by
John Lieberman
Time
is running out! We’ll soon be nominating our new officers for 2003.
Theoretically, we should be doing that at our October 7th general
membership meeting and then voting on those officers at our November 4th
general membership meeting. However, I think we can get more bang for the buck
by nominating officers at our October 6th autoX event at Lee Hedges
Stadium and then voting on them at our season-ending event at Red River Raceway
on November 10th. There will be more people at those events than
there will be at the meetings.
Now
the ball is in your court. I’ve already told you, repeatedly, that I’m NOT
going to be your RE again next year. I’ve served ten years in this post and
that’s about eight years too many. It’s been long past time for somebody else
to step up to the plate and take over. Plus, Gary Linde has also made it known
that he’s not going to be our newsletter editor/membership chairman again. So
we’re going to need somebody else to take over that post. I’m still waiting to
hear from the other officers about their desires for next year.
It
doesn’t take a rocket scientist to hold any of the elected positions in this
region. It just takes people who are willing to devote some time and effort
toward making things happen. That’s what has made Red River Region a success in
the past and that’s what is going to make Red River Region a success in the
future. I don’t expect ANYBODY to get as involved with the SCCA as I have over
the past 17 years. It’s just my nature to get involved up to my eyeballs in
anything I do. But I DO expect some of you to step forward and give back to the
SCCA, for all of the enjoyment it’s given you.
On
to some current events:
We’ve
received the go-ahead to start using the Pollock Airport again for some of our
AutoX events. Pollock is in Grant Parish – northeast of Alexandria. We’ve used
it before and it’s a great site. We’re working on an October 27th
event there.
We’ve
got a working date at the drag strip on September 14th. I’m still
trying to get all the details together. I’ll be on my way back from Topeka that
day, after being gone all week, so someone else is going to have to step up and
coordinate our work schedule.
For
those who haven’t heard, the drag strip has NOT been sold and is NOT switching
to NHRA sanction next year. However, the Wilhites DO have it on the market and
a new owner could be announced at any time. Once the track changes hands, I’ll
have to start over with developing our relationship. However, we’ve got a great
track record on which to build. Also, Louisiana Downs is in the process of
being sold. Once that sale is finalized, I plan on meeting with the new
owner(s) to again bridge the subject of running there.
Our
end-of-year Christmas party and awards presentation is scheduled for 12/15 at
the Car Museum. Start thinking, now, about door prizes. If you or your employer
can offer anything, please try to secure it now. And it doesn’t have to be
something automotive!
Above
all else, I’d like to thank each and every one of you for the support you’ve
given me over all these years that I’ve served as your RE. Even though I won’t
be wearing that hat again next year, I’ll still be VERY active in the workings
of this region. And I would strongly urge you to do the same. To borrow a phrase
from the Kingston Trio and their song, “Desert Pete,” – “You’ve got to give
until you get – I’m the one who ought to know!”
Go
fast – have fun – but be SAFE!
John
by
Gary Linde
Hey
Gang! I got back from my vacation in Denver. Spent a week and a half looking at
and driving through the mountains. Loved every second of it. But since I missed
the beginning of the month I decided to combine August and September again this
year, besides we didn’t have any events this August.
Speaking
of event’s John Lee’s Memorial Day event was a blast. The turn out for Red
River Raceway was disappointing, but the 28 to 30 of us that did attend, had a
great time. John’s course had plenty of room to stretch every one’s legs. It
was easy to follow, fast enough to please those with plenty of power with just
enough finesse turns to make us Miata drivers grin from ear to ear (all Miata
owner’s drive with a grin). All I can say is those of you that didn’t make this
event really missed a great time!
Not
to mimic John Lee’s article, but I hope someone out there is considering taking
over this newsletter. I will not be doing it next year. I have been doing it
for about 7 years and I’m afraid I have become burned out. Doing the newsletter
has been a lot of fun to do over the years, and it is a great forum to voice
your views. The national competition for newsletters is really fierce, but it’s
really nice to find where your newsletter stands against your peers nation
wide. But the most important thing our newsletter accomplishes is to keep our
members informed and to use as a recruitment tool. It does take a lot of time
to put together, if you are a two-finger typist like I am. It does not take a
literary genius to do nor do you have to have a computer (it does help a lot). It
can be done on a simple typewriter, and do cut and paste for photos and
graphics. It does take self-discipline to meet dead lines (just like a
newspaper, old news isn’t news) and that’s something I have been lacking this
year. Some will say I’ve always lacked it, but it’s gotten worse.
The
club deserves better, and that’s one of the reasons I’m stepping down, besides
I just want to have fun for a year or two!
I
guess, that’s all I’ve got to say, so, “Drive Fast, No Cones, and have FUN!”
