Post by tedebayer on Sept 8, 2013 17:55:09 GMT -5
The 2013 SEDIV Time Trial Championship has had a remarkable year : great events, growth in participation and many new cars and drivers. This year has flown by and we are closing in on our last Time Trial points event at Little Talledega Grand Prix in Munford, AL at the end of this month. I would like to thank the drivers and workers from Central Carolinas Region that have worked our region's hillclimbs and a special thanks to Shane Findlan for serving as our CCR Time Trial Committee representative. A few items I would like you to consider :
#1. Growth - the Sediv Time Trial Program has experienced some substantial growth in 2013. The number of new drivers and cars logged has been wonderful and there are more coming. Craig Farr provided us with a mid-year SEDIV report( ccrscca.proboards.com/thread/6127/2013-sediv-trial-report-great) and we are very pleased with numbers of our drivers not only in the Time Trial Program but also in the Level 1 and Level 2 areas. We will end up with 11 PDX events in the SE Division this year including the one CCR held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Daytona PDX earlier this year had 78 entries and our Time Trial at Barber a few weeks ago had 74 entries! We want to continue to encourage growth, help new participants get involved and look for ways to eliminate barriers to entry to our events.
#2. Time Trial Committee - The Time Trial Committee has several functions. One is to serve as administrators for the SEDIV Time Trial Championship Series. This includes ruling on issues with events, maintaining rules for our SEDIV Time Trial series (including voting on new classes or changes in classes for OUR Division events) and promoting our events within the division (helping each other and working together to market, find sponsors, etc.) The Time Trial Committee also serves as communications channel between our individual regions and TTAC and our SEDIV representative Craig Farr. Craig provides our reps with information on TTAC meetings, requests input so he can accurately reflect our opinions and vote on our behalf and communicates through emails with our committee on changes, new directions and efforts from TTAC and our National Board of Directors. The Time Trial Committee has stayed in touch mostly by email and there have been no issues for voting on through the SEDIV TT Committee (no requests for new classes, no rules changes requested by our reps or participants, etc.) We do have a meeting coming in the next few weeks so if you have issues you would like brought up, please relay them to our CCR Rep, Shane Findlan. There will be some discussions about formalizing a document for Driver's meetings and worker's meeting for future SEDIV TT events to insure clear understanding of our TT rules and making some changes to insure drivers attend driver's meetings. We owe Shane a big thanks for his time, input and help as our CCR TT representative.
#3. www.sedivtt.com - We have a solid website, up to date with information, articles, results and records. We ALSO have an individual site on the dragon hillclimb site at www.dragonhillclimb.com This is a major improvement and few regions can have a website just for their own event. Along with this, Eric Peck and Steven Duckworth and others have done much with social media and our regular CCR website to keep people interested in the Dragon and other events in CCR. Dustin Webb took it upon himself to work out an arrangement with a new sponsor for our last hillclimb. Steve Eckerich did a lot of work with Appalachian Tire and Toyo to bring our hillclimb to a higher level. We owe people like these stepping up to help in media and sponsorship a lot of thanks.
#4. Future Direction - TTAC was tasked by our National Board last spring with making changes to our existing Time Trial program and rules for 2014 to make it more competitive with other clubs and remove some of the "barriers to participation". Our numbers have been flagging in Time Trial and the number passing through from Time Trial to Road Racing have been diminishing as well. TTAC has worked with the Board for many changes in our current Time Trial rules and received input from TTAC and our reps. On a number of occasions, the Board has sent the documented efforts from TTAC back to the Committee and said "That's not good enough " or "that's still too complex." Inputs had to be considered from risk management and our insurance providers and the development process for the changes are still taking place. Nothing has been decided and nothing has been finalized but many people have spent a great deal of time and consideration to this point. Our rules are being condensed and will be far more readable and understandable. It has been stated by many that that no one can read our current TTR rules and get involved without an “inside friend” to explain or “decode”. THAT is a barrier to participation and our National Board has mandated that this must change. My concerns a year ago about any changes revolved around safety remaining at the forefront... and that has not changed. From all I have heard, that is still the priority for for TTAC, Insurance, Risk Management, Club Racing and our National Board.
