SCCAForums.com

Andy Hollis:

Time for some small-government republicans in Topeka.

--Andy 

Well...dubya is soon to be looking for a job, maybe he can shake things up, doncha know...

Back on topic, aren't we, as paying members of SCCA, entitled to an accounting of Nationals operations, if desired?

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In slow, out fast.
In fast, out backwards.

Andy Hollis:

Everyone should be careful what they ask for...

I can easily see Nats entry fees going up substantionally even with a free event site.

I'm still having a hard time understanding where the $121K is all going to go for this year (1100 * $110).  That is a serious amount of cash. 

--Andy

 

I think a lot of us are wondering that.

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125 STS '89 Civic Si
RPGproduction.com/Toyo Tires/Moton/NABC-Ethanol Racing

Steve Hoelscher:

When you consider the entry fee to be only one component of the cost of going to nationals, $200 isn't that much.  For those of us that have to tow from one of the coasts, the primary costs this year will be fuel.  At $4+/gallon, I am looking at $1000 in fuel expense.  To itemize the various major expenses:

Towing Fuel:         $1000

Hotel:                    $500

Meals:                  $250

Incidentals:           $250

So I am looking at spending $2000+ to go and that doesn't include the entry fee.  A $200 entry fee is less than 10% of my total costs and its no higher than 4th in order of expenses for the trip.   

The location is likely to have a bigger effect on cost via fuel expense than entry fee.  As an example, Nationals were moved to Denver you add 1000 miles to my round trip tow and another $400 in fuel expense.    

I would pay more for a better, centrally located site to prevent my travel expenses from ballooning out of reason.  But then from the perspective of someone who drove their HS car, and who's fuel expense was 1/4th the above, it isn't as big an issue.

 

Some HS people tow out...(At least I did last year in my diesel at $3.00 gallon) just so I would have a car to travel 15 miles to hotel each day and back X 6 days.  True, my HS Civic gets 34+ towing the tire trailer on the hwy, but I still like the fact that I don't have to change the oil when I get there, don't have to recheck the alignment, worry about incident on the way out, or if I have an issue while in Topeka with a broken car etc....

I estimated my fuel cost from KY for the week (I run TR-FR this year and plan on coming out Saturday) would be $1100 for fuel alone.  Driving the car with the trailer, having the car aligned and oil changed would only cost me $380.  So looks like I will be pitching in on some gas to bring the big canopy and extra tires out to someone who is going to tow out.  The savings in gas alone would pay for everything else.  The fact I have empowered a co-driver from my home region to split expenses with make it more affordable.  Otherwise, I would be sitting home in September.

 I voted $150.  If I have to spend 4 times the entry fee for the expenses, well, call me frugal!

Hence also the reason why I still run in a stock class.  (Don't be playa hatin'!)

 

Oh and Steve....I would love to have a D-Mod car...just can't afford it....again, another reason I drive an HS car, less things to break.  Doesn't mean I can't drive fast, just means that I am on a budget (Three kids, mortgage, highest property values in KY, health insurance, ONE INCOME...etc...I am sure you understand that.)

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D. Scott Bourne
Cincy Region SCCA
192HS
409West SpeedSports
DATS Racing LLC
Kumho Motorsports
Towery's Motorsports
Tokico USA

ScottH560:

Oh and Steve....I would love to have a D-Mod car...just can't afford it....again, another reason I drive an HS car, less things to break.  Doesn't mean I can't drive fast, just means that I am on a budget (Three kids, mortgage, highest property values in KY, health insurance, ONE INCOME...etc...I am sure you understand that.)

 

Scott, I was just pointing out that different competitors, in different classes may be affected differently by location and fuel costs.  I chose the most obvious example for low fuel costs; an HS car driven to the event.  But then some people may find that $300 in fuel costs breaks their budget before somebody else that had a $1000 in fuel costs.  It just depends on the individual's circumstances.  Sure, I know some people tow HS cars, I probably would too.  It would be nice to at least have the option to drive the car rather than tow.  That isn't the case for most SP, prepared and mod competitors.

