A Few New Things

December 12, 2016

by Heather Clark

This year held quite a few firsts for me as an NCR-SCCA member. I became a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors, attended the Runoffs held at Mid-Ohio and decided to become one of the three “wise guys” of F&C for the 2017 race season, which also means I’ll be a member of the Competition (Comp) Board.

I must have bumped my head or I am just a glutton for punishment, right?

As a Member-at-Large I’ve learned quite a bit about the operations of the region from planning, to making changes that have bettered the club as a whole, to carrying out/reviewing events. It takes time: emails – lots of emails; meetings – better attended in person than via teleconference as it’s much easier to hear and the food and beer at Piper’s Deli is amazing (to all those I text so you can understand what you’re hearing you’re welcome); and patience. Lots and lots of patience. I have another year to go in my stint as a Member-at-Large but have already gained much experience to add to my resume that I would never have obtained at my job. I very much look forward to the workings of the Board in 2017. Whether you choose to become a Board Member yourself, attend meetings, or submit feedback (positive feedback is needed as much as negative feedback), I highly suggest you do so.

Next: The Runoffs. I had never flagged the Runoffs in my 10 years as a flagger and the 2016 Runoffs were being held at Mid-Ohio which I was trying to get back to play at.

Quick background: went to Mid-O for the first time with Ben Tyler (his home track) for the 2013 Grand-Am event. This is the one during which Gustave Yacaman lit up the #6 Shank Ford. If you look this up on YouTube you’ll see two q-tips. Yes, that’s Ben and me. Since then I’ve been wanting to get back up there as I had a blast! This was my chance to do both. As it worked out, Ben and I went up for the Majors this past June during which time Mid-O threw everything it could think of at all of us at T-5 that Sunday…

Anyway, the Runoffs. Not to disappoint, I had a blast! There were many track family members there that I already knew, flaggers, drivers, crew members and EV alike, but I met many, many more. I would not say that the Runoffs were like Club events on crack, more like on steroids, but so much fun! Laughing trackside, giggling long into the night way up the hill, beer, trees on fire, some great racing…This particular visit I had yet another new experience. I was part of the team at T2 (the Keyhole) that helped tip the Mini Cooper back onto its wheels. I am yet again working on which events I’ll be able to get back to Mid-O for in 2017. I am also working on making it to the 2017 Runoffs at Indy as I’ve yet to go there.

Certainly not last, but last on this list: taking on being one of the Flag Chiefs for the region for 2017. Some of you may not know the following: Brian “Axle” Eldredge, Ben Tyler and I are relieving the three former wise guys (Eric Danielsen, Mark Biamonte and David Turner) of their Chief-like duties. They’ve done it a while and it’s time they got to go back and play trackside to brush up on their skills. The three of us have been to many tracks for events under various sanctioning bodies. We have experienced ways of performing F&C duties that may or may not work for our region. As Flag Chiefs we can affect positive changes within NCR’s F&C crew and ultimately helping strengthen the region as a whole. Plus, they said there’s beer? Or maybe it was that it will take much beer to make it as a Flag Chief. Hmmmmm.

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