The Great Unification

[Pete B]

when is Biloxi??? Woody Baily and the crew there roll out the Red Carpet for the Race teams!

[TYPHOON]

Biloxi in April as always first race of the year. The OSS board would like to do some joint races with SBI as well. Working on which ones.
MD

[XtremeRacing]

Randy keep intouch if I can help .

[Wahoo 214]

Dean, Im not sure I understand your post. Please explain.
MD

I was complimenting you on the future success of OSS as a board of director. Can't wait to see this year unfold.

[Wazzup Racing]

Update, all conversations with JC are going very well. We are going over the schedules, to see where we can race together. Off to meet with the Geico team today. Looking Good. Smitty

[cigdaze]

That's exciting to hear. Kudos, and keep up the positive conversations.

[F1-00 Racing]

Proof that differences can be put aside for the betterment of the sport:

UIM - WPPA - IOTA…joint statement
Tuesday, 8 December: DUBAI (U.A.E.): Following the previous meetings in Italy, Stresa and Riccione, the UIM, WPPA and IOTA presidents, respectively, Raffaele Chiulli, Saeed Hareb and Gianfranco Venturelli met in Dubai, U.A.E., on 6 December and came to a common agreement regarding the full re-integration of the Class 1 World Powerboat Championship in the UIM and under the UIM rules.

The future cooperation will be run through the ‘Offshore Professional Committee’. This committee will include representatives of all involved parties.
Ratification by the UIM Council will be requested by 15 January, 2010.

UIM and WPPA have also met and agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding for the sanctioning and managing the UIM X-Cat World Series.

Commenting on the agreement, IOTA President, Gianfranco Venturelli, said. “We are delighted to have reached this unanimous agreement and consider it to be a hugely positive step forward for the future development of the Class 1 Championship,”

[TYPHOON]

And only 3 months later look where we are. Is it safe to say the great unification is officialy dead. Save those united we race stickers they will be collectors items soon. The new sticker will be "If you cant race with them,beat them up till they are out of business!"
I only hope and pray there is a long term financial comittment to see this threw. If it back fires and OPA does not get the 50-60 boat fleets at the distant race sites it may do more damage long term. As a business man I aploud you on your risk vs reward ambitions. To take a perfecty good working model with a strong fleet of N. East teams that can leave work on Friday night and be home Sun. night and ask them to travel the USA is ballsy at best. Correct me if im wrong but I thought what made OPA good was
1) Its close to home
2) Its fun
3) No entry fee
4) class 1-6 bring what ever you got
5) most of all its as cheap as possable to run, beacause of the above.

Time will tell. Now you all can beat me up.

This my opinion only and no others.

[Wahoo 214]

Randy, to most of us it looks like the OPA is stepping up and filling the holes where others have failed. Who would not like, low fees, great racing, National TV, Global Sponsorship and a growing Org? Where are you going to race?

[TYPHOON]

Dean, I will race where my fellow SVL class racers want to race and where I am welcome. I also agree who wouldn't want what OPA is offering. The question is who can afford to take advantage of it. The kiss theory (keep it simple stupid) went out the window in my opinion only. Where others have failed is a big statement and even bigger shoe's to fill. There most likely were reasons for what you call failures. I hope you have recognized the pit falls on them and can do a better job. I will be waiting and watching the new and improved version where we all failed at.
MD

[2TR]

And only 3 months later look where we are. Is it safe to say the great unification is officialy dead. Save those united we race stickers they will be collectors items soon. The new sticker will be "If you cant race with them,beat them up till they are out of business!"
I only hope and pray there is a long term financial comittment to see this threw. If it back fires and OPA does not get the 50-60 boat fleets at the distant race sites it may do more damage long term. As a business man I aploud you on your risk vs reward ambitions. To take a perfecty good working model with a strong fleet of N. East teams that can leave work on Friday night and be home Sun. night and ask them to travel the USA is ballsy at best. Correct me if im wrong but I thought what made OPA good was
1) Its close to home
2) Its fun
3) No entry fee
4) class 1-6 bring what ever you got
5) most of all its as cheap as possable to run, beacause of the above.

Time will tell. Now you all can beat me up.

This my opinion only and no others.

Please help me with this.

Should the OPA help finance the other race organizations so they can survive long enough to have joint races?

