Area 4 Director Update for March 2023

February is always a brief respite as we gear up for the oncoming season.  Region officials are working on their events, competitors are reviewing the schedule to see when and where they want to race…..and both are carefully reviewing budgets to see how it will play out financially.

On a personal note, I was asked by two regions in our Area to attend their annual banquets.  I was extremely flattered.  With the possibility of a nice meal, great conversation and the chance to schmooze with members on the table, I jumped at the opportunity to accept (as much as a 61 year old man with a ‘soon to be replaced’ hip is capable of jumping). Both regions (Cincinnati and Detroit) are populated with folks I know and so both evenings were a lot of fun.

So, here’s what I did this past month…..

Video Conference Meetings:

  • Club Racing Board (CRB) (2/7): We continued to work on plans for the first of two face to face meetings in 2023 which would be held in March (3/17, 3/18).  This meeting would concentrate on long term, strategic questions about the Road Racing program (What will the runoffs look like?, What will the class structure entail?, etc.).  A review of the “hot” letters showed that very few have percolated to the CRB for discussion.  This is a good thing as it shows the advisory committees are doing their jobs better.  This, in turn, allows the board to prioritize more serious issues.  The results of CRB rules changes can be seen here.
  • Electrified Vehicle Advisory Committee (EVAC) (2/8): The Training and Education Advisory Committee (TEAC) has continued to work on content for the Learning Management System (LMS).  The EVAC has maintained its focus on responding to the many letters we receive through the CRB letter portal.  Its great news that we have so many interested folks willing to write to us.  Nearly all of these letters are very supportive and ask deep questions about safety and technological advances as well as offer advice for future protocols.
  • Board of Directors (BoD) (2/27): We received preliminary, year end financial numbers.  Considering all that’s happened recently, we ended up in a pretty strong position.  The next step is for the auditors to do their thing (which they do annually).  We were also briefed that convention conversation will start soon.  We need to figure out if the membership wants to meet face to face, virtually or a combination of the two.  Start thinking about that and let me know what you would like to do.  We reviewed proposed rules changes for the Hill Climb program as well as additions to the RallyCross Board (RXB).

SCCA Events:

  • Cincinnati Region Banquet (2/4): I finished my high school years and started college in Oxford, OH which is just 30 minutes northwest of downtown Cincinnati.  Throw in that Melinda and I know quite a few members from the Cincinnati Region, and you have a recipe for a nice weekend jaunt down for their annual banquet.  I was asked to say a few words by the outgoing and incoming REs.  I kept my remarks short (and clean!) since the agenda was full that evening.  I made mention of the fact that they ran the second most events in the division and only solid leadership could foster an atmosphere where so many programs thrived.  The meal was very nice (great green beans!) and the awards ceremonies were a lot of fun.
  • Detroit Region Banquet (2/18): The new RE (Alex Della Torre) invited me over and I gladly accepted his kind offer.  As my region (Western Michigan) borders the Detroit Region, I have had the chance to get to know many of their members over the years.  I had not planned on making any remarks but Alex asked me to speak about the region’s efforts in 2022.  I pointed out that among GLDiv regions, Detroit had the most events across the most programs of any region in 2022.  I reminded the audience that it takes strong region and program leadership to have so many programs operating so effectively.  Once again, the meal was very nice, and the ceremonies afterwards were well run and fun to watch.

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One last reminder that the GLDiv Spring Meeting will occur on 3/3 and 3/4 in Fort Wayne, IN at the same site as last year (Manchester University).  A link for registering for the event can be found here.  The registration cost is $30.  An additional $10 gets you a really nice pasta, salad and dessert dinner from Casa d’Angelo on Friday evening.  Registration closes on 3/2 @ 11p so be sure to sign up ASAP. 

In addition to all the informational meetings, there will be a silent auction of donated items including motorsports memorabilia.  The proceeds will be split 50/50 between the GLDiv and the SCCA Foundation.  Contact Val if you have something to auction.

The meetings will be across all programs, so I encourage all members to attend.  With more programs under the SCCA banner these days, we need to focus on teamwork to help each region put on the best events they can for our members.

As usual, Val McCammon is coordinating the event.  The agenda has been posted on MSR.  Please contact her (pyramid@bluebirdview.com, 260.437.6707) with any questions you may have about the meeting.

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Be sure and visit the GLDiv website for information about all of the SCCA programs within the division.  We have schedules, official’s contact info, standings, etc. for all the SCCA programs.

Please take a few minutes and make sure your contact information is accurate in the SCCA database.  It’s important to have the correct information there so the club knows how to contact you.  Log in to your my.scca.com page and check. 

