Jerry Mouton wrote:
>Did you get a little AUTOCROSS checkered flag in your
>event results? That's the SFR SCCA "First Place Trophy"
>First place in every class gets one. I don't think this is
>documented anywhere -- anyway I never saw it.
>(If you don't put your zip on your card, yours could be lost!)
>
>When I first started, I threw them away, thinking
> "heck, what a cheap dash plaque"
>
>(In "the old days", a metal or plastic sticky plate was given to
>every entrant at every event. Really old days, these might be
>engraved brass -- very cool, and you could make up a neat
>collection on your dash, if you had room. Old sports cars did)
>
>Then I found out they mean something. Now I mark each with
>the date in indelible ink.
>
>Checkered flag etiquette: I think it's cool to magnetize them and
>plaster them on the side of the car like on the side of old warplanes.
>Some people (esp. more prepared cars) stick them permanently
>in the windows. Others feel this is overly braggy and "in your face".
>Most people don't know what they are all about. If you see them
>on a car, it means somebody who has won some events, and who has
>has an extroverted or defensive personality (your pick). A win is
>a win, however.
Back in the "dark ages" (1960's), I collected a lot of those dash plaques at
NCSCC, and other, events (including the first few Golden State Grand Prix
events), along with a trophy or two. When I started my second autocross
"life", in '86 with the '85 Corvette, NCSCC clubs were still doing the
trophy and dash plaque "thing" but the SCCA events organizational approach
recognized the value of (and the reduced display space required for) year
end awards. After, "randomly", receiving several of those checkered flag
stickers, along with the SCCA results, I attached a couple to the lower
corners of the Corvette hatch window to communicate my hobby interest. It
was quite a while before someone (who I was beating fairly often) pointed
out to me that the stickers ONLY came with first place finishes and that I
was doing a bit of bragging by having them on the car. Guess what, I left
them there. The '85 went to my son with stickers still affixed although they
had been replaced several times over the years. They still seem to come
somewhat randomly for some reason (Pat, I'm just kidding here) but, I've
kept all of them.
Don
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