My name is Bob Crawford, candidate, for the SCCA Board of Directors (BoD) for Area 2.  Why am I the right choice for the SCCA Board of Directors from Area 2?  I believe the answer is simple and can be summed up in four words: Passion, Teamwork and Proven Performance.

I am a 17-year member of the SCCA and a life-long car enthusiast and motorhead.  When I first began attending SCCA Club Racing events back in the 1990s it was as a spectator and part-time crew member.  Eventually, I reached a place where I wanted to step off the sideline and into the game.  I began participating in Autocross and HPDE (then known as PDX) events and eventually found my way back to where I started with Club Racing.  I attended competition (racing) school and started racing in the Mid Atlantic Road Racing Series (MARRS).  I instructed in HPDE and in the Washington DC Region competition licensing school.  It was through the gratifying experience of giving back to the sport that I first ventured down the path of volunteer service to the club.  Along the way, I’ve served as Membership Chair for the Washington DC Region, as Director of Road Racing for the Washington DC Region MARRS series and as more recently as a Road Racing Steward.  I was the grateful recipient of the SCCA Member of Excellence award in 2020.  In my professional life I am a program manager leading information technology projects for the US Federal Government.

Serving as a volunteer leader in the SCCA is a privilege, an honor and a position of tremendous responsibility.  Serving the club is rewarding in ways no paying job could ever compare.  I firmly believe in the concept of servant leadership and strive to demonstrate that in everything I do for the SCCA.  Since January of 2023 I’ve had the honor and privilege of serving on the SCCA Inc. Board of Directors.  I recognize that I stand on the shoulders of all those who have given unselfishly their time, energy, and talents to make the SCCA a success for over 80 years.  I hope to continue that proud tradition as Area 2 director, helping to ensure our success can endure for at least another 80 years.

As Area 2 Director and current Chair of the Board of Directors, I understand the BoD’s primary responsibility is governance.  The BoD also has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure we are good stewards of SCCA’s financial resources, which we execute via our annual audit process.  While the BoD doesn’t directly manage the activities of the six motorsports programs (Road Racing, Solo, RallyX, Road Rally, Time Trials and Race Experience), supporting committees (Exec Stewards, COA and EVAC) and the SCCA Foundation.  The BoD is responsible for appointing volunteer leaders who do the day-to-day work on those boards and committees while working with the SCCA staff who report to the President/CEO.  As a part of the governance responsibility the BoD oversees the activities of the boards and committees to ensure we are maintaining compliance with our governing documents (ByLaws, Ops Manual and others) as well complying with the laws and regulations relevant to a business like ours while fulfilling our mission to fuel a safe, fun and exciting motorsports experience for auto enthusiasts.  As Area 2 Director I will continue to ensure the BoD fulfills these important responsibilities.

The SCCA is a large and complex organization spread across a very large geographic area.  We must seek input from stakeholders across the entire club.  Every program, every region and every member are important and should be considered when making decisions and plans for the future of the SCCA.  The BoD sets the example for the rest of the organization through leaders who promote effective, honest communication and collaboration.  I believe my demonstrated ability to lead teams toward a mutually beneficial goal makes me an ideal candidate to represent area 2 on the SCCA BoD.

I respectfully request your vote.

Bob Crawford,
Candidate for the SCCA BoD
Area 2

Candidate did not provide a platform. 

Hi! I'm Mark Weber and I'm running for Area 6 Director

My name is Mark Weber and I'm from Saint Louis. I've been a member of the Saint Louis Region, SCCA since October 1970. Although I've autocrossed, rally crossed, road rallied, partied and raced with the SCCA, the last two endeavors have been my life for about the last 50 years.

I retired in 2020 after a 50-year career of motorsports photograhy. I was the SCCA Pro Racing official photographer for about 25 years. In January I was inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame. I don't wear SCCA underwear but I've got the socks!

My goal as area director is to keep the SCCA at the top of the heap of car clubs. To do this, we need to keep our car activities fun and make sure our members are happy and getting their dues worth. Most SCCA programs are doing quite well. We must continue that.

As a racer, there are many options these days. The SCCA must not dismiss other clubs but work with them for the enjoyment of all. Being a veteran of the Runoffs, I would like to see them continue to be the most important club race in North America.

You may question my driving ability but please don't question my dedication to the SCCA.

Yours for the sport,

Mark

In my time as an SCCA member, I've been able to experience just about everything offered. I've been to great events, and not so great events. I've helped start and end programs. I've been event chair, and I've been set up/tear down. I've run single, one off events, and year long points series. I've been to events all over the US. I've seen cars break and get rebuilt in a matter of hours. I've seen drivers break and get right back in the seat. I've served in leadership roles in 3 different Regions, countless boards and committees, and even presented at the National Convention.       

In those 25 years, after seeing and experiencing all these things, the best thing I've experienced is the people. I've made hundreds of friendships and contacts. I've been privileged enough to help people out in their SCCA journey, whichever direction they were taking or following. I've been even more privileged to be on the receiving end of that help. I've heard thousands of “I once won a race with my eyes closed” stories, and I've watched, in real time, some of those things go down. I've literally shared blood, sweat and, yes, tears with other members. I have truly grown as a driver, worker, organizer, and person, simply just by being a member. It doesn't matter how many events there are, how great they are, who wins or loses, how much it costs, or even how much food got eaten or tires corded- without a doubt, the SCCA membership is the absolute most important aspect of the club.

