PASR June 29, 2024 meeting minutes

[cgroppi]

Phoenix AZ Solo Region Steering Committee Meeting Minutes
June 29, 2023

Present: Lance H., Kevin V., Kim K., Chris G., Steve E., Tim B., Faith H., Matt U., Ben Z., Mat L., Chris S., Jonathan Herold (guest), David Alter (guest), Kenny M., Kei J., Jason B., Brian M., Morgan L., Doug Rowse (guest)

1.    Update on region: 348 members. Kim attending medium size region meetings. Not much to report. 
2.    Financials: Putting cancelation money from Jan events into this year, we have made over $6k this year. This is a lot, too much Steve thinks. This is $9.29 per driver. Ways to fix: fancier awards, free lunch for either 1 event or the full fall series, reduce entry fees, Kevin suggests: awards bump, MSR fee cost adjustment, free lunch for September. Steve suggests we talk on the SC forum for other ideas to reduce our bank balance. 
3.    Registration and waiver process update: pre-registration of guests worked well. Made things way easier for reg and waiver. Check in at gate worked well, but some refinements. Big time sink was looking for stickers. Instead, will have a generic sticker and will write the car number on it at check in to speed things up. 
4.    Equipment update: No real updates. Retired 18 cones. People like the tents and elevated table. New tall chairs are good too. Tim is doing maintenance on gas devices. Tim suggests maybe we buy backup displays since they seem to die occasionally. Kevin suggests getting a second large display and use the small as the backup. Kevin V. motions to buy a new, large display. Unanimous yes. 
5.    Truck and Trailer: Kevin and Tim haven’t done anything yet. But Kevin was out of the country for a month. Will look at it soon. 
6.    Elimination of unused subforums on website: sponsors, event planning, rallycross. Kim proposes we eliminate the unused forums. Kevin will notify the border region rallycross people to be sure they are OK with it. 
7.    Fall series format: Registration prefers full day event. 
8.    Kei is thinking about the driver’s school on Sat Nov 4. Plan is to make the school for novices. Kei will continue to plan and will post on the forum. Will get Bill P. to help with course design. Kenny is planning track day on Nov 10 (veteran’s day). Plan to drop entry fee to make less money. Kevin will talk with Pat about lunch plans and pricing (for all events including track day). 
9.    National Event update: confirmed dates for national tour: Feb. 23, 24 and 25. National SCCA pays for site. Not sure if national pays for other region expenses. Steve would like to know those details. Doug said region needs to get in touch with National. We should schedule a zoom with national, with Kevin, Brian, Steve, Chris, Doug and National. Need to ask nationals for expected headcount and ask for a waiver with attendance margin. 
10.    Gila Bend site: Ben’s contact disappeared. Ben will try to work directly with city of Gila Bend. Ben will keep working on it. Brian M. has done some research. Sites are really expensive. Old Bondurant is $5500 per day, WHP is $6500 per day. Some places didn’t return calls (PIR, private tracks). Steve E. says that AMP has contract for another 7 years with the county and the owner does not expect to go anywhere. 
11.    Banquet: Spring banquet canceled because of lack of interest. Probably because it was not immediately after an event. Next Spring last event is on a Sunday so maybe we try it again. Fall 23 event is on a Saturday now, so we want to change to Sunday the 17th. Motion to change the event to Sunday the 17th. Unanimous yes to change the date. 
12.    Next meeting: Sept 28

[David 2]

I was at the meeting but had to leave before the National Tour topic came up for discussion.  Is the plan to have a National Tour event in Phoenix on February Feb 23, 24, and 25?  And, would that event have a EVO Phase 1/2 school associated with it?  

 

Another idea since we have a budget surplus and potentially a capacity issue for a national event, maybe we use excess funds to rent a larger facility for that larger event if AMP can't give a waiver for the attendance cap.

Edited July 5, 2023 by David 2

[Zuko305]

3 hours ago, David 2 said:

I was at the meeting but had to leave before the National Tour topic came up for discussion.  Is the plan to have a National Tour event in Phoenix on February Feb 23, 24, and 25?  And, would that event have a EVO Phase 1/2 school associated with it?  

 

Another idea since we have a budget surplus and potentially a capacity issue for a national event, maybe we use excess funds to rent a larger facility for that larger event if AMP can't give a waiver for the attendance cap.

What sites?
 

We are always open to explore additional locations. Please provide a listing / location and the responsible member of the SC will pursue. 

[David 2]

1 hour ago, Zuko305 said:

What sites?
 

We are always open to explore additional locations. Please provide a listing / location and the responsible member of the SC will pursue. 

I don't know of additional sites that have not been previously mentioned in the meeting such as : "Old Bondurant is $5500 per day, WHP is $6500 per day".  I was suggesting that since there is a budget surplus and since we would possibly be space limited for the national event, if that space limitation occurs, maybe that budget surplus could be used to rent one of the larger/more expensive sites for that unique event.  Such sites are too expensive for regular seasonal events but a national event may justify the additional expense.

In case they have been overlooked previously, two potential sites are Phoenix Raceway and the Arizona State Fairgrounds.  Both have sizeable parking lots that appear to be relatively free of light poles.  Though, I'm sure those have been previously considered.

