So, the APBA wants us to buy our race numbers...

[fox river pwc]

In case you hadn't heard:
http://www.pwctoday.com/showthread.php?t=206275
http://www.apbaracing.com/090114_news_apba_number.html
https://ww03.elbowspace.com/servlets/frhclientformdisplay?xr4=&formts=2008-04-08%2007:29:08.166479

For clarification, if you haven't already clicked on the links, they're not selling vinyl numbers and backgrounds, they're basically selling the rights to have and use a particular number. "You get to buy your number."

I've seen/heard/read about some crazy sh1t when it comes to pwc racing, but oh man...

What's more amazing is how this idea just suddenly appeared as gospel right after the annual meeting. You'd think they'd at least take a week or two to e-mail members and ask their opinions before proceeding. Oh well.

Anyhow, it would seem to me that anyone only racing regionals would have little to worry about as far as needing to spend money to "protect" their race number by buying it, and even nationals would only be a problem for a few popular numbers. But what do I know?

Did I miss something, or are their hundreds of racers fighting over race numbers all over the country - to the point where it needed to come to this? Or, is it more the case that just a few complained loudly enough to bring this on? Lemme guess.

Better yet, who wants to guess what happens when a racer shows up with a "spoken for" number (possibly painted on their ski - expensively), and the promoter tells him/her to change it or pay the fine or not be scored?

I already know how Josh feels on this from reading his pwc today posts, and I concur, and I'm not surprised one bit. I wonder what's cheaper, buying your race number or just buying a bunch of NBF decals to stick on your ski [:p]?????????????

[fox river pwc]

Oh, if anyone wants to buy #149, just let me know please, so I can rearrange my digits :).

[JB]

WOW this is a very heated topic. I wish I didn't spend as much as I did on my number plate on my ultra. But I may just change to the number I earned last year to make sure I am scored properly and not have to worry if I go to another region or nationals.

[JB]

Just bought #619 for Am R/A and Pro AM R/A. They are for sale to the highest bidder.

[joe563]

i cant believe you are selling the number you earned... 619 hee hee

[CHOOCHOO]

Oh I see you bought 619. Glad you wasted your cash. I get to run ##########1. HEE HEE. Bite ME.;):D. ###########10 HEEE HEEE.[^]

[JB]

I am glad we can find some humor in this. It sure ruffed some feathers on the standuptoday.com forum.

[fox river pwc]

Yep, humor humor humor in here. Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh h!!

Let me get this straight - all of the above posters in this thread (myself included) will still be running ORANGE backgrounds next season anyhow, right?

[CHOOCHOO]

Hay!!!!!!!!!!! Expert Here!

[CHOOCHOO]

YELLER!!!!![:p][8D]

[JB]

Yes same background color as last year.

[fox river pwc]

quote:Originally posted by CHOOCHOO

YELLER!!!!![:p][8D]


That's right, I forgot your title was in AM N/A Stock, so yellow makes sense (experts and novices in that class, right?). Too damn many confusing classes.

I hear KG is pushing the APBA for a nutts2butts runabout class for friendly doubles. So, who's gonna hang on tight and let Kev steer ;)???

[JB]

quote:Originally posted by fox river pwc


quote:Originally posted by CHOOCHOO

YELLER!!!!![:p][8D]


That's right, I forgot your title was in AM N/A Stock, so yellow makes sense (experts and novices in that class, right?). Too damn many confusing classes.

I hear KG is pushing the APBA for a nutts2butts runabout class for friendly doubles. So, who's gonna hang on tight and let Kev steer ;)???


Not I, not a big fan of quadski rock crawling.

[joe563]

i am sure craig would be all over kevin in that one....

[CHOOCHOO]

Joe we can get a three seater so you will not feel left out.;)

[fox river pwc]

Craig, WTF??????????????? Why did you buy #619 (for 3 classes) when you're NUMBER ONE!!!!!!?????????

