LINCOLN, Neb. (September 2, 2014) - The SCCA Board of Directors has, unfairly, been accused oftentimes of favoring one program over another. This week at the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships in Lincoln, the Board of Directors have grabbed their helmets and become an active part of the event.

Four of the 13 area directors – Chairman John Walsh, Vice Chairman Dick Patullo, Brian McCarthy and Terry Hanushek – are on the entry list this week. Most have been to Lincoln before, but haven’t participated, and all have experience in the SafeRacer Club Racing program.

“We were told that to really understand the experience, you have to compete,” Patullo, who is co-driving in C Street with Mike Cavanaugh in the No. 74 Sally’s Riding Stable Nissan 350Z. “I’ve never done a Solo in my life – I’ve done everything else in the Club, I think, but I’ve never done a Solo. They said people will appreciate it, and you’ll get more of the experience. People do seem to appreciate it, they’ve been really supportive.”

It’s not that the Directors haven’t been interested in driving before.

“This year is a matter of opportunity,” Walsh said. “We had somebody wrangle us cars. I’ve run exactly three autocrosses in my life, and it’s never been pretty.”

And none of them knew what to truly expect before jumping in the car. Patullo took a turn on the test and tune course, but Walsh, Hanushek and McCarthy – the latter two co-driving in an H Stock Mini – have to wait until the Thursday/Friday sessions to test their mettle.

“Heyward sent us an email and told us who we were hooked up with, and there was a sense of evil laughter when I got it because all of my experience is in small bore stuff – Spec Racer, Volkswagen IT cars, little Nissans – and I opened the spreadsheet up and I seemed to be firmly planted in a B Street Corvette,” Walsh, who is co-driving with Matt Feeney, said. “I don’t know if that’s revenge, or if I’m here to provide amusement, but I’m looking forward to it.”

And though competitive as Club Racers, each of the Directors has been realistic about their chances this week – they know the Solo program at this level is a serious effort. But they also understand that being involved helps them understand the process at its’ core, from registration through the award ceremonies.

“John Walsh the driver wants to kick as many asses as possible, but reality says there’s not a chance that’s going to happen,” Walsh (ed. note - he was answering the question as it was phrased and doesn’t make a habit of referring to himself in the third person) said. “John Walsh the Chairman is here to really appreciate this program. I spent two years as liason to the SEB, and this is my fourth year here at Solo Nationals. My real goal is to better understand the program. “

Patullo understands that as well.

“When you’re coming here as a Director, you have responsibilities to go around and talk to people and gather information. I didn’t want me playing at something to interfere with that, but so far it’s working out. I have to get up a little earlier and my feet hurt a little more, but I could use the exercise. There’s still time between rounds to interact with people and maybe there’s a little more openness now that I’m not just some outsider.”

There is an unofficial competition amongst the Board members, and, not surprisingly, every one of them picked a different person to do the best (ahem… themselves).

Ultimately, along with President Lisa Noble, SCCA Pro Racing President Robert Clarke, and three other staff members that are not usual Solo participants competing this weekend, the takeaway is to just be involved and carry over some lessons to the rest of the Club.

“A lot of people in our Club, especially the side that I’m most active in, Club Racing, totally misunderstand autocross,” Walsh said. “They don’t understand how difficult it is, and they don’t understand that it’s an entirely different social atmosphere than Club Racing, where everyone tends to be wound a little tight. This is a social happening – this is Woodstock, this is Burning Man, but with cars. It’s a very cool event, just because of the ambience and every one’s attitude. I’m here to enjoy the event.

“Solo is where our numbers are, it brings us great members, and a lot of our Solo leadership feels like second-class citizens. We really don’t understand why, because on the Board we don’t consider Solo a second class program. If you ask any Board member what we need, it’s more members with a Solo background. Right now we have Tere Pulliam from the Atlanta Region, and we welcome that because we value her input and background. Marcus Meredith served in the same way. More than half of our members autocross, why is it such a small part of our Board?”  

2014 Solo National Championship