There is also the Phoenix Municipal Stadium that rents a part of their parking lot out to a driving school.  So, they are at least somewhat open to the concept.  

Lastly, Westworld?

 

Edited July 5, 2023 by David 2

[Zuko305]

47 minutes ago, David 2 said:

I don't know of additional sites that have not been previously mentioned in the meeting such as : "Old Bondurant is $5500 per day, WHP is $6500 per day".  I was suggesting that since there is a budget surplus and since we would possibly be space limited for the national event, if that space limitation occurs, maybe that budget surplus could be used to rent one of the larger/more expensive sites for that unique event.  Such sites are too expensive for regular seasonal events but a national event may justify the additional expense.

In case they have been overlooked previously, two potential sites are Phoenix Raceway and the Arizona State Fairgrounds.  Both have sizeable parking lots that appear to be relatively free of light poles.  Though, I'm sure those have been previously considered.

There is also the Phoenix Municipal Stadium that rents a part of their parking lot out to a driving school.  So, they are at least somewhat open to the concept.  

Lastly, Westworld?

 

Thanks for the leads. Do you possibly have any contact information? 

[David 2]

5 minutes ago, Zuko305 said:

Thanks for the leads. Do you possibly have any contact information? 

I do not.

[Manfred]

On 7/4/2023 at 2:57 PM, cgroppi said:

6.    Elimination of unused subforums on website: sponsors, event planning, rallycross. Kim proposes we eliminate the unused forums. Kevin will notify the border region rallycross people to be sure they are OK with it. 

Rallycross has been organizing themselves in a Facebook group for a few years now. https://www.facebook.com/groups/arizonarallygroup

They are sanctioning events through AZ Region (#2) these days and using MSR for registration, so we haven't heard from them in a while. I doubt they even know this place exists.

[cgroppi]

Bondurant and WHP are both smaller than AMP. For the National event, scca pays for the site anyway so the cost is not relevant. What is relevant is trying to organize a National event in a location we do not normally use. That’s a recipe for disaster. The occupancy limits for AMP can be overcome with a one-time waiver request to the city. We do not expect that request to be a problem since AMP has done it successfully in the past. 
 

The National event will definitely not include an EVO school. We are considering hosting an EVO school but that would need to be on another weekend. The National event will fully consume the site and all of the regions bandwidth on its own that weekend. 

[David 2]

4 minutes ago, cgroppi said:

Bondurant and WHP are both smaller than AMP. For the National event, scca pays for the site anyway so the cost is not relevant. What is relevant is trying to organize a National event in a location we do not normally use. That’s a recipe for disaster. The occupancy limits for AMP can be overcome with a one-time waiver request to the city. We do not expect that request to be a problem since AMP has done it successfully in the past. 
 

The National event will definitely not include an EVO school. We are considering hosting an EVO school but that would need to be on another weekend. The National event will fully consume the site and all of the regions bandwidth on its own that weekend. 

Thank you.  AMP it is!  

[smeyers]

Well, well. Look what just posted from SCCA. Suitable for Autocross they say. Might I suggest we contact them soon and see what's what? Pricing not mentioned I also noticed.

Podium Club Racing Complex near Casa Grande.

https://www.speedsport.com/sports-cars/scca/scca-approves-podium-club-road-course/?fbclid=IwAR0R_0sslIm_Fs8wCCtayZRv3s7f-0Z7GuALzhC6oYlJVP5-V2lPWKBCpfY

Let us know what you find out. TIA.  😎

[scotturich]

Yes please!!!! Only about 30 minutes from my house.  Would be fun to run there.

[smeyers]

Maybe the new “Marana”? I miss that place.

When Kim or someone checked on this place months ago, it was very pricey. Maybe now that SCCA is involved, perhaps that might help us get a foot in their “door”. 

National Tour consideration, maybe too?😎
 

 

[Nokones]

The cost was many thousands of dollars at that time and I was told they were not interested in having an autocross event at their facility.

[smeyers]

Hoping that after that article from SCCA, the climate has changed. And maybe not. 

[Maycar]

As this is fairly local to me, I stopped by earlier and had a discussion with the General Manager.  He was interested in hosting autocross events.  I told him I would foward his info to the clubs (PHX and TUC) site coordinator and they could discuss options.  Nice guy, seemed very receptive to opening up his facility.  

 

Whoever is in charge of site accusition can contact me via PM, text, or email.

 

six51-23eight-9threeone7

mayakich at gmail

 

 

[smeyers]

Thank you for doing that. Might have some new, more receptive people in place there now.👍😎

[Bob B.]

On 7/8/2023 at 4:12 PM, Maycar said:

As this is fairly local to me, I stopped by earlier and had a discussion with the General Manager.  He was interested in hosting autocross events.  I told him I would foward his info to the clubs (PHX and TUC) site coordinator and they could discuss options.  Nice guy, seemed very receptive to opening up his facility.  

 

Whoever is in charge of site accusition can contact me via PM, text, or email.

 

six51-23eight-9threeone7

mayakich at gmail

 

 

Seriously, Thank You for doing that.

Hopefully it will work out well for all involved.