I am still learning. One of the things I have come to understand is that SCCA is a big organization made of many members, regions and divisions, committees and a National Board that has "one ring to rule them all"… I have a right to my opinion and you have a right to your opinion. We collectively as a region have a right to our opinion and we do as a division. However, when it comes to voting, we in CCR have one vote for our region to help steer the division which is made up of 18 regions. Then, we as a division have one vote in TTAC out of 9 Divisions in SCCA. WE, the SE Division, are unique in that we have a very active Level 3 and Level 4 program and in fact, one of the few that runs these events at all. We, the SE Division is just beginning to scratch the surface in Level 1 and Level 2 efforts while most other Divisions have fairly active programs in these areas. As things progress, rules will undoubtedly have to change and we will have the opportunity to give input through Craig and through our individual voices but bear in mind, we are only speaking for one region and one division. No changes will be made in any of our SCCA rules without approval by the TTAC, Risk Management, our insurance provider and our SCCA National Board. I am confident we can work through new directions positively and if problems occur, our National Board is willing to work to alter programs and rules to make a better program. We, as a Division and we, as a region also have the latitude to make changes in the way we run our event series and our region's events through making changes in our supplementary rules.
There is an old saying, "the only one who likes change is a wet baby." It is always difficult to accept change but I fully believe long term, SCCA must make changes in our Time Trial program in order for it to grow and survive. Some will be thrilled and some may be unhappy and that has been the way with most changes SCCA has made over the years. The fact that SCCA has been around since the 40s, the fact it is non-profit and the fact it is made up of some of the best people any of us have met is no guarantee it will be around twenty years from now for our children to enjoy. THAT legacy is part of our responsibility... to insure it is there for others to enjoy in the future and have the same wonderful experiences we did. The changes being made are an effort to make that happen...just like the ones our predecessors made. The 2013 year has brought new growth and interest in our program and I am looking forward to an even better 2014 with your support and help. We are considering some new efforts in marketing our SEDIV events, some new sponsors and some new venues. We will advise you of these plans as soon as they are solid.
I ask you to keep an open mind as we move into next year and to continue to work with ALL of SCCA and our leadership to build a better Time Trial program. Thanks! Shane will have minutes from our Time Trial Committee meeting next week as soon as we pull together minutes.
Ted Theodore
SE Time Trial Division Administrator
#1. Growth - the Sediv Time Trial Program has experienced some substantial growth in 2013. The number of new drivers and cars logged has been wonderful and there are more coming. Craig Farr provided us with a mid-year SEDIV report( ccrscca.proboards.com/thread/6127/2013-sediv-trial-report-great) and we are very pleased with numbers of our drivers not only in the Time Trial Program but also in the Level 1 and Level 2 areas. We will end up with 11 PDX events in the SE Division this year including the one CCR held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Daytona PDX earlier this year had 78 entries and our Time Trial at Barber a few weeks ago had 74 entries! We want to continue to encourage growth, help new participants get involved and look for ways to eliminate barriers to entry to our events.
#2. Time Trial Committee - The Time Trial Committee has several functions. One is to serve as administrators for the SEDIV Time Trial Championship Series. This includes ruling on issues with events, maintaining rules for our SEDIV Time Trial series (including voting on new classes or changes in classes for OUR Division events) and promoting our events within the division (helping each other and working together to market, find sponsors, etc.) The Time Trial Committee also serves as communications channel between our individual regions and TTAC and our SEDIV representative Craig Farr. Craig provides our reps with information on TTAC meetings, requests input so he can accurately reflect our opinions and vote on our behalf and communicates through emails with our committee on changes, new directions and efforts from TTAC and our National Board of Directors. The Time Trial Committee has stayed in touch mostly by email and there have been no issues for voting on through the SEDIV TT Committee (no requests for new classes, no rules changes requested by our reps or participants, etc.) We do have a meeting coming in the next few weeks so if you have issues you would like brought up, please relay them to our CCR Rep, Shane Findlan. There will be some discussions about formalizing a document for Driver's meetings and worker's meeting for future SEDIV TT events to insure clear understanding of our TT rules and making some changes to insure drivers attend driver's meetings. We owe Shane a big thanks for his time, input and help as our CCR TT representative.
