18 replies to this topic

[Johnny D]

 

It’s awesome to be an SCCA member and have fun with cars with your friends. Speaking of friends, we are launching a new program to make it easier, more fun and more rewarding to help them become SCCA members. Heres how it works:

 

Tell all your friends how much fun you are having with SCCA and how easy it is to join...

 

CLICK HERE TO JOIN SCCA!!!

 

Make sure that when they join the tell us that YOU sent them because when they do we will enter both of you in a weekly drawing for awesome prizes from our partners. Prizes like Eibach sway bars and spring kits, $500 at Firestone, DirtFish driver schools, Autopower roll bars, APEX Pro units, VIP experiences at Hagerty or GRM sponsored events, Braille batteries, and more!

 

I will be keeping everyone up to speed on how we’re doing growing our club with weekly reports and alerts to let you know what partner prize is coming up next. To stay up to speed, just look for these emails. And if you would rather not get these messages, or other messages about partner deal, no problem, you can just unsubscribe from that email channel using the link in the email we send you. Don’t worry, you will still get content on the other channels you are subscribed to.

 

Our first prize is an E-Z UP Instant Shelter from Summit Racing, you can learn more about them and what they do for SCCA here:

 

https://www.scca.com...acing-equipment

 

So, get started referring those friends!

 

Some fine print:

    Members will be entered into the drawing once their referred membership has been processed.
    Referred members will be entered into the drawing once their membership has been processed.
    Referring members must have an active SCCA membership to be eligible.
    Weekly winners will be selected randomly and contacted by SCCA staff to arrange redemption.
    Employees of the SCCA National Office and their immediate family are not eligible to win.
    Members may only win once per calendar year.
    Prizes do not have cash value, are not transferable, and cannot be sold online.
    Winners will be notified by email and required to respond to us within five (5) days of the date of notice or attempted notice is sent, in order to claim their prize. If the winner cannot be contacted or fails to respond appropriately within the required time period, or the prize is returned as undeliverable, the winner forfeits the prize.
    Odds of winning a prize depend on the number of eligible referrals received. Presumably, the chances of winning increase each time a new member is referred to the SCCA

[OrangeCrush86]

Although I appreciate the enthusiasm, I don't think this will make any difference.

 

If they want more members to sign up start by revamping the national website into an actual car community. Mazdaracers.com feels more like a club than the SCCA. At the moment, for most people, the SCCA is just a necessary step to go racing. Until they can remove that stigma I don't see much changing.

[LarryKing]

Here's what the club can do for me - renewed emphasis on regional racing, which has been the redheaded stepchild for the past 15 years. A lot more of us care about regional racing than Majors and Supertours

[OrangeCrush86]

Here's what the club can do for me - renewed emphasis on regional racing, which has been the redheaded stepchild for the past 15 years. A lot more of us care about regional racing than Majors and Supertours

 

I have heard this from a lot of the older drivers in my region, but i actually don't mind having these options. I like that I can progress to a higher tier event and younger people are more attracted to things that "look" like a pro level.

 

The biggest reason I could relate to this complaint is if your local track doesn't have a majors (which is the case for me). Why RA has two Majors while BIR has none doesn't make sense to me.

[Tom Hampton]

Johnny, are you reposting this from somewhere else?  Or are YOU the "I" in the article above? 
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The sanctioning body doesn't really mean much to me.  Its just a means to an end---I need the drug, I don't need to like the dealer.  In TX both NASA and SCCA have strong SM programs (large SM fields, separate run group, etc).  So, I could choose either, today.  I started with NASA back when the local SCCA didn't have a path to getting a license---except to send us to Skippy. 
 
Do referral programs really work?  I don't see how this makes any sense.  I mean I doubt that it hurts, but I really can't see how I would suddenly say to a friend, "Hey, you should come join SCCA!" simply because I might win a tent.  The barriers to entry are huge, and are perceived to be even higher (and lower) than they are in reality.  Most people I talk to are scared shitless about driving fast on track.  They think it sounds cool, and like it might be a lot of fun....but, they also think the risks far outweigh the fun---even if they are car-people, and maybe drive a little fast on the street, or dreamed of driving a racecar ever in their life. 
 
I've tried to talk a bunch of people into just trying a track day in their street car.  One guy, had two 201x mustangs, a GT and something else.  He's since bought a 2018 MX-5.  Won't drive any of them on a track. 
 
Another guy, "has always wanted to", heard I did it...HE asked me about it.  I gave him the skinny, talked about the various options cost levels, etc.  His ultimate response after doing his own research?  "Too rich for my blood....maybe after the kids are grown."  He's solid 6 figures, so should be able to afford some level of it, if he really wanted to. 
 
So, the enticements need to be for the newcomers, not the old guard.  We all know that both the risks and the costs are manageable....pick your desired level of exposure.  Convincing the "unsure" of those facts is a hard sell...even for those who are truly interested. 
 
I thought Track Night in America was an interesting idea.  I don't know how successful it was, though.  I thought doing it on a weeknight was stoopid---who has time for that?   I would think a more consistently visible, and accessible brand of DE schools would be a better path to increased membership and participation. 
 
How many people actually START their driving career with a sanctioning body? I got my start at a couple of local tracks that have DE schools either directly through the track or tightly coupled with the track. But, I only found out about them by attending an SCCA race (at TMS) as a pure spectator (I didn't know a soul). I met forum member "cnj" at that race, and he told me about the DE school.  But, I attended 20 DE days at these local schools before I ever attended a NASA event---at that point I basically went straight to comp school. 

