[randyzimmer]

Well, its been about a week and there was a lively conversation that went from wall-to-wall on good and bad.
Ivan spoke up for NASA but RA was completely silent.
Lurch had some comments I'd like to paste here with some followup.

"Many of the people IN those vests are the same...rally enthusiast workers who are local to the event...no matter what organization. But the brains behind the series are different and each one has great ideas... That's the beauty of competition."

In private e-mails over the last week from many who chose not to go public, this is not happening. The great cohesion of the rally community is a myth and Us vs. Them is a sad reality and with a split of bodies, can only grow.

"Please, don't get into a pissing contest and keep the lines of communication open. But keep up the great work."

It is obvious to me that the communication lines are NOT open and a pissing contest is starting to build pressure. This is not great work but just a diversion from doing what the sport needs.

rz

 

[Guest]

Is any of this really new or is it just another rehash of some of the issues that were faced years ago?

On a more fundamental level, is it even reasonable to have a national series?

What other motorsport has any kind of cohesive national series that isn't being bound together by fistfuls of dollars?


From what I'm told, drag racing faces similar issues.

 

[randyzimmer]

Matt,

I've read your reply four times and can't imagine that you know what I'm talking about.

NASA Rally is about three years old and RA isn't one yet.
How could this be a rehash?

Both groups run rallies across the US.

Both compete for sponsors, workers, events and competitors diluting the sport.

Fistfulls? There are fewer dollars spent by competitors and promoters in rally than any motorsport I can think of. By not having a domanant series in the US, everyone is reduced to sitting on the fence waiting for one to emerge.

rz

 

[Guest]

what drove the formation of NASA's program?

What kept it from forming sooner?

 

[RichardM]

>
>
>
>what drove the formation of NASA's program?
>
>What kept it from forming sooner?
>
>
There are 3 different groups (for lack of a better word) in NASA Rally Sport. Each had a different reason for forming all driven by a lack or perceived lack in the SCCA program.

Previously there have been other performance rally groups including MONY, NARA and NARRA. At least one preceded the SCCA program. The NARA program, like NASA, came from a lack in the SCCA program.
Richard

 

[Don Kennedy]

>On a more fundamental level, is it even reasonable to have a
>national series?
>
I don't know that Randy is primarily talking about a national sereies?

 

[Lurch]

>By not
>having a domanant series in the US, everyone is reduced to
>sitting on the fence waiting for one to emerge.

Rallyists that I know like to rally. Period. I don't know many rallyists who "sit on the fence" waiting to rally. If they do, they aren't very passionate rallyists.

The ones I know enter rallies based on various criteria, including proximity to home, rally organization, road characteristics, and, finally, sanctioning organization/championship.

I would see a problem more vividly if we had competing rallies on the same weekend on the same side of the country.

I do know that manufacturer timidity had more to do with neither championship securing a television deal before the following year's budgets were due. Without an early TV deal, the best racing series will get dropped for the televised one, even if the televised one involves grasstracks and lawnmowers.

 

[randyzimmer]

Eric,

All good points.

I can be a lot more passionate if a championship means something and the competition is keen, otherwise, why spend to travel?

What still erks me is the "us vs them" and an escalating antagonism.

rz

 

[Lurch]

>I can be a lot more passionate if a championship means
>something and the competition is keen, otherwise, why spend to
>travel?

Me too. I agree.

>What still erks me is the "us vs them" and an escalating
>antagonism.

I guess I haven't been privy to the conversations you have. I wasn't aware of escalating antagonism other than a desire by all parties to better their own championships/events. Of course, I wasn't looking for any antagonism, either.

 

[Glenn Wallace]

There are even the simple, practical issues like log books (though I believe NASA accepts logbooked cars from other sanctioning bodies) and number backers. It is all well to say that both series can attract entrants, organizers and workers, but at the end of the day it is really a zero sum game (it isn't creating any new rallies - the organizers are selecting which sanctioning etc they prefer).

I was very impressed that the Hockers came up for Doo **** (a regional NASA event) --- and we had a pretty fun weekend; rallying, as it should be.

I am also looking forward to OT, my first RA event.

But this messing around with two licenses, two different number backers, etc..... uff da!