Severin
You wrote:
> I'm a bit confused. If VMC is not a "national licensing org." as you say,
> then you've got a publicity problem. I understood that the $35 I sent in
> every 2 years and received a VMC license in return was one of the main
> reasons behind VMC.
To further clarify the VMC license: as I said, "The VMC license
. . . was initiated in order to make it easier for people to travel
and race with different groups." The VMC is not the licensing
organization. The VMC only issues licenses based on the application
from the driver AND his/her member club's statement that the person is
licensed with that particular member club and that they have competed in
at least three events without incident. So the driver is actually
licensed by his/her own club. The VMC then gives a license to the
driver which is acceptable to all member organizations, but it is still
the driver's own club who certified the driver's ability and issued the
license--the VMC simply transposes this to a universally acceptable
format. In other words the physical license itself is issued by the
VMC, but the criteria for licensing and remains with the member clubs.
I hope that clears things up.
An additional benefit of having a VMC license is that you can race with
any member organization in one of their events without joining their
club/organization (if that is a requirement for entering the race).
SOVREN is different in that we do not require membership in order to
race with us. However, most clubs/organizations do require you to join.
If you have a VMC license you would be exempt from joining for one race
(certain races might be excluded from the exemption). So that is
another benefit of having a VMC license.
> I never got the impression that insurance issues were your major
> charter.
I don't think there is any reason to publicize this to the average
racer, but I can tell you that our insurance premiums are about 1/2 of
what they were prior tot he VMC insurance program. In SOVREN, at least,
this is reflected in lower entry forms then would otherwise be the case,
and I assume that this is true in other groups too
>
> With the exception of one newsletter a year, I see very little visibility
> for the group, and subsequently did not renew my "license".
I definitely agree that the VMC has a visibility problem, but I am not
sure that we need to have a high profile in order to be useful.
>
> In my opinion, the flag discussion is a perfect opportunity for your
> organization to step up, and attempt to clarify a very dangerous (and
> common) situation in vintage racing today. I've been at many many driver's
> meeting where the race chairman and the chief steward's impression of the
> flagging rules were in direct contrast.
I have put this on the agenda for our next meeting which will take place
in LA in November.
>
> As far as member clubs that do not subscribe to VMC adopted policies... and
> don't report infractions, or require medical forms, why are they still
> members?
Because our bylaws do not give us authority to kick someone out for not
adhering to a VMC program. It was felt by the founders that we should
be inclusive rather than authoritarian. And, if we did try to mandate a
particular policy, the member would simply drop out of the VMC
completely closing the lines of communication. The VMC doesn't have a
BIG STICK not even a twig.
It was my impression that you had a far better level of cooperation
> regarding 13/13 sanctioned drivers. Your statement that only 23 race groups
> or organizations are members shocks me. It's my understanding that there
> were almost 200 race organizations in the US and Canada. Is that true? If
> so, I understand your lack of leverage.
I don't know where you got your figure of 200, but even if you included
all racing organizations in NA, amateur and professional, I doubt you
would reach that number. The 23 members of the VMC represent all
organizations in the US and Canada that put on more than one vintage
race a year and most of the others that just put one one BIG event per
years such as the Pittsburgh Grand Prix.
>
> I totally understand car eligibility issues to be one far beyond the scope
> of your group.
If you can understand that it is impossible to get all of these groups
to agree on car eligibility, then you can understand that everyone has
their own agenda. This individualism also applies to safety issues i.e.
we know what works best for OUR organization. That is the problem. You
would think that the Infractions List would be a "no brainer" and that
everyone would submit names to it. In reality, only 7 organizations do.
The others feel that we can handle our own problems within our club
without "airing our dirty laundry."
I don't know what groups you belong to, but you might find out what
their position is as regards the VMC and its policies before you totally
discount us.
Richard E. Buckingham, Jr. MD
President - Vintage Motorsports Council
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