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.

[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

[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.