Newsletter

Wheelspin -  St. Louis Region SCCA
December 2010
Dear friends,    

The holidays are a time to celebrate family and friends, reflect on our beliefs, and look forward to a fresh start in the new year.  They are also a time when newsletter editors try to wax poetic and end up sounding a little corny.

But it really is true, and as we celebrate our region's 60th anniversary I hope you'll take a moment to reflect on the fact that as members and friends of the St. Louis Region we are truly a part of something amazing, a strong and storied club rich with history.  Such thoughts may lead to nostalgia but they can also generate excitement - what will be the great new stories and traditions that we pass along to the club to come?

Wheelspin is one way we communicate but it is also a means of preserving our history.  I'd like to see Wheelspin blossom and grow this year, but first we'll need a gardener, err, editor.  If you're up for the challenge, drop me a line!  In the mean time, if you have an article you'd like to contribute, or just a bit of news you want to be sure makes it in, send it to me or the BOD by the third Monday of the month.

To quote the editor of a Wheelspin from days of yore, "Season's Greetings and may the New Year bring you good cheer and steady oil pressure."
Santa
Sincerely,

Steven Burkett,

Regional Executive
and acting Wheelspin Editor

IN THIS ISSUE
Region News
Coming Events
Program Notes
100 Acre Wood
Wheelspins of Yesteryear
Membership Report
Random Nonsense
News from the BOD
We got some exciting news from National on Tuesday - the results of the 2010 membership drive are in, and St. Louis finished first for membership growth in the "Large Region" category.  A big thank you for everyone's hard work to help us grow our region last year!  Special congratulations to April Schnardthorst, who ranked 9th in the nation for membership referrals.
St. Louis Region Logo
The monthly membership meeting and social was on Monday, and attendance was great, especially considering it was the first December meeting in many years.  Thanks to all who turned out!  Topics included reports from the BOD and program committees, update on the state of the club and an overview of the finances.  There was some great discussion on the financial goals of the club and some good ideas for keeping our racers racing (is that like pipers piping?).  The meeting was adjourned after exactly one hour.  Look for minutes to be posted on the region website soon.

We won't have a social in January since the Banquet is on the 15th, but we will continue to get together regularly on the third Monday of each month at Spazio's Westport.  See the region calendar for all the upcoming events.

Looking forward to the new year, the BOD is working toward new activities and greater participation from the entire club. More road rallies, more rallycross events, more combination events, and cooperation with other clubs; to do this, we need your help! We are looking for additional Road Rally committee persons; same with RallyCross. We need a Wheelspin editor and a team to help with assembly. Now is the time to join us in making 2011 the growth year it can be. E-mail the BOD or contact Steve Burkett or Dave Jones directly if you can help.   Please share your talents and abilities to make the club better for everyone, and most important, have fun doing it!

For meeting minutes, complete contact information and all the latest news please visit the region website.
Coming Events
Trophy
The annual awards banquet is coming!  Join us Saturday January 15th at Spazio's Westport as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the St. Louis region and recognize the outstanding accomplishments of our members.  For details, please see the region website or head straight on over to motorsportsreg.com to register.  Space is limited, don't delay!


Roger "the real" Johnson will be in town Saturday January 29th to give an absolutely free class on Solo II safety and course design.  You can't ask for a more qualified teacher of these valuable autocross skills, and did I mention it's absolutely free?  For more details, visit the St. Louis Region Solo Program Website.


It wouldn't be winter in Missouri without the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood.  This is a truly big event and your help is needed!  The rally will be held February 25-26 rain or shine (or snow or sleet or hail or ...) read more below...
Program Notes
The Solo Town Hall was a great success, thanks to Carla Russo and all the members of the Solo Advisory Committee for their hard work putting this together.  Highlights included a preview of the new Solo Marketing video and good discussion of the exciting opportunities and challenges associated with the new venue at Family Arena.  The SAC will begin publishing a new Solo Newsletter in January to keep us all up to date and informed about their events.  Watch for it in your inbox!

