Great Lakes Grand Prix!

[Magic Medicine]

Is Dan racing the Fountain???

Yes big Dan was racing with Billy Anchor on the sticks! The local boys go boys go!!!!!!!

[Magic Medicine]

We had an awesome time at the event...Michigan City has an awesome facility for certain. The crowd was pretty big...spectator fleet was huge...

I can see how people may have been disappointed in the size of the fleet...plus, it's not easy to just watch boats run in a circle without knowing what's going on...once the initial shock and amazement wear off and the racers space out...it's not exactly like watching NASCAR or a drag race. IMO...that's other people's problem...I LOVED it!

We had a big bunch of bad influence peeps onhand, and made a bunch of new friends as well.

Even got to meet the great Sunkin and Stecz...and STILL had a good time!

I really hope they come back again.

I have no compliants! We had a great time but we bring the party where every we go, Bad Influence style! Most of the boaters we talk to had a great time and they hope the racers come back! Michigan City is my home town and I grew up in the marina! I was very happy to see the race, and I HOPE you guys come back! Thanks for coming to MC and we hope you will be back!

[Ratickle]

Here's a pic of the Fountain boat I found. Will pick up more later to check.

[Magic Medicine]

Here's a pic of the Fountain boat I found. Will pick up more later to check.

Thats Big Dan's boat with Billy on the sticks

[boatme]

i dont blame the org for low boat count i blame the orgs for having that many classes It dilutes the entire deal

All it makes out to the public, is a bunch of cool boats going roundy round then most everyone gets a checkerd flag and goes home

Trust me i felt this way when i was one of the guys putting on the races and we had half as many classes to deal with

I think it diminishes the racing

I have said it before when one of the icons of the sport coes to a race and looks at me at the end totaly confused as to who won there is a problem

[tstuck]

I was a little disappointend in the boat count also but still had a great time. We were standing in the water close to the turn at the south end of the course. From what I heard they will be back next year so I hope it's true. It's about two hours away to Michigan City so it's worht the drive to see the race.

My brother in-law was standing beside me when we were looking at Simmons boat and I told him I was pretty sure when we were in Grand Haven several years ago when they raced there that that was the same boat that got damged and a lady was walking by as I was saying that and she stopped and said yep it's the same boat so we talked to here. I believe it was the drives wife but not sure and she gave of there hero card they had.

[DrGaryDC]

It looked like there was much confusion at that turn in which Aqua Mania's lead turned into 3rd place. Thankfully no swimmers were injured

[boatme]

I was a little disappointend in the boat count also but still had a great time. We were standing in the water close to the turn at the south end of the course. From what I heard they will be back next year so I hope it's true. It's about two hours away to Michigan City so it's worht the drive to see the race.

My brother in-law was standing beside me when we were looking at Simmons boat and I told him I was pretty sure when we were in Grand Haven several years ago when they raced there that that was the same boat that got damged and a lady was walking by as I was saying that and she stopped and said yep it's the same boat so we talked to here. I believe it was the drives wife but not sure and she gave of there hero card they had.

Same boat

I have pictures somwhere ot the holes that blew through the boat My wife and I put on the races in GH back in the day At that time the boat was called Twisted Sticks drivin by Bob and Threasa Ubanks

[Ratickle]

Chris remembers it with the entire side blown out also. It is a beautiful, and well running, boat. And the team running it is also at the head of the game..

[Ratickle]

It looked like there was much confusion at that turn in which Aqua Mania's lead turned into 3rd place. Thankfully no swimmers were injured

It was interesting. All of us were talking before the race that the turn was too narrow and they should get the swimmers out of the water.

I kinda figured there would be a pace boat there to keep them slow at the start and then they'd space out some, but have no idea what happened with that.

[DAREDEVIL]

i dont blame the org for low boat count i blame the orgs for having that many classes It dilutes the entire deal

All it makes out to the public, is a bunch of cool boats going roundy round then most everyone gets a checkerd flag and goes home

Trust me i felt this way when i was one of the guys putting on the races and we had half as many classes to deal with

I think it diminishes the racing

I have said it before when one of the icons of the sport coes to a race and looks at me at the end totaly confused as to who won there is a problem

boatme,,,,,,whats your idea of classes ????
Sorry ,,i think this belongs in the other thread .

And about Simmons ,,,yes Jim is a cool guy. AND I WILL BEAT HIM !!

