djunkie
Broke mo fo
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We will be there, racing Division 6 as usual. Yes that would be one division behind the fastest outboards. We dont have a problem chasing them down, as our lap times are faster, as proven on the racecourse and during qualifying. In fact, the only boat that qualified faster than ours was the Nordic, so I believe we are in the exactly the correct handicap position. That being said, there are many issues that face someone trying to run a 1980's era race vehicle with modern power hard for 300 miles, but you cant quantify "reliability" through any other objective measure besides lap times and past finishing performance. I believe Dave and Scott have done an excellent job of creating a handicap setup that reflects the hard evidence of past performance by many different boats and teams in the different divisions. So as to the subject of mod outboard vs. unlimited V Drive, we can run similar top end speeds, but we are better in rough water, and I can put about 15 boat lengths on them exiting corners with sheer acceleration. That adds up to us being faster around a live racecourse, so we should start behind them. Acting like we should get thrown a bone for bringing a Blown BBC to this gunfight is rediculous. Although they are naturally more reliable, the outboard boys are running the absolute DOGSHIT out of their stuff just like we are... becuase this is a RACE... and that is what you have do to win. Bowden and the War Canoe boys have had bizarre mechanical failures, overloaded systems, and field repairs over the years, which have resulted in disappointing finishes, as well as runs to podium finishes and victory... Just the same as us!
Ultimately, I would like to do away with the handicap system just as Dave said. The OVERALL winner should be the boat that can run the fastest on the course while successfully lasting 336 miles. Boats that are in different divisions should race for the title of "fastest XXXX" instead of "I won the enduro because the mod outboards had more handicap this year and couldnt catch me." I really dont understand the satisfaction in that. I am confused as to why any potential racers of the enduro would NOT RACE because of a perception that they could not win the overall, when the class they want to race is 20 MPH off the top runners. Racing is about defeating other teams in heads up competition by building a faster, better, more robust vehicle than they can. Would you get all puffed up if you beat a better golfer due to your handicap? I mean, Ive never played golf but I wouldnt brag to my buddies at the bar about that.
On the subject of "at the bar"... Ive said this a few times about this race, including last year on the radio broadcast. At the end of the day, there are those who will find excuses NOT to race, and those who will find solutions in order to field a boat on the race course. Ive heard so much whining and bench racing about the handicap system and the outboards and the divisions and all these reasons why the enduro just isnt FAIR. Well we race EVERY YEAR, spending a lot of time and money breaking things trying to win, regardless of the percieved FAIRNESS of a subjective handicap system. This is because we WANT to race in the enduro and quite frankly, all we care about is being fastest V-Drive there... Because that is what I would brag about at the bar, on the forums, in the bedroom, etc.
Side note: If you want to run a GN legal V-Drive, the only way to be competitive is to build a naturally aspirated engine, in my opinion. Its a completely different sad subject why the GN rules are the way they are today, but the anemic roots blower high RPM 468 is not a "marathon" configuration... you are fighting a losing fuel and engine reliability battle. The strength of the blower motor is added torque for turn exit, and there is only one U turn per 6 miles here. On the rough short course in 2012, I raced the first leg and it was NASTY. I saw the 22, 44, and the american flag rayson lay down some bad ass laps with the 510 inch buzz box motors. We were only running 5-10 MPH faster in the straights... No way we could have caught up to the first two GN boats. If you have a blower motor V-Drive, gear it up and cruise it in division 6, or build more power into it and run hard. Either way, you will probably podium after Gary, Tub of Fools, Bloodshot, and us genade all our shit chasing eachother around. Take it for what its worth....
See you on the racecourse
John Teague
View attachment 353950
Great fucking post right there. :thumbup:
