We have had a few glitches with getting reports up to date as we transition to the new accountants, but hope to have the 2010 annual report ready to present at the next membership meeting.   

The nominating committee for the 2012 BOD elections  is now forming.  If you would like to help with the committee, or are interested in serving on the board, please contact the BOD.  A great committee means a great slate and that means great leaders for our club's future! 

Adam and Chris from driftstl.com joined us for our most recent meeting, to update us on their drifting event this Saturday April 23 at Family (see "Other Events" below), and share ideas about running a motorsports organization.  They are revitalizing and professionalizing drifting in the St. Louis area, and we will continue to look for opportunities to work together to the betterment of both clubs.

We are always looking to improve communications to the membership.  We need to keep tuning our electronic communications, so please tell us what you would like to see on the website, e-mail and forums, and what we should be improving and what we are doing well.   Of course electronic media is only a part of the picture.  We are returning to periodic calendar postcard maillings (watch your mailbox) and also working on new ways to improve face-to-face communications with the membership.   Send us your thoughts!

The Solo Committee reports that the May 1 event will be moved to June 5.  As we settle into working with Family Arena we have had a couple of glitches in dates, but as we work with them more they are a great group of facility management to work with and relationship is just getting better and better with them.

Our first event of the season was Sunday, April 3^rd.  We had 126 drivers with over 40 novices! For our first event of the year, it was a smashing success! Event #2 has 130 drivers, and was also a success! Lots of new people at each event.   

A note to Club Racers: remember we have an index class just for you this year!  Register for Solo events and select the "R" PAX class to compete against your fellow road racers with times handicapped by vehicle performance potential. 

We are making every effort to increase membership this year through steps we are taking toward promotion, education, and making it more fun.

We have a Solo novice school April 30 and an EVO school July 2.  The Divisional event is a 2 day event on July 3rd  & 4th.  Don't miss it!

The Road Rally program needs your help!  Contact Ron Ferris or Dave Jones if you would like to join the rally committee or can help out with the National Tour event July 16-17th.  The first rally of the year will be a fun "gimmick rally" leaving from the Tech-O-Rama on May 21st. 

A LIFE-SAVING TEEN DRIVING PROGRAM IS COMING TO THE ST. LOUIS METRO AREA!

What: The Tire Rack Street Survival® Teen driving school

Where: Family Arena, St. Charles, Mo - sign up at www.streetsurvival.org  space is limited, sign up now.

When: Saturday August 13, 2011   Cost: $75.00 

Who: Held by The St. Louis Region Sports Car Club of America for all permitted or licensed teens between the ages of 15-21

Why: It's about more than DRIVING. It's about LIVING! For more info on this live saving program for teen drivers go to: www.streetsurvival.org

Contact Chuck DeProw Event Chairman cdeprow@charter.net 636-332-9201

The STLBMW CCA is also holding two events on June 18 (this was changed from June 25) and October 15, 2011

FACT: 3,500 U.S. teens aged 15-19 were killed and more than 350,000 were treated in ER's for injuries suffered in car crashes (2008-www.cdc.gov)

FACT: In Missouri, 39.38% Of all persons killed in traffic crashes were in the 16-35 age group and the 16-20 age group represented 12.21% of total Fatal traffic Crashes. (2009-www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov)

FACT: Most driver education programs are no longer offered at no cost through High Schools due to budget constraints. The TireRack® Teen Street Survival School s a "hands-on" driving experience in real-world situations in the student's own car with a qualified Instructor.

FACT: As a parent or guardian, you have an option and an opportunity to give REAL driving survival skills to your teen driver by choosing The TireRack® Teen Street Survival School.    

Attention Instructors.  To sign up contact Chuck DeProw by email cdeprow@charter.net 

The following, by DMVR Regional Executive Dan Harrington. is excerpted from the DMVR website.

TWISTED DEJAVU! June 4/5, at MAM

Way back in 1975, Des Moines Valley Region was without a track to race at, but wanted to host a Club Road Racing event. St. Louis region had a track, and the two regions joined forces and held a very successful joint event, a Regional, National, IT Tour at Mid America Raceway (MAR).

Fast forward to 2011, and  St. Louis' Gateway International track has closed. After many weeks of work within the two regions leadership, we have come up with a perfect solution:   A Twisted DEJAVU!

DMVR and St. Louis will again join forces for the first time in 35 years, to again put on a Regional National, IT Tour event together, only this time it will be at the track that DMVR uses!  

