Like Ronnie, I don't want to rain on the parade. I can only offer my
experience working with things like this in the past. Consider this post a
hearty YES! to the idea of a national Datsun meet, written by a guy with 99
44/100% of a roadster in his garage! I do wish to throw a few cautionary
coins into the collection plate, however. Here goes.
I was a member for years of the Irish Setter Club of Southern California. We
ran dog shows and field trials. Some of these events were sponsored by the
American Kennel Club, some not. The smaller, local events, like training
classes and shows for puppies we just staked out a nearby park and presto!
instant dog show, not unlike a local ROC get-together. The AKC sanctioned
matches, by comparison, were a BIG DEAL.
Our parent organization, the Irish Setter Club of America, often held
national dog shows and they moved the venue from one part of the country to
another, mindful of the fact that most people would be hard-pressed to
travel cross-country to attend one of these meets. The regional shows were
always well attended, some committed owners making two and three day trips
just to get there.Trust me, the dedication we dog owners put into these
events was every bit as strong as any car club member!
The clubs that participated were all sanctioned by a higher authority (the
AKC) and followed consistent rules and regulations in running their events.
They were also incorporated non-profit organizations that collected dues and
entry fees and, yes, had a Roberts Rules of Order governing structure.
Participation in the national organization did give all clubs a very great
umbrella of legitimacy, important in drawing large numbers of participants
and viewers to events, hence making them a low or no loss risk. The
carrot-on-the-stick to the faithful being championship points awarded to the
dog(s) that won the event.
My point is, perhaps we should be working towards implementing a structure
that would support an undertaking like a national show. I worked on
committees hosting events with over 400 entrants and It was by no means a
simple task! We did not know what we were doing a lot of the time, but had a
larger organization behind us to give us a hand, when necessary. By
organizing real roadster clubs, instead of informal ROCs, a national
organization could more easily become a reality. I'm not a historian, but I
am reasonably sure the SCCA got it's start pretty much in the same way the
Irish Setter Club of America did--local clubs cooperating together to form a
national organization.
We are constantly bemoaning the fact that our little cars are undervalued
and under-appreciated. Why are Healys and MGs more recognized marques to the
average person? Their owners know how to toot their horns! If you look like
you're serious about what you do, people pay attention.
How about it, ROCs? Let's get better organized! Form real clubs, hold local,
then regional meets, and graduate to a yearly national event. It sounds like
a lot of work (it is!) but if we want the sponsorship of Nissan (or anyone
else) we have to make it clear to these investors that they are going to get
some kind of return on that investment.
To everyone on the list, have a happy holiday and a great new year!
Paul Bauman
Westminster, CA
67 1600
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