[SVL66]

Maddog....Lets not blame OSS's failure to survive on anyone but OSS. People have seen this coming for 2 years. OSS could not maintain a steady boat count, and subsequently lost the support of their venues. And....The very people that started and supported OSS, jumped ship and left you to hold the bag. No one's fault but your own. Its Time to move on to new ventures.

[TYPHOON]

We lost our support when our president told our venues we were merging and creating one big ship. That never happened. Im sorry im just very loyal to the people that have taken care of me over the years.
MD

[SHARKEY-IMAGES]

And only 3 months later look where we are. Is it safe to say the great unification is officialy dead. Save those united we race stickers they will be collectors items soon.

Randy, are you saying there is no hope for the Powerboat P1 USA / APBA Business Plan ????

You know, where everyone is welcome to run under 1 Unified body of APBA...

Hopefully these next few years things will get better for all.

[heater63]

Randy you have alot of friends in the offshore world.You are an Icon to many kids,families and fellow racers.You eat sleep and breath offshore more than most.Dont let a bad egg or two change that.Maybe its time to hand over the reigns and let somebody else take them (and the blame).Go back to racing and having a blast.And as far as beating you up,I'll wait for the race coarse for that.I hope your prepared for a good beating.The west coast rockit will be here after I go to Havasu and throw some beatings out there.It looks like theres a hand full of kryptonites and superboats that I will have to contend with,but yours is first. (1/2man)

[TYPHOON]

P1 USA will be here in 2011 with a big plan to take spec style wide open throttle racing back to a level not seen for some time. It wont be for everyone and you will have to have balls of steel and love compatition on the course. The down side is owners will have to decide if they can afford to buy a boat that fits in a class. It will NOT be bring a boat and we will make a new class for you to fit in.
So yes Sharky there is hope and more than hope for P-1 USA and APBA There is a heavely funded long term plan for the people that want that level of racing. For Org like OPA that dont want it at there sites then we just wont be there. I believe POPRA,OSS and SBI think it adds value to there sites. Again its just my opinion. Bring it Martin!!!!!
The greatest oppertunity is in our face and we will see if we are smart enough to see it. Some will and some wont but I think the line has been drawn in the sand. If we cant do it as one than its time for a show down to see who is the last man standing. We all need one clear winner that will take this sport to the next level.The gloves are off.
MD

[SHARKEY-IMAGES]

For Org like OPA that dont want it at there sites then we just wont be there. I believe POPRA,OSS and SBI think it adds value to there sites. Again its just my opinion. Bring it Martin!!!!!
The greatest oppertunity is in our face and we will see if we are smart enough to see it.
MD

Was there an official announcement somewhere that I missed that OPA said they wanted no part of it ??? I understand the meeting in December that Smitty was given very short notice and was unable to attend.
I am not aware of any other attempts for talks on the subject, but then again, I am not in the circle to know most of that anyway... I only know of a few sites of OPA that would be able to accommodate the needs of a Powerboat P1 Race anyway. So if they were to be involved, it would not be but a few sites...

I do know the offer is out there for the SVL's to run with OPA. I just hope that does not turn out to be a 1 season filler until the Powerboat P1 USA gets up and running and the class will find the time to participate in both.

As an SVL Class, and the schedule I last saw was to make no commitment to a full season for any one organization. I guess that may work for the Class, but I can't see how it will be explained to the TV Audience in an 8 Series back to back coverage how 1 week SVL's are not there, then another week they are.

I guess the editors will figure it out....

[Scotty B]

It was nice seeing Martin at the OPA meeting in NJ this past weekend. Lots to talk about

[TYPHOON]

Thanks Scotty, I heard the oppisite. Maybe Im out of the loop. Is P1-USA invited to the OPA races to race with you all?
MD

[RACESDAD]

will trade 368 skater for 4 svl's...any takers? lol. you guys are what racing used to be, we all get along on and off the race course. i hope and pray we get it right soon > i miss racing and joking with friends
it used to be all of us having fun off the course and when we went racing, if one of us broke, we cheered for the others. bring the family feeling and fun back. WE ALL MISS IT
OH YEAH, KEEP IT INEXPENSIVE TO CLASSES TO ENTER, BUY AND RACE BOATS