SCCA Staff Changes

[Peter Olivola]

Looking for a new Director of Road Racing.

https://www.scca.com/articles/201789...aff-transition

[problemchild]

Deanna will be tough to replace. She pulled off being the "messenger" of much stupidity by being straight forward, very competent, and very pleasant. Not an easy job but she made it work. Thanks!

[mmi16]

Will the NEW director have the same relative level of autonomy as Deanna or will Deanna be micromanaging from her new position?

[Purple Frog]

No one wants to hear it, but Topeka makes the job less attractive to many prospects. Just saying.

[John Nesbitt]

No one wants to hear it, but Topeka makes the job less attractive to many prospects. Just saying.

I believe that some/many National Office staff work remotely.

[Peter Olivola]

Will the NEW director have the same relative level of autonomy as Deanna or will Deanna be micromanaging from her new position?

Do you know Deanna at all?

[racerjon1]

Will the NEW director have the same relative level of autonomy as Deanna or will Deanna be micromanaging from her new position?

Deanna will be involved with the transition because of the tremendous amount of experience and legacy information, but once that's done, there isn't a desire and shouldn't be a need for micromanaging.

This office absolutely does assist each other. We bounce ideas between departments and have a pretty good same-team approach, but I wouldn't call it micromanaging in the slightest. I wouldn't expect this to be any different.

[R. Pare]

No one wants to hear it, but Topeka makes the job less attractive to many prospects. Just saying.

Who the hell in their right mind would really want to relocate to Topeka??

Imagine what the old Denver facility would be worth now.......

[Mark_Silverberg]

My last interaction with the national office on a job posting was 1) No acknowledgment of receipt of application 2) No acknowledgment of status of my application at any time or any updates including consideration or rejection. The conduct was extremely unprofessional and no way to treat a multiple decade long member - or any member for that matter.

Regarding location - other than activities that require physical records be kept or having a address for legal purposes - there really is no reason for SCCA to maintain a large office and most activities including this job posting could be conducted remotely.

[Peter Olivola]

My last interaction with the national office on a job posting was 1) No acknowledgment of receipt of application 2) No acknowledgment of status of my application at any time or any updates including consideration or rejection. The conduct was extremely unprofessional and no way to treat a multiple decade long member - or any member for that matter.

Regarding location - other than activities that require physical records be kept or having a address for legal purposes - there really is no reason for SCCA to maintain a large office and most activities including this job posting could be conducted remotely.

The relocation from Colorado to Topeka was driven by a number of things. The then president was a native of Kansas. The cost was significantly less per square foot. The most controversial reason was Steve Johnson's contentious relationship with some of the staff who he knew would take a buy out rather than move to Topeka. There was a long trail of clean up from the land mines those former employees planted.

[mmi16]

No one wants to hear it, but Topeka makes the job less attractive to many prospects. Just saying.

As opposed to a sandbar in Gulag Florida?

[GT1Vette]

Been there, done that and have no intention of applying, but just out of curiosity I clicked on the job posting. As the Frog suspected, being Topeka-based will reduce the interest level in the position.

= = = = =

The Sports Car Club of America's Road Racing department is searching for its next Director of Road Racing. This Topeka-based position is responsible for managing department staff, the U.S. Majors Tour®, Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour, and National Championship Runoffs, as well as supporting program boards, specialties, and Region-run programs.

[Mark_Silverberg]

Requiring this to be based in Topeka makes no sense in this day and age. When the runoffs and solo nationals were nearby there was some logic in making some people be based in the home office. In the present era not so much.

The Topeka HQ is the relic of the staff housecleaning of a former and now long gone president - requiring relocation to an area which does not even have a viable road course in the immediate area makes no sense.

That being said I am confident that there may be some viable candidates in the nearby area so I hope for the best in filling this position.

[John Nesbitt]

Topeka could be a tough sell for a candidate who was half of a two-career couple. Likely more limited opportunities for the other partner.

OTOH, a single-career couple, or one with a partner having easily transferrable skills, with a young family might find Topeka - smaller, lower real estate prices - an attractive place to raise children. As long as they don't mind the occasional tornado.

[CheckeredFlag]

They're probably going to hire from internal, but the public posting of the job opening likely gives them some options.

[Amon]

They should move the HQ to Indianapolis for obvious reasons.

[mmi16]

They should move the HQ to Indianapolis for obvious reasons.

What kind of economic inducements is Indy going to offer?

[Amon]

Really, you follow motorsports or you're involved in it and you have to ask??

[Peter Olivola]

Really, you follow motorsports or you're involved in it and you have to ask??

What, exactly, does Indianapolis have to offer the SCCA?

[CheckeredFlag]

What, exactly, does Indianapolis have to offer the SCCA?

Indiana does offer sales tax incentives in exemptions to motorsports businesses, but I think it must be professional.

[LJennings]

What, exactly, does Indianapolis have to offer the SCCA?

As a taxpayer, I would ask, what does the SCCA have to offer Indianapolis? Let them stay in Topeka.

