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To: All VSCCA Members
From: Bob Klingenburg-Activities
Chairman-5 Wilcox Drive Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046
Greetings, and a safe, fun new year to all. This is my first mailing to
the club, and I can think of no better way to begin, than to say that in my new
role as Activities Chairman, I will always try to serve you to the very best of
my ability.
I consider it an honor and a privilege to have this job, and to
have the opportunity to contribute to this wonderful organization. I have size
twelve feet, however I recognize that it will be extremely difficult to begin
to fill the shoes of my predecessors, and in particular, Mr. Schieffelin, to
whom we all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for keeping us appropriately
active all these years.
Luckily I still have John to call upon for guidance. I
love talking about the club, it's schedule, and all other things VSCCA, so
please do not hesitate to contact me. I welcome suggestions, commentary, and
even constructive criticism.
This is a club comprised of its members, not a
business. Therefore we all in a sense run this club, and we all should have a
voice in determining what activities we would like to see on our schedule.
The VIR Test and Tune is upon us, and if you have procrastinated, or
thought an event in February is not for you, please reconsider. Wouldn't it be
nice to enjoy the comparatively balmy weather in lower Virginia (almost North
Carolina) at this time of year? It probably won't be any colder than it has
occasionally been at Lime Rock in April. And it will be the full course. Read
my lips: THE FULL COURSE. There is no more glorious motoring anywhere.
On Saturday, March 1st, the Midwinter meeting offers the chance to
socialize and possibly acquire some really neat stuff, without the pressures of
the track. If you are new to the club, there is no better way to meet people
and make new friends. Further information on this event is enclosed.
Then, two weeks later, on Saturday, March 15th (please note the change
of date from the first date published), we have the "Southern" Tech
Session and Rallye. I can assure you, however, that all are invited, not just
our more southern members. In fact, if I were one of our more northern members,
I would make a special point of going, just to prove that you can. This year
there will be an added bonus in the form of a real, honest to goodness,
time/speed/distance Rallye as part of the day. Rallyemeister Ralph Steinberg,
who puts together big time Vintage Rallies, will make this one short, but very
sweet. You will get a chance to see two of our club members' first-rate shops,
with some very cool machinery inside, as part of the bargain.
April arrives shortly thereafter, and brings with it our Drivers' School
and Spring Sprints, at the incomparably lovely Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.
For our more southern members, that's somewhere in New England. Unfortunately,
we lost our track time for the school on Friday this year, so we are conducting
the school slightly differently. (Anyone wanting extra track time on Friday can
still run with PDA as always). If you are sponsoring a new member, please make
sure your candidate is on board. Try to remember when you were a newbie, and
not one of the sophisticated, debonair, racing savants that we all undoubtedly
are today. Many people may not know up from down, and really need your help to
be walked through the process, even with things that now seem elemental to us.
The first thing to note is that all students are now required to attend
a professional racing school prior to attending our school. Any student who
foresees a problem, should contact Chief Instructor Don Nattrass immediately.
Our school will still begin on Friday April 11th at Lime Rock, despite having
no track time available. This first day will be an opportunity for students to
get together with instructors and absorb what goes on at a track event. The
days activities will be firmed up by Mr. Nattrass, but there may be an
opportunity to have students cars pre-teched for compliance with the clubs'
rules (two rookie stripes affixed to the rear please), do the usual line and
attitude chalk talks, conduct a tech inspection demonstration, perhaps view a
Skip Barber video, and possibly have students go to corner stations with their
instructor for an education from the corner workers on proper track etiquette
and what not do out there. On Friday night we can all get together at the Town
Grove for dinner, conviviality, and a few short words from several people.
Saturday, at the Spring Sprints, our students will staff corner
stations, rotating through as many different stations throughout the day as is
feasible. This should afford them an excellent opportunity to see the right way
through each of the corners (hopefully) and proper VSCCA track etiquette (even
more hopefully), as well as getting a better understanding of track safety from
our experienced workers at each corner. There will be an opportunity during the
lunch break for instructors to take students around the track at reduced
touring speeds, either in their own cars, sort of like worker rides, or with
instructors leading students in the students own cars.
Then one week later, on Saturday April 19th, Students will join the club
membership for their first real on track experience at Pocono Raceway. Our
Pocono event should work out wonderfully for this purpose, due the copious
amount of track time, and laid back atmosphere. A perfect opportunity for
students to put into practice everything they learned the week before. When
students have successfully demonstrated their proficiency and appropriate
attitude under the watchful eye of Mr. Nattrass, they may potentially be sent
out to play with the rest of the membership before the end of the day. All
rookies will still need to apply two rookie stripes to the rear of their car
for the remainder of the season.
Right on the heels of Pocono we march south again (at least most of us)
to VIR. But don't think that since you have already gone once, there is no need
to go again. This time we will be running the North Course, which makes the
experience like going to an entirely different track, except, of course, for
the same lovely unsurpassed surroundings and first rate facilities.
An IMPORTANT thing to take immediate notice of, is the need to book your
reservations now, or at least very soon, for the Berkshire Hills Rallye/Tour.
It is seemingly far away, on June 28/29, but that locale at that time of year
is sooo popular, that premium hotel rooms are scarce and need to be booked
early. This year we have a new Event Chairman, Fast Eddie Hyman, who has agreed
to put together a weekend of fine food, luscious scenery (or is it the other
way around, luscious food and fine scenery?... Whatever) in the sophisticated hills
of Massachusetts (for our more southern members, that's somewhere else in New
England). Contrary to what you might expect this event is actually open to
southern members, and all friends of the VSCCA in addition to just those from
New England. Vintage or interesting cars are appreciated but not required.
There may be another street race on our calendar this year in addition
to the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. Event Chairman Jack Gallagher is working
feverishly with the Mayor, Town Council, and other VIPs to bring us to the
waterfront of Camden New Jersey, which is directly across the Delaware River
from the historic section of Philadelphia. What a show that will be.
There is a possibility that this years' Turkey Bowl at Summit Point may
move up a week or two. Additionally, it may be a three-day event, and afford an
opportunity to run the new Shenandoah circuit opening there this year. Reports
about it that sound incredible. Think Nurburgring, but a little shorter. Other
track possibilities seem to pop up daily. We will consider them all. Stay
tuned.
Enclosed with this mailing is an event tech form. {ed note - not on web yet} In order to avoid the
cost of sending one to every member with each mailing, please make as many
copies of this sheet as you think you may need this year. I also expect that
this form will soon be available on the VSCCA website. Should you misplace your
form and have no access to the website, contact the event chairman for the
particular event, or myself, and we will be happy to get you one. Speaking of
websites, Event Chairman/Rallyemeister/Official VSCCA Webmaster and general
good guy Ed Hyman, informs that the Official VSCCA website is almost at the
conclusion of a total overhaul, and should be up in all its' glory for many
informative and useful purposes such as this in very short order.
Also enclosed is a copy of the Car Classification Committee Guidelines
that Jerry Greaves and his team, have been working on diligently. There may be
a little more emphasis on compliance than in the past, as tech inspectors in
addition to Jerry and his team will be looking at these things. You may want to
take a careful look at this sheet in addition to the normal tech sheet. {ed note - not on web yet}
There has never been a better time for club activities, but space
prohibits. So much to say, so little space. See you out there.
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© AutoPhotos 2003 - Ed Hyman
Consulting