Pacesetter

[mseal]

I've been thinking for sometime that we really don't know much about our fellow members/autocrossers. I propose that we start a "newsletter" to be posted on this website with similar content to the pacesetter section of Sportscar magazine. Things like where you grew up, went to school, profession (or what you want to do), family, favorite author/book, favorite entertainer/movie/TV show, favorite food, non-SCCA activity, first car, favorite car, current car, favorite race driver, most influential person in your life, etc. Please feel free to add/edit these suggestions. I'll try to make some forms to have available at the autocross on the 21st. Maybe we can have them back by the charity event at Salem. I'm not trying to intrude on anyone's privacy, but we do have some really unique people around us at each event. Think about it!

Mick Seal

[Scott]

that sounds like a great idea!

[Chiketkd]

that sounds like a great idea!

+1 The newsletter can also be used to increase enrollment in our club. If students in our club who attend JMU, Va Tech & UVA brought some of these flyers to their car club meetings, we could see quite a few new faces at our events in the future.

-Chike

[Imprezivblue]

that sounds like a great idea!

+1 The newsletter can also be used to increase enrollment in our club. If students in our club who attend JMU, Va Tech & UVA brought some of these flyers to their car club meetings, we could see quite a few new faces at our events in the future.

-Chike

Honestly, that's not really going to help pull people from the car clubs. Most of the time members are aware of events through ccvt's forum and mm's forum. I've been drafting a letter to write to national for about two months (something I started and didn't finish, what a surprise) to help boost membership but that's another issue.

On ccvt's forum there's a sticky autox 101 thread I wrote to help give n00bs the low down on what autox is and where they can find information. Upcoming events are mentioned at meetings as well. A lot of people are finding NASA to be the place to be because it's a younger crowd and offers free track time for working. They can go hang with their friends and earn free track time where our sport is pretty much invest or work for free. It's not that I've given up it's just a lot of college kids aren't interested in spending their days in parking lots and that's fine because some just aren't meant to be there. This isn't meant to be a NASA/SCCA debate - I just think a lot of college students like their setup and that's why the SCCA isn't pulling in as much membership.

As the SCCA attempts to increase their membership, this weekend membership crap is going to decrease the potential crop of autoxers for the future out of the college crowd. Some people would rather spend the money on other events than pay for the membership. Some don't care to have the magazine, discounts, etc. and I think some people forget college students don't have that much money to throw around. It's a miracle I was able to do what I did somehow. The SCCA is focusing on a temporary fix for a problem that has been long term. I agree with you that the SCCA doesn't focus on soliciting to the younger people to promote the longevity and healthy membership required to pull off events like the Pro Solo program which is currently in the toilet. But I think our school and MM (I don't know about UVA) have a healthy bunch of autoxers that help promote events. I don't think a weekend membership is the answer. A college student might want to do a few extra events a year to have fun instead of buying the membership but it doesn't mean they won't buy one down the road when they finally graduate and have a job. They will also have more money to dump into the program down the road with more events and nationals, etc. College students are the feeder program for the future and I think the SCCA is shooting themselves in the foot; never mind, considering the competitive programs NASA offers. You don't have to be a NASA member to run their autoxs (but you do pay a nonmember fee). And I'm certainly not a NASA hater, I have lots of friends that are involved with their programs but this membership mandate is only going to cause more people to jump ship.

/rant

Anyway, I think a newsletter is a good idea. A lot of clubs have them including TRIAD and SWVR SCCA. The biggest issue is finding people to volunteer their time in writing it, sending it out, etc. On a slightly related note, there has also been talk in the trailer probably for many years involving how it would be great if the announcers had a way to access information about drivers on course to fill dead airtime. I think maybe having people fill out index cards at registration or something (of course it could be optional) would help announcers out who are unfamiliar with drivers. Index cards could even include phonetics for people with hard to pronounce names.