Honker wrote:
Wow...that was one great weekend of racing. Jake - you holding that checkmate to the floor around turn 4 was some of the best entertainment I got watching from the docks all weekend! Thanks for showing us all that a cottage boat can run and have fun doing it! T850 guys....I agree 100% with Don - the heats on Sunday were some of the most exciting racing I have seen yet in your class.
Overall, my hat off to everyone involved, in every aspect of the weekend. As tunnelv has mentioned in another thread here on the board, our team in its in rookie year. None of us are strangers to fast boats and racing - all being from Dunnville we've been watching from the sidelines for a long time - tunnelv in his youth was even a gas jockey at the local marina. Our build took almost a year and a half, and we received a lot of great support from the tboat gang, that has carried right through at the events. We've jumped in with both feet to help as much as we can at both events so far, whether it be launching boats, helping out at the docks, flagging...you name it. I personally have had very little downtime at both Waterford and this past weekend at Gravenhurst. I came to race and to help others who were racing. I even instituted some mandatory volunteer time for folks I knew who just came to watch! I can tell you that getting a pit pass for a non-racer who is used to standing on the sidelines and putting them on the dock to help out between heats generates a level of interest in the sport that far exceeds just being a spectator!
Is there room for improvement? Always. And I sincerely hope that everyone chimes in to the executive with their ideas and suggestions....not complaints...suggestions. Our team talked to several of the executive members, and voiced our suggestions. We talked to other teams over the weekend and discussed things with them as well. The sport is definitely on a long awaited upswing, and there is going to be some growing pains along the way, but hey.....that's just the way any event/club that is entirely driven by volunteer efforts is going to work. The more foks who volunteer, the easier things are going to run for the day and the less stress and work it is for everyone involved.
The executive for the most part is new, many of the volunteers are new, some of the racers are new...there is a learning curve for everyone.
If we want the sport to keep growing, and want every event to keep getting better we all need to pitch in, offer our constructive suggestions to the executive and each other, and most of all just keep having fun. A well organized, cohesive and FUN sport will attract new racers, keep the experienced racers happy and racing, and draw more spectators to each event.
I had a great time, and I'm staying positive about where we are headed and hope that things just keep getting better!
Honker, it was great to meet you at WF and GH, thanks to you and tunnelv for stepping up, pitching in to help with T's and other tasks, providing constructive suggestions. As previously mentioned, TORC and any volunteer based club is only as strong as its members willingness to get involved, take initiative, ownership, and get things done. The Executive will not accomplish much without member participation, also being limited to 24hrs in a day.
It's laughable when i read banal complaints of having to arrive too early on a weekend for drivers meeting, then to foolishly claim of sitting around with nothing to do. I'm not interested in engaging with such self-absorbed lackadaisical mindset, when there is much to accomplish with proactive people who willingly engage....like...You!
You guys should come up to the ACBS 100 years of racing event in GH July 6. I need 2 drivers for 2 inboards for corner boat duty. Best seat in the house and it will be spectacular.
Thanks again, glad you had a great weekend, see you guys at Beaver Lake or Dunnville.
