Am I reading this right?

[dominojd]

2008 Prize Money Discontinued

At the SCCA Roundtable in Ithaca on March 15 the NARRC Committee voted to abolish the prize fund and redirect the fee as follows:
The NARRC Committee will collect $6.00 of each entry fee from each NARRC sanctioned race.
$3.00 of the fund is for Marketing and Advertising.
$3.00 goes toward the NARRC Administrative fund for trophies, banquet costs, etc.

No more NARRC checks?

[dickita15]

Well I said to myself “Joe must be crazy” nobody said anything about such a change. But that is what the website says they did. In the past the $6 was split $1 administration - $5 points fund. Last year they collected $13.998 of which was split $11,655 points fund and $2,333 for overhead, although a small amount of the points money would not have been returned in the more undersubscribed classes.
Personally I don’t care about the points fund but if it is going to be stopped lower the fee rather than set up another bureaucracy.

[Andy Bettencourt]

This is correct. When driver feedback was solicited last year, many said that the money fund was not near their top priority in terms of what makes (or could make) the NARRC a great series.

Add to that the NARRC 'sanction' fee may have been keeping NARRC points events from joining with certain events at certain tracks - it was thought that a lower number might help us get ito some of those races.

People also wanted better trophies. So the choice was then some cash or some kick-butt trophies. Here is what they have done in the SARRC series with their money:

Gear bag with year and SARRC champion logo
Medium weight jacket embroidered with a big SARRC logo on the back and their name, class and SARRC champion on the breast pocket.
4 t-shirts with SARRC logo on back and year champ on the front.
2? polo shirts with embroidered breast pocket logo and year champ
4 embroided hats
4 SARRC year champ bumper stickers
4 SARRC year champ patches
trophy plaque

Option to pay for some additional units for crew as well.

The NARRC is YOUR series. Reps for each run group were suppose to solicit your opinion on a variety of topics over the winter. That feedback was presented to the NARRC committee at the NARRC winter meeting and the new formats were set up.

If this doesn't work out, we can continue to modify as the participants let their thoughts known.

[lateapex911]

Interesting........

From my point of view, I'd probably (In the highly unlikely event I won, LOL) hand the jacket back..I'd never wear it. Why have it collect dust and take up space?

I'd rather have the trophy, and a check, and in case the trophy sucks, I'd use the money to go have my own trophy made.

I'm confused on your second point Andy...but it's probably because of my lack of information/knowledge as to the way the system works.

And half goes to "marketing"?? What is that, exactly?

Here's my take....there are maybe 3 or 4 guys in any given class that really have a chance of winning the deal, and those guys are the ones that will subscribe to the series. Everyone else probably can't be bothered...if there's nothing in it for them.

If you make it so the guys further down the line have something to gain, then I would think your subscription will increase.

[Andy Bettencourt]

I am not part of the 'marketing' piece of it but I assume it is to promote the series.

I think we all knew that not everyone was going to be happy with this decision but when the oppotunity came for feedback, most said forget the money. In most classes, it's almost not worth the effort. Ask Jeff what his check was for this year....

Again, weigh in when the meetings happen and when you are asked for feedback - this is a dynamic series - hopefully building each year. It's OUR series and the PTB are listening - trust me.

[dominojd]

Wow feed back huh? I was never asked. I sure liked getinng my $286 dollar check this year it at least paid for NHIS entry instead of a gear bag or a jacket.

What is this marketing?

Oh I live in Califronia, but this Narrc series looks really cool maybe i'll run it, please. Everyone in the NE is already in the NARRC series just look at the points what were there something like 80 people in ITA last year some only ran one race.

I say leave it the way it was and give me cash with my crappy wine glass trophy which probaly cost me 10K plus to get.

[tom_sprecher]

From my point of view, I'd probably (In the highly unlikely event I won, LOL) hand the jacket back..I'd never wear it.

To each his own but you would be one of the few. In my experience of handing the SARRC bag of goodies to the drivers that do not attend the SEDiv Annual Convention and Banquet the first thing they do is dig out the jacket and put it on.

In the spring and fall anyone who has won a SARRC jacket is wearing it in the paddock. We also change the color from time to time as well.

It's like at each race we hand out a "SARRC Event Winner" sticker that is black on silver to each class winner. Most guys could not care less about getting the trophy but you had better damn have his sticker so he can put it on his car.

SOmething about bragging rights.

[Andy Bettencourt]

I can't know for sure if you were asked specifically Joe, but there was a NARRC-specific drivers meeting at LRP last year. That Aug 10th meeting was video-taped for those who culd not attend and put up on the web and a link posted on this website.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...arch&plindex=6

Thread here with info and links to video:

http://72.167.111.130/forums/showthread.php?t=22267

And the link here where there was discussion it would happen and what would be discussed:

http://72.167.111.130/forums/showthread.php?t=22220

In addition, each run group had a volunteer leader (in our case Doc Bro) who was to solicit input from drivers and provide feedback to the NARRC committee so they could make informed changes, if any.

Add to that the NARRC portion of the NeDiv meetings in CT where plenty of people weighed in on the presentation I gave to the group based on feedback from drivers received to that point.

Again, I don't have any other info on the marketing. It would be a question for the NARRC committee, who can be contacted via e-mail at:

committee AT narrc.com

I am the current Chair of the Drivers Committee - of which the majority of the work was done in the off-season.

[Greg Amy]

...but there was a NARRC-specific drivers meeting at LRP last year.

You mean the one that was held when many of the more-active drivers were at the IT Fest at Mid-Ohio?

No dog in this fight, but that whole situation pretty much left a raw taste in my mouth. And, to find that important decisions were made there makes it taste worse...

Like I said, no preference in this fight...Just sayin'...

