Dick, Chris, Joe, and Marty
You have all said some very good things about the Internat format. I thougth that I would include something that I place in one of the Roostertails last year on what is US-1. At the Internats this year I had a lot of racers come to me and tell me that they had never thought about what US-1 is. I also had a lot of racers that came to me and told me that they like what I said and that I was able to draw the true meaning of what US-1 is. So here it is enjoy it and I think that you will have a better understanding.
What is US – 1
US – 1 is the results of what makes a well-rounded boater. There has been some talk of trying to add an alternate format for the Internats. Their reasons are it will make the Internats shorter. Well this idea will not make the Internats any shorter.
In 2004 we had 155 heats with 223 boats for the first two days and 135 heats with 175 boats, for the next two days for a total of 290 Heats / 398 Boats in US-1 Heats. Specialty had 60 heats with 70 boats for a Grand total of 350 Heats / 468 Boats.
In 2005 we had 130 heats with 177 boats for the first two days and 100 heats with 116 boats for
the next two days for a total of 230 Heats / 293 Boats in US-1 Heats. Specialty had 80 heats with 100 boats for a Grand Total of 310 Heats / 393 Boats.
We started early on Sunday morning and went for four days hard from early morning to late afternoon just to run the heats for all of the classes. Now in the new format that they want to do is they will run the top 6 boats in all of the classes for so many rounds. I am sure that it would be no less than three rounds. So that means that on Thursday morning you would start the run off rounds. You might get done that afternoon and you might not so that means that you would go into Friday. Now if you get rid of the specialty boat classes and do away with the banquet you might be done on Friday afternoon. In 2004 and 2005 we finish the Internats at about 1:00pm on Saturday afternoon. Now how much time did we save?
Well I think that you get the point. The main reason why we should not change our format is the fact that it will destroy the integrity of US – 1 even though they are going to call it National Championships. If you want a National Champion go race in NAMBA. Not saying that there is anything wrong with NAMBA but our US – 1 is what makes us different from NAMBA. The reason why we have US – 1 is it shows the results of a well-rounded boater by first having to place well in heat racing. Next by having to perform well in the Trophy Trials, which are straightaway and oval timed events. The ones that have won US –1 over the years know how hard it is to win. It has never been a giveaway or will it ever be. I myself have only won US –1 once in all of the years that I have been racing. I have been very close at times but I always seem to fall a little short. Last year was as close that I have been in many years. But a stick that I hit in oval trials made for a poor performance and blowing a glow plug in the straightaway trials cost me US – 1. Going into the straightaway trials the points spread was very close. I had a total of 969 points, the second place racer had 900 points, and the third place racer had 875 points. Of course you know what I just told you what happen to me the second place racer had his share of bad luck or bad runs also. So the third place racer had a good run on both events and went on to win his first ever US – 1. And he has been boating for thirty years and has been to at lease twenty-five Internats. Sure it takes good running hardware, smart driving, and a little luck to get thru the heat racing. But after you make the program it is all you to make it happen and no one else. This is why US – 1 is what it is and why it is so special to win. We have had racer from all over the world come to the Internats to try to win US – 1. This is why we are the INTERNATIONAL MODEL POWER BOAT ASSOCIATION. We are the only organization that offers this kind of award so when this award is past out it truly means that this person is US – 1 of the world.
Here are some comments that a couple of boaters that have won US – 1 over the years have to say. The first boater has won US – 1 many times in the past but he is one of the most focus racers that I know and works very hard to achieve what he has done.
US-1 means the best boat and the best boat racer at that given time. If this contest is reduced to just heat racing, I think we have suffered a loss. There have been some times that I have seen racers just putt to score points and have ended up with US-1. We all try to race too hard to score those heat racing points and not given a chance what that boat can really do. Time trials balance this effort. This would be loss if it is only heat racing.
Stuart Barr
I am a very strong believer in this. Please do not lower the integrity of this event.
The second boater is the one that won his first US – 1 last year when it slip thru my hands. He is also my best friend and racing partner and has been for over twenty-five years. He also is the one that help write the rules and push to bring outboards into the IMPBA when he was on the board as a Director of District 5.
I have been asked to comment on the format of the IMPBA National event because of a possible proposal to change the format. I AM OPPOSED TO A CHANGE IN THE FORMAT OF THE “NATS”
I have been attending the Nats almost every year for the last 20+ years. I find the Nats to be the best racing that one can experience in the Model boat hobby. It is vary difficult to EARN a US-1. I finally after 20yrs, earned an US-1 at Jackson Tenn. in F-hydro.
The Nats are unique and bring out the best in model boat racing. It is truly the “Decathlon” of model boat racing. One needs to have good and reliable equipment, be excellent at heat racing, be patient and let the race come to you, and have the experience and strategy to place high in heat racing to qualify for the trophy events.
Once qualified, experience and expertise become paramount in order to be successful in winning US-1. It is like the Olympics; you have prepared and ready to show what you and your boat are capable of doing in oval time trials and straight away. The pressure is on, no excuses in these events. Experience, strategy, excellent equipment, steady nerves are all at work to have a successful outcome.
The way the points are award for heat racing and the trophy trials is excellent, well thought out, appropriate and have STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. To change the format would be a disaster.
In the past other formats have been tried. A boater who no longer is an active racer proposed a format of just heat racing. It was tried at the NATS that were held in Slidell. The experience was like KISSING YOUR UGLY SISTER. It was JUST ANOTHER HEAT RACE. I believe those that are regular attendees at the NATS are not interested in attending just another heat race.
Do to the need to qualify; the heat racing is the best that I have experienced in 25 yrs of racing. Close racing, great driving and the best experience one can have. It is a race where people come from everywhere in North America and from overseas because of the Nats format and the experience of the Nats that cannot be gotten from just ANOTHER heat race.
Since that Nats is not broken and I believe the vast majority that attend and support and HAVE SUPPORTED the Nats for YEARS, LEAVE IT ALONE!
There are other areas in IMPBA that need attention and work. The NATS is not one of them.
Gary ( Doc ) Turner
Now I believe you can see why US – 1 is so special. To win this award is to be the best well rounded boater in the world. And to change it would be just like Doc said it would be JUST ANOTHER HEAT RACE or like KISSING YOUR UGLY SISTER.
Mark Bullard
" And that's all I have to say about that".
Forrest Gump
Well said, my friend.
Dick Tyndall
