Pre board meeting message...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wm. Severin 'Flounder" Thompson" <wsthompson@thicko.com>
To:>; <team-thicko@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 7:12 AM
Subject: other things that chap the Flounde'rs ass
> Joe & all,
>
> Late fees are something that particularly chap my ass for a couple of
> reasons...
>
> For those that struggle to make the race from a financial standpoint, they
> may or may not know until last minute whether that can afford to go.
>
> For those that do their own work on there cars, whether for pleasure or
for
> financial reasons, often (again) they can't afford to pay for racecar
> preparation...thet may be working until the last minute to be race ready.
>
> In either case, they certainly are not in a position to send the $200-$300
> in advance to the club.
>
> Why does the club charge a late fee? Oh, I've heard the spin that in fact
> that we offer an early entry discount. My ass. Its represented as a late
> entry penalty.
>
> What are the costs to the club? Does it cost more to process these late
> entries? I can't imagine that it does. Sure, at some point, a late entry
> misses the point where there name can be included in the program. But, I
> can't believe that its a matter of trying to finalize race groups...
because
> the numbers in a race group is always a completely fluid number... changes
> greatly with either mechanical attrition, or weather conditions.
>
> Are late entries inconvenient in some way? Well, I'm sure it means someone
> must do some late data entry, and fire some things off to the laser
printer,
> but the costs per entrant would seem to be the same no matter when the
entry
> is received..
>
> Would the club ever not have the event because of entries arriving too
late?
> It's my understanding that we're in a finacial position to run the club's
> events for a year without subsidy of race entry fees.
>
> Pardon my ignorance...but are the "books" of every event made public?
> Anybody getting appreance fees, comp'd rooms, or travel subsidy? What are
> our track, insurance, support staff costs at every event? Are race
directors
> given a budget?
>
> Track time is a whole other source of irritation. As our entry fees have
> risen, our track time continues to shrink. All seem to be affected... but
> ELVF seemed to be the worst of all.
>
> I am completely against race groups that reserve track time for 5-10 yr
old
> Nascar stuff. Those folks need to get their own race organization.
>
> I am completely against the $100 entry fee for USRRC. I've heard that we
> essentially subsidize Pam Shatraw's travel costs, and it guarantees us
> coverage for our events. Again I say... My ass. We should have low cost 1
> hour enduros at every event.
>
> In my humble opinion... VSCDA is a great club. With a few notable
> exceptions, the asshole quotient is relatively low compared to most other
> vintage race organizations. The quality of the driving is superior to most
> organizations. I do believe, however, that our costs, as a non-profit
> organization, are getting way out of line.
>
> It's interesting the way the Team Thicko prescence and philosophy has
begun
> to creep into the fabric of VSCDA. We, in fact, carry a big stick just
based
> on our sheer numbers, and the amount of fun we provide for those that
choose
> to join us. We've changed the face of many events of this club. There is
> however, definately a group of people that believe the club is their
> personal property. There are still far too many "old boy's club" deals and
> secret handshakes. (Anyone count how many events last year's Enthusiast of
> the Year has been to?)
>
> It's my hope that as a Thicko mentality (a frightening concept, huh?) will
> begin to alter the way board meetings are taking place as more Thickos are
> on the board, or in highly visible positions.
>
> Flounder
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