Welcome to Diablo Jet
Ski Action...
Home of the best outlaw pwc racing in Northern California!
DJSA started 10 years, 100 race days, and about 10,000 laps ago, in the quest
to bring a regular circut of safe pwc racing to the Bay Area waters of California. At the time there was only a handful of
3 or 4 races a year taking place and those were large scale events which attracted hot talent from across the United
States, but for the amateur or beginning racer - these big events could be somewhat intimidating. I never really wanted
to promote races - I wanted to race, but I was hoping to be able to participate in a full schedule of yearly races where
you could have fun racing all year long and then celebrate at a end of the year awards ceremony with all my friends
- kind of like back in my motocross days...
I knocked on quite a few doors trying to generate interest from the current
powers to be to start a local point race series, but I quickly learned if you want to get something done sometimes you
just have to do it yourself. When I first started putting ideas together for DJSA, I wanted to see
races run the way I would like to see them run if I were racing... Keep them SAFE, keep them FUN, and keep
them AFFORDABLE - and that concept which started 10 years ago is still alive and strong having just wrapped
up our 10th season...
Because we sanction our own races - we are considered something I have become very proud
of - an Outlaw Race Organization. Our points apply only to our own series, and do not apply to IJSBA or APBA pwc race
events, but the racers of season 10 brought the most exciting pwc racing we've ever seen to norcal waters and
they continue to teach me what I learned right from the start ~ It's very cool to be an Outlaw!
Keeping it SAFE ~
Up until recently, I was a marine patrol officer working the waterways of my county
with some great guys. One of the things I will never get accustomed to is seeing the horrific level of devastation a pwc collision
can produce, and its all because of one thing - pwcs and jetskis have no brakes...
Watch the start of any motorcross race and its probably one of the coolest rushes you
can see on this planet. 25 bikes ripping handlebar to handlebar into one corner all at the same time. Nascar
open wheel dirt cars - 24 Sprint cars in rows of 2 ripping past the green flag into turn-1, now thats hot! Go Karts,
Snowmobiles, Mountain Bikes, doesn't matter what you race, but most of this racing takes place on a ground surface
- and all these race vehicles have BRAKES...
But put any of these races onto a surface of ice and that first turn result is going
to definitely be exciting - but far from safe. There are no brakes on a pwc, there is no down shifting on a
pwc, and when you let off on the throttle of a pwc, there is no steerage! Making matters worse, about the only
protection a pwc racer wears is a helmet. Cool if you get hit in the head - not cool if you get hit anywhere else on your
body...
There are a lot of people out there who will say "rubbing is racing"... normally we
would agree, but with pwc racing we have to say "rubbing is dangerous"
(unless
you're racing a nascar cup car.) To keep things a little safer on the water our racing is "non-contact". You can
rip it anywhere you want on the course, you can pass anywhere you want on the course, you just won't use another racer in
your class as a berm!
We mandate all our racers to maintain a one ski length safe zone at all times. We
mandate if a racer goes down they raise 1 hand, stay in place, and yield to any racers approaching within 100
ft. We encourage all racers to check on downed riders if the "team orange" safety team isn't already there, and
we reward good sportsmanship the same as we do the winners.
There is no racing, passing, or scoring in a corner where there is a downed
rider or a safety ski rider engaged in a racer assist, and similar to nascar, all racers are REQUIRED to slow, hold position,
and proceed with caution past any yellow flag situation. The 5 member safety ski team "TEAM ORANGE" ride
brightly painted Orange and White Yamahas and wear bright orange safety vest so there is no confusion as to who the safety
guys are... The few rules we have we enforce with zero tolerance and it is refreshing to see the staff and racers alike -
all working towards one goal... racing hard but racing safe!
