This is part of that report:
econd Issue: Remove the Existing Conflicts of Interest
We see it happen all of the time in politics and business. It shouldn’t happen there and certainly shouldn’t in Club Racing.
I am not stating that any of the below individuals have acted or made decisions in their businesses’ best interests, however this conflict of interest should not exist. No advisory committee, liaison, or Club Racing Board (CRB) member should have a financial stake in a rules making process which could have an impact on their business. If they would like to provide input to the rules, their request should be submitted just as any other competitor would. Currently there are several members who have SM related businesses directly involved in the creation of the rules.
SCCA’s Spec Miata Advisory Committee
- Daniel Tiley – TiSpeed. One of the SM engine builders found illegal
- Louis Thibaut – Rush Motorsports, a Miata prep shop and also one of the engine builders found illegal
- Michael Collins – Managing Partner of MEATHEAD Racing, a Miata prep shop, and purchaser of engines from TiSpeed.
- Ralph Provitz
- Samuel Henry – Springfield Dyno (a supplier of Miata parts)
- David McAnaney
Chairman and Liaisons
- David McAnaney, Chairman
- Jim Drago, Liaison. Owner of the SM chat forum www.MazdaRacers.com and East Street Motorsport, a Miata prep shop. Another engine builder found illegal.
- Jim Wheeler, Liaison.
This guys is saying what many have been thinking over the years.
I helped write the article, and did some research with Dave. I'm on a 'sabbatical' from racing...but have an easy 15 yrs SCCA experience. I was on the ITAC, (the SMAC, but for Improved Touring), for 7 or so years. And I was quoted in the article, based in my internal SCCA experience.
I left the ITAC in disgust over some (minor compared to this) manipulations by ex ITAC then CRB members. I loved being on the ITAC. (Actually 3 of us left simultaneously) It was tough to walk away.
I've watched SM though, and saw the BS that has been happening. As a guy who's posted bond and forced an engine tear down, I know how that process suuuuuucccks, but frankly I'm amazed at how it's gone this far in SM without somebody stepping up and being the bad guy. And I'm dismayed at how the SMAC is comprised.
I know racing is a drug, and racers put up with untold amounts of crap in order to get their fix, but the SM thing is out of control.
8 guys out of 9 busted for cheating. Who KNOWS what they're doing where the protests didn't look? Flywheels? Conrods?? (shakes head). And who knows if it was ONLY those guys??? Odds are, sorry to say, that it isn't. And sorry, the rules were pretty clear." No material may be removed". When 8 of only 9 cars are torn down and found to be cheated up, It's jumped the shark, IMO. If I were those guys on the SMAC, who were busted for cheating, I'd be HORRIFIED. Leaders, who screwed their members! (My job, on the ITAC was to serve the members. Thats what ALL the positions do, from ad hocs to the BoD. How the entire SM community isn't up in arms and demanding their termination is beyond me.
Finally, whats up with the penalites for the cheated up cars? In my protest, the guy had illegal pistons and was tossed...DQ from race, and suspened for a year, I think. Moving cheated up cars to last place is an odd penalty, in my book. (Maybe they went soft because they felt the builders slipped one under the drivers noses? But, then why weren't the builders who ALSO happened to be drivers, hit harder?) The rules just weren't that vague. They said, "No material may be removed", yet clearly material was removed. Very odd, and a big part of the issue, IMO.
I know this post won't last, and thats the core of the issue.