NER Club Racing Board meeting

Monthly meeting tomorrow night - any issues you'd like to see raised by your Drivers' Rep? If so, respond here or email me: steve_u <AT> flatout-motorsports.com.

On the agenda are post-mortems of the LRP school and regional; if any aspect of these events went exceptionally well or poorly from your point of view, the board members would like to hear about it.

Please make your comments specific, actionable, and Regional.

Another big topic will be the Memorial Day Weekend race. As you'll recall, NER was thrust into a leadership position when NNJR bowed out. I'm sure it's not too late to volunteer!

/Steve U
05 ITS

I will be leaving the Haverhill area after work about 5:30 or so, if anyone needs a ride please send me an e-mail [email protected] or [email protected]. I will not be coming back this direction but I can probably find you a ride home if need be. I will be leaving for Carsile PA after the board meeting to display the race car in the Carsile show.

Brian-

On that note do you have SCCA promotional stuff that I could bring??? The Carsile show is a huge show and might be a great opportunity to "market" even though it is a long way from our region... I post this here only to encourage others as well to inquire about SCCA marketing stuff whenever they might be going to a car show, or other events where we could be "spreading the good word."

Hope all is well and hope to see EVERYONE at the board meeting!!!

Raymond
RST Performance Racing

Do you have any additional information on the meeting's agenda? Might not be a bad idea if the agendas are posted. Maybe it would draw more interest?

------------------
Dave Gran
NER #13 ITA
'87 Honda Prelude

Here is the agenda. If you have something you feel needs to be addressed that is not on teh agenda contact Brain and get it added. But then you shoudl be there to discuss it.

Marianne
MAY 2004 Club Racing Board Meeting


Financial Report: Elizabeth Ames

Easy Points National: Review
A: event positives
B: event negatives
C: changes for the next National
Graduation Day School:
A: overview
B: event positives
C: event negatives
Schools Out Regional:
A: overview
B: event positives
C: event negatives
Memorial Day Weekend:
A: specialty updates
1: F&C headcounts
2: T&S headcounts
3: Grid headcounts
4: Registration
B: Race chair update
1: party updates
2: worker giveaways
C: Info Booth help
July 4th Weekend:
A: specialty needs
B: Restricted Regional (Miata SM,SSM,ITA)
C: Race chair

Jim Vaill Memorial National:
A: status
1: Race chairs Jake Gulik & Bruce Rodman
B: worker incentives
C: worker food
New Business:
A: Worker Incentive Plan:
1: guidelines
2: specialty chief’s worker #’s per event
B: Race Chairs for remaining 4 events
C: RaL weekend charitable thoughts
D: Pit Talk/Web site information distributions needs & changes
The Assistant’s Corner
A: Dick’s thoughts

can I sit in the back and heckle? http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/wink.gif

Marianne,
I little off the topic (sorry everyone) but I saw "worker incentives" on the agenda. How much comes in for the workers fund from racers in a typical weekend?

------------------
Jeff L
#74 ITB GTi

No heckling allowed, but if you play the piano, Dick is looking for an accompanist for his "Dick's Thoughts" piece. He sets up a rocking chair and uses a corncob pipe as a prop. It's really very touching.

Steve,
I have a complaint! I relize that all of the workers are volunteers and believe me I thank god for each and every one of them and anyone who volunteers there time to benefit the club for that matter. But here's the deal:
I took the day off from work so that I could get my car to the track on Friday for an anual tech inspection, thinking that I would be helping to alieve the Saturday morning rush. I was in line promptly, before many of the student cars. After (2) hours When the inspector came to inspect my car, I requested that they take care of the student cars first as I was not there to mess up there day or schedule. (1) hour later, I was informed that my car would not be inspected and I would have to wait until
"Sometime this afternoon, and maybe we will look at cars for tommorrows race". Eventually (mid afternoon), my car was teched. My frustration is due to the fact that I was not immediately informed that my car would not be teched, (I should have kept my mouth shut and he would have taken care of it), and the incredibly slow process of watching 1 person slowly handle all of the cars. I suppose the work load may also explain the very rude responses from the person doing the work.(I was quite suprised by the whole thing). Then.....
After a wasted Friday our race consisted of a few laps at speed followed by a lovely tour of LRP while engines overheated. (Could there have been a red or black flag thrown while the track was cleaned up???)
Thanks to all who do such a great job for the club, I normally very impressed and I appreciate all the hard work.

Based on the agenda, it seems like there will be an opportunity to discuss how we could be proactive to make sure each session receives a certain number of hot laps in their race. Is this correct?

Possible ideas:

Possibly reduce the amount of qualifying time by a few minutes.

Anticipate that there will be an additonal group needed during the day (SSM & SM for example).

Review possible combining of some of the smaller participating groups.

Review when the field should be black flagged. (It was more frustrating to do several parade laps then it would have been to be black flagged all.)

------------------
Dave Gran
NER #13 ITA
'87 Honda Prelude

Quote:

---

Originally posted by ulfelder:
No heckling allowed, but if you play the piano, Dick is looking for an accompanist for his "Dick's Thoughts" piece. He sets up a rocking chair and uses a corncob pipe as a prop. It's really very touching.