35 Years is a LONG TIME, but ironically, there are still members in both regions that remember the 1975 event, and the fun we had together! Many DMVR members worked / raced at St. Louis regions Gateway events. It was a great track, and they put on a class act! DMVR has had a great reputation, too on putting on events, so it should come as no surprise that this event should be an absolute blast!

We hope that everyone can join the fun and fellowship, to make this very special event a real success!   

- Dave Jones

Dave Jones has been autocrossing and racing with SCCA since 1971, and developed his suspension techniques in the quest to win on a budget.  In recent years, suspension tuning and data acquisition has become his passion. Working with a variety of drivers and cars has only increased his obsessive search for speed. Says Dave: "Every car and driver I'm involved with helps in the never-ending search for improvement. We can always go faster, and we prove it every time we go to the track".  

Better handling is a "Rubik's cube", with multiple factors all having to work together. One of the more intimidating or confusing areas can be shock absorbers, or dampers as they are better described. Here are some bits and pieces I've learned at the track that might help.

First principle to remember - springs control AMOUNT of transfer or load, and shocks only control RATE of transfer or load. Think of it as a computer file you want to download. The size of the file is the LOAD. The shock is like your internet connection; it determines how slow or fast that load moves. So different shocks and their different settings don't change how much weight (LOAD) is moved, they only change the rate at which it moves. This rate change is what either makes your car ride smoother on the highway, or handle better at the track.

Second principle to remember - the front suspension controls entry and the rear suspension controls exit. Sure, you can stiffen the rear or grab the hand brake and make it break loose on entry - but we'd rather have the front grip better than making the rear slide.

Next principle - stiffer springs require LESS compression and MORE rebound. The spring itself provides compression, so more spring adds more compression. But the additional spring rate is extending the shock quicker after it is compressed, so to maintain the same ride you had, you have to add rebound to compensate.

And less grip potential, whether it is the track conditions or the tire quality, requires softer suspension. The higher the grip potential, the stiffer the suspension has to be to utilize that grip. As preached by shock guru Joe Stimola, "anyone who says they have a tire problem actually has a shock problem".

Think of shocks as bungee cords. In compression, shocks are like bungee cords connecting the tires to the pavement. They restrict the tire from uncontrolled bouncing, and the spring from uncontrolled compressing. In rebound, think of the shocks as bungee cords connecting the body to the tires. Too little rebound, and the body (and load) is removed from the tire too quickly, which by the way means that load goes to the other tires too quickly. Too much rebound, and the tire is literally pulled off the pavement - the shock can't extend as fast as the suspension drops.

Shock configurations include non-adjustable, single adjustable, double adjustable, triples, four-ways, and probably more. Single adjustable shocks are typically only adjustable in rebound. Compression remains the same. Double adjustable provide both compression and rebound. Then you get into "high speed" and "low speed" adjustments with three and four way shocks. "Speed" refers to speed of the shock or suspension movement, not the car. Typically, a slow corner will have high speed shock movement, and a fast corner will have slow shock movement. Hitting a pothole - that is high speed movement. So is diving into a tight turn at a SOLO. A long sweeping turn is slow speed movement. Having these two adjustments separate gives us a lot more flexibility in tuning. Example - there is a big bump right before start / finish at Hallett. It can bottom the suspension, and actually make the rear tires spin. We add some high speed compression, and it soaks it right up, without affecting the rear bite out of the corners. Without this low and high speed flexibility, we'd have to increase the overall compression, which would most likely make the car loose on exit.

Finding the right shock valving and range is important. Most store-bought shocks are built in the "average" range, and are designed for the typical user. If you have changed springs or sway bars, make sure you find shocks that match those changes. By the way, a sway bar becomes an undampened spring if you don't consider it in the equation. More sway bar can require more shock.

Also, there are different kinds of valving - linear, progressive, digressive - and each impacts handling. The stiffness of the shock can also be altered. The compression range might be 30 clicks from full soft to full stiff. We can move that range so full soft is now the middle, and the stiffness can be adjusted 15 more clicks, etc. As an example, on the Wolverton Solstice, we have continued to increase the rebound range every season as we make other handling tweaks. We are at least 45 clicks stiffer on rebound than GM and Penske determined was appropriate for the car back in 2006. We're also at least 15 clicks softer in our compression. We use digressive pistons in the rear shocks so they "soak up" the sudden movement of hitting the gas on a turbo car. The car was on the pole for the 2010 Runoffs, so all these tweaks pay off.

