[Widget Codriver]

First off, thanks Bill VERY MUCH for providing a direct comparison of rally fees for Prescott. The comparison between Pro and Club was illuminating to many of us.

(If you haven't seen this, it's buried in a long thread about "when will Pro be pro?" -- http://www.specialstage.com/forum/cgi-bin/DCForumID2/957.html#28 )

While there were a few things that change from year to year -- one time expenses, for example, another change that didn't appear was, I believe, sanction fee. Didn't the Pro sanction fee (or maybe it was the Pro insurance fee) go up dramatically in 2002? This would have made the delta even wider. Boy, I can see why you guys elected not to revert to Pro when the SCCA offered to let you have Rim's date as a Pro event.

A trivial question: I noticed you had to pay for an ad in your regional magazine, the Roadrunner. Did you receive any support from your local SCCA region? If not, did you ask? I recognized a few of the workers from the Road Racing crowd, good people like Jerry and Marty in registration, and checkpoint workers like Bob and Bruce, but otherwise I didn't see any regional presence at all. On the other hand, as a competitor I don't often see stuff in the back so I thought I'd ask.

Again, Thanks Bill for "dropping trou" and showing us all the financial goodies for Prescott. Hopefully "dropping trou" didn't mean "assume the position"!

[hr]

[p align=right]John Dillon
John @ WidgetRacing.com
www.WidgetRacing.com

 

[Widget Codriver]

Thanks to Bruce's post on the Organizer's forum, we see that insurance went up from $4950 per event to $7250 for 2002. Bill's Pro figures showed the lower 2001 value.

For 2002, a Coeff 3 ClubRally insurance fee ranges between $1065 and $3550.

[hr]

[p align=right]John Dillon
John @ WidgetRacing.com
www.WidgetRacing.com

 

[Bruce]

Three points:

When Michelin came on board as a national sponsor, the sanction fee dropped from $2000 to $1000. When they left, it did not rise again - until this year , when it went BACK to $2000.

The sanction fee pays the expenses of the National Steward to attend each event...nothing much extra is left over on an annual basis.

Expect ClubRally insurance to go up in 2003. ClubRally had several big losses, but Risk Management decided ProRally could better bear the rise in rates at first. ClubRally's turn is coming...and SCCA's not making any profit on insurance, either.

Bruce

 

[Widget Codriver]

Re: Club Rates Going Up Too

Bruce makes a good point about ClubRally insurance going up in 2003. I'm waiting to see the actual figures since I plan to dabble as an organizer late next year and would like to start getting the ducks lined up now. For comparison purposes, however, I think Bill's figures are a good reference point.

[hr]

[p align=right]John Dillon
John @ WidgetRacing.com
www.WidgetRacing.com

 

[Bill Barfoot]

>While there were a few things that change from year to year
>-- one time expenses, for example, another change that
>didn't appear was, I believe, sanction fee. Didn't the Pro
>sanction fee (or maybe it was the Pro insurance fee) go up
>dramatically in 2002? This would have made the delta even
>wider. Boy, I can see why you guys elected not to revert to
>Pro when the SCCA offered to let you have Rim's date as a
>Pro event.

both the sanction fee and insurance fee went WAY up after our last event as a pro. I believe it doubled.


>
>A trivial question: I noticed you had to pay for an ad in
>your regional magazine, the Roadrunner. Did you receive any
>support from your local SCCA region?

no, our region doesn't care that we exist, and would prefer if we didn't. I have tried to bridge the gap, but got tired of the upstream fight. YES, we did have to pay for an ad in our OWN regions newsletter.



>I recognized a few of the workers from the Road Racing
>crowd, good people like Jerry and Marty in registration, and
>checkpoint workers like Bob and Bruce, but otherwise I
>didn't see any regional presence at all. On the other hand,
>as a competitor I don't often see stuff in the back so I
>thought I'd ask.

The workers from the road side of the region are FANTASTIC!!! We have some of our rally workers go help them, and they comeup and help us. It is great. I even volunteer road races when i can schedule it in. The workers of this region are top notch!!! There was no official regional presence, but then again, i didn't invite.. Wouldn't think I would have to, but I could be wrong... BUT I know everyone is busy with this and that, so it didn't bother me much.


