Thread:

APBA National Event ????

Can any of the higher up's at APBA tell me why Burley ID is not the host race course for the Nationals every year ? After seeing the boat count yr after yr in Burley, and the enthusiasm that comes from all the partisipants leading up to / during & after that event, and not to mention the out pouring support from the town & its promoter Mark Moyle, I just don't get it. With boat count lacking at alot of these other events, it just stands to reason you'd have way more competion in all classes, more for the fans to see both on land & on the race course. Just thinking out loud & curious. Seems like the ultimate facility / race course for it....IMO

MY bad. I forgot it was the Nationals this yr. I was told it wasn't. Which brings up another ? Then. Why does a race like historic Long Beach not get supported by the racers like Burley does ? Or Puddingstone ? Racers travel to ID but not to LB....interesting !

Chief...really..this is a question you have to ask?...I'm shocked...

Idaho has me.....need I take it any further...?

nice.....................................

Originally Posted by Billy-B

Can any of the higher up's at APBA tell me why Burley ID is not the host race course for the Nationals every year ? After seeing the boat count yr after yr in Burley, and the enthusiasm that comes from all the partisipants leading up to / during & after that event, and not to mention the out pouring support from the town & its promoter Mark Moyle, I just don't get it. With boat count lacking at alot of these other events, it just stands to reason you'd have way more competion in all classes, more for the fans to see both on land & on the race course. Just thinking out loud & curious. Seems like the ultimate facility / race course for it....IMO

MY bad. I forgot it was the Nationals this yr. I was told it wasn't. Which brings up another ? Then. Why does a race like historic Long Beach not get supported by the racers like Burley does ? Or Puddingstone ? Racers travel to ID but not to LB....interesting !

Billy, pay no attention to the poser from spudsville. It is a legit question.

My take is,

Burley gets alot of racers from the northern Cal and Washington region as well as So Cal and AZ.
Many of the racers that go to Burley either do not like or cannot run on single pin courses
The mink and Faulkner Trophy plays no small part in the turn out.
Long Beach is a little rough for the posers types that like nice smooth flat out type courses
and, last but not least, there is no limit to the number of whiners that will not put their boat in salt water Go Figure.

Those that do travel to LB from outside the region like Bloomfield and Too Tall & Co. should be applauded.

Billy, I think I can safely say the "bidding" that goes on for the APBA "Nationals", "Western Divisionals", etc etc, is mostly based on drawing in the racer's $$$$ to a region or club event... I know Ross works hard to get those events because they do draw racers that otherwise wouldn't be there.... There is also APBA criteria to deal with when it comes to boat counts and the privilege of having those National events and the bonus points they afford..... AND, as mentioned, the course layout is also taken into consideration. It would seem the Southern racers have always shown they will go north, but most of the northern racers don't want any part of our tight race courses....
All about the money my friend, all about the money....
Ray

APBA Clubs (Like SCSC) present a bid to the Inboard Racing Commission for the Nationals or any other bonus points race at the Annual National Meeting. Like Ray said, if they meet a minimum criteria, they are considered. Comes down to who presents the best "package" in the Commissioners minds. Most believe by showing other regions/clubs what a Nationals can do to entry revenue, or an ability to attract a race sponsor, makes more and more clubs bid for them. This allows the best bid to prevail. Also some people like a traveling Nationals, since it allows the possibility of a new/or old race course to be considered.

JC

Originally Posted by Moneypit

Billy, I think I can safely say the "bidding" that goes on for the APBA "Nationals", "Western Divisionals", etc etc, is mostly based on drawing in the racer's $$$$ to a region or club event... I know Ross works hard to get those events because they do draw racers that otherwise wouldn't be there.... There is also APBA criteria to deal with when it comes to boat counts and the privilege of having those National events and the bonus points they afford..... AND, as mentioned, the course layout is also taken into consideration. It would seem the Southern racers have always shown they will go north, but most of the northern racers don't want any part of our tight race courses....
All about the money my friend, all about the money....
Ray

I know these "BIG" events are bid on Ray. But your post just confirmed in another way what I was saying. Burley gets support from the Northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast, and everywhere in between. Burley is the old Long Beach. Promoting a race is a tough deal anyway. Alot of hidden hours. I would hate to see the hours that Ross puts into the Long Beach deal. Then when its sold on these forums as the place to be, and there is a low boat count, what makes a guy like him continue ? He does it for the huge payout at the end of the weekend ? Doubt it. He does it because in his heart he loves the sport. He does in it hopes that everyear will be better. I just threw this up for discussion to see why the lack of support. To get feedback from the racers. I have no dog in this. After all, both my trailer & boat are scared of salt water.

