Apba????$$$$$

[T-REX]

This iz very interest'in, lenghty, but interest'in...Takes tha wonder out of why there's no more O/B Drags in APBA, but puts the wonder in how long will they last??????


http://www.gcoffshore.com/gco_files/STNOV01.htm

[captcarb]

Rex,

The APBA O/B drag nationals will be in Eustis FL April 20-21, 2002. Call Dorsey Frabott at 352 669 2203 for details.

CC

[BK]

That article you linked to is NOT about APBA, it's about APBA-Offshore LLC, which is a corporation that has purchased the license from APBA to conduct the Offshore racing category. Offshore is now leased by 3 investors who are making contracts with some very big named sponsorships - most recently American Express, Baja and General Motors.

This leasing arrangement is similar to what the HYDRO-PROP series has done.

It is very unfortunate that Crouse does not distinguish between the two groups in his article. But the part that baffled me is why would someone go so far to make such a scathing PUBLIC report about Offshore anyway?

Then I saw this: Volume Two coming soon. From the last paragraph of that article:

SEATALK, THE INSIDERS ONLY SOURCE OF INTERNATIONAL OFFSHORE POWERBOAT RACING NEWS AND TOPICS IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY CROUSE PUBLICATIONS AND CAN BE ORDERED FOR $49.95 ANNUALLY. ALSO, BOOK SEARACE-$69.95 PLUS $5.00 S&H, & ARCHIVAL PHOTOS.
CROUSE PUBLICATIONS 20740 SW 248 STREET MIAMI, FLORIDA 33131

The other sad thing about this is that the other half of the real story is not even there. It is plain that envy is playing a huge part in this. You may want to check the next two articles to see the rebuttal to those very damaging statements. You'll see a lot of support being voiced over the 'Net in support of APBA-Offshore.


With money and security issues resolved, APBA is ready to race
http://www.sptimes.com/News/093001/S...d_securi.shtml

AND

http://207.55.218.179/cgidir/ubbcgi/...&f=47&t=004601
Topic: Mike A's Response to Crouse Email
Mike Allweiss is CEO of APBA-Offshore LLC and denies Crouse's allegations. He is asking concerned participants to call him if they have questions regarding this issue.


But the really sad thing here is --- this public mud-slinging is hurting the RACERS, not anyone else. It's the racers who are struggling to get their sport into the spotlight, and finally they are about to make it --- and now someone comes along, either out of envy or profiteering, to trash their reputation so they can't ever, ever get there. With a huge increase in membership, bigger sponsors, full Television coverage, and bigger events, APBA-Offshore is only 3 years old and is finally making a successful name for itself. But the bigger they get, the more under attack PUBLICLY they become. These people try to convince you they are *Concerned*; this is not true. These people want to see APBA-Offshore crumble to bits, and that is why they use the Internet: intending to block their success. Again. This very thing has happened before, over and over, like clock-work.

And that's what is SO sad.

[W. Tripp]

BK-

you make some VERY good points. In the past, a few vocal racers and outsiders have made public comments concerning racing organizations, sponsors, etc. and have done nothing but hurt the sport and themselves.

The ODBA's leadership is in talks with sponsors, and other racing organizations that want to come aboard our organization. I trust the leadership that has been elected to do what is BEST for the sport ( we all love ) and the ODBA. However, I feel that posting negitive comments by racers, etc. will NOT help.

Those members of the ODBA that want to make an opinion known to the leadership of our organization, should e-mail the elected officials of the ODBA and NOT post it on a PUBLIC forum. The addresses of the ODBA's officials are available at http://www.odbaonline.com

This is just my .02 - but I want to see this sport GROW, not shrink.

[Raceman]

I didn't completely finish reading all of the above because frankly I don't care enough about offshore racing to devote the time. One thing that has flabergasted me about APBA politics, or at least the politics of whoever is running APBA Offshore, is the fact that they can ban someone for a season for merely voicing an opinion that they don't agree with. What ever happened to freedom of speech. I mean gimme a break, national newscasters critisize the President of the United States on a regular basis, (although it has somewhat moderated since Sept. 11), but a negative comment about the APBA dictatorship and boom.........you can't race. I'm amazed that some federal judge hasn't done away with that BS.

One other thing that baffles me about this hobby that we all love is that promoters are charged for TV coverage. With networks paying big bucks for baseball, basketball, Nascar, etc, etc, why the hell should boat racing have to pay the TV networks to put it on? If there's sponsorship money available for commercials in these broadcast times the same as for other sporting events I can't figure the difference.

