Scca It Is Time For Change Now!

[Robert Zecca]

Dear Fellow SCCA Members,

Last November I attended my first NEDIV mini con in Albany. At this event the regions get together and decided who is going to race, where and when. The bottom line and we predicted this then was THERE ARE TOO MANY EVENTS IN THE NE. We are overtaxing our drivers and workers. Now we are well into the year and every event regardless if it is regional or national, we are losing money. There is too much supply and not enough demand plus with the addition of tracks bring more problems. Bottom line is for 2010 we need to cut events and make every event profitable instead of a losing situation. THE REGIONS MUST UNDERSTAND THIS AND MAKE A CHANGE NOW. If not we may see fewer regions next year putting on events or being out of business. This is not fair because we are SCCA, we are members of a organization and not just a region. PLEASE think of everyone, both drivers and workers and the well being of all regions and not just some. Drivers attend events from different regions as do the workers. We need to think down the road about our future and not just today. This is the reason why our competiting clubs are kicking our butts because they are dictatorships and rule in a proper way and this is what is needed at this point in time. We can no longer have regions running autonomously as in the past. We must think of the realities of life today and work with our fellow regions for the good of SCCA and not just one region.

I work extremely hard at trying to grow our sport and club and honestly I am getting tired and worn out. Personally I have put in over $7k into promoting a race series in hopes of growing participants and workers alike. I want to see the regions come together once and for all for the good of the club so that we have a future. If you truly understand what is going on in our country today and our economy and lifestyle of our participants you will see that what I am saying will work. LESS EVENTS but lets make them special and then they will each be profitable. Then with additional competitors per event we can even reduce the entry fees. It is simple. Let's work together and grow SCCA. Topeka is unable to do this for us we must take this upon ourselves to make the change.

Let me know your thoughts.

Yours for the sport,
Bob Zecca
NNJR Secretary

[Greg Amy]

Amen, brother Bob. Amen.

[NORRIS]

Bob.

Just curious as to haw many regional events you run a year in the North East? While we're at it I'd like to hear from as many other regions.

I'm on the BOG in Calclub (Sopac) We are running 8 double regional weekends this year and are thinking of cutting back to 7 doubles next year.

We also ran 1 single and a double national this year (But who cares about them, they don't have IT )

[Robert Zecca]

I do not know the exact number but I believe it is about 20 events in total. I will look into this and get back to you.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Bob.

Just curious as to haw many regional events you run a year in the North East? While we're at it I'd like to hear from as many other regions.

I'm on the BOG in Calclub (Sopac) We are running 8 double regional weekends this year and are thinking of cutting back to 7 doubles next year.

We also ran 1 single and a double national this year (But who cares about them, they don't have IT )

The multi-regional series up here is the North Atlantic Road Racing Championship (NARRC). This year we have 10 weekends (4 doubles and 6 singles) that produce 14 points-paying events.

Add into that a new Pro-IT series that 'supports' both Regionals, Nationals and an ARCA race(s)...8 events on 8 weekends.

Here is my suggestion for 2010:

Give up the May Lime Rock, keep the June (school) and October race
Give up the May double NHMS, keep the April (school) and September double

That brings us down to 8 weekends over 7 months. Maybe a double race at NJMP that had us run Lightning on one day and Thunderbolt on the other...that would shave another event bringing us to a reasonable 7 events over 7 months. Add ProIT to ONLY REGIONAL SCCA events. Limit weekends and add features that provide value.

It may be a time for Regions without tracks to temporarily shut down their road racing programs (NNJ, MoHud, NYR, etc). Wait until demand comes back so that we can apply for dates that we want to add and then divvy those up if we can get them. If we can't, so be it. At least that will mean the events that are being put on will be packed.

Give the drivers good choices (all the tracks in the area - NHMS, LRP, WGI, NJMP L&T, Pocono) and put on the best dang events you can with support from Pro IT.

[StephenB]

Great ideas Andy.
The only thing I disagree with is running the Pro-IT with Regional events. I think a large number of people can't afford and will not double dip and will run one or the other. Running the Pro-IT as support races to other events will get some people to run more. If they don't run more they will at least add entries to the other events that wouldn't have had the entries. Running support races with spectators can also be used as advertising to let people (spectators) know that we exist and that "entry level" wheel to wheel racing exists.