Originally Posted by Billy-B

I know these "BIG" events are bid on Ray. But your post just confirmed in another way what I was saying. Burley gets support from the Northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast, and everywhere in between. Burley is the old Long Beach. Promoting a race is a tough deal anyway. Alot of hidden hours. I would hate to see the hours that Ross puts into the Long Beach deal. Then when its sold on these forums as the place to be, and there is a low boat count, what makes a guy like him continue ? He does it for the huge payout at the end of the weekend ? Doubt it. He does it because in his heart he loves the sport. He does in it hopes that everyear will be better. I just threw this up for discussion to see why the lack of support. To get feedback from the racers. I have no dog in this. After all, both my trailer & boat are scared of salt water.

My opinion Billy is that there are more entry level and more affordable classed run up in the Northwest. ie Nostalgia, SE and the 95 mph deal. There are more racers participating up in the at region than down here so the number of boats down here will be less. We lost Charlie and Guthrie early on so that would've been 2 more Ks running. And the race promoter/director up there doesn't yell at the racers as much.

Any racer that has'nt raced on salt at sea level dos'nt know what there missing !! and tight turns ? Its a circle boat thats what there suppose to do! Pin course's are Badass !!

Originally Posted by Jetboatguru

My opinion Billy is that there are more entry level and more affordable classed run up in the Northwest. ie Nostalgia, SE and the 95 mph deal. There are more racers participating up in the at region than down here so the number of boats down here will be less. We lost Charlie and Guthrie early on so that would've been 2 more Ks running. And the race promoter/director up there doesn't yell at the racers as much.

How many SS boats were in Burley compared to LB ? And I can't really speak about John Guthrie. But Charley......he's been lost forever. Just sayin

Originally Posted by Billy-B

How many SS boats were in Burley compared to LB ? And I can't really speak about John Guthrie. But Charley......he's been lost forever. Just sayin

The turn out at Burley may have been bigger simply because it was their National. Then again, it may have become there National because they get a bigger turn out.

Burley is very fortunate in that the town 100% support the race. Not just the fans, but the local businesses, and the city itself. My understanding is that they MIGHT even get the parade thru town back next year due to a "change" in their law enforcement.
Whereas Ross has to wrestle the city council to the ground every single year, year after year, just to put the race on. And it always the same old gripes, the same residents.
Having the race at LB is tough enough. Being able to race without mufflers is downright amazing.

I think my reasoning for the low turn out at LB still stands though. Although I think they all suck as excuses, there is no telling what makes some racers make the decisions they make. Make Puddingstone a National, and you MIGHT see more of a turnout, but I wouldn't want to gaurantee it.

I still don't have my boat together to race yet, but this hasn't changed since I was a kid. When the Nationals are held closer to the center of the country as opposed to one extreme edge or the other, there is always a higher boat turn out. That is without factoring in the added benifits of a nice course to run, a city that is behind the races, and spectators that actually want to come to see the boats.

Burley is still a ways for most of the east coast drivers to haul to, but the serious contenders will make the trip. There are just as many nice courses in the Midwest, why aren't the west coast boats making the trip to those races? How many west coast SE boats made the Nationals in Michigan? It takes time and money to get to a race. The more centrally located a major race is for the boats that are competing the more turn out you'll see.

As for salt water being a reason to stay away, I guess it is if you are not seriously competing for the Championship. If you're not competing for a Championship or at least a good shot at winning, just having to tow a boat in California is reason enough not to go. There are any number of excuses not to go if you aren't serious about it in the first place, salt water is as good as any. Perhaps we need a course like Wheatland, to enlarge their pond and host the Nationals right smack in the middle of the country. A purpose built course is always good racing as they are always fast.

We used to have the Nationals in Dayton, OH all the time. The old gravel pit was dredged with the boat races in mind when they built the pit. Between the city loosing interest in the races and the boat club going away, they don't have serious national inboard races there any more. So yes, community matters a lot when it comes to major events. Having the people to help with the grunt work helps a lot too. Burley seems to have it all, but it still isn't the "perfect" location for the Nationals. But, it sure seems like a good place to have them go back to again.