As I mentioned previously, there is a new path to getting your annual waiver.  You can now get it through the Member Account Portal (MAP).  Follow this link to get the instructions.  There is also a story about the program here.  I’ve done it and it only takes a couple of minutes. Be prepared to upload a headshot picture of yourself.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you may have about any facet of the GLDiv. I want you to make the most of your membership and I will help out in any way possible to make that happen.

Dayle Frame

CincySCCA Member Appreciation and Awards Banquet

Registration is Now OPEN for the Annual Banquet!

Come join your fellow competitors and car enthusiasts for an evening of Good Food, Great Fellowship, Awards and Door Prizes!
This is your chance to dress up a little, celebrate achievements and put 2022 behind us while gearing up for the 2023 season.

Banquet is held at Receptions Event Center in Fairfield

We will be meeting in the Ohio Room, which is to the right from the main entrance lobby. Receptions Event Center is located at 5975 Boymel Drive, Fairfield, OH 45014.

Dress is Business Casual (or better).

Awards for solo, rally and road racing will be awarded, along with the annual Cincinnati Region awards. Drawings for door prizes will be scattered throughout the award presentations, including valuable $$$s off our competition events. Register and pay by January 23rd and you will receive bonus tickets for more chances.

6:00 – 6:45 PM Registration and socializing – hors d’oeuvres and cash bar
6:45 – 7:45 PM Dinner
7:30 – 10:00 PM Awards & Door Prizes

TENTATIVE BUFFET MENU

Carved, Slow Roasted Top Round of Beef with Demi Glaze & Horseradish
Chicken Parmesan
Pasta Primavera Farfalle (Vegetarian)
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Southern Style Green Beans
Tossed Salad w/ Assorted Dressings
Hot Rolls & Butter
Assorted Desserts
Unlimited Soft Drinks (Cash Bar available)

*The menu has not been finalized, and may change without notice.

Adults – $40 *
Children 10 & under – $15 (Additional $5 for Door Prize Raffle tickets)
Children 5 & under – Free (No Door Prize Raffle tickets)

You can also attend the awards portion of the evening without the Meal/Door Prize option for free, but please register so we can plan for seating.

* We regret that it is necessary to raise the fee due to the significantly higher cost to the club this year. This is the first fee increase since 2016. The region has always subsidized the cost to make it more manageable for our members, and always will.  We appreciate your understanding.

Contact the event registrar with registration issues or questions.


Registration closes Wednesday, January 30
. Late and walk up dinner registration will be extremely limited so PLEASE REGISTER PROMPTLY. Don’t miss out!

Register online at http://cincyscca.motorsportsreg.com/
OR See the form below for more details and register by mail (must be received by Jan. 30) or online at 
Banquet.PDF

RE-Port

The winds are howling and the temperatures are dropping, it must be winter in southwest Ohio!

I have just 2 important announcements to make this month so I’ll jump right into the first one. SAVE THE DATE! Our Annual Awards Banquet has been renamed the “Cincinnati Region SCCA Membership Appreciation & Awards Banquet” It has been scheduled for February 4th, 2023 and will once again be celebrated at the Receptions location in Fairfield! Look for more information and details on registration to be announced very soon!

At our November Membership/Board Meeting the new 2023 Board of Directors for Cincinnati Region were elected! I present your 2023 Board!

REGION EXECUTIVE
– Jim Clark
Assistant R.E.
– Brian Walker
Treasurer
– Christy Graham
Secretary
– Halie Sewell
BOARD MEMBER AT LARGE (Serve from Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024)
– Tacti Takagi
– Jeff Loewe
– Brandon Sewell
BOARD MEMBER AT LARGE (Serve from Jan 1, 2022 to Dec 31, 2023)
– Jack Burns
– Tom Tomlinson
– A.J. Allen (appointed to finish Jim Clark term)

Thanks again to everyone that came out to the meeting, it was great to see some new faces! A reminder that our monthly meetings take December off and will be back on schedule for the next meeting on January 17. 2023 at the Shooters Sports Grill at 4981 Winners Circle Drive, Hamilton, OH 45011. ALL Cincy SCCA members are encouraged to come out to our meeting and socialize with our fellow Cincy SCCA Members!

Have a safe holiday season and see you soon!

Tony Brown
Cincinnati Region SCCA R.E.

Area 4 Director Update for December 2022

The “off season” arrives and I wholeheartedly chortle…..it’s really the beginning of the next season for those of us working behind the scenes…..there really is no “off season” folks so I continue to work to help our divisional programs prepare for the upcoming year.

