Internats Format

[Ron Jefferson]

Good suggestion Charles but be careful. I offered a similar suggestion a few years ago that the BOD put the race on with two volunteers from each district recruited by the district director. Went over like a lead balloon. The Internats should be a premier event at the best and most centralized site possible and not be a money making proposition. It should be planned out at least a year or two in advance so holidays can be booked and plans can be made.

 

[Ron Jefferson]

Mike,

Why would the Org have to pay accommodations for board members? All the board would have to do is plan and make decisions. Not necessarily work the race. They would liaison with the local club and volunteers working the race. This would no longer be on the shoulders of a club but be more of an effort of the IMPBA organization and it's members. Draw from the bigger crowd I say.

 

[El Zorro]

Tidwell? Really? Mark, I've known you for 30 years and you still don't know my last name. Really.............

Dick TYNDALL

 

[Mark Bullard]

Sorry Dick had a brain ####. It must be the age setting in.

 

[julianconde]

I dont think we should forget about the US1 as some people voted. I personally think that the current us1 format needs to changed. Look at the nitro race that was ran in Brandon. Everything went great lots of racers showed up and raced. The race was not a week long race. Most people in today's economy can't take a week off work to play with rc boats. At least I know I can't as I have to work.

If you take the time trials out. You can run all the heats for every class and have a winner.

Most racers won't set a record during the 2 lap and straight away events. All it says it who was faster in 2 lap and straight away that's it.

There record trial events held during the course of the year. Yes taking the time trials form the us1 event is a big change for the us1 format but we have to do what's best to promote the hobby and make it grow. Times change and we have to make changes for the best of the hobby.

 

[Ron B.]

Those that have never done the true US-1 format will never appreciate what it means. To me that was the best of model boat racing and I truly miss that aspect. Take away that format and its just another heat race!!!

P.S Its not about setting records in the US-1 TT's and would be hard to take a heat racing boat and even get close to a record, but if you happen to great.

 

[Jack ODonnell]

I agree with Ron B. 100% !! J.

 

[dwilfong]

The thing is there is not enough boaters to make it work any more.

May be do a every 3 or 4 year True US1 formatted race with all the honors that go with it.

This would give plenty of time to prepare for it.

Also limit the classes to make time for it.

Use the yearly attendance for the classes over the whole US to determine what class is run.

This way the classes that are relevant will be run set by attendance over a 3 or 4 year span.

 

[BobLondress]

Being involved with 4 Internats in the 80's and as CD for 2 of them. I know how long it takes to run SAW and ovals. The main complaint I have heard is that its too time consuming, usually a full day for each and that's pushing it.

My idea would be to run all the heat racing first and take the top 25-50% of the finishers and allow those contestants to run the SAW and ovals for US1

That way you could possibly have ALL IMPBA classes to have a chance at being US1.

 

[seaducerpete]

Being involved with 4 Internats in the 80's and as CD for 2 of them. I know how long it takes to run SAW and ovals. The main complaint I have heard is that its too time consuming, usually a full day for each and that's pushing it.

My idea would be to run all the heat racing first and take the top 25-50% of the finishers and allow those contestants to run the SAW and ovals for US1

That way you could possibly have ALL IMPBA classes to have a chance at being US1.

the current time trail format is top 5 or 20% wich ever is greater

 

[BobLondress]

I didn't know they had that going on now. I just got back into the hobby after 20+ years. I guess I should study up on the rule book!

 

[bsmtboy2]

SayMickey, no the board members wil foot their own hotel bill. I was thinking along the lines of manpower...IMPBA has enough elected board members to run an event with the Mic format for US1. I would also give any board member the option of naming a replacement if they can't attend for whatever reason i.e. Work,personal,illness. The end game seems to be getting enough people to run an event so let's try to give our respective officers that duty to insure the health and future of the hobby. Maybe this time the lead balloon will fly with the winds of change........

 

[gooycheese]

SayMickey, no the board members wil foot their own hotel bill. I was thinking along the lines of manpower...IMPBA has enough elected board members to run an event with the Mic format for US1. I would also give any board member the option of naming a replacement if they can't attend for whatever reason i.e. Work,personal,illness. The end game seems to be getting enough people to run an event so let's try to give our respective officers that duty to insure the health and future of the hobby. Maybe this time the lead balloon will fly with the winds of change........

I will say this is crazy..... I was a board member to try and help... If I could travel I would. I can't afford to travel and run a race in your backyard charles.... based on your suggestion I assume you goto the nats.... why don't you run them.... the board busts there ass' s trying to help

 

[bsmtboy2]

Gooey, I am attending the nats this year, my club doesn't have enough people who can take off a week of vacation for pulling off the nats. I also am very aware that many board members cannot travel and give up vacation time either. Maybe it's time we look into making the nats a 3 part event, heat race, oval times,and straight time trials. Compile results over a summer for US1. Just an idea. Times have changed and we must change to remain relavent to the hobby or just keep doing what we're doing and let it fade away.

