October 13, 2011

Vote for Marcus Merideth for Area 4 Director

I, Marcus Merideth, am seeking re-election for the SCCA Area 4 Director.

In my current term as Area 4 BOD Representative I have served as liaison to the Rallycross Board, the Time Trials Committee, the Executive Stewards and the CRB. I currently serve the Club as assistant Treasurer, and I am a member of the Budget and Finance Committee and the Planning Committee.

As a member of the Budget and Finance Committee, I am happy to say that the Club has enjoyed financial success over the last three years. I have pushed the following: The accounting methods for dealing with Pro Racing and the time allocations of SCCA staff on Pro Racing have been modified to better represent their true value; The BOD now receives monthly updates of the financials compared to both budget and previous year’s performance along with budgets showing department and activity breakdown; The Club is enjoying a significant reduction in insurance costs resulting from a change in the bidding process pushed by myself and other BOD members.

The Planning Committee is currently working hard on the future of road racing and the RunOffs. Raising the image of the RunOffs and National racing serves both the history and the future of SCCA.

This year I had the opportunity to chair the Website review committee and am proud of the new website. Work is continuing to improve the website.

My familiarity with the auto manufacturers has proven valuable in understanding their expectations and working methods. My knowledge of internal change processes and lifecycle expectations has proven useful in classing decisions.

My experience in numerous areas of the Club allows me to represent the diverse interests of the entire Area 4 membership. I have proudly served Area 4 for the last three years; please allow me to continue to serve the Club I love.

Vote for Marcus Merideth for Area 4 Director

SCCA experience:
Served as Chief Steward, Operating Steward, Safety Steward & Chairman for National, Divisional and Regional Events.
Served on the Solo Events Board for 6 years, as Chair for 3 years
Chaired Formula SAE for Detroit Region of SCCA for 2 years and volunteered for over 20 years as worker
Past Regional Executive for Detroit Region
Corner worker at Pro and Regional events
Crew for professional and Regional competitors
Competitor in Solo, road racing, rally and rallycross since joining the Club in 1990

Professional Experience:
Licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer
Over 20 years working in the auto industry
Currently self employed engineering consultant to automotive, military and industrial firms

http://www.facebook.com/insights/?s...8791702623

Marcus E. Merideth

Can you tell us how you feel about the 2.5 rule and other club issues?

2,5 Rule:
As a Club we do a very poor job of class management. We need to separate the issue of a National class from Runoffs. Runoffs format and size should not be tied to the number of National classes but to what the event should be. 24 classes over 7 das or 12 classes over 4 days or something in between needs to be independent of the National racing classes. I think the bigger problem is National race weekends and number of groups and track time not necessarily the number of classes. Figuring out a way for Regions to have financially healthy and competition events healthy with possible changes in format or requirements is critical. As for class management, the planning committee has done some work on looking at classes as markets. Example: fast, aero open wheel cars running on slicks is a market that we need offer a class. Do we want to offer a class for very slow sedans on slicks? Probably not but slow sedans on DOT tires is a place we should offer a class. The 2.5 rule needs to be replaced with market based classes and we need to stick with it. Larger classes should earn the right to Runoffs and other classes will need some type of event where they can crown a champion. The planning committee has numerous other options on the table. We need to get a plan and publish it so everybody understands it and it is not changed every year with e changing of the BOD. I am open to any good plan but no plan is not an option.
That was kind of long but this is not a five word subject ans has lots of tales.

What would you do with classes that are well subscribed at the Nationals, but no one shows up for the Runoffs like GT1? Where as T3 had terrible National participation, but 16 out of 19 that qualified showed up for the Runoffs making it the 2nd largest of the Touring/SS classes.

Cheyne

You have to consider the Runoffs participation as part of the average. Currently Runoffs does not count in the 2.5 rule number

So you are FOR the 2.5 rule it would seem in the meantime...

No issue as it is your choice, just want to know where you stand since you are trying to get re-elected.

The way the 2.5 is computed is flawed and I would prefer we managed classes with something besides a short term vision