Video Conference Meetings:

  • Club Racing Board (CRB) (11/1): The CRB met and continued to move forward on a variety of topics.  Some are very much long term, strategic in their nature.  I’m glad to see that they’ve moved on from extended discussion about minute rules questions and are leaving that to the Ad Hoc committees.  The results of CRB rules changes can be seen here.
  • Board of Directors (BoD) (11/7): We met off schedule with the Rally Cross Board (RXB) Chair (current and incoming) to discuss the future of the program.  Once they gave us the “State of the Program”, they left and were able to have a conversation about the program.  Some decisions wer made and we passed those along to the President (Mike Cobb).
  • Electrified Vehicle Advisory Committee (EVAC) (11/9): After a couple of months of stagnation, things are starting to move quickly.  Our SCREV is getting some final revisions and will be presented to the BoD on 12/3. Our rules packages for Club Racing (P2EV, ESpec) are getting some last-minute polishing and should be ready for publication to the membership very soon. 
  • Budget & Finance Committee (11/15): We received a preliminary budget from the President.  After he outlined the details for us, we had some time to discuss the overall package.  We met in Executive Session (only BoD members) and had a chat about how to move forward in these trying economic times.
  • Budget & Finance Committee (11/25): We met in a short session (45 minutes) to iron out some financial topics on the 2023 budget.  As we are meeting on 12/3, we wanted Mike to juggle some of the budget items so the entire BoD could discuss the complete 2023 package.
  • EVAC (11/28): I decided that we needed an additional “off schedule” meeting to iron out some revisions to the rules packages before I head off to the BoD meeting.

SCCA Events:

  • None since it our off season.

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A quick reminder that the GLDiv Spring Meeting will occur on 3/3 and 3/4 at the same site as last year (Manchester University).  Friday (3/3) will be a social event that evening and 3/4 will be the meeting.  The meetings will be across all programs, so I encourage all members to attend.  With more programs under the SCCA banner these days, we need to focus on teamwork to help each region put on the best events they can. 

I will be introducing our new Club Racing Executive Steward at this event.  Her name is Lauri Burkons and she will be taking over the reins from Duane Harrington.  She has some large shows to fill and a lot of work to do so the expectations are high.  But I know she’s up to the task as we move forward.  She and I have already been working together to ensure that she hits the ground running in 2023. 

As usual, Val McCammon is coordinating the event.  She will send a “call for sessions” email soon.  She also asked that I remind folks to contact her (pyramid@bluebirdview.com, 260.437.6707) with any topic or session ideas they would like to see.

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Be sure and visit the GLDiv website for information about all of the SCCA programs within the division.  We have schedules, official’s contact info, standings, etc. for all the SCCA programs.

Please take a few minutes and make sure your contact information is accurate in the SCCA database.  It’s important to have the correct information there so the club knows how to contact you.  Log in to your my.scca.com page and check. 

As I mentioned previously, there is a new path to getting your annual waiver.  You can now get it through the Member Account Portal (MAP).  Follow this link to get the instructions.  There is also a story about the program here.  I’ve done it and it only takes a couple of minutes. Be prepared to upload a headshot picture of yourself.

Just a quick reminder, if any region out there wants to have an “Ask the Director” session during your monthly meetings, please do not hesitate to contact me so we can schedule a visit.  I retired last summer so have plenty of free time and would thoroughly enjoy the chance to visit with your members.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you may have about any facet of the GLDiv. I want you to make the most of your membership and I will help out in any way possible to make that happen.

Dayle Frame

Area 4 Director Update for September 2022

September will be a busy month for me as I head to Lincoln, NE for the Solo Nationals.  I’ll be at that event from 9/5 to 9/10.  I’ve never been to the Solo Nationals and am really looking forward to it.  Later in the month, I’m headed to Virginia for the Runoffs.  The Runoffs will be held at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) this year (and next) and I’ll be there from 9/23 to 10/3.  I’ve been to VIR several times.  It’s a fabulous facility that will really test the mettle of the competitors.  As I have a brother who lives near there (Durham, NC), I get to pull double duty and visit with him.  Another bonus…..staying at his place will save me (and the Club) a lot of money.

Since I’ll be on the road most of the month, I may not be able to write an update for October.  Hopefully, it’ll be a much easier month.  I am scheduled to get my left hip replaced on 10/13 (not a Friday) so I’ll be able to walk, golf, bike, flag, etc. with MUCH less pain.  Wish me luck…..

