Ur all saying that the interest is down? Everyone going to F18's and not wanting to because of that? If interest in distance racing is down, then why did the GT300 fill up so fast BEFORE the Tybee made any announcement of needing 12 or more teams? I seriously hope it comes back next year because I wasn't done doing it.
Management maybe to blame? Anyone remember the sour grapes about a few teams cutting the corner on Canaveral in 09? A penalty was imposed but to be honest with you, those at fault didn't complete the course. You fail to complete the course in any other race, and you're DSQ'd. I seem to remember a team in 05 maybe that got outside assistance in a capsize almost to the finish in Tybee and they got DSQ'd from the whole freekin race!
Jupiter beach in 07, Team Tybee flipped over back on the beach and Chuck ran down the beach blowing his whistle and waving his arms. A few teams stopped their attempt and asked Chuck if he was calling it. He wasn't the PRO, Sean Farrel was. Although Chuck had a pony in the race, he was/is still looked at as the final say in everything Tybee 500. This may make things a little grey when they need to be black and white. I'm not knocking Chuck. I'm grateful he put on a race that is close to my heart.
I've wanted to do GT (work in the way this year), but honestly couldn't do both that and Tybee in the same year unless I was divorced and unemployed. I haven't looked at the entry list for GT to see how many Tybee faithful are going there but didn't sign up for Tybee. GTs star does seem to be rising. But there just maybe aren't enough that would/could do both, so one will suffer unless the numbers of sailors are there. So I still think interest is down.
I'm with you on the '07 and '09 thing, especially in '09 when making the first buoy around Canaveral up front (one shining moment). And after hearing the spiel about spending the night in jail if you went inside the zone, it seemed a little odd the way it panned out. But those things won't keep me from doing it again.