To add to that:
I also think that SCCA needs to identify if running National Events and Regional Events is something that adds value to the SCCA brand. Both Regional and National events are "entry level" or "stepping stones" for someone to get into a racing carreer, or to just have fun racing wheel to wheel a few weekends a year. I personally do not think running Nationals vs. Regionals has any value to the SCCA brand and eliminates or cuts into its own revenues. In my mind Nationals and Regionals are run seperatly as if they are two seperate companies competing with eachother for the same drivers. I do think the "National Championship" structure adds value to the SCCA brand and I do think that SCCA should have a "Runnoffs" like they currently due to determine a "National Champion".

I would propose running SCCA events (no National vs. Regional) then allow competitors to pay the "extra dues" to gain National points towards running in the National Runnoffs televised on TV to become the "National Champion". I understand a cost is involved in running the "runnoffs" and therefor higher entries is justified for those that are running for National Points and the "Runnoffs".

my .02 and I strongly feel as that this National vs. Regional thing has to go away.

Stephen
PS: I am not running the NARRC series due to time (AKA Opportunity cost) and actual cost.

[raffaelli]

I havent thought that running the Pro It with Regionals was a good idea. Seems to me that it is the same group that would enter in both. Maybe the Pro IT should run at Nationals.

Real or not, my perception is that there is a race almost every weekend when you look at the tracks I consider - WG, LRP NH, Poc. Seems way too much to me.

[Andy Bettencourt]

The PTB can fill us in on how viable running an 'event' with no National or Regional designation. I have always thought, given the size of LRP and NHMS and the historical size of our IT fields that there was no room for classes like IT, SSM and ITE...that can be as much as 3 and as little as 2 extra run groups.

[ulfelder]

I agree with much of what I'm reading here. Stephen B, your idea regarding Regional vs. National is excellent - it's something that should be explored.

Looking at the big picture, it seems the deep problem is that some of those who run regions, divisions, RR boards, and even SCCA National are forgetting that the drivers are the consumers who need to be served. (Certainly not everybody forgets this; when Brian Mushnick was the RR Board chair in NER, he beat this drum constantly.)

If you strip out SCCA history and simply look at the way races in NEDiv are presented, you see a system that is insanely complex and difficult for a newbie to learn. NERRC! NARRC! Pro-IT! NYSRRC! National! Regional! Sign up for a race here! Oops, not that race, silly - sign up over there! Go here for results! Also here! But not there! What? No payment yet? Then you're considered a late registrant! Oh, you did it that way at the last LRP event? Well that was an NNJR race, and this is an NYR race!

Memo to regions, divisions and national: Simplify, simplify.

Steve Ulfelder
Flatout Motorsports
05 ITS

[gran racing]

Politics. Egos.
Those are two things that continue to hurt SCCA as a whole, and eventually it impacts the regions that might be a part of the issue.

Funny, I know regions had contacted Mike Dickerson (previously at Topeka ) and a few years ago he made the suggestion of fewer races. No one or at least very few listened.

I know this won't be popular, in part because of my first response.
In addition to consolidating races, maybe in some instances it would be worthwhile to consolidate or at least revisit our regional structure. Maybe it's not necessary but do think it deserves some further thought.

Running support races with spectators can also be used as advertising to let people (spectators) know that we exist and that "entry level" wheel to wheel racing exists.

I absolutely agree. We as a club need more exposure. An extremely limited number of people know that any form of "Average Joe" Club Racing exists no less SCCA.

World Challenge. I'm sorry, but WTF? Why are we not using this promotional tool in a much better way? I went to LRP two years ago to drop off a supply of flyers for them to utilize. NO ONE knew where the WC truck was located. My wife and I walked the paddock multiple time, asked the information booth, security, . We finally found it and realized that we walked right by it multiple times. Nothing was out there about SCCA. I later went to another event, and faced the same problems finding it. The flyers SCCA (the "club side") to be put out in an effort to promote club racing were burried in the truck somewhere. I recognize we might not be able to have SCCA ads during the races although I do wish that were possible, pressure drivers to plug SCCA club racing when interviewed. Require that each car put decals on their car advertising SCCA. A simple "You can get involved and start racing - visit SCCA.com" type of thing.

Bob, There are too many of us in the tired and worn out. I know I am with my efforts. Hopefully we all can get re-energized some how. You and Darrel have helped me get a bit more motivation again. Thanks!

