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Copyright © 1999 by
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Clutch Chatter -- December 1999

RENews

This will be my final RENews. Good luck to the new RE Mark Badgley and the new Board of Directors.

I would like to summarize the activities that took place at the Central Division Round Table the first weekend in November. The Meeting was held in Grand Rapids MI, and we had 6 people from Indy who attend all or part of the weekend meetings. Mark Badgley and Rick Swartz were there on Saturday, and Andy Weldon, Sue Young, Pete Hylton and I were there Saturday and Sunday.

There were three major items discussed which I feel effect our Region.

The first of these is incorporation of the Division. The advantages and disadvantages were discussed at some length. Most people thought that it was a good idea as long as the incorporation bylaws were very restrictive and limited to such items as liability insurance, bonding, and the protection of division owned equipment. A new set of bylaws will be distributed to the RE’s of all regions around the first of December. A schedule was laid out that would provide for a vote on incorporation by all regions to be completed by March 15th of 2000.

The second item is the 2000 Race Schedule. We maintained our 3 dates and are on the schedule as follows:

April 8-9--Driver School/Regional
May 6-7--Double Regional
July 8-9--National Indy Grand Prix

Since few of the regions really have much control over the dates, it looks as though the schedule works to our advantage. We now have to make them an economic success. Click here for the complete 2000 CenDiv Club Racing schedule.

The third item that generated a lot of discussion all year was the issue of transponders. A committee led by our own Andy Weldon has spent the last 8-9 months looking at transponder system, talking to racers and workers and assessing their impact on the division. The committee recommendation was not to implement any procedures or requirements now, but the committee was ask to stay together and keep an eye how the systems were developing. Most of the committee thought that transponders will become a requirement in the not to distant future. The Competition Board has recommended to the Board of Directors any system used should be the AMB or compatible with the AMB system.

The Solo and Rally folks also had meetings. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend them, but Mark and Rick did. They should have information from the solo meetings.

Many other topics were discussed at various open meetings including the National Office computer system upgrade, Pro Racing profitability, marketing of the Club, and race groupings. Two classes were conditionally added to the CenDiv regional series, the Baby Grand’s and the Spec RX-7.

Finally I would like to thank all the people who have worked very hard the last couple of years to help keep me on track. It’s been an interesting couple of years, but I am ready to pass the baton to Mark.

One Final note congratulations to Pete Hylton on his win of the election for Area 4 Director.

ANNUAL INDY REGION AWARDS BANQUET

CALENDAR

1999 INVOLVED MEMBER AWARD POINTS

1999 COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR POINTS

BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

BOARD MEETING MINUTES: The October Board Meeting minutes were approved with no revisions.

TREASURER'S REPORT: The report by Pete Hylton for Cindy showed a current balance of $-12,712.95. This figure includes a recently received check from Cincinnati Region for the early regionals. The BoD discussed the possibility of changing financial institutions. Huntington National Bank and Indiana Telco Credit Union were two possibilities mentioned.

RALLY REPORT: Our sixth and last points event will be held on Sunday, the November 14th. The rally is titled "November Can Be Nasty Or Nice," and Chuck and Julie Hanson will be our rallymasters. The rally will be a TSD rally covering portions of three south central Indiana counties and will start and end at the Noble Roman's restaurant in Columbus, Indiana. Sanction, insurance, ads in paper, trophies, etc. are complete.

SOLO REPORT: Dave Hart discussed a number of ideas he is considering with respect to next year's solo program with the BoD. These included but were not limited to: junior and regular karts, shifter karts, recruitment and retention of novices, index classes, operating sites, and an Austin Healy Club proposal. After much discussion on these subjects, the BoD took the following actions: agreed to allow karts in the solo program with a two-year time frame for development, agreed to allow 125 shifter karts in solo program with Solo Chairman being responsible for deciding their inclusion or not on a per-event basis based on safety issues, agreed to allow continued negotiations with the A.H. Club on putting on a solo for them. Dave also informed the BoD that he was planning eight solo events for the 2000 season.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT: We currently have 627 members. Everything else is up to date.

ACTIVITIES REPORT: Everybody who attended the hayride and chili cook-off at Stoneycreek Farms on Saturday, October 16th had a great time. This will be the last year for such an activity at Stoneycreek Farms as the land is being developed. Dale Baker won the chili cook-off and received an appropriate trophy for doing so. Reservations are already being received for this year's awards banquet. Plans for the banquet with respect to the band, food, centerpieces, etc. are complete.