 

[Chris Wood]

^^^ i discussed something similar where you run district races and them points then put you in for the nationals..

i would agree we need something different. what that is.. well. i have my thoughts but i will let that be

 

[sbowden21]

^^^ i discussed something similar where you run district races and them points then put you in for the nationals..

i would agree we need something different. what that is.. well. i have my thoughts but i will let that be

Some how Missouri got put into district 6...FIRST we would need district races to accumulate district points... i dont even know of an IMPBA race in our district Chris? Heck the races our club host are in district 4 but on my IMPBA card i am a district 6 member... Sorry maybe off subject but this has bothered me for awhile.. Back in the day MO/IL/IN were all district 4 now all 3 states are different districts not sure how or why it changed but it doesn't make much sense to me. Within a 220 mile radius of my house i can race in 4 different districts, 4,5,6,14 but none of the races are in my district (6)???

 

[Mark Bullard]

The way I see it is, there is only about 3 post from racers that have every done the standard Internats format. The Internats did not get be a long event until it was change in 1989/1990.

Way the standard format for US1 worked is;

Saturday open water

Sunday straight away trophy trials

Monday continuing straight away trophy trials and start of oval trophy trials

Tuesday continuing of oval trophy trials and open water at the end.

Wednesday heat racing for National champion begins. *(note)

Thursday continuing heat racing

Friday continuing heat racing

Saturday over run of heat racing if needed and any special classes.

Saturday evening Banquet and awards.

*(note)

Notice that I said National Champion heat racing begins

This type of even set up a dual event. For the one that would like to be US1 you would have to enter the trophy trials. This does not mean that you would have to run them. You would get a zero for those events. Has anyone won US1 this? Yes they have and can be done.

With this said if you want to come in the middle of the week for the National Champion there is nothing to stop you. And if you entered the trophy trials you may wind up being US1. But if you want to come for the whole event of the trophy trials and heat racing you can do that.

To be a US1 is special. They are not handed out easy, but these days they do not carry the same weight.

I have included a article that I wrote back around 2007 when the Internat crashed after the 2006 internats.

What is US.doc

 

[sbowden21]

The way I see it is, there is only about 3 post from racers that have every done the standard Internats format. The Internats did not get be a long event until it was change in 1989/1990.

Way the standard format for US1 worked is;

Saturday open water

Sunday straight away trophy trials

Monday continuing straight away trophy trials and start of oval trophy trials

Tuesday continuing of oval trophy trials and open water at the end.

Wednesday heat racing for National champion begins. *(note)

Thursday continuing heat racing

Friday continuing heat racing

Saturday over run of heat racing if needed and any special classes.

Saturday evening Banquet and awards.

*(note)

Notice that I said National Champion heat racing begins

This type of even set up a dual event. For the one that would like to be US1 you would have to enter the trophy trials. This does not mean that you would have to run them. You would get a zero for those events. Has anyone won US1 this? Yes they have and can be done.

With this said if you want to come in the middle of the week for the National Champion there is nothing to stop you. And if you entered the trophy trials you may wind up being US1. But if you want to come for the whole event of the trophy trials and heat racing you can do that.

To be a US1 is special. They are not handed out easy, but these days they do not carry the same weight.

I have included a article that I wrote back around 2007 when the Internat crashed after the 2006 internats.

Mark is Huntsville going to put a bid in for 2017 with the format we have now? Do you think we should forget about US-1 and just continue the heat racing nationals each year? Do you not think anything needs to be changed to have a successful internats?? If the old format worked why did IMPBA change? Obviously the current format hasn't worked the past few times IMPBA has tried? WHAT REALLY NEEDS TO HAPPEN?

 

[Mark Bullard]

We may in the near future. But we will use the standard format. But it will depend on the racers to come. When this top 5 boat or 20% rule came about was to save time. But instead in made the Internats longer. Because every one had to be there the whole week. In 1985,86,87.88 were all the standard format. I watch people the were into to it running for US1 come in on Friday and Saturday for the trophy trials. You would see the racers that wanted only to run heat racing come in on Tuesday and Wednesday. There was a move by a few that wanted to have only heat racing to be US1. And this is why we have what we have today. Go and look at the entries from those days and look at the number of boats in the classes. A lot of those racers are still out there but you will not see them at a Internats. Why?

What does it take to put on a Internats? A lot of work, planning, and a good site that functions well. A site that is in the middle of IMPBA. Why has Huntsville been so good when we have had them is the fact that it is in the middle of IMPBA. I am not saying this because it is in my back yard, but I have been to many Internats over the years until they crashed and the Huntsville is the best site in the country. I just found a issue of RCModeler that had a article about the Internats in 1999 when The board put it on. Dick Tyndall was president at that time and IMPBA was having trouble finding a host club to put it on. So IMPBA along with the Huntsville Model boaters hosted the Internats that year.

Now if we were to do it and was going to run the standard format we would hear from some that that to long of a race and we need to shorten it. And I am not going if that is what they are going to do. But that is because they have never been to one.

Now I would like to feel the build up of the trophy trials of who is going to run what and go to the heat racing to find out if the ones that made good passes can keep it up for the heat racing and finish on top.

This is what makes a US1 "the suspense"

 

[sbowden21]

My first was 2000 moline, il and then 04-05 Jackson, tn All 3 were under the current format well attended and lots of fun! Mark if Huntsville puts in a bid i will help anyway possible hopefully the racers and IMPBA can come together and make something work for 2017.