FE Nationals Questions

[T.S.Davis]

I dont ever see myself going to a race for a week and spending most days in the pits, while watching gas and nitro boats. I just dont have the time for it.

Me too. Or the patience. If I did a week event for 7 or 8 classes I would have to skip two or three other events to gather up the vacation time.

Something that's totally different with FE guys is that we're willing to run 10 classes at an event. Even if that means 5 or 6 a day. Not a lot of fuel guys will venture there.

[Steven Vaccaro]

Maybe some constructive critisism from a bunch of guys would help Namba. I know Mike most likely voiced his opinion, but more people may help.

It looks like they raced 10 classes over 8 days. They could easilly race those classes in two days. I'm sure more guys would go if the did them over 2 days, than over 8 days.

[Fluid]

This is a problem with a multi-fuel event. Most CDs will spread out the separate power classes over days to keep everyone there, otherwise it becomes three separate events held at the same week and place. Not everyone would be there for the three awards presentations and it wouldn’t feel like an organization.

For past 2-day District races the Dallas host club has put all FE classes on the same day, since most of the FE racers were not locals. But they include some gas and nitro classes in between the FE classes to give the FE racers some time to charge, etc. They held daily awards presentations each evening. This worked well, and may be a way to make more folks attend the event. Not sure why they didn’t do this for the Nats, probably because it wasn’t the way Nats were run in the past. Bottom line, you can’t please everyone.


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[Steven Vaccaro]

This is a problem with a multi-fuel event. Most CDs will spread out the separate power classes over days to keep everyone there, otherwise it becomes three separate events held at the same week and place. Not everyone would be there for the three awards presentations and it wouldn’t feel like an organization.

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That makes sense. Thanks for clarifying.

[T.S.Davis]

. Bottom line, you can’t please everyone.
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Absolutely can NOT please everyone. So......make choices that will get the most people TO your events instead of choices that make them say "not do'n it". They have to want to go.

Every venue does this to a degree. Class choices alone is directly linked to what will get people to an event. We changed our days of the week just to give guys a day for travel back home and be coherent for work Mondays. We even quized guys to see if they like that. Most did. Gauging the needs/desires of our intended audiance is what we all do. Don't always get it right. So we listen and try to keep the majority happy. The 8 day spread made many FE guys say no thank you.

[Steven Vaccaro]

Lots of the top FE guys seem to run every class. so 8 days of 1-2 a day is like watching paint dry for them.
I would be content to race 2 classes a day. If I can get a year where I can run 1 to 2 classes a day for 2-3 consecutive days, I might give it a go.

[rayzerdesigns]

So since I have attended both of the last two combined and the last stand alone nats for namba.. nOT NAMBLA as Pags stayed.. I love u like a brother mike but way out of line here man.. I myself like the combined..I agree that there isn’t every class available.. but even at the last stand alone nats in Seattle.. it’s no fun when there is just 3 or 4 boats in a class..I was a part of deciding which classes last year would get the most participation.. did we get it right?? Maybe maybe not.. but we tried..as I’m sure the guys from Dallas did..basically each fuel type is alliwed around 10 classes.. do of course you aren’t going to get to race everything.. but I also run gas.. so I enjoy it.. I also think that having all fuel types at same time is great.. as I now want to build a nitro boat or two.. and had plenty of people asking about fe boats..I can’t agree with Teri more in his statement.. the amount of clubs willing to step up and host a nationals is very few..so I’m grateful that we get any..combined or not..Pags u say u have enough.. why hasn’t ur club or members put in to host a national?? Instead of complaining about it.. do something about it.. put in to host a national event.. even if you just want it to be a fe event..Teri I know has been crazy enough to host more than one.. he knows it’s not a simple undertaking..I applaud his efforts.. as I do anyone that hosts events.. period..and the whole oh who did u race to win a national title has no merit if you didn’t show up to race..there are a lot of people I haven’t raced.. but there are a bunch I have..is namba doing it perfect?? No.. but they are trying.. I do think 10 days is to long and that has been addressed as next year they will be 7 days..let’s remember this is a hobby.. and all the bitching does nothing but spread like a disease.. and scares people off..I hope to see everyone racing.. good day folks

[T.S.Davis]

3 FE namba nats and an impba FE nats. I was quite the namba cheer leader for many years. Probably would have hosted more namba nats were it not for Russ. A single source nats is not a ton worse than a Michigan Cup. If you have a handful of guys pitching in its doable.

It's not that its mixed that makes people not attend. Model boaters are all insane. It's a fuel crossing disorder. Model boaters, even the nonracing guys.......great humans. About99% of them at least. It's that it's spread over so many days that is a deterrent.