Video Conference Meetings:

  • Club Racing Board (CRB) (8/2): As we just had a face to face meeting in KC on 7/28, this Zoom call was more procedural in nature.  We reviewed the letter log and continued the conversation on the G2C initiative (Green to Checker).  I updated the CRB on the work the EVAC has been doing.  The results of CRB rules changes can be seen here.
  • Electrified Vehicle Advisory Committee (EVAC) (8/10): The revised SCREV is being reviewed by the Experiential programs (Time Trials, Track Night in America, Solo, Rally Cross).  While this review is happening, we are working on a variety of things in the background.  The Broch Evans Motorsports EV race car (previously a Formula Mazda) will be entered in AMod at the Solo Nationals.  The car will also be at the Runoffs but only as a static display.  It will be exciting to get this car in front of SCCA folks so they can see it for themselves.  We are also working on training materials for members so they know how to interact with an EV that has entered an SCCA event.  More on that to come later.
  • EVAC (8/23): This was a secondary meeting among some of the EVAC to discuss data acquisition systems for the EVs in Club Racing.  We met with the folks from Aim as we are considering mandating such systems in all of the EVs in Club Racing.  This would make it easier to monitor voltage, power, current, etc. in these cars.  Its early in the process and we wanted to make sure we had a handle on it.

SCCA Events:

  • CRB (7/28): As one of the liaisons to the CRB, I attended their meeting in KC.  Many topics were discussed with an emphasis on long term, strategic thinking about the Club Racing program as a whole.  Data acquisition to monitor performance was highlighted as this will become even more important as we move forward.  Green to Checker (G2C) was discussed at length.  How do we as a group (drivers, steward, workers, etc.) pull together to make sure we have more green flag laps?  A variety of options were mentioned as a part of the solution.  Some routine house keeping was done as well.  They updated language on officials, discussed burden of proof in compliance issues, talked about the future of T1 and how do we fold FIA GT4 cars into Club Racing.  I updated them on how the EVAC was coming along on our rules packages.  This progressed into a broader discussion about EVs in Club Racing.
  • BoD (7/30): Like all face to face, BoD meetings, we were updated by all the managers so we could get an assessment of each program.  All the programs had bright spots and challenges.  This is nothing new.  The good news is that the bright spots outweighed the challenges and I am optimistic about the Club’s future.  The national staff is working hard to make events better, help make the regions put on better events and make a member’s experience better.  We also got a review of the financial standing of the club (pretty good considering the high cost of travel these days).  We were told by the marketing folks that we are “refreshing” our logos and graphic standards.  As this hasn’t been done in quite a while, it’s probably overdue.  We were also told that we are trending upward in terms of full time members…..that’s always good news.
  • WMR Major (8/20, 8/21): I signed up for this event so I could help out my home region (WMR) while enjoying some fun at Grattan Raceway.  Once again, rain followed me to a race course.  Saturday’s schedule was marred by a session being red flagged just as the heavens unleashed a torrent on the track.  With lightning in the area, the Chief Steward had no choice but to stop the clock and allow the workers to seek shelter as the storm passed through.  20 minutes later, the skies were clear and we could go racing again.  The day continued with the usual awesome, all attendee dinner.  Maybe I’m jaundiced but I will stack up the dinner menu at WMR events against ANY other track food option.  Sunday’s races were held under nicer weather conditions.  As it was the last Major east of the Mississippi, this was the last chance for drivers to qualify for the Runoffs via the Majors path.

Be sure and visit the GLDiv website for information about all of the SCCA programs within the division.  We have schedules, official’s contact info, standings, etc. for all the SCCA programs.

The various national schedules for 2022 are starting to coalesce and they can be found here: 

Pro Solo/National Tour, Time Trials National Tour, Hoosier Super Tour, Enduro.

Please take a few minutes and make sure your contact information is accurate in the SCCA database.  It’s important to have the correct information there so the club knows how to contact you.  Log in to your my.scca.com page and check. 

As I mentioned previously, there is a new path to getting your annual waiver.  You can now get it through the Member Account Portal (MAP).  Follow this link to get the instructions.  There is also a story about the program here.  I’ve done it and it only takes a couple of minutes. Be prepared to upload a headshot picture of yourself.

Just a quick reminder, if any region out there wants to have an “Ask the Director” session during your monthly meetings, please do not hesitate to contact me so we can schedule a visit.  I retired last summer so have plenty of free time and would thoroughly enjoy the chance to visit with your members.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you may have about any facet of the GLDiv. I want you to make the most of your membership and I will help out in any way possible to make that happen.