I expect that as fuel prices continue to rise people towing SP, Prepared and Mod cars, long distances to Nationals will be the first affected.  But then you may also see some at the other end too, for the same reasons. 

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Steve Hoelscher
#27 DP - Toyota MR2
http://www.terriehoward.com

Andy Hollis:

Everyone should be careful what they ask for...

I can easily see Nats entry fees going up substantionally even with a free event site.

I'm still having a hard time understanding where the $121K is all going to go for this year (1100 * $110).  That is a serious amount of cash. 

--Andy

 

Well I think everyone is assuming that the point of this survey is whether we're willing to pay more for a good "non-free" site.   I big entry fee bump that has no apparent justification would be very unpopular IMO.

Dave G. 

Andy Hollis:

I'm still having a hard time understanding where the $121K is all going to go for this year (1100 * $110).  That is a serious amount of cash. 

Ummmm...To cover the Admin deficit...duh.

 

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Ted

2004 Z16/Z06 SS

As was mentioned in the other "looking for a Nats site" thread, our financials for 06 were published in the August 07 Sportscar.  Apparently they were also published in Fastrack, but I can't seem to find them there.

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Dave Heinig

07 GXP Z0K (Thanks Rob!)

ScottH560:

 

I estimated my fuel cost from KY for the week (I run TR-FR this year and plan on coming out Saturday) would be $1100 for fuel alone. 

I'd be curious to see the math on this one.  Steve's $1,000 fuel cost from St. Augustine, FL (2400 mile round trip) is right on the money.  How can it cost $1,100 from Lexington, KY?

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Jim Z

TedDBere:

Andy Hollis:

I'm still having a hard time understanding where the $121K is all going to go for this year (1100 * $110).  That is a serious amount of cash. 

Ummmm...To cover the Club Racing deficit...duh.

They say it goes to Topeka overhead, but that's just because Club Racing can't even cover it's own variable costs, let alone the clubs fixed costs.

That's what Club Racing says about us! That Solo can't cover it's National Office and insurance costs and Club Racing ends up subsidizing Solo. 

 

I also agree that a bump in price that didn't correspond with a rental fee of a nice site would make me upset. I'd be asking for much more financial insight that we get from the annual summary that's currently published.  

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Aut tace aut loquere meliora silentio.

DaveH:

As was mentioned in the other "looking for a Nats site" thread, our financials for 06 were published in the August 07 Sportscar.  Apparently they were also published in Fastrack, but I can't seem to find them there.

I remember that publication and as I recall Solo ran something like a 290k surplus.  http://scca.com/documents/Fastrack/06-7-fastrack.pdf

Page 18 in the July 2006 Fastrack breaks out the contributions of the various SCCA divisions.  Both Club and Solo were positive contributors and Rally and Admin (as you'd expect) were negative.

 

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Ted

2004 Z16/Z06 SS

What's the definition of a "good" site? As many people mentioned, it's most likely the costs associated with the event, not the entry fee itself. But if any of these things could somehow be subsidized by the site location (e.g., more discount coupons for meals, gas, lodging), I think that many would be inclined to pay more.

One thing to keep in mind when looking at the financials; all membership dues go in the "admin" column.  There is no accounting for how much of the membership dues come from Solo competitors and how much comes from Club Racing competitors.

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Once you go Mac, you never go back!

gary p:

One thing to keep in mind when looking at the financials; all membership dues go in the "admin" column.  There is no accounting for how much of the membership dues come from Solo competitors and how much comes from Club Racing competitors.

The insurance expenses are all under admin too.

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Ted

2004 Z16/Z06 SS

hhmmmm.... i recall checking off a box where it asked where you want your membership dues applied to. but when i renewed this year i didn't see that option. am i crazy or did we used to have this in our membership application or renewal form? anyhow, like many have said, the entry fee is but a small part of the budget. if a tour is $80 for 300 people for three days and we are currently at $110 for nats for 10 days (including pro solo) then i'd say the nats fee is a bargain. i'd be willing to pay a lot more, say $300 if it meant having a site we can't get kicked out of.

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Hector San Nicolas

my last name says i'm a saint,
but putting up with lehman will get me sainthood