Quote Originally Posted by zchris View Post
I have a little different perspective on why SCCA does not draw many new racers. As a builder I talk to 40+ newbs a year and the usual reason why not the SCCA is contact. They hear about the crashfest that both IT and SM is. Thats what they tell me, not the other way around. And want nothing to do with it. The second biggest reason is the desire to build there car to there taste and NASA fits that better. Just add weight.
Chris
Chris, where are these newbs coming from?? How are they getting their info? (I'm not saying their perspective is wrong, it is probably pretty correct if they are coming from, say, the PCA HPDE program.)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: SCCA is about people racing cars.* But many newbs are about cars being raced. There is a real divide there. personally, I want to race. For me, the car is the tool**. But others treat the car like their girlfriend and putting it at risk in competition is, to them, nuts.
Going into racing, lots of guys don't realize that divide, and they need a little education. Racing hard for wins isn't for everybody.

* Well, the classes are organized to facilitate even playing field racing. But thats not to say that there's not many ways to use the clubs offerings, and mid packers can dial things back to the level that suits them. But that flexibility doesn't exist in some other clubs - `you can't take a loosey goosey classification system and get real racing satisfaction from it.
** Now, after a period, I developed an affection for that tool, it delivered lap records and wins and championships to me. But, if pounding it over the curb at turn 5 in Atlanta would gain me the time needed to get on the leaders bumper at the ARRCs, fuck the car, hope it makes it to the end, it's going to get pounded. Thats its job.