For handling adjustments, compression can make that tire seem like it has a momentarily stiffer or softer spring. Need the car to rotate better to the left? You can add a little right rear compression and it will make the car rotate by slowing the movement of that tire, acting like a stiffer spring. The left front slips a little on turn in? Take a little compression out. Can you guess which "speed" adjustment you'd use if you have that available? If it's on initial turn in, especially a tight corner like a SOLO, and you're yanking the wheel, you'd reduce high speed compression. If it's in the long sweeper, you'd use low speed. I'd probably take a couple clicks out of both on the tight corner.

Rebound is the adjustment that makes the car respond. I use rebound more than most, and once the drivers become accustomed to what it does, they always want more. Back to the bungee cord concept, rebound in the left front SLOWS the weight transfer to the other wheels in a left turn and when hitting the gas. Rebound in the right rear SLOWS weight transfer to the left front when braking into a right turn. More front rebound helps rear grip on acceleration, and more rear rebound helps front grip on turn in. Too much rebound makes the car slide all over the place! So like every adjustment, we're looking for the perfect amount.

Shocks are just part of the package. But a car without adjustable shocks can't go as fast as a car with them. Consider what you want to accomplish and think long term. Most racers who have bought the cheaper shocks eventually buy the better ones, or wish they had.

landiss.info/racing/Wheelspin/ 

- Steve Slotten, Membership Chair

 As of 04/23/2011 the membership stands at 590 members, just 410 short of 1000!

Since 03/01/2011 new memberships are as follows (5) First Gear, (11) Regular, and (4) Family. Please welcome new members:  

The membership drive is on and there are incentives both to the new member and referring member when you refer a new member. Membership application is now available for download from the club web site. Remember even if enrolling online at the SCCA web site the new member must provide referral information (Referral Name & Member Number) so that all incentives are applied.

MEMBERSHIP GROWTH and RETENTION benefits all programs of the St. Louis Region SCCA.  

 Drifting in St. Louis

- Ryan Harrison

We all fear HAIL DAMAGE to our beloved cars when we hear the forecast of bad weather.  But you hear the size of the hail and wonder how big it really is.  Which has caused some to wonder if there is a "Official Scale"  for  the size of Hail.  Bigger than a Miata, smaller than a torque wrench, etc.

Well, yes there is an OFFICIAL SCALE FOR THE SIZE OF HAIL it is:

HAIL SIZE (in.) OBJECT ANALOG REPORTED

 .50 Marble, moth ball

 .75 Penny

 .88 Nickel 

 1.00 Quarter .

 1.25 Half dollar
 1.50 Walnut, ping pong
 1.75 Golf ball
 2.00 Hen egg
 2.50 Tennis ball
 2.75 Baseball
 3.00 Tea cup
 4.00 Grapefruit
 4.50 Softball

12.50 Ft Miata

19.00 Ft CP Solo Car

Have some motor sports trivia, a joke or some other random nonsense to contribute?   Send it in.  We'll publish it here and give you full credit.  It's a sure way to impress your friends and awe your competition!

-compiled by Dave Jones 

Just cut and paste onto your fridge - or use a magnet, if you prefer... 

APRIL  

30th - Family Arena Solo Novice School 

MAY  

1st - Blytheville Pro Solo

8th - Family Arena Solo
9th - BOD Meeting - Spazios
14-15 - Neosho Divisional Solo
15th - RallyCross - Williamsburg, MO
16th - Membership Meeting - Spazios
21st - Techorama AND Fun Road Rally - Jim Lynch Hummer/Shooting Sports
27-30 - Lincoln Pro Solo and National Tour 

JUNE  

5th - Family Arena Solo
4-5 - Mid America Motorplex Regional National
11-12 - Blytheville National Tour Solo
13th - BOD Meeting - Spazios
17-18-19 - Road America June Sprints
19th - RallyCross - location to be determined
20th - Membership Meeting - Spazios
25th - TireRack Teen Driving School - Family Arena
26 - Family Arena Solo 

JULY  

2nd - Family Arena EVO Solo School
3-4 - Family Arena Solo Divisional Event
3-4 - Hallett Regional National
11th - BOD Meeting - Spazios
16-17 - St. Louis Region SCCA National Road Rally
16-17 - Heartland Park Regional National
16-17 - Topeka Divisional Solo
18th - Membership Meeting - Spazios
24th - Family Arena Solo
30th - Family Arena Solo

Details available at www.stlscca.org or email BOD@stlscca.org