Think about someone like Tom and I. We do 10 to 12 races a year. Then throw in an extra one that takes a week to 10 days. Live in a hotel for a week. Food out 3 meals a day..... every day. To race 10 classes? Massive commitment of resources. Begs the question doesn't it? What fer?

I think Ray does have a valid point though. Put up er shut up. Not quite what he said but close. That requires some dedicated namba fe clubs. I don't know of many.

[T.S.Davis]

Ray, no offense intended to ya. The reality is that if you beat Dave Newland to win a national championship it means more TO YOU than if you beat me to win a national championship. See what I mean? It makes a championship more delicious if you whoop guys you know are very skilled. Its not your fault Newland or maybe a Buass type guy wasn't there. That's namba's fault.

[rayzerdesigns]

Ray, no offense intended to ya. The reality is that if you beat Dave Newland to win a national championship it means more TO YOU than if you beat me to win a national championship. See what I mean? It makes a championship more delicious if you whoop guys you know are very skilled. Its not your fault Newland or maybe a Buass type guy wasn't there. That's namba's fault.

I don’t think it’s NAMBAS fault.. but we can agree to disagree..I will race anyone who shows up..doesn’t make it any better or any worse in my eyes..I enjoy racing anyone and everyone..everyone has their own skill set and all different..be it you.. ur kid.. or Newland.. or whoever..I just enjoy the competition

[D. Newland]

I'm sure we all understand NAMBA's Nat's direction and see the issues it's presenting here in this thread. Let's face it. NAMBA lost Michigan and it left a huge void. It's the only location that could/does pull off an FE Nat's to meet most expectations. I'm glad to see they are continuing their FE event dominance with IMPBA.

NAMBA's different now for FE, but there are some good things coming from it. For instance, the 2017 Vegas Nat's had 31 FE drivers attend. But, only 10 of them solely raced FE. 21 raced another power source, and 4 of those ran all 3 power sources. I think that kind of cross-over is healthy. Doesn't help the fact that Pags is as upset as he is (and I get it), but it's easy to recognize the shift that is happening.

As Ray said, NAMBA is sacrificing class offerings in nitro/gas/FE in order to fit a schedule in the allotted time, so I hope FE attendance continues. I went to Vegas in '17 for 2 reasons. To help my District pull off the event, and the FE schedule (thanks, Ray) allowed me to run the top 8 FE classes in only 4 days. I left after that. Dallas didn't quite have the schedule that Vegas had for my liking, which is OK. They needed to organize their event as they see fit. Plus, it was encroaching on my sailing weekend and that's taking precedence with me lately.

NAMBA has 2019 (Dist 20 Utah/Colorado), 2020 (Alabama) and 2021 Nat's Districts already picked, with 2021 being the 50th Anniversary in Vegas. I told Ken I'll be in Vegas mainly just to get him to drive out again so we can count how many blown trailer tires, blown transmissions and blown rear ends he has for that trip.

Oh, and last time I checked, NAMBA FE still has Nat's rules in the books. Not sure it will happen again, but it's there. Right next to ECO.

[rayzerdesigns]

On that note..the 50th anniversary has been moved to Vegas for 2021

[T.S.Davis]

.......... but it's there. Right next to ECO.

Dave, I read that with a "BAZzINGA!" at the end. You didn't type it but I heard it in my head. .........the voices....

Someone suggested to me more than once that we should just host the FE nats in MI every year. Which always makes me spontaneously blurt out a string of expletives. Not all of them are 4 letters but most are.

I guess FE is already going the way of the dodo bird. Same way nitro died. Not enough interest and/or too complicated so the numbers aren't there. There aren't many stand alone nitro events anymore either. Mixed races or no races. I doubt seriously there will be an IMPBA FE nats this year either.

Curiosity? How did they come up with 8 days? Why not 21 days? Or how about 30 days? No more ridiculous than 8. Maybe it should be over a whole summer. Ludicrous? So is 8 flipp'n days.

[rayzerdesigns]

It’s all been a trial.. from what I understand it will be max 7 days now

[longballlumber]

I keep reading threads and posts about FE racing events... but do we TRULY have an good understanding of the numbers association to each org and how many racers we have racing FE boats? Mr. Newland hinted at it above. Speaking strictly FE, I think we all have our heads in the sand about the health of FE racing. I think P-Limited has given us a false positive that we are doing OK.

I don't have a good feel for NAMBA, but I would be willing to estimate the IMPBA has round 50 or less of what I would be willing to consider a "committed" FE racer. I might be wrong, and frankly I hope I am. Think about that for a moment... The IMPBA has 1006 registered members. Assuming my number is close; that is ONLY 5% of the 2018 membership. If we want to increase the lure of National Events, we need more racers! I know many won't find my post helpful, but it is a bit of reality that we all need to realize. just my 2 pennies.