SCCA National Convention
- Thread starter RacerBill
- Start date
lateapex911
Super Moderator
HUGE congrats to tKR!!
Thanks a lot guys! Sitting in the Vegas airport about to head back to frigid Ohio. This has been an incredibly fun and very educational weekend for me, so to also win this award during it too, is a pretty huge honor. Just to see the names of the guys who have previously won this award, is kind of mind blowing. Got to meet an amazing array of people, and really get to know many of the "powers that be" in this club. You really have no realization of the scope of this club, how many people it touches, and just how much it takes to make it run until you come out to something like this.
Plus, after the banquets yesterday, I couldn't miss at blackjack last night - haha!
Plus, after the banquets yesterday, I couldn't miss at blackjack last night - haha!
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lateapex911
Super Moderator
Ha ha, the CRB just gave him a huge award! He's not looking for trouble! Can't say as I blame him.
he brings up a point, the clubs a biiiig place. I'm afraid that to them, we, the IT guys, are not on the day to day "get noticed" sector.
I'd love it if somebody from the BoD level could dispute the statement: "Yea, we heard about some issues, but, we can't just change the way the club works* for IT".
*As in, for example, follow Marty's sage advice. Which, by the way, echoes other comments and suggestions in other letters I've read.
he brings up a point, the clubs a biiiig place. I'm afraid that to them, we, the IT guys, are not on the day to day "get noticed" sector.
I'd love it if somebody from the BoD level could dispute the statement: "Yea, we heard about some issues, but, we can't just change the way the club works* for IT".
*As in, for example, follow Marty's sage advice. Which, by the way, echoes other comments and suggestions in other letters I've read.
Eagle7
New member
Got one response so far:
Your points are good. We'll be watching very closely to see if it goes sideways, but the CRB is our official source and we on the BoD need to respect the process.
Thanks for your input and time in the club.
ML
lateapex911
Super Moderator
That's a funny response, considering "respecting the process" is the issue....
Damn Jake, you think I'd sell out?!
Saturday morning was the CRB Town Hall meeting, and I did indeed stand up, introduce myself (because up to that point few knew who I was), and asked for (in few words) just a feel on the issues. Honestly, I wanted to just hear their side of it, as I know there's always 2-3 sides to every story. A dialogue occured, and I had several people come up to me afterwards thanking me for doing it. After the Town Hall meeting, I got to privately talk with Bob Dowey (CRB Chairman) a little bit and then later extensively with Jim Drago. I also talked some with BOD members Robin Langlotz and Dick Patullo. Unbelievably informative, and just really, really cool to be able to privately, one-on-one talk with all of these guys over the course of a couple of hours. It's actually quite humbling; these are real people just like you or I who honestly believe they're just trying to do what's best for the club. It's hard to remember that when they're just labeled as "that big, bad CRB!", with no face or personal touch to it; a bad way to form opinions. As for what I was told, I'm debating on wether or not I want to actually make a public write up on that - probably not. In a very brief summary, I'll just say that I don't feel it's a complete diagreement in the theory/method/process, but more an issue with specific things within it. I don't believe the whole thing is dead, and I don't believe the sky is falling. I think egos and feelings were flexed and hurt on both sides of things, both by the CRB and the ITAC, and if given a little time to cool off, the issue could certainly be revisited again. No, the resignation of several ITAC members has not helped, not surprisingly. But even just within the CRB, feelings on the subject are very widely spread. Note: I am not going to quote here what anyone has specifically told me, or really even name who specifically felt in any particular way. This stuff is just all my feeling and opinion!
Anyways, after all of this went on over the course of about 8am-noon on Saturday morning, the CRB were STILL happy to give me the award around 2pm that afternoon!
Eagle7
New member
Thank you for that
. I just wanted to get a sense of whether it was recognized as a hot topic that needs some attention.Cross-posting from the other thread:
I got a nice reply to my BOD letter from Jerry Wannarka, Chairman of the BOD.
In short summary, he assured me they (BOD and CRB, in a joint meeting) discussed the "IT situation" last week at the Convention. We can expect a post from Mr. Dowie, CRB Chairman, on the SCCA Forums sometime this week addressing the situation.
Stay tuned...
I got a nice reply to my BOD letter from Jerry Wannarka, Chairman of the BOD.
In short summary, he assured me they (BOD and CRB, in a joint meeting) discussed the "IT situation" last week at the Convention. We can expect a post from Mr. Dowie, CRB Chairman, on the SCCA Forums sometime this week addressing the situation.