[John LaRue]

I don't foresee any change of HQ but FWIW Indiana is pro motorsport business/industry. IIRC significant tax credits and other incentives were given to Dallara when they opened a facility in Speedway and there are sales tax exemptions for professional motorsports teams. Andretti has broken ground on a mega facility in Fishers which is just northeast of Indy and Rahal just finished a new facility near Zionsville. https://www.insideindianabusiness.co...to-do-business

[problemchild]

Indianapolis is the motorsport hub of North America. It would be one of the first choices for any progressive modern motorsports entity to set up shop. As Peter points out, what does that have to do with SCCA?

The SCCA Pro Racing department moved from Topeka to Indy several years ago so they could attract motorsport connected staff.. I have no idea where they are currently located.

Assuming that you want to retain most of your current staff, staying in the current location would be the safe decision.

[R. Pare]

Indiana does offer sales tax incentives in exemptions to motorsports businesses, but I think it must be professional.

And if there is one thing the SCCA has proven, they ain't professional!

[mmi16]

Really, you follow motorsports or you're involved in it and you have to ask??

When it comes to businesses relocating their headquarters - the economic aspects of the relocation come down to money and property as well as specific tax inducements.

Just because Indy has the speedway and a motorsports history - unless there is 'free money' being offered by governmental authorities to relocate, that is not a BUSINESS consideration.

I don't know what considerations Topeka offered to effect the move from Denver, but it was something.

[Agitator]

When it comes to businesses relocating their headquarters - the economic aspects of the relocation come down to money and property as well as specific tax inducements.

Just because Indy has the speedway and a motorsports history - unless there is 'free money' being offered by governmental authorities to relocate, that is not a BUSINESS consideration.

I don't know what considerations Topeka offered to effect the move from Denver, but it was something.

Totally agree. SCCA, from what I can see, is struggling - relocating is a HUGE endeavor and cost. It's also a business, and business decisions are way more complicated than just going where the environment is better. It's so easy to sit back and say "why don't you just move?".

[Steve Demeter]

Save the money stay where the HQ is. Moving will not improve financially and it seems that staff members do relo to Topeka from time to time. Should be able to get a good candidate.

[steve zemke]

Been there, done that and have no intention of applying, but just out of curiosity I clicked on the job posting. As the Frog suspected, being Topeka-based will reduce the interest level in the position.

= = = = =

The Sports Car Club of America's Road Racing department is searching for its next Director of Road Racing. This Topeka-based position is responsible for managing department staff, the U.S. Majors Tour®, Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour, and National Championship Runoffs, as well as supporting program boards, specialties, and Region-run programs.

I was hoping you would apply

[problemchild]

I was hoping you would apply

Too late for even Butch to fix that mess. And he is smart enough not to try. We would need him right at the top!

[GT1Vette]

Butch is also very happy living the semi-retired life in St Marys GA. I'm still involved in things at a local and divisional level, but have NO interest in moving to Topeka or even running for a director position (yes, I've been approached about that as well). I washed my hands of the National scene when I didn't even get selected for an interview for the top job back in 2017. I thought I wanted that job, but in retrospect (as the Frog and Harriett both remind me on occasion), I'd probably be in Leavenworth now because "But your honor, he NEEDED killing" is no longer a valid murder defense in Kansas.

[Zonker]

Indianapolis is the motorsport hub of North America. It would be one of the first choices for any progressive modern motorsports entity to set up shop.

Don't tell that to the folks in the Charlotte area.

[R. Pare]

Even the NASCAR chassis is designed and built in Indy.

[jkrt125]

Even the NASCAR chassis is designed and built in Indy.

Technically, designed in Italy with ALOT of input from Nascar engineers along with an embedded Dallara engineer based in Charlotte. And the chassis are built in Charlotte, by a company based in Indy. Charlotte is definitely the motorsports capital in the USA, but Indy is close...

[problemchild]

Charlotte is definitely the motorsports capital in the USA, but Indy is close...

Really? You want to argue about an abstract slogan ....... Great taste, Less filling.

[Sean Gallagher]

As a Former Club Ford driver, and Mooresville Resident...
There's a **** Load of Racing Parts Distributors/Shops in or within 20 or so miles of Moresville.
Don't be a Snob since it's South of the Mason Dixon Line and the Major Players are Cup Teams...
How many SCCA Races do you see on a Saturday / Sunday afternoon on National TV vs NASCAR Races...

Just askin'...

[jkrt125]

Really? You want to argue about an abstract slogan ....... Great taste, Less filling.

I get the bias, trust me, open wheel love first for me. We could argue about this, but, 3 wind tunnels in Charlotte, Penske Indy team based in Mooresville (Charlotte suburb), etc...

[problemchild]

I get the bias, trust me, open wheel love first for me. We could argue about this, but, 3 wind tunnels in Charlotte, Penske Indy team based in Mooresville (Charlotte suburb), etc...

Who cares? I don't.

[jkrt125]

Who cares? I don't.

Then why are you posting?

[John Nesbitt]

The conclusion I draw from the last several posts is that the real racing season is over, and the bench racing season has well and truly begun.

[E1pix]

We shouldn’t promote racing benches, you know, to protect the children.

I did once go 40 on a powered barstool, on the track at lunch before the Rock Island Grand Prix, ignoring the protection of this and the five other racing children involved.