SCTA get new look

[desotoman]

Rich,
   Now you did it. 

You just had to say the three letter word.   

I am just joking with you.

Tom G.

[NArias3]

NCAA seems to do alright. Get lots of attention every March and September. Seems like the SCTA could do as well. If it would not bruise anyone's ego to much.

Rich-
Ego? What do you mean. ego?  No one on this board or in land speed racing has an over-inflated ego, do they?   

Nick 3rd.

[jimmy six]

The word "amateur" does not bother me. I see it as opposite of the word professional. I see it as being paid. We are not paid to be "timed" in our cars. We don't need to make the "show" (I HATE that word).

An amateur golfer plays just as hard to win a PGA tournament he is in and where ever he places does not get paid and remains to keep his amateur status.

If a "sponsor" says to me; "if you set a record using my equipment, have my decal on your entry, write my product name on your entry sponsor list I will pay you X amount of $$$" I am now a professional.

To me the line is blurred when parts are given and not purchased.  A good deal or WD is not free  parts and always earns a plug on my information sheet but since no real cash value has changed hands I feel the amateur status has not been breached.

Am I a professional when I certify an engine? I try to be. I certainly do my best to get the numbers correct and use the proper instruments.  Am I as good as your engine machinist honing your block?...probably not and I blame the area I'm doing it.

I am a professional power plant electrician, I'm not a professional race car driver. I do not react to a green light, I do not bang fenders on the first turn and I do not go up to the pay window at the end if the event..

If Ford, OSU, JBC etc don't show up, I'll be able to move up a spot in line ...........Just my $.02..JD   

[LittleLiner]

NHRA gets around the amateur deal by having PROFESSIONAL categories and SPORTSMAN categories.

[1212FBGS]

the professionals travel around the country, the sportsman race in there districts and qualify for nationals. a lot of the sportsmen get paid and are professionals.

[RichFox]

When I used to hang around with Al and his Jr. Fuel car, we couldn't run at Sears Point in Comp. eliminator, during the Autolite Nationals because he didn't have enough points, which he couldn't have without following the tour around.

[1212FBGS]

some of you guys are so stubborn blind its sad... you cant see the big picture and how it does affect your world.... I'm glad the word "amateur" does not offend you, it doesn't bother me either. I just don't want my racing to be called it. I understand the word "Fiat" offends some people.... doesn't bother me... probably cuz i say it so much. just another word...right?
So for those of you who didn't under stand my analogy of how money or financially backed teams may refuse to play or be associated with amateurs and how it could affect our sport, let me go a different direction....

So lets say that the El Mirage BLM ranger finally gets tired of the pressure from the housing developments down wind about dust and noise.... so he cracks under pressure and refuses access to the "amateur" off roader's and dirtbikes...oh wait.... what about those "amateur" land speed guys? they make the most dust and the most noise..!...kick there butts off the lake bed.... ya see.... ya see... it can happen and probably will..!...ok...ok... check this one out.... a Utah senator, the Utah gov, and the Bonneville BLM guy go to DC to get there yearly share of $ to maintain the place you so love to race... and the new administration that everyone wants is full of tree hugger's and what do you think they say..?..."hell no kick that bunch of polluting "AMATEURS" off our precious salt"..!..."See look on there website, they even call themselves "Amateurs"" so in our defense the BLM guy chimes up " well they USED to have colleges involved, and they USED to have big teams come from all around the world, but they dont anymore cuz they dont want to play with amateurs and they choose to race now with the FIM and FIA (ok jack you choose i don't care)" and then the Utah gov speeks up and says " yeh when they were known as a respectable professional organization they use to get us a lot of media attention now they dont and besides Riley said they would rather buy me a new boat than spend the money pumping salt back on the lakebed for a bunch of whinny greasers... throw there asses of the salt"!....adk the senetor tosses in the two cents "yeh if they were professionals i could see it, but ther just a bunch of hillbilly amateurs..... so do ya think Riley will buy me a boat too?"

whether you like the word or not... in the real world and in the sporting world... amateur caries a sub performance connotation. Our negative self branding will detour allies both on the track and off. Something we don't need.

and i am insulted that the tag line has disrespected and degraded the members and the records achieved by them. I will say it again... "I have far to much respect to walk up to Al Teague, Nish, or Vesco and call them an AMATEUR"..!   Do you..?....