Dayle Frame

Area 4 Director Update for August 2022

This month I competed in a GLDiv Solo in Fort Wayne, IN and worked F&C at the SBR/DET Major at GingerMan Raceway.  I will also be driving to Kansas City for the BoD meeting on 7/29, 7/30.  While there, I will also be sitting in on the CRB meeting on 7/28. 

I also contracted COVID on 7/2 while boating on Lake Michigan and watching fireworks display in Muskegon.  My symptoms weren’t too terrible but it wasn’t a picnic either.  The hardest part was isolating at home and not going out.  It is frightening how quickly one can get bored while trapped in your own home.  Please note that COVID is not over.  Please take the appropriate measures and remain vigilant.  As a reminder, if you need some home test kits from the CDC, click here.

Video Conference Meetings:

  • Club Racing Board (CRB) (7/5): We discussed roll cage rules after the severe impact that a Spec Miata incurred at Road America.  On one hand the cage did its job but on the other, the driver was seriously injured.  The T1 Town Hall Zoom meeting was discussed.  We reviewed the Runoffs Tech Inspection lists.  More work was done on the face-to-face meeting to be held in July (7/28).  I updated the CRB on the work the EVAC has been doing.  The results of CRB rules changes can be seen here.
  • Electrified Vehicle Advisory Committee (EVAC) (7/13): With the revised SCREV sent on its way to the various program boards and their BoB liaisons, we concentrated on preparing the Club Racing rules packages.  We discussed some feedback we had gotten from the Production, Touring and BSpec committees. 
  • Solo Events Board (SEB) (7/13): This meeting was to discuss the revised SCREV document with the SEB.  They asked a lot of pertinent questions and I hope I answered them to their satisfaction.

SCCA Events:

  • Fort Wayne Region Solo (7/23): Since I will be travelling to the Solo Nationals on Labor Day (9/6), I will not be able to participate in the WMR Solo at Grattan Raceway.  As a result, I needed to attend another Solo to work on my skills.  I checked the schedule and decided to go to FWR’s event on 7/23.  I drove down the afternoon before so I wouldn’t have to get up at an ungodly hour on the day of the event.  This would be first time I’ve competed in a divisional Solo and I was looking forward to it.  When I got to the site, I realized that I wasn’t prepared to keep my gear from getting wet in the impending rain.  Many thanks to Kevin Keys for helping out an unprepared newbie by allowing me to store my gear in his trailer.  The day started out with a HUGE thunderstorm rolling through the area.  VERY heavy rain and lightning dancing all around us.  After a 90 minute delay for the obvious safety reasons, we got started around 11a.  I was to run in the first heat and work the second.  There were three cars in my class (HS) and I ended up finishing in 2nd  FWR puts on a very nice event and I hope all of you can make it to one of their events soon.  Results for this event can be found here.
  • SBR/DET Major (7/24): I signed up for this event so I could help out our friends at SBR and DET while enjoying some fun at GingerMan Raceway.  As it turned out, there was more rain in order (it seemed to follow me during he weekend) but fun was had regardless of the weather.  As usual the host regions ran a great event.  During the “quiet time” period lunch was served which consisted of a fantastic “build your own” hot dog assembly line with chili, cheese, onions, relish…..all the fixings.  As an added perk for me, I got to see my old race car on track in the hands of its new owner.  Quite a sight!
  • CRB (7/28): I’ll report on this meeting in next month’s report.
  • BoD (7/30): I’ll report on this meeting in next month’s report.

Be sure and visit the GLDiv website for information about all of the SCCA programs within the division.  We have schedules, official’s contact info, standings, etc. for all the SCCA programs.

The various national schedules for 2022 are starting to coalesce and they can be found here: 

Pro Solo/National Tour, Time Trials National Tour, Hoosier Super Tour, Enduro.

 

Please take a few minutes and make sure your contact information is accurate in the SCCA database.  It’s important to have the correct information there so the club knows how to contact you.  Log in to your my.scca.com page and check. 

As I mentioned previously, there is a new path to getting your annual waiver.  You can now get it through the Member Account Portal (MAP).  Follow this link to get the instructions.  There is also a story about the program here.  I’ve done it and it only takes a couple of minutes. Be prepared to upload a headshot picture of yourself.

Just a quick reminder, if any region out there wants to have an “Ask the Director” session during your monthly meetings, please do not hesitate to contact me so we can schedule a visit.  I retired last summer so have plenty of free time and would thoroughly enjoy the chance to visit with your members.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you may have about any facet of the GLDiv. I want you to make the most of your membership and I will help out in any way possible to make that happen.

Dayle Frame