---

Hell with the cameras, I'm bringing video for this segment



------------------
Doug :)
NER.org
the16v.com
briansgarage.com

Steve U,
If I was in charge of one day regionals at LRP, I would limit the race groups to seven or eight max. This way, our little fifteen lap race could be black flagged if an unforseen incident were to happen, clean up can be completed and we'll have a chance at a few more race laps before our specified time limit would run out. Might wanna bring that up. I'm sure a topic like this would bring up a lot of what if's so lets have em folks.
Ray

Drew, regarding your bad tech experience: That's a bummer, of course. I can reassure you that at a recent meeting, Brian Mushnick made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that volunteers (specifically Tech!) needed to be more understanding of racers' (that is to say customers') needs. It appears the message may not have gotten through to everybody. Also, I don't have the schedule for the school or regional in front of me, but did it say anywhere what time Tech was open specifically for school cars only? *If* you were a non-school car lined up at a time designated for school cars, that may have soured a volunteer. That's not an excuse, just a thought.

Regarding track time, black flags, etc.: We will definitely discuss this. Didn't I read in another thread about a proposal for new combinations of some smaller classes? If so, can someone send it to me? (steve_u AT flatout-motorsports.com) Gracias.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by JLawton:
Marianne,
I little off the topic (sorry everyone) but I saw "worker incentives" on the agenda. How much comes in for the workers fund from racers in a typical weekend?

---

Hi Jeff,

It varies alot. Many drivers will mark that they are going to put money in the worker fund when they register on line but when they get to the track it gets overlooked(and as a registrar I am not going to tell them they indicated an worker contribution). One race it can be $100 the next $250. Not a great answer but it is a big swing in actual collections. http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/eek.gif

So out of all the racers that attend a regional, we only get $100-$250 per event?? That's pathetic!! With all the money we throw into a weekend, we can't afford $5-$20 each to go into the worker fund?? No wonder there is friction between workers and drivers.....

Hopefully I have guilted some people into giving more at the next event. http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/biggrin.gif

Am I off base on this one??

------------------
Jeff L
#74 ITB GTi

Wow! That is extremely small! And here I was feeling guilty about my tiny $5 donation in the last race.

Should be an interesting discussion tonight. And yes, I'll be there too.

------------------
Dave Gran
NER #13 ITA
'87 Honda Prelude

at our april nhis event, the latest I have a full report for, the 72 entrants at the school donated $380. the the 154 entrants at the regional donated $440. the region also budgets fund at each race for worker appreciation. the money is spent on worker lunches, giveaways, drawings and year end gifts.
dick

I`ll ring in on this.
The point is this. It`s a small price to pay for the help we get each time. if everybody gave at least $10.00 each time. It would show and prove we care about those people who stand in the way for us. Throught rain and cold and snow and of course the blazing HOT and humid sun.
Let`s see a case of beer cost how much?
Time for eveyone to kick down.A weekend can cost us $500.00 Whats 10 bucks.A wave is grand but lunch and a wave is even better.
Scott CRX 09 ITA NER.

P.S Is ITA in the show in July?

Quote:

---

Originally posted by p99ro:
I`ll ring in on this.
The point is this. It`s a small price to pay for the help we get each time. if everybody gave at least $10.00 each time. It would show and prove we care about those people who stand in the way for us. Throught rain and cold and snow and of course the blazing HOT and humid sun.
Let`s see a case of beer cost how much?
Time for eveyone to kick down.A weekend can cost us $500.00 Whats 10 bucks.A wave is grand but lunch and a wave is even better.
Scott CRX 09 ITA NER.

P.S Is ITA in the show in July?

---

Nice post Scott.

Yes, ITA in JUly...bring your ITA Miata.

Its a Miatas only deal.




------------------
Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

Don't kill me for this one.

I am a litle disappointed that the workers fund is so poorly funded. When I remember I contribute, but I have on occasion failed to do it. Most of us would be willing to contribute some small sum and the fund could grow, usually the good intentions are not followed because of a million reasons, time, forgetfulness, no small bills at registration, etc, etc.

Is it possible to put a fee on the race registration form for the race and designate it as a manditory worker fund. donation? $5.00-$10.00-$15.00

Just a thought

------------------
Love "the commander"
Mike Cefalo
BE SAFE GO FAST HAVE FUN

Quote:

---

Originally posted by theracinglawyer:
Is it possible to put a fee on the race registration form for the race and designate it as a manditory worker fund. donation? $5.00-$10.00-$15.00

---

There already is one. It's called the "Entry Fee".

Part of your entry fee goes to buying lunch for the workers and the "worker goodies", which I wish the region would do away with.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by RKramden:
There already is one. It's called the "Entry Fee".

Part of your entry fee goes to buying lunch for the workers and the "worker goodies", which I wish the region would do away with.

---

Why would you want to do away with worker goodies?



------------------
Enjoy,
Bill

Options:

- Make it / keep it as a part of the entry fees. OR Keep it as a volunteer donation.