[BK]

From what I learned, it was a committee that decided what his fate would be, not merely a CEO decision. On a statement they release, they said he came to driver's meeting intoxicated. But remember, this is a privately leased corporation, Offshore-LLC, and if they feel one member is causing them too much harm, they have every right to escort that person out. Just like in a restaurant.

NASCAR and almost all other major sports have 'gag-restrictions' written in their contract that you sign before you start racing. You agree that as long as you are a member, you will not do or say anthing that will cause harm to the organization. That's just part of sports business today.

As far as television coverage goes... if the networks are being urged by a large number of viewers to show "boat racing", that's when boat racing can begin asking for 'bids'. Winning bid gets the prized program. Same with hosting race sites - some of the larger racing circuits are now able to ask for large sums of money to host the show. (Last year, Bernie Little of HydroPROP told Detroit they will have to come up with 1 million dollars if they want the Gold Cup to come back to Detroit). That may be wayyyy over the top, but that's the kind of thinking it will take to bring back TOP NOTCH boat racing again. Otherwise, they'll remain a mediocre sport.

If the networks and host cities profit from the racing event, then they'll beat a path to your door to do what it takes to get signed up. It's all about supply and demand.... how popular you are, and how much money they'll make.

[Ron Hill]

BK,

Grow up on this one... Benny Robertson was guilty of two things...winning and not being humble to MA.... Read read John Crouse's article...I defey you to find ONE INCORRECT word....

I'll also bet APBA, not the LLC gets "STUCK" for MILLIONS before this is over...

You have NO CLUE ON THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!

You are right "SAD" is tghe word...SAD the APBA BoD are SO STUPID...

[BK]

Ron ~

I was furious when they called Benny a cheater. And then when I heard the inspection wasn't complete as it should have been, I was even more upset. But this is not my concern - the only people that should be involved in resolving this are Ben and the LLC. What's more incredible is that this whole episode happened nearly 3 years ago and this bickering is still going on.

Benny is not the first person to ever get tossed who probably was innocent. Your dad threw my 97lb brother out for being one pound light at Bakersfield. It was his ONLY win he'd ever get. His boat was loaded with lead, leaked like a seive, and had been sitting there waiting to be weighed for quite some time. He must have leaked out 20 lbs of water just waiting. We were bummed out, but we rolled on. Uncle Ted May was absolutely furious and mentioned it for years aferward. But for us, we held no grudges. What could we do? It was just one of those things. Chit happens.

That's what needs to be done here too. The parties involved need to work it out BETWEEN THEMSELVES. It's becoming obvious that this is an ego war, to create enough turmoil to cause a demise of the one Offshore racing circuit that has the most going for it -- the more successful they become, the more intense the mud-slinging becomes. And in the end the TRUE victims will be the racers.

[Ron Hill]

The difference of being DQ'd for underweight is simple: THE RULE says. "You don't weigh water." Benny has not, did not violate a written rule. He did win every smooth water race and he isn't very humble... But Benny will be racing OFFSHORE long after the APBA LLC is gone.... I just hope the APBA LLC doesn't take APBA down too....

Add my Old Man's Inspecting ability a pound or fifty, he didn't care... He set the scale on the weight... He weighed you. If you didn't make it...He had you take the boat off the scales...Re blance the scales and swap ends with the boat. If you didn't make weight, you didn't make weight.....Your name could be Bobby Switzer or Jerry Waldman or Dick O'Dea, he (MY OLD MAN) didn't give a ****. He was a BLACK AND WHITE person: You were legal or illegal.....There were no DEALS for money, he was no whore.

MONEY NEVER MADE A RULING WHEN MY DAD WAS INVOLVED. AND to compare my old man to Michale is like comparing Bin Laden to Ollie North....

[BK]

Ron ~

When my brother assumed he won that race, you wouldn't believe how incredibly ecstatic our team was. A boy with CF is not even supposed to be racing, yet alone be winning anything. So you can imagine the elation.

When he was told he was 1 lb light (actually he was declared "ok" at first but I admitted MY stupid hand bumped the boat while on the scales and they had to bring his boat back and reweigh him) - but on the second weigh-in -- he was told he was one pound light. DQ'd.

I looked at my brother and he just smiled --- his eyes were full of pain, but he just kept smiling the entire walk back to his pit! Incredible! No grudges there. Just acceptance.

We never mentioned it again. My brother never won another race. Nobody held any grudges. Ted did, but we NEVER did. I've never even told you about it. BTW - That happened in 1976.

The point I'm trying to make is that ANYONE can make a huge fuss about something they feel is unjust or unfair. Some people do --- some people resolve issues by other means.

But there are even some people even go so far to try and cause the demise of their foes, ...while at the same time, destroying everyone else around them.