RACE REPORT: The BoD discussed and reviewed the proposed race dates that were brought back from the CenDiv Roundtable meeting. After discussion by the BoD on the number of races that should be sanctioned by Indianapolis Region at IRP for the year 2000, the BoD voted to have three races on the following dates: April 8/9 - Driver School/Regional; May 6/7 - Double Regional; July 8/9 - National.

NEW BUSINESS: The BoD voted not to increase regional dues for the year 2000. Summary of CenDiv Roundtable meeting tabled due to time constraints.

NEXT MEETING DATE: There will be a short BoD meeting after the installation of new BoD members at the annual awards banquet, December 4, 1999, at the Brickyard Crossing Resort & Inn. Time to be determined.
 

MIDDIV 2000 RACING CALENDAR
Feb 26-27	School/School/Regional @ Memphis
Mar 18-19	Regional/National @ Memphis
Mar 25-26	School/School/Regional @ Gateway
Apr 8-9	School/Regional @ Heartland
Apr 15-16	Regional/National @ Hallett
Apr 29-30	Regional/National @ Gateway
May 28/29	Regional/National @ Heartland
Jun 17-18	Regional/National @ Memphis
Jul 1-2	Regional/National @ Hallett
Jul 8-9	Double Regional @ Gateway
Jul 15-16	Double Regional @ Heartland
Aug 5-6	Regional/National @ Gateway
Aug 19-20	Regional/National @ Hallett
Sep 3-4	Regional/National @ Heartland
Sep 16-17	School/Regional @ Hallett
Oct 28-29	Double Regional @ Gateway

NEDIV 2000 RACING CALENDAR
Mar 25-26	School @ Summit Point
Apr 15-16	National @ Summit Point
	School/Regional @ New Hampshire
Apr 29-30	National @ Lime Rock
	Regional @ Summit Point
May 6-7	Double Regional @ Nelson Ledges
	School/Regional @ New Hampshire
May 20-21	National @ Nelson Ledges
	School/Double Regional @ Pocono
May 27-28	School/Regional at Watkins Glen
Jun 3-4	Regional @ Summit Point
Jun 10-11	School/Regional @ Lime Rock
Jun 17-18	National @ Watkins Glen
	Regional @ Summit Point
Jun 24-25	Regional @ Pocono
July 1-2	Regional @ Lime Rock
Jul 8-9	Regional @ Summit Point
	Regional @ Nelson Ledges
Jul 15-16	National @ Watkins Glen
	Regional @ Lime Rock
Jul 22-23	Double Regional @ New Hampshire
Jul 29-30	Regional @ Summit Point
	Regional @ Watkins Glen
Aug 5-6	National @ Pocono
Aug 12-13	Regional @ Lime Rock
Aug 19-20	Double Regional @ Nelson Ledges
Aug 26-27	National @ New Hampshire
Sep 2-3	National @ Mosport
	Double Regional @ Summit Point
Sep 9-10	Double Regional @ New Hampshire
Sep 16-17	Regional @ Watkins Glen
Sep 23-24	Regional @ Summit Point
Sep 30-Oct 1	NARRC Runoffs
	Regional @ Lime Rock
Oct 14-15	School/Regional @ Watkins Glen
	Regional @ Lime rock
Oct 21-22	Double Regional @ Nelson Ledges
Oct 28-29	Regional @ Nelson Ledges

RALLY REPORT

Twelve rally teams entered our sixth and last points event of the year, held on Sunday, the 14th of November. Chuck and Julie Hanson were the rallymasters for this TSD course rally that was entitled "November Can Be Nasty or Nice". The challenging rally covered portions of three south central Indiana counties. Thanks go to Chuck and Julie for their work and efforts on this event.

Special thanks goes to Mr. Scott Deppert, technical support representative for Pennzoil-Quaker State, for his efforts and support of our rally program; and to the Pennzoil-Quaker State Company for their support and presentation of our first-place awards for this event. Be sure to check elsewhere in "C.C." for results from this event.

We have new rally champions! New champions have been crowned in classes A, B, C, and Novice. They are:

Class A - Kurt & Dustin Weisner

Class B - Chuck & Julie Hanson

Class C - Aeron Hylton

Novice - Harold & Myra Kulke

Congratulations to these new champions on a job well done! Check out the entire 1999 point standings elsewhere in "C.C.".

