Too provincial, Jay.
You are correct. Mike is too. To regard Solo as nothing but a sales tool
would be a huge mistake. To fail to appreciate its possibilities as one is
equally a mistake. I do not feel Mike was ignoring the competitive aspect, I
think he was simply addressing its added benefits in public awareness.
When we are competing, it is indeed a grassroots amateur competitive sport
and we participate with singleminded passion. But its facility to attract
non-SCCA to the club in a way that racing (also performance rally) cannot
because of their restrictions and road rally cannot because of its much
lower profile must also be exploited. To do so grows us.
It is not utterly independent. It is part of SCCA and must function as a
part -- a contributing, ultimately profitable part -- of the club. However,
defining "profit" is IMHO broader than simply how much money it generates in
sanction fees. It's overall value to the club in generating public awareness
is also part.
--Rocky Entriken
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jay Mitchell" <jemitchelltx@earthlink.net>
To: "Mike King" <mapcomaps@bellsouth.net>;
<evolution-discussions@yahoogroups.com>; <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 3:36 PM
Subject: Re: [evolution-disc.] Re: Way to finance our Solo2.....
> Mike King wrote:
>
>> Solo is a sales tool.
>
> Uhh, no. Solo2 is a grassroots _amateur_ competitive sport. Other than the
> general PR for the club that all sanctioned events provide, it is NOT a
> "sales
> tool." Attempts to make it such will eventually run off the competitor
> base
> which currently makes the sport viable.
>
>> It is the finest form of advertisement the SCCA has at
>> its disposal. I see that fact.
>
> No. You have an opinion. My opinion, and that of many others, differs
> substantially from yours. Solo2 does NOT need SCCA subsidy so it can
> function as
> advertisement for other sports. Instead, it needs _management_, so it will
> continue to stand on its own. Adding unrelated burdens, such as Pro Solo's
> losses, to Solo2's books will accomplish nothing but to cloud the real
> issue.
>
> Autocross is a self-supporting, independent motorsport that is
> _indirectly_
> related to road racing. Pretending it is otherwise is guaranteed to create
> a
> failure. Many serious autocrossers have the resources, skill, and
> experience
> required to go road racing but compete in Solo2 as a matter of choice.
>
> Jay
|