[Tom Blaney]

I attended the Pocono event this past weekend, and frankly I was suprised at how small the field was and from what I picked up from discussions with a couple of drivers it that they are tired, frustrated, and overtaxed. So I think the old discussion should be brought back up about bringing back spectators and making the events more enjoyable to watch. To do that you need to do two things 1) combine the regional and national program into one group. The idea that regionals are training grounds or less expensive is silly, the preperation costs to field a competitive IT car has passed "national" production cars years ago, and drivers who are inexperienced can still race at a "national" event by attending 4 regionals don't crash and off you go "here's your national license. If you combine the events, it will force more drivers to attend fewer events, and if your competitve enough you EARN points to go to the runoff's, since going to the Runoff's was suppose to be a EARNED opportunity, not accomplished because you ran 4 nationals and the field only had 3 cars. If you run the events and don't wish to go to the Runoff's then you decline the offer and the next highest points gets a shot. But no matter what, during the season you actually raced with more cars, and more people at the events so you had more fun and learned about what other drivers and cars are like.

2) It is also time to start dropping classes altogether, if after a few years of combined operation a class cannot make the attendence minimum, then it's done. Not too many people watch races where 4 cars are in the race and each one is in a different class so there are 4 winners. You want to have spectators to help fund the operation, and you are not going to get that with 25 races in one day with 25 winners in 9 groups.

Fortunatly and unfortunatly this discussion has been around a long time, and there is always a few people who make a lot of noise because it will change their operation and they don't really care about the event or the club as a whole, it is all about them and screw everbody else. Well now as Bob indicated the club as a whole is at a critical juncture and real decisions have to be made that will affect everyone, and perhaps the selfish ones will finally have to change or leave.

If the SCCA can put on a limited number of events, have full fields, with competitive races (perhaps 4-5 groups with 2 classes) where the winner actually is being chased to the checker, than people will start to come back to watch a few events, and vendors will sell product, and the cycle starts fresh again.

[BruceG]

Just like GM, SCCA National never listens to their "customers".

They think they have all the answers.

[tom_sprecher]

I do not want to offend anyone, but IMHO this is a Division level problem that you guys need to work out. Believe me when I say I understand some of what you're dealing with, but you are looking in the wrong direction for help.

The SCCA is there to provide a ruleset and insurance for those who wish participate within those rules. Promoting, producing and profitting (or not) from an event is for the hosting region to deal with.

Whoever feels there are too many events and is losing money should make the first move and drop one of theirs from the calendar.

$ .02

[JoshS]

If you strip out SCCA history and simply look at the way races in NEDiv are presented, you see a system that is insanely complex and difficult for a newbie to learn. NERRC! NARRC! Pro-IT! NYSRRC! National! Regional! Sign up for a race here! Oops, not that race, silly - sign up over there! Go here for results! Also here! But not there! What? No payment yet? Then you're considered a late registrant! Oh, you did it that way at the last LRP event? Well that was an NNJR race, and this is an NYR race!

I'm not in the northeast, but the more I read, the more I think you guys up there just need to restructure. You've got points series of regional events that covers the same area as your entire division. IMO (nothing to base this on), the idea is that regional events are supposed to be entry-level, requiring less travel, and if you want to travel and compete for bigger stakes, then you race your entire division and run national races. You guys have 5 tracks covering a huge area for your regional series.

I think part of the problem is that there are so many tiny regions up there that want to play. We don't really have that problem on the west coast.

Here in CA, we have 6 tracks covering less travel distance, but guess what? It's split into two series, one put on by Cal Club using the southern 3 tracks, and one put on by SFR covering the northern 3 tracks. Since the entire season is presented by the same club with the same officials, every weekend feels pretty much the same, just at different tracks. Both the CalClub series and the SFR series typically each have 8 race weekends, 13-16 races. There aren't many drivers who cross over and run the other series, so there's not much travel required, and both clubs have great turnouts (even this year, down, but pretty decent.)

On the west coast, Nationals aren't doing so well, in my opinion, because they require so much travel to compete for the division. (Of course, those 6 tracks are not in the same division.) Here near San Francisco we have to travel 12 hours up to Portland and 15 hours up to Seattle to race in our same division. If you are near Los Angeles, racing in your division requires you to travel to Phoenix.

[lateapex911]

Too many classes, not enough drivers. Simple.

National level Runoffs should be open to all classes. Most subscribed goes. Period. Let the strong survive. Serve the customer, not force the customer to pick a loser class just for a trip to the Runoffs.