Did you have $25 burning a hole in your pocket??? Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!

http://www.apbaracing.com/apba_perm_numbers.pdf
Amateur Runabout NA Stock
[u]#619 Craig Fritz</u>
Amateur Run NA Limited
[u]#619 Craig Fritz</u>
Pro-Am Runabout Stock
#58 Mark Gerner
#127 Tim Neff
[u]#619 Craig Fritz</u>

[CHOOCHOO]

I am only #1 in N/A Stock and I race my XPL in 3 Different class. I solved a problem before someone starts a problem. I like the idea and my #619 so I will follow the rules and not spend hours cring about it. Like some people I know. I am just sick of all the cring in this sport. And it is turning me off to the sport. But it is hard to stop when you are addicited to something like compition and racing. People in my class N/A stock will get to know my #619 and hate to see me down line. I still own that class. And they all know that.
Late, Craig

[fox river pwc]

That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.

I think a lot of others are also buying their numbers out of "fear" or prevention of possible problems, such as in your case - which is kinda the sad thing here. I don't know if that bugs you about this, but I could see and understand why it would/should.

There HAD/HAS to be a better way to solve this issue, especially with so few racers left in the sport. Heck, they could have given "dibs" on a number like yours, for free, to the most active racer currently using that number. Then, for the situations where there was a fight for a particular number in a class, let it go to the highest bidder. I know that's still not a perfect solution maybe, but feeling like you have to buy your number just so nobody else buys it just to mess with you isn't right either. As soon as I read about this whole deal, I knew situations like yours would occur, and I feel bad for you having to do that. Sure, it's only a few $$$, but the principle of the thing isn't right. Plus, since it is only a few $$$, it's only that much easier for someone to mess around buying "other people's" numbers - thus compelling many to buy numbers out of fear. Anyhow, the whole deal just sucks, and could have been handled much better, IMHO...

I hope you don't consider this crying. I'm just commenting on reality a bit. Maybe I'll buy a number. Maybe I won't. If my number gets sold in the meantime, oh well...

Hey, while you're wallet is out, why don't you donate another $5 to the APBA and buy #619 for Sport Spec. I'm sure I can find a Blaster or HX for you to try balancing on :).

[CHOOCHOO]

No that is not cring. I was talking about the pwctoday posts now that is cring and alot of it. You have not been cring at all. But some have been and it is about 16 pages long of cring and more pages by now.[xx(]
If you want to buy a HX to race I would love to race it for you. But I thought you would want to race it your self? I know Rossier would love to clean up the engine and make it a perfect spec HX. That is what they do. Perfection!:D Just like my XPL. I just hold on.[}:)]
Late, Craig

[spence-r]

Luck Sevens Racing Novice stock!!!!

[joe563]

craig is speading the crying to our site... stop the madness...also you can only run the number you earned the following year and it has to be earned again... so you could possibly be spending cash every year...the only thing that i see wrong with the numbers to purchase is that there are alot of jackasses out there that will buy someones number then try to sell it... the other thing about dibbs.... that is the way it works currently, well up until so recently... if you went to a race and had the same number the guy that had it longer runs it the other has to change... that is the way it has always been.... my thoughts go buy 777,555,269,247,365,007... all the other popular numbers and make the money selling them off to pay for your season.... ha ha
ps winter sucks

[JB]

quote:Originally posted by spence-r

Luck Sevens Racing Novice stock!!!!


Who?

[spence-r]

I, Spencer Sieracki, bought 777 for novice stock. I was just joking about the racing company

[CHOOCHOO]

quote:Originally posted by joe563

craig is speading the crying to our site... stop the madness...also you can only run the number you earned the following year and it has to be earned again... so you could possibly be spending cash every year...the only thing that i see wrong with the numbers to purchase is that there are alot of jackasses out there that will buy someones number then try to sell it... the other thing about dibbs.... that is the way it works currently, well up until so recently... if you went to a race and had the same number the guy that had it longer runs it the other has to change... that is the way it has always been.... my thoughts go buy 777,555,269,247,365,007... all the other popular numbers and make the money selling them off to pay for your season.... ha ha
ps winter sucks



Joe that Hurts for real! What with that friend?
I spent $25 for my number to run in 3 differnt classes. It would of cost me well over $25 to change and replace my # with a new # that is all I am saying. It is cheeper for me to pay for the #619 rather then change it. I end it here!
Late, Craig

[joe563]

i need to redo my post
craig is spreading the crying to our site...ha ha
better???
good job buying 777 you should buy it for the other classes you might race in the future.. it will be taken...is it spring yet???

