What gives with SCCA, anyhow?

[jstevens1]

What is up with the SCCA letting regions drop their Solo II programs in part or in whole? What the heck am I paying $70 a year for? The privilege of volunteering for race after race with no chance to autocross?

I started as a member of SCCA in the Buccaneer Region, which is divided into two seperate autocross clubs: Savannah(North) and Jacksonville(South). Savannah usually draws from 30 to 50 autocrossers per even, and Jax often gets over 100.

Now, unfortunately, I find myself living in the middle of the Lonestar Region, where only Club Racing matters. They've let some other bunch, called the 'Texas Spokes' take over the autocrosses. Not being a Spoke myself, I have to pay more to autocross, and I'm not necessarily advancing myself within the SCCA.

Next summer, I'll find myself in the North Carolina Region. I'm told (by their RE) that they're divided into 4 chapters, 2 of which don't really have established Solo II programs. I've no idea yet which chapter I'll fall into, but it would be my luck...

Some folks love to drag race. Some love to road race. Me, I love the autocross. I find it very disappointing that the organization which I joined for the purpose of autocrossing does not necessarily make it available to me everywhere they're represented. I can understand if a region isn't able to support Club Racing or Club Rally, for lack of venue. But just how hard is it to find an area suitable for autocross?

Not very, I think...

[mdonahue]

I am hearing some news about the IRS hitting the SCCA very hard. They have been letting non-members drive for a price. IRS considers this income. (read: no longer non-profit). The back taxes they owe are significant. The SCCA is doing a lot of restructuring.

BTW this is going to affect ALL car clubs very soon. You will have to join all the clubs you participate in. This can have the benefit of getting all the newletters and cool articles.

[jstevens1]

SCCA in financial trouble, eh? Aren't they spending like $3million or something on their new HQ in Topeka? Been a while since I got my last issue of Sports Car magazine (like APRIL...) so I'm a little behind their times.

However, this problem seems to have been around a bit longer than the afore-mentioned financial woes. Lonestar Region has been out of the autocross business since long before I moved here last year. Talking to NCR's RE online, I found out that 2 of their 4 chapters gave-up autocross over 20 years ago.

I know SCCA is about a WHOLE lot more than autocross, and I used to volunteer a bit in Buccaneer Region to help our F&C chief at SARRC events at Roebling Road. Solo II is just a small part of the big picture, but for most of us, it's the only part that let's us in on the action. Being a big national organization, I figured I could join SCCA and just renew every year to keep autocrossing. I moved 4 times last year. I can't keep-on joining a new club ewvery damned time I move somewhere. I'll blow half my paycheck on membership dues!!!!!

SCCA is starting to let me down, BIGTIME...

[trmn8er]

Sorry to hear about your SoloII problems. Here in the mid-west (southwest Ohio) SoloII is big. Maybe your next move should be here! Many chapters in a 100 mile radius of me including Cincinnati, Dayton (my group), Columbus, etc. :bna

[jstevens1]

Yeah, if only I could choose where to go next. I'd love to go to Savannah, GA, where I started autocrossing. They've got a great club there with a really fine bunch of people participating in it. But, I get stuck with going to Fort Bragg, NC. That sticks me in one of North Carolina Region's non-SoloII chapters. It looks like I'll end-up driving an hour or two to the nearest autocross each weekend. I guess it beats the 3 hour drive up to Dallad/Fort Worth...

[trmn8er]

Can you get to this base?

[jstevens1]

No chance. There's little US Army there, much less any active-Army AH-64D Longbow attack helicopter battalion. So, that idea's out the window. Closest would be Fort Knox, but that's actually KY National Guard or Reserve, and I could never get so lucky on active duty. The Army is REALLY cramping my style, eh?

Take Care...

[WIZARD Racing]

When I had a question or comment for the SCCA "brass", I emailed Steve Johnson directly. You can do that through the SCCA's web site. Complain about the lack of a Solo II program in the areas you move to. He will answer. He answered me.

I'm lucky (kind of). I live in New England. They have ALL SCCA activities running here. Solo, Rally, Road, workers. I've travelled 30 minutes or up to 2 hours to autocross. But I've also travelled as far as 1100 miles to road race too. The biggest problem we have up here is Mother Nature. She keeps dumping the white cold stuff on us for months at a time.

The last of the Army bases near me went bye-bye. Ft Devens. We now use the Devens air field to autocross on.

I wish you luck on your search for autocrosses.

[WIZARD Racing]

Originally posted by jstevens1
Closest would be Fort Knox, but that's actually KY National Guard or Reserve, and I could never get so lucky on active duty. The Army is REALLY cramping my style, eh?



You could always go to Ft Drum NY. I have a friend stationed there. (He's going to Ft Knox for 7 weeks of training starting next week) I know that a couple of the NY Regions have decent autocross.

