Butch,
You said that the meeting to discuss this proposal at Jekyll is open to people other than the REs and Directors. You said that you were going to attend. I’m sure there are others that would like to attend. Can you tell me where and when it will be? It is not on the convention schedule that is posted on the website. At the July meeting I was asked by Kaye Farier to relay a message to the convention chairman that a room would be needed for Friday night for this meeting. I did – sometimes I actually talk to him. No one has confirmed a time, the size of the room, or the layout of the room with him. Is the meeting being held out of the hotel? In the hotel? What time? Where? Where has there been a published notice for the meeting? Who received it? How can others learn about the location, time, and place? Who can attend?
And yes, Butch, this would be for the 2007 schedule. The 2006 schedule is posted and we are racing in the 2006 schedule currently. The Mid Year meeting in July of 2006 is when the 2007 schedule will be presented. Regions should have their schedules listed on the proposed calendar well before the end of July meeting.
Krys and Tom,
Matt is actively involved in finding a solution to this proposal. He has made it public to the racers who care where, when, and with what group they race. Matt makes another determining factor in this. He pays entry fees to those who have an acceptable race product scheduled conveniently, both in time and location, to when and where he wants to race. He lets his check book vote on the best race product. Without his entry fee, the rest of us would not have a place to play. Without your entry fee we would not have a place to play. Matt also has a very good grasp of commerce and marketing.
Tom,
Barber did not become unavailable. Alabama Region has chosen not to race there. Alabama Region was unable to come to a working agreement with the Barber Track Management. They did not read their contract well enough to realize that they would have a post race payment to make for damages or should make a pre-race track inspection. As I understand it, the SCCA insurance made the damage payment for them. They also have previously raced at Talladega, yes the big track. Alabama Region has also chosen not to race there. They now want to race at Roebling Road instead of at a track within their own boundaries.
South Carolina Region also puts on races at Roebling – about 30 minutes outside their boundary. South Carolina also puts on races at Carolina Motorsports Park which is 5 minutes outside their boundary.
Buccaneer Region owns Roebling Road. Roebling Road is in the business of renting the track to organizations who want to race there. PBOC, BMW, HSR, WERA, NASA are groups that also race there. Buccaneer Region, South Carolina Region, Alabama Region, SEDiv, and the SARRC Committee all put on races there. If there is a limit put to the number of SCCA races that are held there (by any/all regions), other groups will take the dates and race there. Roebling Road is in the business of racing but it doesn’t really matter who rents the track – as long as it is rented. If SCCA races are removed from other race tracks, who will fill those dates in the track's calendar?
John,
I was sitting across the isle and two chairs from the 2 Buccaneer Region people who made the proposal. I made notes and I’ve read them, again. The proposal included a limit to the number of regions that would be allowed to put on a race to those who were currently racing. And it was for 2 races per region. But yes there was side bar conversations going on in the area where you were sitting. And perhaps some where having an out of body experience as well.
Barry,
You turned around to the Buccaneer Region folks to verify that your region was being included in the group of racing regions. The reply was yes.
Barry,
I pointedly asked you if Tennessee Valley Region (who once was a racing region) would be allowed to put on another race under this proposal. You replied that they would not be included in the group of racing regions.
I pointedly asked you if Dixie Region (who has also been a racing region) would be allowed to put on a race. Again you replied that they would not be included in the group.
I pointedly asked you if Blue Ridge Region would be allowed to race. A third time, you said not they would not be allowed to put on a race – they were not among the currently racing regions. That tells me that you understood that the proposal was to limit the number of racing regions who currently put on races.
All Ya’ll,
Matt has made the point that needed to be made. He gave you information to use or choose not to use.
There was a proposal made that would limit the number of races a region could put on. There was a proposal made that would limit which regions would be allowed to put on races. This proposal was made at the Mid Year meeting – at the end of July. The subject was not brought to the membership or the racer who would be affected by any proposed changes until late November. This information was brought to light not by an RE, who will be making the decisions and policy, but by a racer, a member. Because of Matt, the racers now know there is a proposal to change the racing schedule in future years. They can choose to have contact with their RE, or not. The RE may or may not pay attention to his region’s racers when decisions are made. The racers can choose to vote for those same people who did not bring the information to the membership or they can choose to vote for someone else, or no one. Without information being brought to the people who will be affected, informed, wise business decisions can not be made. REs, you have customers who buy your product, the race. They tell you their choices every time they pay an entry fee. Why would you consider something that would hurt the sales of your own product. Racers are your customers why should they not be told about information that affects them?
I don’t have a dog in this fight. I’m no longer a racer. And I’m not an elected official who makes decisions. I’m one of the multitude of stewards that like to hang around race tracks where racers come to play. I show up at other people’s games. If I were still a racer I would be very upset that there was a proposal made by others that would limit my choice of where, when, and with what group I wanted to race – especially without my knowing about it.
Without the information the racer has no choice in the matter. Matt gave you the information to use as you see fit. It is no longer in a room of 50 or a Board meeting of 10. The racers now have the information.
What’s to become of it? If I were a racer in North Carolina, Central Carolina, Central Florida, or Florida, I would be on the phone or email to my RE with my thoughts on how to keep my racing program convenient and accessible to me. But I’m not a racer anymore. I’ll show up at any race track with racers and race cars.
Anyway, he got online and put out the word. I called him and I said count me in. I race alone at regionals so I couldn't promise a crew member but said I'd make some calls. Turned out he ended up with more than he needed and he told me not to worry about it before I even left for the track. You think racers will give up races for lack of workers? Paaaalease. Drivers have a vested interest. Funny, we seem to have no trouble getting 25-30 officials to every race. What's their vested interest? Would they show up if they had to work a corner? When was the last time you saw Fred Schmucker with a set of flags on a corner at Moroso in 100 degree heat? How about Pete Magnuson? Instead we have to suffer through unending driver's meeting hearing what bad driver's we are. And they certainly don't mind coming down here for Florida races and collecting their per diem that we pay to tell us so.
You guys ever have to deal with four different Chicago unions to get a race off? 