Gary
Connie
Booker
Balance
forward June 22, 2002 $1,699.51
INCOME EXPENSES
Event 6/30 $2,120.00 Ins/Sanction
5/26 170.00
National dues 84.00 TLAC food/supplies 197.30
Merc. Sold 10.00 beverages 46.30
------------ buns 14.75
$2,214.00 dash
plaques 79.89
Equipment prepare 67.80
Postage 38.76
PO Box fee 38.00
Metropcall 7.29
------------
$660.18
Account
Balance as of July 22, 2002 $3,253.33
Equipment fund 1,047.37
Active Account balance $2,205.96
What
Does It Take to be the RE?!?
by John Lieberman
As I’ve said over and over again, “I’m not going to be your RE next year!” Somebody else is going to have to step forward and pick up the reins. So, what does it take to be the RE? Here are a few of my thoughts:
1) You’ve got to be willing to devote some of your
time to the care and feeding of this club. The more time you can devote, the
stronger the club will be.
2) You’ve got to be at least semi-organized.
3) You can’t be afraid of a minimal amount of
paperwork.
4) You’ve got to read every bit of information you
receive from the National Office – and every issue of SportsCar – from
beginning to end so you’ll know whats going on within our organization.
5) You’ve GOT to possess a willingness and an ability
to designate responsibility to other people – otherwise, you’re going to run
yourself into the ground.
6) You also need to be able to organize people to do
what needs to be done.
7) You’ll need a certain degree of “tact” and an
ability to express yourself in both words and writing, since you’ll be the main
contact person for everything that Red River Region tries to do.
8) You’ve got to be willing to field questions from
the membership. If you can’t answer those questions, that’s OK. You just need
to be willing to seek out the answers.
9) You need to have an absolute love for the things we
do and a willingness to help others experience the same degree of fun that
you’ve experienced in the SCCA..
I
will bend over backwards to help anybody who wants to take on this position.
When I first ran for RE in the fall of 1992, I did so because nobody else was
willing to do it – not because I WANTED to be the RE. I was perfectly happy
being its Publicity Chairman – a post I had held since 1987. But I loved this
club and its activities too much to see it fall by the wayside for lack of
interest. I had to learn a lot as I went along. But I DID learn it – and it
wasn’t hard at all. It just took some time. We have had our tough times over
the past ten years. But we’ve also grown and prospered. And I see nothing but
great times ahead for this Region.
So
step up to the plate – take your turn at bat – and maybe you’ll be the one it
takes to hit the homerun that will catapult this Region up to its next level.
John
CLASSIFIEDS
For Sale: SCCA Autocross
car. 1972 MG Midget (stripped for competition, not legal for street use) 1275
cc engine, built and balanced by Kittler’s Machine. Head/Intake ported &
valve grind by Kittler’s Jan 2001. Cooper racing pistons, competition cam, rod
bolts and head studs are high tensile strength, New clutch, water pump, &
and radiator core. Light weight seat, SCCA approved roll bar, 5-point approved
seat belts, rebuilt transmission Aug 2001, HD shocks, extra 1275 cc engine
& many other parts. 4 new B.F. Goodrich autocross tires. $2500.00 OBO. Also
for sale, Pool Table, made by Grady (Macon, Georgia), 1 inch slate, not ¾ inch.
Contemporary style. All sticks and accessories. U-haul. First $500. Call Randy
Edwards (318) 797-3476 or e-mail randyjeane@aol.com.
General Membership Meeting
September 2, 2002
Calendar of events
Sept 24 Work Drags?? John will be out of town. Need worker coordinator.
Sept 22 T-Lac 4, Cenla, No Problems Raceway
Oct 6 Lee Hedges Stadium- Chairs: Perry Boutelle and Rael Nadiess. This will
be the date to Nominate officers for 2003. (R.E., Assistant R.E.
Secretary/Treasurer, Newsletter/Membership, Webmaster,
Publicity) Please consider nominating yourself!!!
Oct 27 Pollock (outside Alexandria) Chairs: David Fogleman and Chuck Waller
This concrete surface is as long and nearly as wide as Red River.
Nov 10 Red River Raceway- Chair: Rick Bagnard. This is the season finale and
The day to vote on our new officers.
Updating club website: look into adding a message board to the site
Hotline #: do we still need this or does anyone call it? (Let Connie know if you do)
Divisional held in Houston: Waiting for final account to be published
Treasurer’s Report
Balance Forward July 23, 2002 $ 3,253.33
Expenses Ins/Sanction 6/30 $410.00
Postage 14.80
State File fee 5.00
T-shirts 235.27
News. Printing 53.04
Port-a John 60.00
Metrocall 7.29
------------------
$ 785.40
Income Event 7/21 $305.00
T-Shirts 30.00
National dues 49.00
T-lac entry 25.00
---------
$409.00
Balance as of August 21, 2002 $2,876.93