ABRA Hydroplane Racing

[Chris Thomas]

Once again the Unlimited Hydroplane Racing circuit is plagued with controversy. The Bernie Little days are not gone yet. The 5 second "off plane" rule has been stretched to apply to only the most crucial positions in the field. Even if you win it is not a win. I seen four boats off plane and at least for the 5 second period to draw the penalties to all of them. Why would you just apply it to the lead boat? Will this nonsense ever stop?

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

They showed a replay where half the boats were "off plane" for at least 5 seconds and that included the Elam(which was declared the winner). The best race of the day was the Unlimited Lights final, well IMO on that.

JD

 

[Wesleys Custom RC]

Yes they were all off plane and I was told they all got warnings but the 37 was the worst offender. If they would just go to the no. 3 buoy as the "on plane buoy" like they did in Madison there wouldn't be any controversy and there would always be a flying start.

One more question, Has the Miss Madison team ever won a high points championship in it's history?

 

[Chris Thomas]

Last year wasn't it? Or was Steve David the high points driver??

 

[Chris Thomas]

I guess I would like to see some parity in the calls. I'm not neccessarily for Beacon but I do feel "anybody but Villwock." I mean Theoret drove circles around him in the Elam hull. I would love to see Steve David hand Dave his ____ too.

 

[hgatjens]

Yes they were all off plane and I was told they all got warnings but the 37 was the worst offender. If they would just go to the no. 3 buoy as the "on plane buoy" like they did in Madison there wouldn't be any controversy and there would always be a flying start.
One more question, Has the Miss Madison team ever won a high points championship in it's history?

Yes, I agree if they had run the rules from earlier in the year, this wouldn't have happened. I am not sure why they changed the rules when they got out west.

The Beacon was defintely the biggest offender, although they didn't show from enough angles on TV for you to be sure how long the other boats were down. But the Beacon you could see and count at least six seconds with the front tips of the sponsons underwater.

As my model racers tell me, you need to keep yourself ina position where the officals don't have the opportunity to make a call.

While I am not an Elam fan I think it is also quite probable that they would have run down the Beacon snyway if not for backing off when they heard the call. He was right with him and gaining ground until the Elam backed off on the second lap. While I can understand iwhy not, it might have been better to continue to chase the Beacon down froma PR standpoint, but then of course, there is always the risk of something going wrong when you push it like that.

On a side note, it was great so see all the compassion for Roger on the television. Three different times throughout the day he was recognizied. Pre-Race by Mike Fitzsimmons, during a heat awards ceremony by Steve David and then late in the day with a little story about the get well card on the back of the boat. Chip Hanauer even spoke highly of Roger.

As for the Madison winning a championship the answer is no, never. They were second in 1965 and then 2005, 2006, and 2007, but no boat championships.

 

[Gale54]

Yes they were all off plane and I was told they all got warnings but the 37 was the worst offender. If they would just go to the no. 3 buoy as the "on plane buoy" like they did in Madison there wouldn't be any controversy and there would always be a flying start.
One more question, Has the Miss Madison team ever won a high points championship in it's history?

Yes, I agree if they had run the rules from earlier in the year, this wouldn't have happened. I am not sure why they changed the rules when they got out west.

The Beacon was defintely the biggest offender, although they didn't show from enough angles on TV for you to be sure how long the other boats were down. But the Beacon you could see and count at least six seconds with the front tips of the sponsons underwater.

As my model racers tell me, you need to keep yourself ina position where the officals don't have the opportunity to make a call.

While I am not an Elam fan I think it is also quite probable that they would have run down the Beacon snyway if not for backing off when they heard the call. He was right with him and gaining ground until the Elam backed off on the second lap. While I can understand iwhy not, it might have been better to continue to chase the Beacon down froma PR standpoint, but then of course, there is always the risk of something going wrong when you push it like that.

On a side note, it was great so see all the compassion for Roger on the television. Three different times throughout the day he was recognizied. Pre-Race by Mike Fitzsimmons, during a heat awards ceremony by Steve David and then late in the day with a little story about the get well card on the back of the boat. Chip Hanauer even spoke highly fo Roger.

As for the Madison winning a championship the answer is no, never. They were second in 1965 and then have done well the past couple of years, but no boat championships.

It was good to hear the tv make over Roger. I hope he gets well soon. As for the Madison maybe this year they will get the U-1 on the boat. Wow that would be great! (any body but Vilwock) The ABRA needs to stop writing the rules in pencil and make them clear cut. You can not please everyone you have to make a rule that is easy to call. They should use the score up buoy again that ALL should be on plane at that buoy period.

 

[GRoth265]

I think Beacon got called because he put the sponson tips under water and lifted the transom in cavitation. I watched the replays and yes two other boats were cavitating but didn't bury the tips. I think thats how they judged there call. I think they need to seriously look at this rule. Maybe something like a radar gun or two in the corner and put a minimum speed on like 50mph. With todays telemetry available it could be a non human call. Like speeding on pit row in NASCAR. Greg

 

[Hydro Junkie]

I agree, it needs to be more than a judgement call, but if the Beacon was burying the sponson tips, I would say tha would be a no brainer on that.