[CHOOCHOO]

Try this:D:)[:p];)[^][8D]. That is better HA HA HA. Nice!

[fox river pwc]

Craig needs to get married, so his wife can waste his last spare $25 on sh it she wants.

Spencer needs to start college, so he can waste all of his spare money on beer!!

[joe563]

craigs getting married, whats his name.... ha ha smiley face smiley face tongue hanging out smiley face

[joe563]

nothing?????????

[joe563]

Just bought 563 for am 4stroke stock and pro-am stock and vintage..suckers

[spence-r]

Didnt think of that. Ill ask Pat if I can purchase it for expert stock too.

Paul you might want to buy a number, that way the two other guys at nationals you race against dont get mixed up!!!

[joe563]

If he bought it they couldnt run it...Y ou should get it for expert it is only 5 bucks for second number...If he dont get it and goes to nationals and the guys have it on on there boat..He is taking his off...ouch stickers cost more than 15.00

[spence-r]

Pat Mell said I had to be eligable to race in that class to buy the number!!! WTF. If I know I am going to race it in the future I dont see a problem...

[joe563]

I agree,did you tell him you plan on moving up???

[fox river pwc]

Don't you really have to race novice for at least one full season before moving up to expert?

Spencer, it sounds like you should be putting that $5 towards your Vintage entry fees to help me fill up the lines at nationals. Don't worry, I've got plenty of very nice extra squarenoses I can put you on. They just won't float when you stand still on them like SXRs :).

[spence-r]

Im not moving to expert I was buying the number so that when I do get to that level my number is reserved.

I dont have a vintage ski anymore. I sold my roundnose for a sxr!!!

[fox river pwc]

I can understand the APBA's position that they won't sell you a number for a class you're not eligible for (or even planning to race in during the upcoming season). Think about it, let's say a current Expert racer wants 777. They're not gonna be pleased to hear, "Sorry, 777 has been reserved for someone that plans to race Expert, eventually, some other year..."

I understand your frustration, but this whole "buy your number" deal obviously wasn't well thought out, and has its shortcomings. That's what happens sometimes when a quick decision is made w/o sufficient consideration. Like I implied earlier, this whole situation should have included notice to the APBA racers w/feedback requested prior to a decision being made. That didn't occur, so we get this kind of fun stuff instead.

You don't need your own vintage ski if you want to give vintage a shot. Just say the word, and I'll put you on one of my skis for a few motos...

[Chopper]

What a joke... I feel for all of you that ponyed up the cash for the help feed the whales fund. If someone really wants 585 they can have it since I could care less. Based on principal I will never buy my number unless I am getting some actul numbers out of the deal. The APBA should be ashamed of themselves for this move, as it is truely historic.:(

[joe563]

I think i am going to by 585 in pro am ski...I raced vintage last year once and showed my skills

[Chopper]

sweet, it's a good number!

[joe563]

I will give you 3 bucks for the number plate on your ski...if you can get it off in mint condition..sucker
ps winter sucks

[joe563]

I noticed paul bought his number 149....hummmmmmmmm

[fox river pwc]

Yep, my pimp gave me a bonus this week!

[joe563]

Did you get a big purple pimp hat??? them things kick ass... if them where apba legal i would pimp it around the course.. boo ya

[JB]

That is what the victory lab is for.

[joe563]

I will check ebay to find the pimpiest pimp hat that will make any pimp jelly

[Chopper]

Pimp Jelly... That is just sick[xx(]

[gpr717]

Craig hold on to the bars and I'll Take care of Craig. Probably the only way I can Ride the #1....

[gpr717]

King Kong Dong Bong is insecure? A hater, a homophobe lol!!!

[Chopper]

I crack myself up LOL!;)

[fox river pwc]

Abuse of moderator privilege. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chopper]

quote:Originally posted by fox river pwc

Abuse of moderator privilege. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I felt it was only right, and I am glad to offer a laugh!:D

[spence-r]

Just got a e-mail back from Pat Mell and he talked to some people and changed the rule so now you can buy numbers for future classes.

[fox river pwc]

Well, 777 for Open Vets and Masters is still available. You got an extra $10 to invest in your future? :)