats making their showing on the off season. Dave

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Not to start any crap, but the class will never grow with multiple engine running in the same class, It all started falling apart with the second engine change from HP500efi to the 525 or the HP3. People such as Randy went from the HP500 to the Hp500efi to the 525EFI just to stay competitive. How many of your 6 boats started out with the Merc496 and changed it to the 502 innovation motor this season.Now you have three engines, computer changes, exhaust changes when will it stop? I truly believe F1 is the most exciting class to race and believe the F1 Racers were the closest class (friends) of all the classes, I just don't see how you can run the class with all these variables. We set down in Ft. Lauderdale several years ago and came up with a solution, 111, 1 engine, 1 weight, and 1 drive, what happen to that.

I know, Iv'e said all this before sorry you had to hear it again, I would love to see this class come back, I think the success of SVL is totally do to the demise of F1

Eddie
F1-68

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

You made a lot of valid points. Factory class won't be "Factory" until the class is made more attractive to higher volume manufacturers, Formula, Fountain, Donzi, Eliminator etc. The right formula is out there somewhere, just not currently in place. I would love to see this class grow, but for now I'll just wait and see.....

Brian

Re: 2006 F1 class
 

Eddie,
Good points and we would love to hear more of your thoughts and idea's for the class. We could use yours and anyone that has in-put to grow F1 class for 2006 so we can all get on the same page.
Right now we do have one weight and one drive so we are 2/3 of the way there. Both motor that we have for the class are pretty equal, but that is something that we as a class can address. If you can make the meeting in Lauderdale this year that would be great. If we as a group are not heard then nothing will change, posting on the boards is not going to better the class or help make rule changes. I think we are really close and have some really great racing this year, and it can only get better with help from racers like yourself. Thanks for your positive in-put we value all opinions ...all this can go on a ballet and be voted on by the class .