The November Rallycross was a big hit, and we look forward to more of these fun events next year.  Curt Faigle has agreed to serve as interim program chair while Mark and John Huebbe take a well deserved break.  Be sure to thank John and Mark for their service, and contact Curt or the BOD if you can help us expand this program for 2011, especially if you know of a potential site in the greater St. Louis area. 

Of course Club Racing and PDX have the same priority these days - finding somewhere to race!  The program committees and the BOD continue our search for any possible venue.  Meanwhile, we are working on ideas and activities to keep our racers and PDXers enthusiastic and involved.  If you have ideas or suggestions, PDX chair Jose Hernandez or Club Racing Chair Bryon Prokopf would love to hear from you.

It looks like 2011 is going to be a great year for Road Rally, expect more events and much more visibility from this program next season.  If you would like to be a part of this exciting effort please contact Dave Jones or Ron Ferris, the committee is now forming!

awRally in the 100 Acre Wood
- by Eileen Waters
Trespassers WilThe Rally in the 100 Acre Wood is just around the corner on February 25 - 26 and as always, headquartered in Salem, MO.  The Friday portion of this performance rally will start in Potosi and finish in Salem with a service stop in Steelville.  On Saturday the RallyCar teams will start and end their day in Salem with service in Viburnam.  One of the coolest portions of the weekend is the Parc Expose in downtown Salem on Saturday morning at 9 a.m.  You are able to get up close and personal with the cars and stars of RallyCar (formerly known as Rally America) for photos, autographs, questions, and all the festivities.

The committee is looking for volunteers (who receive a really nice goodie package for their assistance and the best "seats" in the house for viewing) to help staff the event.  It will take over 300 volunteers to make this event happen the last weekend in February.  Ham radio operators and volunteers with medical training are always greatly appreciated.  You can sign up online to volunteer.

This year the 100 Acre Wood committee is adding a "Honey Jar Challenge" prize fund for the VW competitors.

You will find additional information, spectator locations, rules for spectators, how to volunteer, souvenirs and the 2011 spectator guide on their website, www.100aw.org.  Information will continually be updated between now and the rally on the website.

It is an exciting and totally FREE event you won't want to miss.........it's real cars, on real roads, real fast!
ghostGhost of Wheelspins Past
1974 Wheelspin Cover Wheelspin editor emeritus and long time region member Dan Landiss has done us the great favor of scanning and hosting the December 1974 Wheelspin on his website.  He will be uploading a new Wheelspin each month for our edification and enjoyment.

In this issue - see if you can identify the young hipsters on pages six and eight.  We'll have answers next month.

Wheelspin, December 1974 Edition

While you're at it, take some time to browse around Dan's site, he has lots of amazing old and new racing photos.

Thanks Dan! 

New Region Members
Welcome to our newest members!

William and Marieta Francis 9/9
Jim Bellm 10/5
Jasmin Pasic 9/24
David Yochum 9/22
Fernando Sosa 11/9

Our membership now stands at 585, down slightly from last October, perhaps a few renewals have been delayed by the off season?
Random Nonsense
Guinness Record Cone CollectionDavid Morgan of the UK (pictured) has a collection of 137 different traffic cones, which is recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest such collection in the world.

I believe April Schnardthorst would like to have a word with you, Mr. Morgan.


Have some random nonsense to contribute?   Send it in!  If your motor sports trivia, joke or miscellany meets our (ahem) high editorial standards we'll publish it here and give you credit, thus ensuring you the ridicule of your fellow club members.


Christmas treesChristmas treesChristmas treesChristmas trees

Wheelspin is sent on behalf of the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Region Sports Car Club of America.  You are receiving this because you are a member of the region, or have expressed an interest in the region and SCCA.  If you don't wish to receive e-mail from the region in the future, please follow the unsubscribe link below.  Past issues of Wheelspin can be viewed by visiting www.stlscca.org.

Thank you for reading, and our thanks to each of you for your support of the St. Louis Region SCCA!


Sincerely,

2010 BoD
St. Louis Region SCCA