Keeping it FUN ~
12 classes. Everything from 750 and under vintage standups, to the rolling thunder of the
Super Charged Xtra Powered SCXP Expert Supersits. X-2's, Superjets, Novice Ski, Blasters, you name it and we run
it. At DJSA you are evaluated and placed into classes moreso on ability than the ski you're on. For simplicity, our classes
are designated by engine size and all classes are considered "open". You can make any modifications you want to your ski as
long as it remains within the engine size limit for the class, and as long as you can ride it!
8 classes of Skis and 4 classes of Sitdowns most always run morning practice
by class, followed by 2 or 3 heats of racing for an overall score at the end of the day. Points are awarded for every
class you ride, and depending on entry numbers the top 3 of each class are awarded photo plaques or trophies to
take home. Points are tracked during the season in 2 areas - by class, and divisionally. At the end of the year
awards dinner, the top 5 racers from each class are recognized and honored with overall trophies, as well as the top
10 divisional point leaders from the Stands and the Sits receiving a little extra bling from contributing sponsors.
The top reigning standup and sitdown point leaders for past seasons have won cash, vacations,
mexico cruises - and quad or mini sand rail kart pit vehicles. I don't know what we'll be running for this year because
its getting more and more difficult trying to outdo the previous year, but if we award enough of these pit vehicles -
we can have quad and kart races at "Jet Effect"!
"Jet Effect" is our rider appreciation race of the year that incorporates highlighted junior
events, a time trial shootout dedicated just for our djsa juniors, followed by a full day of racing for the adults -
and the annual Standups vs Sitdowns softball game. A rider appreciation BBQ is served by the staff, followed by R/C car racing
under the lights, and by popular demand, a return of the figure-8 motorized go-ped races for racers, crews, and
families. Sunday brings another day of some pretty intense course racing to the water. Great racers with their crews
and families, a great race staff, some pretty good tri-tip, chicken, and ribs, and some off the hook laughs at the R/C car
and figure 8 go-ped races on the dirt track make Jet Effect a very cool weekend not to be missed...
Keeping it AFFORDABLE ~
When something becomes too expensive, the fun gets taken out of it, and then you don't want
to do it anymore. We have no membership fees and no association fees. You just have to be 18 years of age,
have current medical insurance, have a seaworthy ski, sign our waiver, and Take It Out And Race It!
I know how much it takes for you to get to the race track on race days. I'll always keep
things as affordable as possible for you, just as long as you guys continue to race as safe as possible for me - and
together we'll look forward to seeing what season 11 brings us!
KEEPING IT AWESOME ~
Somehow DJSA has been blessed with having the BEST race staff you could ever ask for running
the show and providing you with some awesome outlaw racing....
The TEAM ORANGE safety ski team ~
Robbie Hall
Raul Gutierrez
B.J Lovan
Alec Chattaway
Robert Stellhorn
Matt "Cannonball" Ford
John Bonkowski
Phil Lago
David Tew - enduro team
Richard Ignacio - enduro team
DJSA Chief Flag Official
John Dewar
Staging and Startline Official
Jim Lambert
Ground Crew
General John Dewar
Johnny Cowboy DelaRosa
Norm Yee
Steve Girling
Jesse Harden
Doug Wolff
The Incredible Team Orange scoring and registration staff ~
Mandie Gutierrez
Maria Gutierrez
Nicole Girling
Mariah Zernik
Doreen Knollenberg
Katie Knollenberg
DJSA photographer Traci Cottle
DJSA Live Stream Webcasting and video footage - Rick Ignacio
DJSA Video footage - Arnold Angeles
DJSA Aerial drone footage - Rick Ignacio and Robert Stellhorn
DJSA staff writer Catriona Cottle
The DJSA "Outlaw Cafe"
Masterchef Jill Drexel
Amanda Stellhorn
And the voices calling the shots that make you think you're at a Nascar Sprint Cup Race - the
multi talented Brian Boell, the newly discovered talent of Jill Drexel, and the legendary
Kurt Knollenberg!!!
Incredible racers - incredible staff - and its all safe, fun, and affordable.
You ready to be an outlaw? Here's 2 words for you ~
"Let's Race" !!!
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