Manditory donation? Oh, got it...from the racing lawyer. (Just teasing)

------------------
Dave Gran
NER #13 ITA
'87 Honda Prelude

I don't have time to read everything, and I wasn't going to post, but....

If you think that we should get rid of the worker lunches and the worker goodies, I SERIOUSLY THINK WE NEED TO GET RID OF YOU. (Unless you have some sort of better idea that would show better apriciation, and if you have that idea, please share it)

Come on guy/girl... These people volunteer more time than you probably spend working in your overpaid job. They deserve a lot more than they get.

Raymond

Maybe we should have a tip jar at impound???

Raymond

How much for cams?

What do the workers want? I would love to hear some ideas from them. Of course appreciation, but what types of things / rewards would they like? Sometimes what we think someone else wants isn't really what drives them. Money? I'm not 100% sure that is what motivates them. (I am not against doing things for them that involves money)

Hey, maybe save the funds and give the winner a paid trip to Canada for F1? Or a weekend get away on Cape Cod. A gift certificate for a nice dinner for the worker and another person. Just ideas.

Might be nice to do something other then $50 cash or even $100 cash. Don't know...

------------------
Dave Gran
NER #13 ITA
'87 Honda Prelude

Quote:

---

Originally posted by EV:
Why would you want to do away with worker goodies?

---

Not all of them, just the cheap "trinkets" that get given out at each race. I dont want any more plastic flashlights, I dont want a cheap plastic poncho, I dont want a windshield screen, I dont want another fanny pack ( but the flat-out ones were rather nicer than the rest :-) ).

I get one, my wife gets one, and we have a room full of useless junk in our house. (and a collection of New York Region glasses that covers a span of years.

What I had proposed was give out a lunch only ticket in addition the current "worker bucks".

I dont go to the races because of the giveaways. Or the $14 I get each weekend. I just like the racing.


Ray:

I started working at races back at Thompson, I've been the Tech Chief, the Chief Starter, the Chief of Pits and the Chief of Sound Control, and I remember when you were still riding things that had three wheels. Matter of fact, I started working at SCCA events before you were born.

BTW, the idea of giving workers a day at a HPDE event was mine.

RKramden-

OK-

Your all better... you gave ideas http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/wink.gif

I didn't like the idea you gave to just get rid of everything, you didn't mention before replacing it with something ese.

Raymond

Quote:

---

Originally posted by RKramden:
Not all of them, just the cheap "trinkets" that get given out at each race. I dont want any more plastic flashlights, I dont want a cheap plastic poncho, I dont want a windshield screen, I dont want another fanny pack ( but the flat-out ones were rather nicer than the rest :-) ).

I get one, my wife gets one, and we have a room full of useless junk in our house. (and a collection of New York Region glasses that covers a span of years.

What I had proposed was give out a lunch only ticket in addition the current "worker bucks".

I dont go to the races because of the giveaways. Or the $14 I get each weekend. I just like the racing.


Ray:

I started working at races back at Thompson, I've been the Tech Chief, the Chief Starter, the Chief of Pits and the Chief of Sound Control, and I remember when you were still riding things that had three wheels. Matter of fact, I started working at SCCA events before you were born.

BTW, the idea of giving workers a day at a HPDE event was mine.

---

That's better, you have been vindicated. I was getting ready to jump down your throat.

I agree the worker goodies are sometimes lame. Some regions (mine included) don't have a worker bucks program. Not that I am complaining, but boy was I surprised when I went to a SARRC event and they gave me a punch card to redeem some of the event related expenses! Once a year or so, we do get something pretty nice. Two years ago it was a jacket that I still see around the paddock on cool mornings.

I encourage all drivers to contribute to the worker fund as is possible. In the DC region we are lucky to have a dedicated crew, but it may not stay that way if we don’t show better appreciation of those who spend their money so you can play safe. It might not be a bad idea to put in some time too.


------------------
Enjoy,
Bill

"BTW, the idea of giving workers a day at a HPDE event was mine."

That's a great idea!!!
... but does the SCCA do HPDE events? (head scratch)

-dave, who would pay to do HPDEs with the SCCA

Quote:

---

Originally posted by emwavey:
"BTW, the idea of giving workers a day at a HPDE event was mine."

That's a great idea!!!
... but does the SCCA do HPDE events? (head scratch)

-dave, who would pay to do HPDEs with the SCCA

---

My region has run two of them but, unfortunatly, they were run by Road Racing stewards. They couldn't switch their minds into "how to run a HPDE" mode, and ran it as a regional. It was painfully clear that they didn't consider it any different than a Drivers school, which it isn't. The result was wasting about half the track time.

The suggestion I made was to contract the job out to one of the local HPDE operations, that happens to be run by a region member. The timeline that they run is much tighter, better organized, and a better experience for the student. The instructors you get are all the same as at a local SCCA drivers school, so the quality is fairly close.

( Opinion: SCCA drivers schools teach you how to race in a SCCA event, while the pro schools and HPDE operations teach you how to drive their (or your) cars and not crash. Two different things.)