This is our last rally report. Chuck Hanson will be your new Rally Chairman for the year 2000. Roberta and I had an enjoyable time as your rally co-chairpersons for the last two and a half years. We hope all of you had an equally good time, too. We want to thank all of you for your help, efforts, work, special comments, and for putting up with us on one of those rare occasions that may have happened or just in general. A special thanks goes to all of the people who wrote rallies during our term. They are: Bob Burns, Dale & Jean Baker, Bill Coughlin, Kurt & Dustin Weisner, Cindy & Aeron Hylton, Lowell King, Brent Cary, Candice & Frank Pope, Bill Terhune, Dave & Cathy Hart, Ken & Linda Osiecki, and Chuck & Julie Hanson. And thanks to all of the people who helped these people by working in their events.

Be sure to continue your support of the Indianapolis Region Rally Program by supporting your new rally chairman. Chuck has some new and very good ideas in store for next year. With your help and Chuck's plans, our rally program will be better than ever. Let's make it one of the best in the nation.

ITEMS OF NOTE!

• We are pleased to announce that through the efforts of Mr. Jim Stevenson of Firestone Tire and Service Centers, Firestone will be presenting gift certificates to the first place year-end award winners in each of the region's rally classes. These certificates will be presented along with the first-place trophies at our annual awards banquet. 
• Don't forget to attend this year's annual meeting and awards banquet on Saturday, December 4th. Be there to see your rally class award-winners receive their trophies and to enjoy rally talk, good food, live music, good friends and great times! 

"NOVEMBER CAN BE NASTY OR NICE" RALLY RESULTS

Our sixth and last rally of 1999 was held on Sunday afternoon, the 14th of November. The rally was very appropriately named "November Can Be Nasty Or Nice" and was written and mastered by Chuck and Julie Hanson. Twelve rally teams entered this classic TSD course rally which began and ended at the Noble Romans's restaurant on S.R. 46 in Columbus, Indiana. The rally covered portions of three counties: Bartholomew, Brown, and Jackson counties.

As mentioned previously, this rally was very appropriately named. In fact the rally and "November" did turn out to be both nasty and nice. It was nice because the weather for the rally was beautiful. A nice, sunny, and warm for November day greeted the competitors. It was a great day to traverse some of the back roads of the above-mentioned counties. These back roads were full of twists and turns, and ups and downs, with some of them having steep hills that crested really sharply. Some of the roads were narrow and some were unpaved. All of them were fun to travel, and while doing so the rally teams had a chance to see a number of great looking lakes and large ponds. Some of these lakes and ponds had well built, nice looking homes situated near their shorelines. All in all, the area was interesting enough, and more so, to warrant a return trip one of these days to really enjoy the scenery. And now to the nasty part!

As mentioned, this rally was a TSD course rally. As such, the goal or emphasis on this rally was to follow and stay the course while negotiating a number of traps built into the rally at various locations. Some of these traps were "nasty" and they tripped or "trapped" a number of the rally teams on more than one occasion. There were a number of times when one would see a rally car going the other (wrong?) way, turning around, or even backing down a road. A couple of cars were never seen. Even though this rally was a difficult event and had some "nasty" and testing moments, most of the rallyists probably learned from this event and will use those sharpened rally skills in next year's rally program.

Thanks go to Chuck and Julie Hanson for the time and effort spent on writing and preparing this challenging rally. Thanks also go to all of the people who helped Chuck and Julie on this rally from pre-checking the event to checkpoint working the day of the event. They were: Iris Joseph, Lois Lankford, Rich Lankford, Julie Partridge, Bill Partridge, J.L. Quinn III, J. Spellman, Fred Steinhoff, Andy Welden, and Sue Young. And a very special thanks goes to Mr. Scott Deppert, technical support representative for Pennzoil-Quaker State, for his efforts and support of our program, and to the Pennzoil-Quaker State Company for their support and presentation of our first-place plaques for this event. Thank you to all of you!
 

Pos./Class	Driver/Navigator	Points
1/1B *	Candice & Frank Pope	715
2/1A *	Kurt & Dustin Weisner	1170
3/1N *	E. Benton Tackitt III & IV	1435
4/1C *	Sam & Beth Crites	1496
5/2C *	Dale Baker & Peter Hylton	1722
6/3C	Karen Mathis & Robin Burian	2111
7/2B	Carolyn George & Jim Cates	2184
8/4C	Cindy & Aeron Hylton	2202
9/5C	Jim Bredle & Kieron Mitchell	2207
10/6C	Roberta & Dave DeBolt	2281
11/7C	Harold & Myra Kulke	2400
12/8C	John & Debora Marshall	DNF

NOTE: An asterisk denotes trophy winner.

