Scca It Is Time For Change Now!

[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.