It was raining. It was cold. Yet more than 50 SCCA members and 80 non-members traveled to Nelson Ledges Road Course in Garrettsville, OH, on April 22, 2023, to find out what the Sports Car Club of America® is all about. There were presentations, demonstrations, and cars to view – with slow paced rides around the racing circuit highlighting the day for many of the attendees.
How did this highly successful day get its start? A grant. That’s right. A Region Development Grant from the SCCA Foundation.
When Jennifer Bradford was told Neohio Region could submit a grant request, she got to work. With the help of Bill Moore, Brandon Anderson, Erik Avendutti, Pat Prill, and input from several others – all Neohio Region members – Jennifer put the whole idea together and wrote the grant application that allowed the Region to show motorsports enthusiasts how they could participate in the sport.
With the SCCA Foundation Region Development Grant approved, Jennifer and many others (too many to name) went into high gear to put together the one-day event, getting support from Nelson Ledges Road Course. They also got buy-in from representatives of the different SCCA programs – Solo, Street Survival, RoadRally, Rallycross, Time Trials, and SCCA Road Racing. Then they got buy-in from the specialties – Registration, Tech, Grid, Flagging and Communications, Timing and Scoring, and Emergency Services. The event was called “A Day of Motorsports,” with Neohio Region presenting the activities.
The opening presentation, given by SCCA’s Partner Relationship Manager Dan Dennehy-Rodriguez, provided attendees with an overview of SCCA’s programs. When Dan explained the expected participation level for this year’s Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships – its 50th running – is roughly 1,200, his aside brought impressed laughter. And another tidbit: SCCA boasts some of the safest Track Events in the country.
Other presentations included car and event prep by Bill Snow, brakes by Bill Moore, tires by Adam Batton, and a data acquisition session by Bill Stevens. Every presentation was well attended – people were certainly interested.
F&C and ES members demonstrated their specialty’s specialties. Erik Avendutti, Cindy Benchina, and Ed Arthur showcased flags and how to speak with a driver in a car. The Emergency Services fire team demonstrated the Jaws of Life on a donated roll cage in a very old, not to be used car – that brought some oohs and aahs. But the fire demonstration really got everyone’s attention. Attendees learned something – the word to remember when putting out a fire – PASS.
P – pull the pin (on the fire bottle)
A – aim
S – squeeze
S – sweep
During the lunch break, raffle tickets were pulled for a variety of donated items from Summit Racing Equipment, including chairs, stools, tables, hats, and even a popup. Race-Keeper donated a Road-Keeper Data Logger, and the Region gave away two one-year SCCA memberships. As a result, several new members joined that day, and Neohio Region added a lot of new contacts to the mailing list for upcoming events based on people’s areas of interest.
Many thanks go to all the sponsors of the event: Nelson Ledges Road Course, Summit Racing Equipment, Hawk Performance, Atomic Autosports, Carbotech, Race-Keeper, EBC Brakes, and Tim Lally Chevrolet.
When the clock struck 3 p.m., the event changed gears to welcome cars onto the track at speed, with SCCA’s Track Night in America® Driven by Tire Rack drivers having fun. So many drivers showed up that this became the best attended Track Night ever at Nelson Ledges.
If your Region is thinking of applying for the SCCA Foundation’s Region Development Grant for an eligible charitable or educational program – do it. Be creative and do something good for your Region and the community at large.
About SCCA Foundation
A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, SCCA Foundation’s mission is to support the Sports Car Club of America by providing inclusive opportunities for motorsports competition, safety, education, and historical preservation.
Donations from SCCA members, along with proceeds from sweepstakes, empower SCCA Foundation to fund efforts such as the Tire Rack Street Survival program, which offers life-saving advanced driver training for teens. Among other things, SCCA Foundation provides opportunities for American veterans to engage in motorsports activities through SCCA events and empowers women in motorsports through the SCCA Women on Track program. The organization also preserves the history of American Motorsports through the SCCA Archives housed at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, NY.
Head to the SCCA Foundation’s website to learn more about the organization, and to make a donation.
Photos by Brian James