FINAL 1999 Indy Region Rally Points

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be an Indy Region member. 
• Must have entered 3 or more events – ONLY top 5 finishes count toward year end award. 
• Must have worked any type of Indy Region event and turned associated worker card in to rally chairman.

THE CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE: Weltmeister Porsche 924/944/968 Harness Bar, 1 1/2", one year old, good condition, $90. Call Jason at 317-858-6344 or email: jkbaugh@mindspring.com. (11/99)

FOR SALE: Tire Trailer, 40.5"W x 48"L x 26"H enclosed, includes wheeled support and spare tire. $250. Call Jason at 317-858-6344 or email: jkbaugh@mindspring.com. (11/99)

Final Indy Region Regional Racing Point Standings As Of 11-15-99

SOLO REPORT

Cathy and I are working on the 2000 Indianapolis Region Solo II program and would like to thank again everyone who helped make the 1999 program a success. We will be making several changes next year, and with some help (and a little racer’s luck) we expect that next year will be better than ever. We also hope to take your comments and suggestions from the October 3rd discussion forum and use them to help prepare for next year’s program. Some of the changes are described below and we welcome your input. Thanks in advance for your support.

E-mail: Please E-mail dave.hart@insightbb.com with your E-mail address. We intend to use E-mail to share late-breaking Solo II news, schedule updates, etc. If you prefer not to receive updates, please send your E-mail address anyway with "No Updates" in the subject or body. This would also be a good time to indicate if you are interested in helping to organize the 2000 program, based on the topics below.

2000 Schedule: We are planning on an 8-event points series for next year, with a Solo Orientation / Test & Tune early in the season. We are considering hosting a BFG Series event at Converse, provided we can drum up enough help and support. We are also considering hosting a Solo II event for the Austin-Healey Club of America’s annual convention in Indy this summer as a fund-raising venture.

Sites: As always, we are looking for additional sites to use for our events. As you are on your daily travels, please keep an eye out for large paved areas. If you see a potential site, please contact dave.hart@insightbb.com. The potential site’s name, location/address, and/or phone number are very helpful for us to follow up on your suggestion.

Events: Based on your feedback, we will try to increase the number of runs given during each event. Most of you seemed to agree that the corresponding increase in the length of the event was acceptable.

Karts: Karts and the Junior Driver Program (Ages 8-16) will be incorporated into the Indianapolis Region SCCA Solo II events next year to help promote family involvement in SCCA activities. Participant safety will be the primary consideration for the conduct of the events, followed closely by the enjoyment of the participants. We have preliminary proposed rules, guidelines, and class structure available via dave.hart@insightbb.com. Our goal is to incorporate this part of our program as smoothly as possible. I have been racing karts since ‘82 and our son Nick (17, 1998 G Stock champion) has been karting since ’92. Nick has volunteered to be the Junior Driver Program Youth Steward and would welcome additional adult assistant Youth Stewards (especially parents of Junior Drivers). The Solo Orientation / Test & Tune will include kart orientation and karts.

New Classes: We are evaluating ways of including a Novice class and/or a Street Tire class as a means of enhancing the experience of participants that prefer not to compete in the "Open" classes. Newer participants will be encouraged with help from "Novice Coaches".

Help! We would like to solicit your help in the following Solo II areas for next year. You do not necessarily need to personally perform each task at each event, just ensure that the job gets done. If you have specific questions, please ask.

• Chief of Communications: Coordinate use of radios with Club Racing. Charge and transport radios. 
• Chief of Equipment: Coordinate transportation of the Solo trailer. First to arrive, last to leave. 
• Chief of Course: Coordinate course design and setup. 
• Chief of Tech: Coordinate Technical Inspectors / Inspection 
• Chief of Workers: Coordinate worker assignments at the event, i.e. grid, course, start, timing/scoring, etc. 
• Novice Chief: Coordinate "Novice Coaches" to help ensure that Novice competitors have fun.
• Safety Stewards: We are in need of a few people to become Solo Safety Stewards. This involves gaining an understanding of the responsibilities and a training session, followed by working a few events as an assistant Safety Steward.

We hope to see everyone at the annual banquet and award presentation on Saturday, December 4th.

Happy Holidays!

Dave & Cathy Hart - (317) 849-2495 - dave.hart@insightbb.com, cathy.hart@insightbb.com

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Most of the competitions are over, but I got a message from Greg Case who wanted to report that he took the pole and won the Formula Ford regional race at Gingerman on September 19, and Ralph Johnson finished sixth. Greg also had a pair of seconds at the Double Regional at Nelson Ledges on October 23-24.