[Ratickle]

boatme,,,,,,whats your idea of classes ????
Sorry ,,i think this belongs in the other thread .

And about Simmons ,,,yes Jim is a cool guy. AND I WILL BEAT HIM !!

Crazy Chicken ran a heck of a race on Jim's azz too.

[Sean H]

It was interesting. All of us were talking before the race that the turn was too narrow and they should get the swimmers out of the water.

I kinda figured there would be a pace boat there to keep them slow at the start and then they'd space out some, but have no idea what happened with that.

SBI doesn't do a full pace lap, mill at one end and get them lined up and as soon as they are they are released.

Like I said on OSO, I can't believe that courses aren't laid out for testing on Saturday. How do you ever expect a team to accurately and safely race a course they haven't seen until the first lap of the race? Problems with the course can also be worked out on Saturday when you have a marked, closed and patrolled course for real testing. Radius of corners, proximity to beaches, spectators other obstacles can all be evaluated before the actual race that way.

If you don't have the same setup for testing as you do racing it's pretty much a joke at best (not to mention pretty unsafe).

[boatme]

boatme,,,,,,whats your idea of classes ????
Sorry ,,i think this belongs in the other thread .
sifone:

I have no class that is why they call me "summer vacation"

[DAREDEVIL]

SBI doesn't do a full pace lap, mill at one end and get them lined up and as soon as they are they are released.

Like I said on OSO, I can't believe that courses aren't laid out for testing on Saturday. How do you ever expect a team to accurately and safely race a course they haven't seen until the first lap of the race? Problems with the course can also be worked out on Saturday when you have a marked, closed and patrolled course for real testing. Radius of corners, proximity to beaches, spectators other obstacles can all be evaluated before the actual race that way.

If you don't have the same setup for testing as you do racing it's pretty much a joke at best (not to mention pretty unsafe).

The watercondition change ,,so why would u think it has to do with set up ????
On the saftey issue with how close to the spectators it is ,,i kind of agree.
But then again its the thing of the racers to know how to take it and make it safe.
Me personaly ,,i never test anyways.
I rather break racing then testing,,look what happend to Guy and Ray in Sarasota ?!
They could of won that race if they did not flip on saturday testing.
Just my 2 c.
But what do i know.
Sean,,,get a boat and race,,then u can smack talk all u want.

[DAREDEVIL]

I have no class that is why they call me "summer vacation"

LOL,,,u know what i ment.

[Sean H]

The watercondition change ,,so why would u think it has to do with set up ????
On the saftey issue with how close to the spectators it is ,,i kind of agree.
But then again its the thing of the racers to know how to take it and make it safe.
Me personaly ,,i never test anyways.
I rather break racing then testing,,look what happend to Guy and Ray in Sarasota ?!
They could of won that race if they did not flip on saturday testing.
Just my 2 c.
But what do i know.
Sean,,,get a boat and race,,then u can smack talk all u want.

you pay for your parts yet?

[Magic Medicine]

Crazy Chicken ran a heck of a race on Jim's azz too.

The crazy chicken team was awesome!!! They ran hard in practice and the race! I talked with a few of the crew and they were great people!

[Ratickle]

SBI doesn't do a full pace lap, mill at one end and get them lined up and as soon as they are they are released.

Like I said on OSO, I can't believe that courses aren't laid out for testing on Saturday. How do you ever expect a team to accurately and safely race a course they haven't seen until the first lap of the race? Problems with the course can also be worked out on Saturday when you have a marked, closed and patrolled course for real testing. Radius of corners, proximity to beaches, spectators other obstacles can all be evaluated before the actual race that way.

If you don't have the same setup for testing as you do racing it's pretty much a joke at best (not to mention pretty unsafe).

I know when the course was laid out on Saturday in Harrison, then we ran the first lap with Dean, it was changed because of the turn from Buoy two to Buoy 3.

[ApachePete]

Will do, I should have it on film. I was half way between buoy four and the pierhead not more than 200 feet from that swim buoy and watched the guys scrambling to get out of the way.

I was watching the guys trying to walk on water more than the buoy though. And the othe two, Geico and CMS, had already made the corner and pushed him wide.

The 3 boats were throwing up WALLS of water, so it was difficult to tell exactly where every one of the bouys were.

But from my vantage point, it sure looked like they heading inside. Then just spray everywhere. Water, and people trying to walk on water.

In any case, it scared the $hit out of me and everyone around me on the pier.