AARRF Reorganization

http://www.aarrf.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=930&PN=1&TPN=1

AARRF Reorganization

In 1999, Chris Baye and I had a chat and agreed to form The All American Road Racing Federation. We had two visions, a modified style V8 affordable division, and a street driven, run-what-you-brung division.

Both were to be low cost, participant driven, fun, low-key, events. We formed it as a business to avoid the committee style indecisive “club” model. It was never intended to be devoid of participant input (no business ever is immune to the “market” of consumers) but to swiftly react to demands.

The V8 segment never did mature, but we gave you a safe (er) place to run a high performance street car. Over the course of the years, from our Thursday nights at DCTC, to our two-day events at MHSC we went from 15 or 20 cars to 75 or so.

After the first year, AARRF started to pay it’s own way. It was break-even and slightly better, but hardly high buck. No fleet of leased MB’s and GS7 at the airport for the officers. But we did have some fun, taught a lot of guys car control and the ins and outs of putting on events.

The secondary part of the mission was to get young people “off the street”. Not to an autox in a parking lot, not a drag strip, but a closed course high-speed experience. We tried to keep you in control by a fine system. We have, sometimes to our detriment, given more new comers a chance than just about any other car organization.

Eventually we incorporated drift events and just about everything else that you wanted. People clamored for timing, we bought a transponder system (not without it’s own problems). We absorbed a 50% cost increase (yes, we charged $5.00 at the gate). When guys came to us that couldn’t afford the entry fee, we added them to the staff. There, they could trade a day or two of staff work for a run session or two, or a whole event.

We never demeaned our volunteers by calling them “workers”, we paid them. They were “staff”. As many can tell you AARRF didn’t have volunteers, but we did practice conscription. We didn’t require you work a session but when the staff needed help they got it.

When Chris Baye had to bow out due to family pressures, his hand picked successor, Llew Montgomery, doubled our car count and event attendance. Llew has served well as the head of AARRF. Let me put this to rest once and for all, Llew was never my “front man”. He was free to take AARRF in the direction of his vision. He brought us drift, and the two track concept. We, Barb and I, never had any veto power over his decisions. He has been from the start a full partner, part owner of AARRF. His compensation base was a partial cell phone reimbursement and a miniscule percentage of whatever profits we generated (with the occasional eggplant parmesan dinner thrown in). Barb and I have never drawn a dime out of AARRF.

Barb, Llew, Chris and I formed AARRF out of our love of the sport and to keep young motor heads from dieing on the street. As I’ve head Llew say, “I like cars and I like people”, me too.

Since I ordered the lock cut at MHSC, AARRF has fallen on hard times. We’ve been excluded from state facilities and the privately owned tracks are too expensive to run on our own. I have come to feel that my association diminishes AARRF. The LOL region SCCA will recruit our staff, COM and suburban “vette” love the AARRF entries as does vintage. We’ve been lied too by MHSC, belittled by LOL, sworn at by vintage, voted off the all powerful MET council by the autox crowd.

LOL’s memorial day event will be dependant on AARRF guys to fill the field, staff the event and to break even. In return they will hold a few HPDE sessions for $125.00. Good for them. Where were they 5 years ago? How many ‘vettes do we see supporting AARRF events? How many LOL cars do we draw? Some of the graybeards of LOL look around the AARRF paddock and see a troop of young car thieves. We see young motor heads in full blossom.

All of that said, I’ve been trying to place a new ownership/management group together over the winter. I’ve contacted a few “inner circle” AARRF people to pass the torch to. Llew has agreed to remain as CEO and managing partner. Josh Ayers (big red truck) will partner with him. These two may choose to take on other partners. Frank Bunsen (tech 2) and Sara (first responder) will remain as core staff. Others are welcome. They cannot carry the load alone. If we can’t fill out a bit more we will let AARRF die a quiet death and a “rebirth” in another form.

Llew, like me, is adverse to administrative minutia. Keeping the lights on and the bills paid makes his eyes glaze over. Likewise, registration, licensing and fines have all fallen on Barb, she will be hard to replace. She is willing to spend a day or two with someone to take her place with all the paperwork, insurance and rental payments.

Well, it’s been fun; it’s been a ride, but a fun ride? The IGHQ phone (763.754.3560) will be on for another month or so, as will the website.

This is not my first motorsports heartbreak. I was returning to the sport some of what it has given me, joy, some fun, and great friends. I guess I forgot how disappointing it could be too. (Did I ever tell you guys how, all but for a pit-stop I didn’t win Indy?) Feel free to call or email me. By the way, taking over AARRF will cost you nothing more than commitment and heart.

Charlie & Barb

 

does this mean matt's no longer banned?

 

That sux, I had alot of fun racing with those guys last year

 

It is not official since AARRF did not have any events this year, but from speaking with Llew he had another encounter with the Gray One and had told me he wanted to invite Matt back.


What this means is AARRF is going thru some reorganization and is a window opportunity for those who would like to make a difference can volunteer and do so.

 

You mean volunteer and race for free???