#3. www.sedivtt.com - We have a solid website, up to date with information, articles, results and records. We ALSO have an individual site on the dragon hillclimb site at www.dragonhillclimb.com This is a major improvement and few regions can have a website just for their own event. Along with this, Eric Peck and Steven Duckworth and others have done much with social media and our regular CCR website to keep people interested in the Dragon and other events in CCR. Dustin Webb took it upon himself to work out an arrangement with a new sponsor for our last hillclimb. Steve Eckerich did a lot of work with Appalachian Tire and Toyo to bring our hillclimb to a higher level. We owe people like these stepping up to help in media and sponsorship a lot of thanks.
#4. Future Direction - TTAC was tasked by our National Board last spring with making changes to our existing Time Trial program and rules for 2014 to make it more competitive with other clubs and remove some of the "barriers to participation". Our numbers have been flagging in Time Trial and the number passing through from Time Trial to Road Racing have been diminishing as well. TTAC has worked with the Board for many changes in our current Time Trial rules and received input from TTAC and our reps. On a number of occasions, the Board has sent the documented efforts from TTAC back to the Committee and said "That's not good enough " or "that's still too complex." Inputs had to be considered from risk management and our insurance providers and the development process for the changes are still taking place. Nothing has been decided and nothing has been finalized but many people have spent a great deal of time and consideration to this point. Our rules are being condensed and will be far more readable and understandable. It has been stated by many that that no one can read our current TTR rules and get involved without an “inside friend” to explain or “decode”. THAT is a barrier to participation and our National Board has mandated that this must change. My concerns a year ago about any changes revolved around safety remaining at the forefront... and that has not changed. From all I have heard, that is still the priority for for TTAC, Insurance, Risk Management, Club Racing and our National Board.
I am still learning. One of the things I have come to understand is that SCCA is a big organization made of many members, regions and divisions, committees and a National Board that has "one ring to rule them all"… I have a right to my opinion and you have a right to your opinion. We collectively as a region have a right to our opinion and we do as a division. However, when it comes to voting, we in CCR have one vote for our region to help steer the division which is made up of 18 regions. Then, we as a division have one vote in TTAC out of 9 Divisions in SCCA. WE, the SE Division, are unique in that we have a very active Level 3 and Level 4 program and in fact, one of the few that runs these events at all. We, the SE Division is just beginning to scratch the surface in Level 1 and Level 2 efforts while most other Divisions have fairly active programs in these areas. As things progress, rules will undoubtedly have to change and we will have the opportunity to give input through Craig and through our individual voices but bear in mind, we are only speaking for one region and one division. No changes will be made in any of our SCCA rules without approval by the TTAC, Risk Management, our insurance provider and our SCCA National Board. I am confident we can work through new directions positively and if problems occur, our National Board is willing to work to alter programs and rules to make a better program. We, as a Division and we, as a region also have the latitude to make changes in the way we run our event series and our region's events through making changes in our supplementary rules.
There is an old saying, "the only one who likes change is a wet baby." It is always difficult to accept change but I fully believe long term, SCCA must make changes in our Time Trial program in order for it to grow and survive. Some will be thrilled and some may be unhappy and that has been the way with most changes SCCA has made over the years. The fact that SCCA has been around since the 40s, the fact it is non-profit and the fact it is made up of some of the best people any of us have met is no guarantee it will be around twenty years from now for our children to enjoy. THAT legacy is part of our responsibility... to insure it is there for others to enjoy in the future and have the same wonderful experiences we did. The changes being made are an effort to make that happen...just like the ones our predecessors made. The 2013 year has brought new growth and interest in our program and I am looking forward to an even better 2014 with your support and help. We are considering some new efforts in marketing our SEDIV events, some new sponsors and some new venues. We will advise you of these plans as soon as they are solid.
I ask you to keep an open mind as we move into next year and to continue to work with ALL of SCCA and our leadership to build a better Time Trial program. Thanks! Shane will have minutes from our Time Trial Committee meeting next week as soon as we pull together minutes.
Ted Theodore
SE Time Trial Division Administrator