 

I found out about the SCCA race through the TMS drive a NASCAR  racecar thing.  I asked my instructor how I could do this more often.  he said go to the SCCA race the next week.  I think visibility is one limiting factor...its ALL word of mouth.  But, I don't recall ever being told about NASA or SCCA while at a DE school.  I already knew, and I was there specifically to prepare for racing.  But, I don't remember being told about it. 

 

Maybe SCCA (or NASA) should consider affiliating with track DE schools?  Maybe they could start collecting new members earlier in the process...and, help DE newbies find out that there is even more out there earlier on.  Maybe some kind of campaign, and product offering that is less commitment (time, financial, and risk) would help garner new members.   Give all those "Saturday track day only" folks a reason to join. 

 

Then once you've got them on the hook, figure out how to gradually increase their participation level.

[Johnny D]

Johnny, are you reposting this from somewhere else?  Or are YOU the "I" in the article above? 
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https://www.scca.com...eferral-program

[Tom Hampton]

I'm missing the "retention" part of this program.  Or is that the part where I have to be an "active" member to be eligible? 

[Ron Alan]

 

 

Maybe SCCA (or NASA) should consider affiliating with track DE schools?  

NASA Teen clinic

NASA HPDE 1,2,3,4...TT

 

With lots of other lower cost racing options and the ability to "race" without an official license will test SCCA's ability to attract new members IMO

[Johnny D]

I'm missing the "retention" part of this program.  Or is that the part where I have to be an "active" member to be eligible? 

 

[Tom Hampton]

NASA Teen clinic
NASA HPDE 1,2,3,4...TT
 
With lots of other lower cost racing options and the ability to "race" without an official license will test SCCA's ability to attract new members IMO

 

I'm familiar with the NASA HPDE1-4, TT.  AND the progression from DE4 to Comp School.  Since I'd done 20 track days already....I did an abbreviated version of it where I started in DE3 on a Saturday, got checked out for DE4 on Sunday...and did comp school at the next race weekend.  At the time I did that, SCCA did not have any similar program (I tried....but, I think they do now, though).  THAT is why I drove NASA initially...and, now its because I'm not buying toyo and hoosier tires. 

 

But, my point was really that even the full "weekend" thing is a commitment level UP from just the local Saturday thing that people do.  What if the school were "NASA accredited" or something, and participants were informed/encouraged (not required) to join NASA, and were actively informed of the other racing options as part of the day?  Here locally, a lot of SM guys use these days as Test-n-Tune days....but, they kept to themselves in the advanced group...not much co-mingling with the non-racers went on when I doing that thing.  Obviously there would need to be something in it for the school, too.

 

just spit-balling ways to extend the reach beyond the traveling roadshow. 

[luvin_the_rings]

OK, i have to sign up for SCCA and apply for my race licence.  I'm accepting offers on who I put as my "referral"

 

Let the bidding begin.  

[Tom Hampton]

$1.

Oh, wait...I need to do the same.

Next?

[OrangeCrush86]

Track Night in America is the best idea I have seen so far. The ones my region runs always sell out and most people actually like that it's on a weeknight. However I don't know if any of the people showing up to these actually get converted to members, much less active members that volunteer.

[Johnny D]

Track Night in America is the best idea I have seen so far. The ones my region runs always sell out and most people actually like that it's on a weeknight. However I don't know if any of the people showing up to these actually get converted to members, much less active members that volunteer.

 

I wonder where they got the idea from ?

 

https://nasaproracing.com/hpde/

[Mike Collins]

List me... They'll love you.. 316827

[Tom Hampton]

Track Night in America is the best idea I have seen so far. The ones my region runs always sell out and most people actually like that it's on a weeknight. However I don't know if any of the people showing up to these actually get converted to members, much less active members that volunteer.

 
I agree...I thought it was a good idea. But, IIRC, it was only once or twice at a track. The same track has at least one public HPDE day per month, and often 2 or 3. In addition, it is a private track with memberships and member days go on all other days. If SCCA/NASA had more prominent presence at these public HPDE sessions and/or the private member days, maybe they would be able to attract more participants.
 
I think how well a weeknight works depends on the track location.  Around here, tracks don't seem to be located in proximity to where their likely clientele work..rather the opposite. places where real-estate is cheap...and there's no one to complain about the "noise."  The "most local" track in DFW is Cresson (where TNiA was last year)...which is about 30 minutes southwest of Fort Worth (15 minutes from the outskirts).  But, that's 2-3 hours at rush-hour from most everywhere else in the metroplex on a weekday. 

 

I didn't go...and I didn't look up the attendance.  Maybe it sold out.  The real key is (as you point out) do people join..and more importantly start attending SCCA events following a TNiA event.  One and done doesn't help.

[Steve Scheifler]

Tom, I suspect that they are hoping for a lot of non-driver members from this. Probably not realistic, but they have always pushed hard to sell the idea that car and racing fans can enjoy a weekend by working corners, tech, registration, etc. “Best seat in the house” and all that. If they get new drivers, or some who eventually become drivers, so much the better, but I think they would be happy just to boost member count. There are certainly people like that at every event now. Sure, a lot of volunteers are former racers or family of racers and former racers, but I guess it’s not a stretch to think we might each know someone who would respond to an invite to a local race and a pitch to get involved. It’s a never ending struggle to attract new people and only getting more difficult. The “tell them how much fun and how easy it is to join” is typical dreadful PR BS, but we generally know how to pique the interest of someone we know.

[OrangeCrush86]

I think we can all agree that eventually there will be no volunteers left and entree fees will have to pay workers. Only the rich survive.

[Steve Scheifler]

It has ALWAYS been a problem. Back in the day they needed a lot more because timing and scoring was manual. Urgent calls over the PA for help were common and more than a few races were delayed until they had enough.