[Raceman]

I gotta agree with ya 100% on all points Ron.

As far as Benny goes, he's somebody that I've always admired. When I bought my first 15' Allison, he was already running one with a 1500J and was unbeatable. He also had some kind of glass tunnel, don't remember whether it was an Allison or a Stinson (I think the latter). He had stuck a wing off an Allison tunnel on his V bottom and boy was it cool looking, resembled a radar arch. He was also one of the first to put a T3 on a 15 Allison. He could run those boats on the ragged edge as well as anybody that ever lived. In Mod U he's also beat the factory boys on a number of occasions as a privateer. He was also instrumental in the development of the safety cell for outboard tunnel racing.

Most people that are that competitive have strong opinions and don't deal with adversity or random rules interpetations well. As a matter of fact I fall into that category too. I've never heard anything about Benny being tossed for showing up drunk before. I've just heard he got tossed for voicing an opinion that wasn't popular. One of the magazines (Powerboat I think) had an article on it a while back and it seemed incredible to me. The way the gov't sticks their nose in so many places it doesn't belong, I hope they hurry and stick it in this stupid rule that boots racers for voicing their displeasure over stupid politics and egos. I think forcing anybody to sign off their 1st amendment rights is outrageous.

[Ron Hill]

Hey BK,

That Molinari picture you post.....Is me and Fred Hauenstein My BK Hill found this clipping and I had to post it... This was 1973 074..

[BK]

Raceman ~

Regarding restrictions to open speech:

Race teams are all allowed to discuss concerns amongst themselves and with the organization. Most groups welcome this type of discussion. No spreading of dirty laundry -- hold the discussions PRIVATELY.

But where it starts to cause harm is when the racers use their voice to parlay their angst to the public: sponsors, spectators and media. This act is not only harmful to that particular club, but to all of boat racing -- everywhere. This is probably the #1 reason why boat racing can never get - - and hold on to - - the support it needs.

Everyone likes NASCAR. NASCAR is fun and everyone is attracted to FUN. Therefore, NASCAR gets all the big bucks.

Why does the public think everything is all "FUN" at NASCAR? (you know it's not). It's because NASCAR does not allow NASCAR teams to pass negativity to the press. It has to be that way. Do you think kids (and thus sponsors) would still be attracted to NASCAR if the adults were constantly bickering and calling each other names? No way!

If you look back at series boat racing, or any other boat racing group that gets bigger and starts showing prosperity -- in all types of categories -- they typically collapse after 5-7 years because animosity amongst the members is allowed to run amok. Griping becomes incessant. Eventually they split, losing sponsors and racers. And with what they have left, form another series because they know to run things better.

But then, within 5-7 years, it's the same situation all over again. The process repeats again and again.

And boat racing loses some more.

[BK]

Ron --

After you told me the avatar I had was Dick Sherrer, I went on a search til I found one of you.


BK

[Sam Baker]

Rex, I have a lot of respect for you and what ODBA has done, but your comments show the exact lack of knowledge that has caused the rift between ODBA and APBA drag. What happens in APBA offshore is completely separate from what happens in APBA drag. That's like me saying that I went to a bracket drag race in Missouri and got screwed, so ODBA sucks because they run drags too. You can't make the jump.

If you look at the facts, it is sad. A man died this year in ODBA and another man was seriously injured on the ramp in Texas. With ODBA's insurance coverage, neither person or their family was awarded any coverage where they would have been covered with APBA. My point with ODBA has always been that they seem to be less concerned with the drivers and racers than with the club itself. It's unfortunate when a decision that was based on poor judgement has to roost itself in a way where at least two people are financially injured in addition to their physical injuries and loss of life. Was it such a good decision now? ODBA had full control of the way they ran their races when they were sanctioned by APBA, they had the ability to make rule changes the way they chose to, and they were given $50,000 by Mercury. This year, you made the rules the way you wanted, ran the races the way you wanted, but you didn't have the $50K from Mercury so the Drivers made that up by doubling the ODBA membership fee and DRASTICALLY reducing their insurance coverage and this year at least two people paid greatly for that.

I pray to God that doesn't happen again. I also hope that ODBA will open their minds and look at the opportunities they have working with APBA instead of dismissing it out of hand without talking to the droves of racers who preferred it the way it was in 2000.

The opportunities are great and believe it or not, it doesn't have to change a single thing about the way the races are run, etc. Open up and listen to reason, then consider it completely, then make a decision. It's tough to work with other people, I realize that, but I hope everybody considers the sport as the most important part because it can go away because of the divisions that are being caused.

Sam