And ditch the whole National/Regional distinction. And with it strip the travel halfway across the county to compete at different tracks mandate. Who can do that anymore? Push the PDX program and fold it into the schools program. Or vice versa. And offer more of them. Novices go and race in the Novice group in the PDX world before they get to run in the races. Right now, we sure make them jump right into the fire.

Too many events. Historically racers had more "say" in the family, and less options. Now, it's an equal say relationship in most families, and there are hundreds of options....and obligations that just didn't exist a decade or two ago. Kids soccer, lacrosse, rowing, little league, etc etc etc. Parents must be there, and must support the organizations. Masters athletics, and the constant stuggle to "get ahead"..whatever that means, lots of foks do it. Then there's the kids at the track factor. Most kids would rather spend a day on the boat tubing and water skiing that waiting waiting and waiting at the track. And an 18 foot runabout is far cheaper than racing.

But the Club as an entity doesn't "get" this, I fear. They are still thinking in the ways of the 60s and 70s, to some degree.

Also, egos have become bigger. More and more guys are happy going to track days and calling it 'racing". Their acquaintances don't know the difference. Marque clubs like the Porsche Club and BMWCCA etc have seen strong growth. The effort level is less, the risk is less, and the family disruption is less than racing. And the ones with real money go get themselves on TV.

We are not the only game in town when it comes to getting the car on the track anymore.

For the SCCA to prosper, it needs to provide avenues for the new breed of car guy. And that might not be Club Racing as we know it today.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Here is another thought on National vs Regional. As an IT guy, I don't want it. I hate the format. I want to race, not to practice a gazillion times and qualify. This months Memorial Day Triple is an example of excellent customer service - that we get every year.

Again - maybe to Patullo...is it even feasible for us to run an event with all of our Regional only classes at a National? Even if it was...so much time for a single. No thanks.

LESS EVENTS + MORE VALUE = MORE DEMAND.

I know it stings to allow events to fade away, but really.

[Cobrar05]

I do not want to offend anyone, but IMHO this is a Division level problem that you guys need to work out. Believe me when I say I understand some of what you're dealing with, but you are looking in the wrong direction for help.

The SCCA is there to provide a ruleset and insurance for those who wish participate within those rules. Promoting, producing and profitting (or not) from an event is for the hosting region to deal with.

Whoever feels there are too many events and is losing money should make the first move and drop one of theirs from the calendar.

$ .02

I have my issues with SCCA. Mostly about classing. On the otherhand SCCA SEDiv consistantly puts on successful events.

The Pro-IT conversation can go both ways. I have a significant haul to whichever track I attend. I am always attracted to the chance to get more races for the same travel costs. Give me a double SARRC and an enduro or a Pro-IT anytime.

I realize there are others that live near and would prefer to keep entry fees down because travel is not an issue.

[ner88]

First I want to say that at this years convention I twice asked why Nationals? and twice got no real answer????
Now regarding too many races/events, seems to me that with the new track at NJ, races have been added by them so, we/NER should do away with our events?
We/NER do our best to offer the best racing for your buck and our events offer variety.
I'm not going to debate any of these issues here, please feel free to contact me with your thoughts. I'll be in garage 6/south at NHMS Memorial Day weekend.
Jerry Rigoli, Club Racing Chairman NER
SSM 88
508-561-6001

[gran racing]

Why Jerry, is NER to big to omit some of its races? Many times I don't think of SCCA as a Club where regions work together for a single goal. But hey, let the franchises compete against each other right?

For those who don't know, I'm a member of the NER.

[Doc Bro]

Cancel classes prior to the event that are undersubscribed....period. Why hold a run group for 6 cars? You have to draw the line somewhere. As a business owner I know very clearly I can't cater to everyone. Pick your market and cater to them. Ditch the groups that aren't "producing" the numbers and give the others more time. Sure it will make the SCCA even more Miata centric in the short haul, but it may also encourage others to "protect their investment" by forcing their friends to show. The 50+ classes eliglble in a weekend shows very clearly that there is a lack of clarity, and that decisions are made with history and nostalgia in mind. If this were my business I'd run it quite differently.

PS I've always run a BMW so that I can go to BMW Club racing at any point. I can't tell you how many times I've considered it....especially when our run group gets cut short because one of the 6 FV's in the group before us blew up.

R