The process is simple on paper:
1. See a problem
2. Brainstorm solutions
3. Cull ideas to select the most viable
4. Fine-tune, adjust, and amend solution to conform to reality
5. Implement solution
6. Repeat steps 4 & 5 as needed
Off of paper, out in the real world, it’s nowhere that simple; but that didn’t stop PWC Sprint Racing.
This past weekend, after a relatively short span of time between idea conception and implementation, John Block and the rest of the hardworking PWC Sprint Racing crew put on their first official event.
And while that timespan may have been short — The Watercraft Journal covered the initial announcement of the PWC Sprint Racing effort in December 2024 — that span of weeks and months undoubtedly contained endless hours of planning and enormous amounts of energy and effort.
The efforts paid off, however, as the weekend’s races were well-received, despite somewhat uncooperative weather and the conflict of running a race on Mother’s Day weekend. The race site at Chester Frost Park in Hixon, Tenn. (the outskirts of Chattanooga) was a prime location – conveniently close to the attractions and services in Chattanooga without feeling “urban”, plentiful parking and grassy areas and what seemed to be easy launching from the banks of Chickamauga Lake.
But that’s not the end of the process. With steps 5 complete, Block is already hitting on step 6 with a press release posted to the PWC Sprint Racing social media page on Wednesday. Not only did Block address the success and the “could have gone better” aspects of the weekend’s inaugural event, he touched on specifics, asked for input, and outlined steps forward — racers can’t ask for much more than that.
Read the full press release below:
We tested it, and it worked.
The format worked. The track worked. The log jumps worked. The staff was the best. The volunteers were amazing. The racers were awesome as usual and the juniors were absolutely incredible. We had multiple lead changes. Come from behind finishes. Skilled racers in a fast action packed race that could very easily be viewed from the shoreline. They raced to the limits of their ability and took it to the edge. All of this in a very safe manner going yes ELBOW TO ELBOW.
Where do we go from here?
My partner Brad Hill and I financed this whole venture out of pocket. Basically the entry fees collected payed for about 5% of the cost of putting on this race. We new this would be the situation but we love jet ski racing and felt the sport needed something all new. We also believed PWC Sprint racing could work. We new that with the way the format works by having limited race classes (7 classes compared to other promoters with venues that have 30 classes and combined classes) the entry fees collected would not create enough revenue to sustain more racing. We do have other race site locations in mind and they are available but we cannot commit until we create a way to generate more revenue.
How do we create more revenue?
We believe the way to generate more revenue is by sponsorship. With sponsorship not only can we cover the operating expenses we can also generate funds to support racer payouts and product for prizes.
The plan:
In sprint racing the format allows for each class to have a Show per round. (Main event) There are 3 major classes. 1050 Stock, Sport Spec, Jr. Ski Sprinters. In the future more classes can be added as long as we have 4 or more entries In that class. We also have Hot Laps. (Timed laps for positioning). We plan on offering these Shows and Hot Laps available for sponsorship.
How it works:
When you sponsor a Show and or Hot Laps you will receive a complimentary banner that will be displayed at the race site with your company name and logo. Your banner will be displayed directly below the PWC Sprint Racing banner on the starting line tower. It will be displayed the entire duration of the Show you choose to sponsor. The announcer will announce your company name as the title of the show. Your banner will also be in all photos with the winning racer and be posted on PWC Sprint Racing site and shared on social media.
The best part:
50% of the fees charged for your sponsorship will go directly to the racers payout. The other 50% will go to help pay expenses and keep PWC Sprint Racing alive. We believe it is time to have Sprint Racing added to the venue of jet ski racing. For years we have had close coarse racing on bigger tracks. Endurance racing and drag racing. Now is the time for Sprint Racing.
Please contact me for further details and opportunities. John Block 513-284-1644 or Brad Hill 1-828-289-0190
I have been racing and involved in the PWC community for 30 years. I KNOW WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK!
