The start of something great.

[Ron P]

Hello Racers,

In this letter you'll hear some disappointing news, some good news and some great news. In the end, I hope you agree that this can only be viewed as a huge forward movement for the sport of Offshore Powerboat Racing.

Let's start with the bad news. Unfortunately I must inform you about the cancelation of three races. Kenner - was not able to secure the needed sponsorship to bring an OSS race to town. I'd like to thank our race producers in Kenner for the monumental effort they put forward, it's a shame it didn't work out. Orange Beach - The race committee actually cancelled this race back in April feeling the economy in Orange Beach couldn't support the event this summer. There was a small group of people trying behind the scene to keep the race alive but they weren't met with enough support to make it happen either. Finally, the October race in Jupiter Florida was recently cancelled due to the economic climate in Florida and the lack of willing sponsors. Once again, thanks to everyone in Orange Beach and Jupiter that spent countless hours attempting to bring the OSS Race Series to their town. The National Championship race in Lake of the Ozarks is definitely on - September 25 - 27.

Everyone involved with this sport, be it a racer or a fan has been asking for unification for a long time and this seemed like a good time to investigate the possibilities. After several discussions with Ed Smith (Smitty) from OPA we've collectively come up with something that is very exciting and should certainly help move this sport in the right direction. Here's what we've come up with. OSS will replace the Kenner race with a race one week later in St Clair MI (Aug 1&2). This will be a joint race with OPA run by the Blue Water Offshore Racing Association. This will be an OPA and OSS points race. We expect to have 60 boats at this race. From there, we'll do another joint race in either Patchogue NY on Aug 22 & 23 or Point Pleasant NJ on Sept 12 - 13 to replace the Orange Beach Race. This will also be an OPA and OSS points race. Then on September 26 & 27 the Lake of the Ozarks will host the 2009 OSS National Championship Race. This will be an OSS points race but not an OPA points race, however, some of the OPA teams will be joining us in LOTO to show their support of our collective race series. (This is not an OPA points race only because OPA has a race one week prior in Cambridge MD and some teams may not be able to do back to back races.) As a final race (Worlds to replace Jupiter FL) OPA has been invited back to Ocean City MD in Oct and they've invited OSS to race there too. Details will be worked out over the next few weeks and we'll keep you informed as to our progress. This race in Ocean City MD will be the final race for OPA and OSS in 2009.

As you can see during 2009, OPA and OSS will keep their respective identities and race together. Once this season is over, it is our intention (with the approval of our teams) to drop the OSS and OPA names and come out with a new unified race series name for 2010 and beyond. For next year, we'll take the best of our collective race sites and make a single fantastic series with more than 50 boats at every event.
Nothing worth doing comes easy and I'm sure that there will be a few bumps along this road to unification but we are determined to move down it for the betterment of Offshore Racing as a whole. We hope you agree and will support our efforts.

Ron Polli - OSS President Ed Smith - OPA President

[Jeff Helmkamp]

That is just wonderfulI've got reservations for Jupiter and what exactly am I to do now? This **** has got to stop. I just glad I can always rely on my Key West trip to be there every year. This is pearly ****ty news no matter how you look at it. You can sugar coat it all you want, but for the fan that makes plans based on a schedule, then the race, or should I say 3 or 4 races, get cancelled, what is the fan to do?

[sbracing]

You could try to understand the economic situation makes it tough to put on a sporting event

or

Run for office and fix the economy.

[Phantom1]

Who will be the Grand Poobah of the new organization, Smitty or Ron?

[Ron P]

We will work together, just as we did in the past.