>
>Again, Thanks Bill for "dropping trou" and showing us all
>the financial goodies for Prescott. Hopefully "dropping
>trou" didn't mean "assume the position"!
>
>[hr]
>
>[p align=right]John Dillon
>John @ WidgetRacing.com
>www.WidgetRacing.com

 

[spoier]

>no, our region doesn't care that we exist, and would prefer
>if we didn't. I have tried to bridge the gap, but got tired
>of the upstream fight. YES, we did have to pay for an ad in
>our OWN region's newsletter.

Wow, that's really depressing.

Skye Poier
Seattle, WA

Vive le Prole-le-Ralliat!
Team Irrational Racing
www.irrationalracing.com

 

[spoier]

Yes the budget was very interesting!

Just as a side comment, I would have absolutely no problem with only having a banquet at the END of the event, and having to pay for my own food/drink each night up until then, if it meant saving almost $10,000 from the budget!!!

It comes to 24% of the total budget actually, which seems crazy to me. Could be better used to reduce entry fees and increase prize money etc etc??

I'm thinking, for all the nights except the last night, if people were paying for their own meals, there should still be an "official" restaruant or whatever, so everyone could get together at the same place, and since we're spending so much money the chosen eatery could actually SPONSOR part of the event and PAY money back to the organizer. Maybe even that sponsorship would be making the last banquet a freebie.

Maybe I'm missing something though.

Skye Poier
Seattle, WA

Vive le Prole-le-Ralliat!
Team Irrational Racing
www.irrationalracing.com

 

[Bill Barfoot]

yes, the banqueting was certainly a problem. It was mis management on our part for some orders that were placed by people from within the organization that were not supposed to be ordering. We were also at the most expensive place in town (which requires in house catering, and is the only place large enough to handle a pro event). Having to do it all over, we would have not done the meals at the Mill, or Sunday morning. We also considered it a worker perk, as MANY volunteers came in for the food.

this year went well with finger food Sat night at the awards banquet. MANY also like the fact that they could leave early Sun and didn't have to stay for an awards breakfast.

the last 3 years have been a learning experience, and finalyy made some of the more correct choices this year..

no food provided at an event is the way to go....

 

[RichardM]

As I was saying yesterday when the site went in for an oil change....

One thing we just did at the Paris rallies and that has been done at the Tarmac events in Chattanooga was to have a hot roast between events. We fed a little over 200 people hot dogs, chips and soft drinks for about $200. Works for these two events since we have closed courses with limited public access. Very popular with almost everyone at the events.

Registration had peanuts and soft drinks available. Awards had beer, soft drinks and munchies available. Beer was under $200 but I get to drink the leftovers. :+ Munchies came to less than $100.

Observation about the after event gathering: by 11:30PM all the younger crowd had left, probably to bed since this was Paris Texas with no where else to go. By 1AM the only people left were those of us with many, many years of experience.
Richard Miller

 

[rallytaff]

For Treeline last year, I again got the assistance of Subway to feed my workers and hams. Talk to them and I'm sure they'll do a similar deal for you too. I fed them all (close to 80) for about $200. I talked to Round Table Pizza who gave my coupons for 12 free pizzas. I then ordered another 18, all extra large for less than $250. But most of the hams go directly home after leaving the stages, even though they are invited. I will be doing the same this year, but indoors at minimum cost, maybe $200 including table and chair rental. Entry fees will be raised this year to help cover the costs of insurance, but will still be a bargain.

 

[Don Kennedy]

>
>no food provided at an event is the way to go....

That statement I don't agree with. As an organizer I always provided something. As an entrant I always expect something (many times you're in the middle of nowhere at some ungodly hour). It doesn't have to be a sit down banquet, that's for sure.

 

[Bill Barfoot]

if you are stuck in the middle of nowhere (The Mill 2001), then yes, I agree, there should be something. If it is at the hotel, after the days event, then everyone can fend for themselves.

Outside food is a great thing, but the resort had strick guidelines that NO OUTSIDE food can be brought in.. thus the costs..

 

[RallyVolvo]

>>no, our region doesn't care that we exist, and would prefer
>>if we didn't. I have tried to bridge the gap, but got tired
>>of the upstream fight. YES, we did have to pay for an ad in
>>our OWN region's newsletter.
>
>Wow, that's really depressing.
>

Very depressing. Something just seems very wrong about an SCCA newsletter charging for an ad for an SCCA event. Would never happen in my publication. After all the newsletter is supposed to promote the entire club...not just whatever the Editors/RE are interested in...


Nick Polimeni
'71 Volvo 142E (up on stands for a rebuild, finaly!!!)
Editor, Blue Mountain Region, SCCA
[email protected]