From: Mike Smith <msmith2@columbus.rr.com>
>You can correct me if I'm wrong here, but clubs are about numbers, right?
No. Businesses are about numbers. Clubs are about concepts and shared
interests. If the concept and shared interest is sufficient, the club will
survive.
If the primary purpose of an organization is to grow and make money, it's a
business. AAA started as an enthusiast's outfit. It decided it would be
happier as a business. Racing was a big part of AAA at the start. At some
point racing did not fit the "business plan", and racing was farmed out to a
splinter group, USAC.
>Doesn't just about every club in existence have increasing membership as a
>primary goal?.
But not THE primary goal. SCCA's primary goal has changed from what it was
in Westport in the very early days. That process was already well underway
when I joined in 1968. It started as a sports car club. Racing was a big
part of that. Later, racing was the main ingredient, and the sports-car
thing slid.
>There are only so many people in the U.S. that have "classic sporting cars
>from the vintage era", mainly because there are only so many "classic
>sporting cars from the vintage era" left.
Well, exactly. That was the point of the SCCA at its inception. The
preservation of sports cars. In fact, if you allowed a sports car to be
destroyed or sold outside the club, that was grounds for you your
expulsion from the club. A am not making this up.
>If you're pushing to get increased
>membership, just where are you going to get them?
>
>Limiting the SCCA to just those cars and their owners is just plain
>self-defeating. Like any species without any sort of reproductive
>capability, (it's not like they're making classic sporting cars any more),
Well, actually, they are. Caterham and Morgan are still around. Also, I
think that cars like the Miata are the modern extension of the concept of
"sports car".
>it will eventually die out, and be replaced by something more popular.
Hmm. The most "popular" car club hereabouts is the Minnesota Street Rod
Association. The cars they celebrate are all built before 1965. Their
annual weekend show draws 10,000 cars (including mine, this year). Seen any
SCCA events with 10,000 cars lately?
>Rather than be replaced, SCCA will evolve to ensure it's survival, even if
>the 'S' in SCCA eventually stands for SUV. Given the slant on the numbers,
>just be glad classic vintage sporting cars are still in the books at all.
Well, there you are. SCCA is no longer the agent of sports-car
preservation. That falls to the various marque clubs and vintage-racing
organizations. As far as I know, these organizations are keeping membership
up just fine.
Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying that there is anything inherently wrong
with the SCCA changing its focus over the decades. They can pretty much do
as they like. If the club does not meet your needs, don't pay them. I'm
just saying that the idea of abandoning sports cars as the only way to
ensure the survival of the club is probably not correct.
The question is which of the purposes of SCCA do you wish to support? They
tend to not always be working together, and the balance between them varies
widely in different Regions.
Pro Racing
Club Racing
Solo 2
Solo 1
Pro Solo
Pro Rally
"Club" Rally
"Sports car club" social events.
In my town, the local SCCA region is primarily focused on Club Racing. Pro
Rally runs second.
Maybe each of these would be better served by a national club dedicated to
one purpose. Attempts have been made, but none have been spectacularly
successful on a national basis.
Phil Ethier Saint Paul Minnesota USA
1970 Lotus Europa, 1992 Saturn SL2, 1986 Suburban, 1962 Triumph TR4 CT2846L
LOON, MAC pethier@isd.net http://www.mnautox.com/
Daughter Amanda has presented us with a second grandchild. Sirena Mae
Stremski
arrived on the first day of Spring 2001, weighing 7 pounds 3 ounces.
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