I'm running for Area 6 director to carry that forward. I've learned the ins and outs of how SCCA operates, and sometimes doesn't. I would be honored to be the bridge for members in the Area to have a more direct affect on that. I feel that at this point in my life and SCCA membership, this is where I can do the most good for the health of the club overall. I''ll be more than happy to get contacted by any Area member with their concerns or  praises that need to get to the National level. If you're reading this and would like to contact me now, feel free to reach out to the membership department. They have my permission to put you in touch.

My name is Mike Toombs and I have been a member of the SCCA since 1984. During that time I have held many positions in the Finger Lakes Region, from Solo & Rally board member, BOD member, Activities Director, Assistant Regional Executive to Regional Executive. I started working races in 1981, running Solo events in 1984 and working Road Rallies in 1985. I’ve attended Solo Nationals 16 times, and worked at both the RunOffs® and Rally Cross National Championships. I was also the Northeast Division Council chairman for three years and was NEDiv Treasurer for two years.

I am currently running for SCCA director for Area 10. The SCCA has meant a lot to me over the years and I want to make sure that we have the financial governance to continue putting on events. As everyone is aware there are many pressures on people’s time and money and we have to make sure that we put on events that are what people are interested in and where they want spend their money.

The board of directors do not run any of the programs that the SCCA puts on, their job is to manage the affairs and property of the Club. Each of the 13 Directors is elected for a three year term and can only run for two terms.

As a long time member of the club who has competed and worked in hundreds of events over the years, I would hope that I have the ability to help the Club move forward and continue to grow.

- Mike

My name is Brandon Dixon. I am a member of the Alabama Region inside Area 12, and I am running for the SCCA Board of Directors this year.

SCCA has been a part of almost my entire life.  I started going to the Runoffs as a spectator at age 4 (1971) and attended every Runoffs at Road Atlanta.  Sitting on my father’s shoulders at T5 watching the racing is one of my fondest childhood memories.   I became a member myself in the mid 80s starting in Solo competition and moved to road racing in 1993.  I have spent my racing career mostly in single seaters, FF, F1000, and now FC.  I’ve had some success along the way, with Runoffs wins in 2010 and 2012, and I am deeply involved in the car building and engineering process.  My passion for motorsports is a huge part of me.

I’m as interested in the future of SCCA as its past.  I have a son that is a college freshman, and if he maintains his grades this semester, we will be at the SCCA school at Roebling in February.  I want the future of the club to be as bright as it can be, both for him and all the current and future competitors.

As far as a platform, I believe that SCCA needs to make some changes.  Some of the more recent decisions have alienated members and we have seen corresponding reductions in entries at the Hoosier Super Tour events and Runoffs while other racing series have been able to not lose entries.  The three points to my platform are transparency, communication, and value.

Transparency:  I propose that SCCA host teleconference meetings with the BoD on a regular basis, and if such meetings cannot be institutionalized, I will host my own meetings.  I believe that two way communication is the key to better BoD decisions and educating the membership of the challenges we are facing.

Communication:  There are opportunities to utilize technology to increase communication between Race Control and competitors.  This is an area where SCCA does very little, and frankly, other race organizations do this much better.  The technological and financial barriers here are low and there is the potential to increase safety and reduce incidents.

Value:  SCCA MUST make sure that the cost of event entry doesn’t drive even more competitors away from our events.  At the same time, making sure that the workers and staff that make the events possible are respected and valued.  This is, of course, a difficult proposition, and we need to continuously look for opportunities to reduce the entry costs and maximize the value to the competitors.

Thank you for being part of the club that I have enjoyed for so many years and thank you for your support!

This is my third message regarding the upcoming election for Director from Area 12. The previous two messages are linked here:

July Sports Car News Area 12  Outlines the BOD process and my personal journey in SCCA to this point.

August Sports Car News Area 12  Shares observations regarding the range of programs now available.

I write this while at Road America during Runoffs week while serving as a volunteer for the sixth of the last seven Runoffs. In total, this is roughly 30 Runoffs for me as either a volunteer, competitor, or crew member. While the Runoffs remain the pinnacle event on the SCCA calendar if you’re a racer, we also have Championship events of equal level of importance if you’re an Autocrosser or Time Trial competitor. The SCCA is many things, and no one program any longer dominates the discussion, nor should it. We are a club of 65,000 ‘equals’ conducting over 2,000 motorsports events annually. Every volunteer and competitor deserve just as much of a voice in the future of the club and its programs as any driver or shop owner. As such, and because I come from both sides, I don’t come to the Board with any hidden agenda or grievance. I offer my experience in Region leadership, plus over forty years as both a competitor and volunteer in multiple programs.

My current service at the Regional level is as Treasurer of NCR since 2021, after serving as Regional Executive from 2016-2019. I believe I have an understanding of Regional economics, what it takes to put on races, and our interactions with SCCA. Those two experiences have also given me an appreciation of how heavily we depend on the contribution of volunteers at all levels.

I also currently serve on an advisory committee of the CRB, and as a member of the Race Experience Board working to lower barriers to entry for new drivers. I’m also an Event Lead, a coach at both Time Trials and Track Night events, and a Race Chair for NCR races. I’ve also been a Full Competition license holder since the mid-80’s and I also race with other sanctioning bodies, which gives me a perspective on how other organizations operate.

While I agree that there are areas where the club can learn, evolve, and improve, my only objective in pursuing a BOD seat is to serve all of the membership to the best of my abilities. So, in making your voting decision, please consider my past and current experience. I would appreciate your consideration and your vote.

Voting opens October 15 and closes November 17.

Thanks!
Sam Fouse
e-mail: ncr55treasurer@gmail.com