I think this is a great thread. We have seen similar threads over the years - most of the ideas reauire "wholesale changes" in what is actually happening, which is not likely within any of the Sanctioning Bodies this year.

Is there any merit to talking about a "Baby Step" , something positive that is acheivable to make some form of an advance right now?. I am thinking about building a SCL for next year, would be nice to have a vision of probable improvments over what curretly exists.

I think we all agree that everyone likes more boat count, larger events, tighter rules that don't change too often, move twords Sponsorable packages, some form of "Racer Unity" without the chance for Boycotts, etc.

What about a suggestion to APBA and OSS that there is one race (not the Worlds) THIS YEAR where all boats show up at the "other Guys" event (jsut one event) and Visitors pay an entry fee, but no equipment fee.

The Racers could get a taste of what this might be like, and if they liked it, perhaps it could be a platform for greater things.

Any merit to this?

Gregg Reichman

[QUOTE=vinny kostelac OSS will not quit and join sbi, sbi will not quit and join OSS [/QUOTE]

You can add the word "joint" to join.........a joint OSS/SBI-APBA race will not happen.
You are under the impression that the last joint race in KW worked.
If that is your belief, that's your choice, but you are wrong.
And I will not comment further on that so don't even ask.

I have stayed with this thread for 10 or more pages and you are right back to the same old song..........joint/united races.

Well, I will be the one to say it, it isn't going to happen that OSS and SBI share a race site. Get over it, move on. Think of something new.
Gregg,your right, this is a great thread........it should continue with ideas to Brad's original question.
I also think more voices should be adding their positive opinions here. We can see that your reading it.........
Have a nice day!

Pat - I swear I am not trying to be a wise Ass - but I think we got to where we are at becase of someone trying "something new"... Maybe... something different that has a chance to work?? (then I guess it depends on yuor vision of what is successful and what something that works looks like)

Originally Posted by BRUCE SEROFF
If the bills dont get paid, eventually the business fails.

Bruce - this is really not true - lots of businesses get the Bills paid, don't make money and don't necessarily go out of business. Depends on the intent and business model in the first place. If the model was created for the personal entertainment of the participants aka "underwriters of negative cash flow" and they like it, the business could exist for a very long time provided the underwriters are getting the return they want, not necessarily financial and not necessarily dependant upon a successful financial model.

Does that sound a lot like lots of groups from the past and present in our Sport?

Gregg Reichman

This was the beginning and end of Brad's first post in this thread. He clearly asked for input and ideas on how to get the sport to the "next level". I assumed by next level Brad meant beyond where the sport was at the end of 2003 before the split from APBA. In other words, next level meant a commercially viable motorsport with television, sponsors, and a true fan base. Based on this assumption I offered my opinion that there is no chance the sport can get there without a single premier class and a single premier sanctioning body. From there I emphasized that the required starting point was the single national sanctioning body. I then offered my opinion that SBI constituted the better existing alternative for that purpose.

Now if my assumption about what Brad meant by "next level" was correct then my opinion remains the same for the reasons previously stated. Unification gurantees nothing. However, without it there is no way to get to the next level as long as the sport is fractured. The racers control whether it stays that way. IMO.

If my assumption was wrong and Brad simply wanted ideas on how to make the sport, as it is now, simply better, and by better he meant more fun for the participants then there are all kinds of things which can be done to accomplish that goal. Brad offered a lot of terrific ideas.

Finally, from the inception of the LLC we believed it necessary to have a single national organization and single premier class to get to the next level. There was no reasonable opportunity to purchase SBI back then so we simply moved forward with our business plan. In 2003 we had an opportunity to at least sit down with Reggie and John to start a dialogue. We had an excellent first discussion. Whether anything could have come of it, who knows. The super series boats split off and the LLC owners decided not to start over again. The rest is history.

Poo Poo - agreed - but I think that there are a lot of Racers who believe that some form of unification would accomplish this a lot faster, the next level that.

Gregg Reichman

Phragle,
I agree with what you say completely, thats how is was. We can keep going back and forth till pigs fly. Thats not how it's going to be. I learned recently why powerboat racing will always be different then Nascar or any other land sport. We are having a race in my neck of the woods and what came to light is the fact that there is a tremendous effort in securing, setting up and keeping a race site on the water. Land sports have a track that is always available for racing( please dont give me examples of tracks that are torn down for condo's). And from what I understand Nascar owns most of them.For a boat race I'm not going to go into the different agencies you have to deal with,I'd be typing all nite at the speed I type. I also do not race for free, we break a lot of stuff and none of it is cheap. That is why having no race fee's is genius. If you want to put the time in you can get enough money for the race from local sponsors. As much as we'd like to blow a rooster tail on the guys next to us, we don't want to see them pay to race, it would make me sad. Things change, lets make it for the better. Also I'm sorry for the treatment of your friend, one thing for sure, though we all differ, every racing body here has an excellent saftey program in place, and are staffed by the best people on the planet. When things go wrong they save our lives. Thank you,
Louie

I hear ya Louie, racing eats money, speed takes money...how fast do you wanna go. No doubt elimanting entry fees would be a boon to the racers. as for saftey programs, I am an EMT and I do volunteer. I hve a post on another thread looking to volunteer for the st clair race, and waiting for an email back about doing the same at smoke.

And Im still hoping for a ride in sarasota the end of the month..anybody??
p.s....I have rum..

Phragle,
Come on down! To sunny Long Island,N.Y. August 25, 26 for the race. Or a few days earlier there's going to be a lot of stuff goin on. Or for St. Clair call Smitty. I personally think it's the best race site, the town rocks! I'm hoping to model the Patchogue,L.I. race after it, as the shore fronts are similar.
Louie

Louie I will be at st clair...and I'll buy you a beer!

Thanks, Only after the race lol.