Stay tuned...
Bob told me he was thinking about doing that. They (the CR
are well aware of the talk going on about this on the internet, and quite frankly kind of wish it wasn't. But, they recignize that this is 2010 and this is going to happen, no matter how much they wish it wouldn't. Just don't expect this means there's then going to be an open discussion and debate on the SCCA forum! There will not! They all also knew that by the time they got home from the convention, they were probably going to be swamped with emails/letters about this. I just said "Uhh, yeah, just a few...."
lateapex911
Super Moderator
Bob told me he was thinking about doing that. They (the CR
See, that's where the train falls off the tracks.
Private back channel communications and emails etc allow people to push their positions, and those can be 'customized" to make the receiving party more partial to acceptance. But public statements are read by all, and can be forwarded to any. They have to stand up. So, I am pleased that they will make a public statement.
(Although the SCCA forum isn't as 'public' as it could be, LOL. I see the logic, and it's workable)
But, without actual debate, those statements can't be vetted.
This is a situation where there are opposing viewpoints.
Debate and discussion are part of the transparency that is being called for in, I bet, every letter they get on the subject.
gran racing
Super Moderator
If they are going to post it and run, why choose that media to post the information? Doesn't make sense to me. An article in Sportscar (ooooh, that might let other people in categories know IT racers are annoyed), an e-mail using that group thing they developed, fastrack... Just find it interesting but at least it's a step towards actually communicating. Oh the irony. They complain about people discussing it on chat forums and that's where they'll post their response.
As I said on the sandbox, don't be disappointed if we don't get everything we wanted and hoped for first time 'round. Persistence and focus will win. If at first you don't succeed - Club Racing may not be for you. 
The subject of the lack of discussion/debate expected or allowed on the official SCCA forums is a good one. A few points, from my point of view...
1) It's appropriate to have any such communication occur there, since those are the official forums. Almost like it's a legal or club rules requirement. That's OK.
2) Board members have already shown up on these forums sharing input, officially or not. They have shown they're willing to share viewpoints here. I would say it's safe to expect a continued presence, now that they know we're here and talking about 'em.
3) If they don't like discussion there, and won't accept any further input... then what, we're done??? Is that what we said when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!?
Really, like we're that disingenious? Of course not! We will, by our very nature, continue to talk about them, behind or in front of their backs! They will have every opportunity, like it or not, to participate in those discussions!
If they choose not to participate, and pursue a policy path that is not in line with what we like - well, then, we have to get their attention again, no? Letters seem to work pretty well, based on the response so far! Why not continue to correspond with them?
If we turn around and walk away after the first period, do we have anyone else than ourselves to blame??
Final note: If we're concerned that the board members will not be interested in joining us in discussion about the future of IT - should we not do everything we can to make them welcome in the discussions??? I think the first step towards that is to be open-minded, considerate, and respectful. Name calling, slander, abuse, etc - fine, do those all you want, just don't expect anything more than a response in kind (if at all). Remember, you catch more flies with honey...
The subject of the lack of discussion/debate expected or allowed on the official SCCA forums is a good one. A few points, from my point of view...
1) It's appropriate to have any such communication occur there, since those are the official forums. Almost like it's a legal or club rules requirement. That's OK.
2) Board members have already shown up on these forums sharing input, officially or not. They have shown they're willing to share viewpoints here. I would say it's safe to expect a continued presence, now that they know we're here and talking about 'em.
3) If they don't like discussion there, and won't accept any further input... then what, we're done??? Is that what we said when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!?
Really, like we're that disingenious? Of course not! We will, by our very nature, continue to talk about them, behind or in front of their backs! They will have every opportunity, like it or not, to participate in those discussions!
If they choose not to participate, and pursue a policy path that is not in line with what we like - well, then, we have to get their attention again, no? Letters seem to work pretty well, based on the response so far! Why not continue to correspond with them?
If we turn around and walk away after the first period, do we have anyone else than ourselves to blame??
Final note: If we're concerned that the board members will not be interested in joining us in discussion about the future of IT - should we not do everything we can to make them welcome in the discussions??? I think the first step towards that is to be open-minded, considerate, and respectful. Name calling, slander, abuse, etc - fine, do those all you want, just don't expect anything more than a response in kind (if at all). Remember, you catch more flies with honey...
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