TRACK - APRIL, 2008 ISSUE



Resignation

Effective immediately, I am resigning from my office as banker, author and greeter.  I have been doing these jobs for a very long time and I'm just tired of it. You  might still see me around track, although, I can get results off the internet, so I really do not even have to go to the track.  I am going to enjoy my retirement from SCCA. Now if only I could apply for retirement benefits.



Driver Physical & Tech Day

Mark April 5th on your calendar.  Neohio will be hosting this annual event at Nelson Ledges between 9 am and 3 pm.

Dr. Mike Saddleton will be doing driver physicals in the registration building.  Please contact Debbie LaFond to set up an appointment at 440-946-2207 (after 7 pm) or fastlady1026@yahoo.com.

Annual techs are on the first come first done basis. but it would be helpful to know who is coming with what type of car.  Please contact Maurice LaFond at 440-946-2207 (after 7 pm) or mr11070@yahoo.com.

There will also be a Safety Day training at the track that day for anyone that wants to attend.  They should contact Denny Freeman for more information at
440-293-6683 or denjimgmc@yahoo.com



2008 SCCA National Convention - Sandi Kryder

Reed & I attended some of the same meetings, so I won't go into those as he has done an excellent job of relaying the info form them.

MEMBERSHIP

A lot of time was spent explaining the new programs that SCCA has in place to recruit and keep new members and keep our current members.

 1.  Weekend Memberships - Cost is $15.00.
The region keeps $10.00 and $5.00 goes to National Office.  This membership is good for the weekend only and the $15.00 may be applied to a full membership.  Originally, I believe this weekend membership was intended for Solo, Rally & Club Racing participants.  One example for Club Racing - crew members.  They must be a member to go over the pit wall.  This weekend may also be used for volunteer workers.   Weekend membership for club racing drivers may be used only at the regional race level.  This would be used if you have a driver with a competition license coming from one of the SCCA approved organizations i.e. BMW Club, CACC, Waterford Hills.

 2.  Introductory Volunteer Membership - Cost - free for the first weekend.  Starting with the second weekend, the cost to join is $30.00.  A new volunteer can pay $30.00 renewal dues for the next two years provided they work a minimum of 4 days the prior year.

 3.  Volunteer Incentive Program - For current members.  If a members works 4 days they get $15.00 off their National dues the following year; 6 days get them $22.00 off and work 8 or more days you get $30.00 off your National dues.  12 or more days get you recognition in SportsCar.

 4.  Referral Program - refer any new member you get $5.00 off your dues.  You can refer as many people as you want.   There is a place at the bottom of the membership for your name and membership number.

The cost of these programs will be covered by a $2.00 per driver fee from every National, Regional & Driver School.

INSURANCE

The rates went up for 2008.  Insurance claim payouts for accidents at Solo and Rally events was the main cause for this increase.

Non Members are only covered for $10,000 at an event, where an SCCA member is covered for $1,000,000.

Minor photo I D color for 2008 is Orange.  All previous colors are invalid.



March Membership Report  by Sandi Kryder

As usual, we have approx. 200 members including duals.

A reminder to the following members who dues are renewable in March.

Nina Caruso
Jeremy Cesene Family
Constantin Gheorghe
John Gingery
Bill & Rolayne Kasmer
Jack Madison
Joseph Mannozi
Anthony Miller
Gerald Morris
Brian Ross
Bill Sovik Jr.
Dick Wade
Brent Walton
Tim & Janice Walton

Happy Birthday to:

Hal Baker     3/10
Jay Barker       3/2
Robert Bujdoso    3/25
Mike Edmunds     3/13
Bill Kasmer     3/28
Matt Leskovec    3/15
Christina Libecco   3/24
Gary Martz    3/2
Bob Mazza         3/2
Terry McCann    3/29
David McKenny    3/17
Jamie McKinney   3/9
Gerald Morris    3/11
Kaleb Nutter    3/23
Scott Rowbotham   3/9
Andrew Schauer   3/9
David Strittmatter   3/13
Zoe Vernis    3/12
Alexandra Vernis   3/24
Eric Weyls    3/12

An second reminder to Matt Carson, Filipo Caruso, Greg Grucella and Kenneth Piper.  Your SCCA membership has expired.



NeDiv Round Table - Reed Kryder

While I had attended a couple of NeDiv Mini-Cons and two National Conventions, this was my first RoundTable.  The biggest difference was most seminars at the RoundTable are targeted towards educating specialties about any new procedures for the upcoming year.  This years event was held March 14-16.  Sandi Kryder and  Scott Lane were also MVR members attending.
 

DRIVER’S TRACK

I attended three sessions under this general heading.  The first was titled “I am being protested.”  It was a review of the various types of protests and steward duties related to each.  There was a comment made at the beginning regarding a general lack of driver knowledge on how to protest.  After listening to the various protest procedures I can understand why.  It is not that the procedures are complex, it’s just that they consist of a bunch of steps which 99.9% of the drivers would prefer never needing to know, whether they are the protestor or protestee.   Most drivers have enough other things to think about during a race weekend.  Being prepared is a good idea, but the area of protests is a low priority for most drivers (at least they hope it is).  When it becomes a high priority they usually learn quickly.