As for championships, the Miss Madison team has already been covered, but not the driver. Steve David won the Drivers championship a few years back, and I think he got it two years in a row. If I remember correctly, the two years he got it, the championship boat had driver changes in mid season

 

[Douglas P Shepherd]

I agree, it needs to be more than a judgement call, but if the Beacon was burying the sponson tips, I would say tha would be a no brainer on that. As for championships, the Miss Madison team has already been covered, but not the driver. Steve David won the Drivers championship a few years back, and I think he got it two years in a row. If I remember correctly, the two years he got it, the championship boat had driver changes in mid season

Schumacher Racing said on KIRO TV YESTERDAY, That if the call was not change, HIS TEAM was OUT!!!!!! . BAD DEAL.

 

[Dale0]

Where are you guys watching this?

 

[hgatjens]

Where are you guys watching this?

Go to the Hydro Insider

http://hydroinsider.com

They have links to almost everything unlimiterd.

 

[Mike Cathey]

When you watch the video the Referee (Mike Noonan) doesn't call the U-37 for being offplane on the backstraight, but when he rounds the exit pin headed for the starting line. I agree with Jane Schumacher's assessment!

ABRA had a meeting earlier in the year to discuss this issue and the best idea that they came up with was that the boats had to be on a plane from the score up buoy to the start line. The boats could go offplane and as slow as they wanted but had to be onplane at that point. Referee Mike Noonan's responce was that was too "easy" and "simple" of a solution.

Anybody who has called a race or been a turn judge knows that "easy" and "simple" are good things. Not something to be distained.

Don't forget that there are four owners on the rules Board/Competition Committee of ABRA. Schumacher Racing are members of the Board. Thing about Billy Schumacher is that he is a racer through and through. He doesn't give a crap about politics in ABRA. He just wants to race and win.

 

[rbeyer]

From what I understand, the U-1, U-37 and U-6 were all told they were offplane on the backstraight and told to speed up within 5 seconds. All three did. As they exited the turn, the U-37 was in front of the rest of the field and was offplane again. This is where the infraction was called. Almost the exact call was made to the U-5 in heat 2-A (I believe that is the right heat). He was leading the U-6 to the line but had to slow down or he was going to jump the gun. Bernard went offplane to slow down. Unfortunately, he not only was given a one minute penalty but he also jumped the gun. He was not too happy about the rule after the heat.

As you said below, the teams are a huge part of the ABRA. They make up the rules in the offseason. They need to fix this before 2009.

I blame the rule, not the judge.

Rick

When you watch the video the Referee (Mike Noonan) doesn't call the U-37 for being offplane on the backstraight, but when he rounds the exit pin headed for the starting line. I agree with Jane Schumacher's assessment!
ABRA had a meeting earlier in the year to discuss this issue and the best idea that they came up with was that the boats had to be on a plane from the score up buoy to the start line. The boats could go offplane and as slow as they wanted but had to be onplane at that point. Referee Mike Noonan's responce was that was too "easy" and "simple" of a solution.

Anybody who has called a race or been a turn judge knows that "easy" and "simple" are good things. Not something to be distained.

Don't forget that there are four owners on the rules Board/Competition Committee of ABRA. Schumacher Racing are members of the Board. Thing about Billy Schumacher is that he is a racer through and through. He doesn't give a crap about politics in ABRA. He just wants to race and win.

 

[Mike Cathey]

Watch the video. The Referee literally points his finger at the screen and says "That when I made the call". The U-37 was going the same speed and was as much on plane as the rest of them at the point infraction was called. I've called lots of model boat races and have made plenty of mistakes myself, but then again I couldn't go down to the local TV station and look at the video to get it right. I do this model stuff for grins, but for some of these people in the big boats it's their living and if mistakes are made, and can be corrected, they should be as it effects their wallets and their ability to attract sponsers. Most of the guys on the U-37 crew are volunteers and worked 20 hour days after the boat was damaged in Tri-Cities to have it ready for Seattle. I can't imagine how disappointed they must be. Then Villwock pops off that he could have drove around them anyway. Maybe, maybe not. I sure would have liked to have seen the race. I do know that Theoret the week before at TC had the field covered until a prop let go.

According to the ABRA website they are looking at it and there still might be a reversal.

If ABRA was actually going to follow their own rules as written, then Kip Brown was the only legal starter because he never went offplane at any time for more than 5 seconds and everbody else did. I think they need to get it right before the San Diego race so it's not turned into a farce as well. The sport is already on shakey ground, and doesn't need this stuff at all.

It isn't the first time for this sort of thing. This happened to Bill Muncy when he was called for striking a buoy. KING television had footage showing he did not hit the buoy and there was a reversal.

I think they already had a great rule ready to go in regards to being offplane. Be up on a plane at the start up buoy or you get the ticket. Before that point, do whatever you want unless you cut off another boat.

They used to assign lanes to avoid this stuff and everybody from the driver's to the fans hated that.

 

[rbeyer]

The longer video on the KIRO website has more information. Anyway, it was a judgement call. That is the problem with the rule.

Instant replay has it's good sides and bad sides.

Oh well. This whole Seafair thing is giving me tired head. I grew up with the Unlimiteds and will always support them...

Take care,

Rick

 

[Don Ferrette]

ABRA had a meeting earlier in the year to discuss this issue and the best idea that they came up with was that the boats had to be on a plane from the score up buoy to the start line. The boats could go offplane and as slow as they wanted but had to be on plane at that point. Referee Mike Noonan's response was that was too "easy" and "simple" of a solution.

Now how about that for Noonan's answer, what a crock of ...... :angry: Read between the lines, doing that would remove the gray area which lets them make those "judgmental calls" which really means control things more & play favorites as they so see fit. This kind of BS has been going on in one form or another for far too long......... <_<