[jstevens1]

Well, I can't go to Fort Drum, either. No active-duty AH-64D units there. Here's all the places I CAN go:

Hunter Army Airfield, GA (Savannah)
Fort Hood, TX (Killeen)
Fort Bragg, NC (Fayetteville) (Where I'm supposed to go)
Fort Campbell, KY (Clarksville, TN... right on the state line)
Fort Carson, CO (CO Springs, I think)
Fort Eustis, VA (Newport News)
Fort Rucker, AL (middle of nowhere, 90 min from PC Beach, FL)
3 Places in Germany
3 Places in South Korea

Those are all the options I get in this job. CO is too darned cold. KY is insane, as far as duty goes. VA is RIGHT out of the question. AL is tough to get, as is GA. TX I already know sux the big one. Been here twice. I'll go AWOL before I come back to THIS again. Germany and Korea are too far away from any REAL country (USA!). Not that I'm fond of going to NC, but if I can't get GA or AL, I guess it'll have to do.

Despite what any of you MAY think, those are my ONLY options besides recruiting duty or special assignments (Egypt or some other CIA-type secret squirrel stuff...). Recruiting is NOt conducive to autocross, as recruiters typically work 7 days a week, often 16 or more hours a day. Those guys get smoked for a few years straight, no breaks.

So, Fort Bragg it is. Like it or not, here I come (in about 15 months)!

Take Care...

[MZXNK4]

If you think Colorado is cold what the hell do you think Germany would be like Cuz? I was stationed at Ft. Carson during Vietnam, and it was sooo much better that here in Michigan. I did a lot of SCCA events while out there and I'll tell you, you will NEVER find better roads to challenge your driving skills than out there! Especially on the western slopes. We ran road ralleys all winter long and never missed a beat. Guess you better quit crying and either find a new Army occupation or shut up and get the hell out and get a REAL job! Some of the best runs are from Colorado Springs south thru New Mexico etc. Good luck Bubba!

[jstevens1]

Yeah, I did three years in Germany. It was butt-cold out there. We got maybe 3 warm days each summer. I can recall a silly amount of time spent weearing a jacket in the summer, even in the DAY! But it's close enough to Italy that I don't mind. Been stationed there before, too, and I loved it. Too bad I can't get back there. Another thing, though, about Germany... they got these awesome open tracks out there. Pay like DM20.- and take a lap of the world-famous Nurburgring. Totally AWESOME. Weather permitting, of course...

In a little over two months, I'll be able to start telling everyone about the whole motorsports scene in South Korea first-hand. I have little idea what awaits there, but I know I won't have my beloved Focus there. I think I'll rice-out a delivery truck over there, like a Daihatsu or something the like. Just for kicks. Then, right before I leave to come back to the States, I'll push the darned thing over a cliff...

I'm starting to miss my SVTF already...:(

[MZXNK4]

Hey Bubba,

Looks like you really like being bounced around like a rubber ball right? If not then do something about it, quit *****'n and start pitchin. Get busy getting a degree that will give you a real job, something so you can market yourself with here state side! Those re-enlistment guys will tell you anything to get their numbers and I'm sure you know that. I have had several family members make a career out of military and they have paid a very heavy price since non of them were ever officers. Sounds like you have some brains so use them and get moving...time is a wasting. Don't mis understand me, I'm not anti military, that life is for very special folks and we need them, but you sound like you need a major change guy!. I don't know your personal situation but it takes real balls to go for it. I was laid off July 02 from EDS after 26 years and it really sucks. Three more years and I was going to retire but here we are and I have a daughter in college too. So now I get to start over again too. So go for it, I wish you the best. Too bad you will not be state side in July for the Ford 100th party would be good to meet you there. Take care and best of luck to you!!! :allhail:

[LMarx]

As a means of introduction, I am a retired Army guy with 23 years of service.

I am also an SCCA member for 10 years. SCCA is a CLUB. That means it is run by the membership. The only reason there is no Solo near you is that no one has stepped up to the plate and orgainized it.

I went through the same thing you are going through. Many moves and lots of years with out autocrossing. That is just reality, and has no reflection on the SCCA. Most of my Solo was done with clubs that were not SCCA. As a matter of fact, SCCA did little of Autocrossing before the mid 70's.

The biggest problem is getting a suitable site to hold events. Ever since the blue laws were found unconstitutional, the 24/7 business cycle has taken all the parking lots. All the remaining locations, such as airfields, have great concerns for liability. That is where the SCCA and its insurance provides the key.

Best of luck with your career and finding a place to Solo.

P.S. I discovered the Okinawa Sports Car Club when there in 1975-77. It has/had a great history from the mid 50's with off island racing at Macao/Macau, and racing on island on the Tori Station air field. That was until a non member stayed late after an event, ran his car off the cliff surrounding the airfield, and the commander had bulldozers cut the runways up!!

I successfully got the Marines at Futema to allow us to run on their taxi way. Like, way good stuff.