As I am to understand, Steve presented a program to SCCA that may
have similar to this current program, or a closer match to what
he ran previously. SCCA declined. Perhaps a simple agreement to
disagree, but perhaps what Steve is putting out now. I am sure
the success of the Rev-It-Up clicked at the Club level and at
Steve's level, too. Rev-It-up is over, so Car & Driver in
conjunction with Steve's programs and ideals, can be activated.
SCCA knew this demographic is important to the Club. Steve knew
it had potential in revenue generation.
Steve has a partner with C&D. SCCA has a partner with, .... who?
FWIW, I probably won't run his series. I didn't run RIU, either.
My lose. My job allows for only so much seat time. I haven't run
a Pro Solo in many years, too. :^)
Matt Murray
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jay Mitchell" <jemitchelltx@earthlink.net>
> Matt Murray wrote:
>
>> In hindsight, perhaps the Club should have embraced Steve.
>
> I'm not aware of how he was "spurned," but if the startup
> performance of PRO a
> couple years back is any indication, I don't see how anyone
> could argue that
> SCCA should have embraced his ideas. So far, they haven't been
> shown to work.
>
> The current incarnation has several negatives from my POV:
>
> 1. It's not autocross. This is the most important piece to me.
> I don't want to
> drag race or get dizzy running around a skidpad, I want to
> autocross.
>
> 2. The woeful lack of information at what is now a very late
> hour. Even if you
> wanted to prepare a car for the series, you couldn't do so
> intelligently.
>
> 3. The points-based rule system.
>
> Considered as a business, I understand why Steve took the route
> he did. This
> pass makes a LOT more sense in terms of potential market size
> than the previous
> attempt, and I believe that, with CD's promotional help, there
> will be a large
> number of first-time competitors who show up. Whether those
> newbies return for
> more is the $64,000 question. Without substantial outside
> subsidies in the form
> of long-term sponsorship, I don't believe the numbers are there
> to show a
> profit. In any case, I don't see this enterprise as a direct
> competitor to
> Solo2. Whether PRO flies or not, I believe our sport will
> continue to grow and
> prosper.
>
> Jay
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