[dickita15]

This is correct. When driver feedback was solicited last year, many said that the money fund was not near their top priority in terms of what makes (or could make) the NARRC a great series.

Add to that the NARRC 'sanction' fee may have been keeping NARRC points events from joining with certain events at certain tracks - it was thought that a lower number might help us get ito some of those races.

But this change does nothing to address your second point Andy. The fee is still $6 per car it just goes into an administrative pit.

[lateapex911]

I was aware, as should anyone who's posting here, that the whole NARRC dealio was getting a good going over, and that drivers opinions were being sought. i also know that they started in the summer discussing ideas, and going over opinions for fall/winter decisions. I didn't really add anything because I haven't had a snowballs chance (in any place or weather) of winning diddley squat over the years...so I really thought I had nothing to add.

But, let's be fair, there WAS solicitation of opinions.

That said, it IS a big surprise to see the money fund vanish.

[dominojd]

But this change does nothing to address your second point Andy. The fee is still $6 per car it just goes into an administrative pit.

Oh but wait Dick $3 goes toward trophies and the banquet expenses. I guess this means the Banquet will be free to all Narrc participants, right and the winners in class will recieve a grandfather clock or something substancial as a tropy?

[Doc Bro]

I'll be glad to weigh in that I was all for better trophies and a money fund. Specifically I stated emphatically that the NARRC was our (IT) championship and it's prestige and credibility should be promoted and preserved. I was in direct conflict with a wing guy (FA..I think) who says the trophies don't matter and that he gives them to his crew. I feel that the opinions of the regional only classes should have more weight in regards to decisions made that effect a regional championship. Regional only classes have few other options. I apologize if I didn't hunt down every ITA driver for an opinion, but I do feel that the thoughts that I mentioned were well informed and would represent the thoughts of the people who would be impacted. I didn't approach the subject from the point of view of the competitors who had less than 50 points. I was proud of my $67 NARRC check...I asked Vic how it felt to be married to a professional racecar driver.

R

[gran racing]

Nice trophies matter to me. I still have my Memorial Day pimp chalice in the entry to my garage along with the bottle of champagne. I guess I just haven't won enough races yet?

[StephenB]

"EDIT" I have edited to keep the fire away

Does anyone know who the ITB driver Rep was?

Stephen Blethen

PS: I liked the check... It allowed me to legitimatly spend a few $$ on my car without the significant other argueing about it

[dominojd]

I was proud of my $67 NARRC check...I asked Vic how it felt to be married to a professional racecar driver.

R

Nobody's blaming you.

And like you said, 2006 I got something like $50 or so for finishing 5th in the NARRC Points before I cashed it I photo copied it to keep as sorta a trophy and was proud of it.

[dickita15]

Oh but wait Dick $3 goes toward trophies and the banquet expenses. I guess this means the Banquet will be free to all Narrc participants, right and the winners in class will recieve a grandfather clock or something substancial as a tropy?

I see no smiley faces in you post Joe so I must assume you are serious. I must also assume our drivers committee know exactly what we are getting with regard to a better banquet and trophies for the tripling of the administrative fee from $2,333 to $7 grand.
I also assume that they have a projected budget for the $7000 that is being taxed for Marketing and Advertising.
I assume that none of our representatives would allow an extra $11,655 to be taken out of the drivers pockets without knowing the benefit.

[Andy Bettencourt]

The reason I posted all of those links is because there was PLENTY of opportunity to know that the NARRC committee was interested in your opinion. Heck, you could have watched the whole meeting on video and weighed in. You could have also so that they recruited volunteers that night and many people stepped up.

The reps are 'drivers advocates'. We just relayed the majority desires of the members who cared to provide feedback. The NARRC committee makes teh decisions. The net of the decision was such:

Pull back the payouts and put the money into significantly better trophies and spend some money on the promotion of the series. How they implement that is up to them. I hope they do a good job.

Trust me guys, I probably got the 2nd largest NARRC check last year (SM #1) and it was nice. I have a bit to lose (~$500) but most drivers said it wasn't important to them in terms of driving their dollar to racing or the prestige of the series. If this is a real problem, write the committee.

And here comes the preachy part. Get involved when asked or don't get THAT upset when things are not to your liking. I may not be 100% ok with how certain things turned out, but my voice was heard. No decisons were made at that LRP meeting, just the infrastructure laid out and volunteers taken - and the info was readily available.

On the $6 - Since I am not in charge I can only hope they do right with the money in terms of their goals (trophies, expenses and promotion). If not, it should be the first item on our list of 'fixes' for 2009.

[dickita15]

Ok Andy, I reread the links and though I did not review the video again I cannot see anywhere where it was suggested that we take over $11,000 of the driver’s money and put it into an administrative slush fund with no published budget and only the vaguest of goals. Was any driver actually asked if they wanted this money to be taken from the drivers for this purpose?
You I thought I was kind of involved in this club and I never heard a word of this taxation scheme.

[StephenB]

The reason I posted all of those links is because there was PLENTY of opportunity to know that the NARRC committee was interested in your opinion. Heck, you could have watched the whole meeting on video and weighed in. You could have also so that they recruited volunteers that night and many people stepped up.

ANDY,

Was this in Pit Talk at any point? I looked back and couldn't find it. Was this posted in Sports Car as this is our official comunication to the members of the club? Was a generic mailing sent out to all the NARRC Finishers, I don't recall getting one. I will refrain from commenting further until I here back on where it was published because I legitimatly could have missed my invite to attend or comunication that anything was going to change.

The reps are 'drivers advocates'. .

ANDY,

Who was the Driver Advocate for ITB? If you are unsure who do I contact to get a copy of the meeting minutes that would have that listed. I'd be curious to see the meeting minutes regardless to see who was present and what was discussed. Were you present at the meeting?