The second area was a presentation by Ed Zebrowski titled “Going From Mid Pack to the Front”.  It was typical of many racing preparation presentations which concentrate on all the small things you need to do to improve your results. From vehicle checks to driving basics to mental preparation.  While I said his list was “typical” it is important to have someone review these things occasionally.  Ed’s list was well thought out and extensive, but not expensive in its application.   One other comment regarding many of the items on his list:  “The things we tend to forget are those we learned earliest and think we know best.“

The third “Driver’s Track” session was also held by Ed.  He was recently appointed the first National Administrator for Chief Driving Instructors.  Driver’s Schools have long had a history of being run by local regions in whatever form they saw fit as long as the students received six hours of time on track and were deemed ready to run a Regional race.  There were no standardized guidelines, but most regions did an excellent job.  The SCCA national office felt it was time to standardize some procedures, while keeping flexibility in the actual running of each program.  There were also liability and insurance issues forcing this movement.  Many of these changes are still a year or two away, but it appears as if the following are goals:

 1. A standardized written test.
 2. A standardized procedure for reviewing flags.
 3. Some sort of certification for Chief Instructors.
 4. Letting everyone know various procedures being done around the country which might be useful   in their own schools.
 5. Professional schools would also follow these guidelines.

  6. There may be a traveling SCCA school sometime in the future.

My general impression of this was that it is a good idea as long as Ed keeps the flexibility.  Expanding the current list of minimum (almost non-existent) requirements while allowing the regions freedom in how they satisfy the requirements should be a good idea.

I did question the marketability of SCCA schools, both current and future.  This was not directly the subject of Ed’s presentation, but my concern was whether this new system would increase the number of drivers.  I fear it may make it even harder for prospective drivers to join us.  I have a lot of faith in the quality of our schools, both current and planned.  But I feel we need to look for ways to make acquisition of an SCCA Competition License easier and less costly to drivers, while still upholding SCCA’s high standards.  SCCA Driver Schools are decreasing in number (for various reasons) and pro schools are too expensive for many potential participants.  Is there a third possibility we should consider?

MISC

* The 2009 SCCA National Convention will be held February 19-21 in Las Vegas at South Point.

* Director Jerry Wannarka heads a committee which was to present a report to the BoD by the end of March regarding SCCA National racing.  The seven members of this committee were responsible for developing both small and major ideas for change.  Jerry refused to comment on any of the items being discussed since his committee was formed more to brainstorm than finalize.  He was open to input.

* All June events at Lime Rock Park have been cancelled and probably will not be rescheduled.  Lime Rock will be doing a complete repave of the track.

* The possibility of a year-end NESSCA Championship for NeDiv National Drivers being held at Pocono was discussed.  This idea was floated last fall and still seems to have some unresolved problems.  Don’t expect it to happen in 2008.

* The most heated discussion at the town hall meeting concerned the NeDiv rule requiring ALL Spec Miata class cars to use Toyo tires (same as National level racing) at ALL NeDiv Regional races.  The majority of NeDiv follows this rule, but several regions (mainly those running Nelson Ledges and BeaveRun) have not since it would reduce entries from nearby Great Lakes Division (they have no regional level tire rule and many cars use Hoosier tires).  The majority  of the regions voted to keep the rule and those of us in “the colonies” are left with figuring our a way to handle it.  It was suggested the non-Toyo equipped cars run in ITA or some separate class.  Good idea, but it presents serious problems with our Kryderacing Series and how we award points.  Kryderacing is working with the various regions on a common solution so none of us lose participation from Miata drivers.

* Overall I thought the Glen Region put on an excellent RoundTable.  The presentations I attended were well done, the food at the banquet was very good, and banquet speaker Oscar Kovelski was his normal long-winded, but extremely entertaining self.

* The NEDiv Mini-Con is in Albany, NY on November 8, 2008.



April Membership Report - Sandi Kryder

Get well wishes to Sonny Libecco.

Welcome new members:

Ted Gaydosh Jr
Ronald Yarab Jr

A reminder to our members with April Renewals:

Hal Baker Family
Barb Barnharat
Greg Baum
Mike Baum
Thomas Bumgardner
Mark Fickenscher
The McCann Family
Mike Petrusko
Julia Raccio
The Vernis Family

Happy Birthday to:

Ron Baldine    4/9
Thomas Bumgardner   4/15
Lauri Burkons    4/8
Patrick Cavanaugh   4/3
Jeremy Cesene    4/29
Cassie Doinoff    4/6
Steve Dominish    4/15
Vic Marsh    4/30
Ryan McCann    4/14
Brandon Nutter    4/12
Vicki Nutter    4/19
Steve Selments    4/21
Tim Walton    4/14
Kera Yelkin    4/21
 


Resignation

APRIL FOOL

I'm not going anywhere.   Just could not pass up our membership meeting being on April Fool's Day.


CLASSIFIEDS

Free to Mahoning Valley, Neohio, Misery Bay, Steel Cities and Western New York Regions members.  Ads will run 3 consecutive times (asterisks at the beginning of the ad indicates how many times the ad has run).  Ads must be resubmitted after their 3rd run.
 

* For Rent:  ITS Nissan 240 SX.  Contact Kryderacing, 330-854-4889

* RACE CAR PREP:  Kryderacing offers race car preparation, chassis set up, trackside services, etc.   Check out their Website www.kryderacing.com

** For Rent: IT-C Renault Alliance. Well developed and fast. Rent for the Nelson Double Drivers School or for selected events during the racing season. Reliable competitive car. Different rental packages available.
Contact Carl Holbrook 330-856-7841 or email at cholb2698@aol.com