Date Posted:15:37:59 11/08/06 Wed Author:richard Author Host/IP: t2p402.socket.net / 64.85.217.148 Subject: Ideas for improving the NMMA
NMMA What is wrong and what can we do to heal this once great organization. The first part of a several part series. These are mostly ideas for discussion, not finalized etched in stone requests.
The demographics that worked in the past is now totally different. Primarily it was made up of younger men to middle aged men that wanted to race. Little to no kids, these men raced just for fun, something to do on the weekends with the family. These young men made most of their on equipment. The sport grew and kids came on board and equipment mfg’s. The NMMA needed to create a level playing field and the rules were born and all was good. But, as our completive spirit grew so did the rules and we decided to be a self governing body with the present system of check and balances. Unfortunately we became our own worst enemy making rules that made no sense, rules that increased the cost, rules that contradicted other rules. We became even a larger organization and the rules kept coming by leaps and bounds not only about the cars but how much to charge for entry fees, payouts, and just about anything. Was it all bad no, but, a little house keeping would not hurt trim down the rule book to some better working form. NMMA must provide functional sanctioning rules for the classes and races and quit trying to MICRO manage the tracks and clubs. How can the NMMA know what a track or promoter needs to break even or turn a profit?
Why don’t we have a year after a rule is made to decide if it will work. Say a proposal was made in 2007 and the present system adopts it or modified it, or even turns it 180 degrees from what the person proposed. We have 2008 to look at it and if it is still thought to have merit the present system can make it a rule in 2009. Cases in point left tire rule, Non wing class, any number of wing rules, the list goes on and on. Some times a rule is made to benefit or eliminate just one person or idea, such as the tilted wing rule, Twins back into the 270 class. Let the National Board have the power to alter rules with a two thirds majority vote from the National Board. Keep the members informed by the web site, STOP keeping things so secrete.
The members and the officers keep saying there are to many classes, I think that there are not enough classes. Let the NMMA sanction all small class cars 125’, 250’s, NW, R, M, Jr’s, A’s and any other classes that might be in the future. What!!! Did I just say that. We keep saying why is the membership down, because we keep getting rid of our members by eliminating their class. Think about this concept NMMA sanction them but, let the tracks and individual clubs decide what classes they wish to run at their tracks. If a class that is not part of a tracks regular program wishes to race, the class must ask permission of the host track and preregister a full field of cars 4 for weekly and 8 for any championship race. Leave it up to the tracks to make the decision. The problem is not to many classes but, rather a system of scoring that is to cumbersome. If a track has more than 35 entries the time trials, heats, trophy dashes, transfers and cons and features make for a long night that will never have a fan base outside of family and close friends. Our sport or any sport will not survive without a paying fan base. Many of the tracks have closed down or left us because of this.
Next part in the series dealing with a point fund and why do tracks go outlaw.
