FE Nationals Questions

[Boat Racer]

Hi Everyone,

I am curious how does the FE racers feel about FE powered boats being included in the Gas/Nitro NAMBA Nationals for the last few years instead of having your own Nationals?

Better? Worse?

Thanks,
Karl

[Ken Haines]

Hi Everyone,

I am curious how does the FE racers feel about FE powered boats being included in the Gas/Nitro NAMBA Nationals for the last few years instead of having your own Nationals?

Better? Worse?

Thanks,
Karl

Hi Karl, Thanks for asking.
It will be interesting to hear other's thoughts on this very good question.
I, myself would prefer our own NAMBA FE Nationals.
Seems like the FE attendance is always higher for the stand alone
rather than the combined events. We do understand however that if clubs
do not step up for the running an FE Nationals that it is better to
have a combined event than no event at all for that given year.
Just my opinion,
Ken

[Steven Vaccaro]

What was the fe attendance last year? When its over we can compare to this year.

[T.S.Davis]

I'm in no way against mixed events. They're every bit as much fun as FE only events. I'm just not sure you're going to get a straight answer on this. Guys that used to be regular attendees simply didn't go. An 8 day deal with FE scattered here and there. They lost some FE freaks with the format. That said.......those not thrilled with it have no grounds to complain. It's literally a step up or shut up thing IMO. I never defend NAMBA anymore but they did what they had to.

The real problem is as Ken mentioned. There aren't FE clubs strong enough to do a stand alone event. Well.......very few. Clubs that have the people simply don't want to or they're spread too thin already, or they don't want to deal with what ever controversy that FE guys will conjure from nothing. FE is a weird thing. It's been a problem for a decade now. This is true for IMPBA too. People don't want to do it.

[Fluid]

Who says an FE Nationals has to gave a large attendance to be a success? When we put on the 2001 FE Nats in Alaska it put a stress on attendance due to the time/cost of travel. But we had a full three days of racing (this was before we had so many superflous classes like we do today) and a lot of fun. It was a LOT of work for our club, but most stepped up, even former members who hadn’t raced with us for a few years.

Call me crazy, but I always thought that the hobby was about having a good time with good people, not seeing how many racers we can assemble at one time....


.

[T.S.Davis]

That's fair Jay. I really only remember one FE nats that was big. That race nearly killed me.

[Steven Vaccaro]

Ive been to a small national event that was mostly attended by the hosting club members and had fun.

But to me, the word "national" means its like the Superbowl of fe boating. If there is a national event and its not drawing numbers from all over the country, its basically another club race.

[madmikepags]

CAN+WORMS=OPENED!!!!!!! WOW how honored I must feel to be "included" in your Gas/Nitro Nats!!! Keep it to yourself. Really NAMBLA KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!!!! You have done nothing right, you are systematically trying to get rid of FE and I don't know why? Starting with your combined nats last year and continuing this year to DESTROY a class (1/8 scale unlimited) That Has had a rule set that works for over a decade. You let 1-2 clubs dictate what the NATION should and could run. You included 7-8 FE classes in a 9 day event?????? I can race more in 1 day in my club and probably against better competition. The length of this event makes it almost impossible for anyone with a REAL life to attend......Hey I'm all for combined events, when they're done right. Not a 9 day marathon where I will run 12-16 times!!!???? You have made this race prohibitory to the FE racer. I've gone over this many times before. Don't call it a NATS if it IMPOSSIBLE for the "Nation" to Attend. Calll it your combined CLUSTERF@#K for all I care but it's not a NATS. Give a real FE club a chance to run a nats, I know most wont chomp at the bit but at least give it another shot. You know what I really don't give a crap what you do, The 4-5 big events I attend each year now are all IMPBA sanctioned so all you NAMBLA boys can go scratch.

[madmikepags]

NAMBLA-dictate........hahahahaha

[photohoward1]

Mike tell us how you really feel!

[T.S.Davis]

I know Howard. I told him the same thing. Hahaha

[T.S.Davis]

its basically another club race.

Unless your club is chocked full national caliber racers.

[madmikepags]

mine is!!!!!

[T.S.Davis]

mine is!!!!!

Us too Mike. Think we've held over a dozen national or world records now. Chris missed high points by like 11 points at our nats.

I mentioned this somewhere else. A national championship is defined by the guys that you raced against. If you race against guys you respect and KNOW are the real deal then the championship means something to you. This is kinda what Steve was eluding to I think. If it's just the local yocals (no offense the yocals) it has less meaning.

[Steven Vaccaro]

Us too Mike. Think we've held over a dozen national or world records now. Chris missed high points by like 11 points at our nats.

I mentioned this somewhere else. A national championship is defined by the guys that you raced against. If you race against guys you respect and KNOW are the real deal then the championship means something to you. This is kinda what Steve was eluding to I think. If it's just the local yocals (no offense the yocals) it has less meaning.

So I hope to race at Mikes club soon, All guys that I think are some of the top in the country. Does that mean its a national event?

In my little head, the idea of a national event is what Mike said. Guys coming from all over the country to duke it out. The more the better. Im in no way trying to diminish what the racers have done in Texas. Its not their fault that it was poorly attended. Its quite opposite, Im jealous I didnt have a week to go down and race. 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.