[JackD]

I guess you have to choose between Club racing and Professional stuff.
If history is any teacher, the most successful teams did it for themselves and their common interest friends.
All of the most notable teams mentioned have real jobs and the money comes to them largely on the backs of other like minded folk.
Let's take Al Teague as one example, can anyone tell me who paid for the FIA costs for him to set the "World's Fastest Wheel Driven Record" ?
Many of you will be surprised and if you get that one right, their are many more.
Big name budget sponsors are here today and gone tomorrow, and with them the influence that they expect to buy.
There is a place for them and others too, but they certainly can't depend on each other.
One of our most long lasting and with it very prominant racers runs a Packard motor in a Vega.
Now that is a tough sell !:wink:

[RichFox]

Go back 50 years. I'm in high school and there are four automotive events that are really interesting.  Indy, which I can listen to on the radio, Pikes Peak, National Drags, and Bonneville. NASCAR is jalopy races around here. Now fast forward to today. Indy is a shell of it self, Pikes Peak is on TV with the mud races, there are no more real National Drags, just a tour of spec cars, and Bonneville is rolling along better than ever. I'd say the SCTA/BNI have done an outstanding job and that Bonneville is well known anywhere as a prestige's event that everyone I talk to says "I always wanted to go there." "If it aint broke, don't fix it."

[JackD]

"There Ya go" has to include consideration for how and why you got there.

[bak189]

In order to get "Sponsors" the word is "Promotion.....Promotion.....Promotion"
Example.....the BUB M/C event, Denis Manning and his people have done a outstanding job in just 4 years........when is the last time you saw a same day
T.V. production and interviews right from the salt
(Dave Despain, Speed Channel) Yes Denis  is promoting his streamliner, and yes, he is promoting his sponsors.....but it all trickles down
to the "little guy".  Our team for one, has had no problem getting additional product sponsorship
in the last couple of years......Exposure.......Promotion.....and the BUB paying $$$$$$$$$$ helpes "Promote" the image
that, right or wrong "these people know what they are doing"  EXPOSURE.........PROMOTION..........
that's what it takes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RichFox]

Breedlove managed to promote big bucks years ago for an insane sounding project. JBC didn't mind spending serious money on the salt. Nor Ford and GM. Most are complaining about corporate sponsorship, unless they got some of it. Do you know anybody that hasn't heard of Bonneville? Is the UCLA football team doing early workouts yet? Maybe you could stop by the practice field and explain to some of the guys what losers they are for being amateurs.

[1212FBGS]

thanks bak you get it... as for you others, the promotion and success of dennis and his professional organization have almost doubled the bike entries at speedweek..... therefor adding a significant amount into the SCTA coffers... therefor adding to the health of our organization... but most of you don't see it that way..... all you see is longer lines. I still think they should change the tag line... maybe you'll like " amateurs without foresight racing into nowhere"...
later

[1212FBGS]

are we the elite of the land speed world..?... do you consider your records the best in the world? what you fail to realize is that the NCAA is NOT the elite football organization....all of those ucla players aspire to go to the "BIG LEAGUES".... you go ask them! Yes, now there amateurs, but they want and most will GO UP..... when are you gonna realize that "amateur" is a sub level.. maybe i'm too inept to think that i'm playing with the BEST IN THE WORLD... now im realizing that some of you have pretty low self esteem..
kent

[RichFox]

"now im realizing that some of you have pretty low self esteem." That's probably right.