PANIC SLIP

Text Box: Panic Slip


Text Box: The


Text Box: May 2006


Text Box: SCCA Montana Region 105                     Great Falls, Montana


Text Box: Club News


Text Box: Test n Tune  April 8th & 9th


Text Box: SCCA Montana Region officially began the autocross season this past month with a test and tune/autocross April 8th and 9th.  It was a joint venture with Southwest Montana Region that ended with plenty of members from both clubs ready for more this season.  Spring time in Montana is a questionable time of year to plan any outdoor activity, but Mother Nature provided us with cool and dry conditions for both days of the event.
The Helena airport is a wonderful facility and its size allowed the clubs to construct two different courses for the test and tune on Saturday.  More than 30 drivers participated on Saturday with the opportunity to dial in their vehicles for the season.   SWMT set up a fairly tight course that utilized the skip pad area and the north section of the road course.  The course was technical and allowed drivers the chance to work with their vehicles in tighter cornering situations.  Meanwhile on the south and east ends of the facility, MT Region 105 laid out a course that generated more speed with its open lines and the big sweeper we all have come to enjoy.  The shortening slalom and lane change areas of the course allowed drivers to set their vehicles for a different course set up.
Of course the Test and Tune wasn’t just for vehicle setup, it was for the drivers as well.  It was a great day for all of the drivers to get back into the seat after several months of cautious Montana winter driving.  There were several challenging sections on each course. The designers did a terrific job providing the members with a variety of exciting maneuvers and locations to recalibrate their timing and fluidity.
Sunday was the first autocross of the season and the drivers turned out in force to begin the season.  Between the two clubs, over fifty members participated.  The course designers got busy after Saturdays session and combined the two courses into one.  From all the excited chatter around the pits, it was plain to tell the autocross course was well laid out and challenging to drive.  James Rowan began the season as he left the last one with fast time of day. A mere four tenths of a second behind him was Colby Christensen in his black Subaru STI.  The course workers were kept on their toes resetting cones for the over zealous, but the autocross finished without incident for any driver.
Thanks to the members of both clubs for pitching in, working hard, and getting the season started with a very satisfying event for all those who attended.


Text Box: More…..Club News


Text Box: Upcoming Autocross Events
Be sure and mark your calendars for the next club autocross on May 28th - 29th, 2006. The event will be held at the Expo parking lot in Great Falls. This will also be a double points event for the club. Registration will begin early each morning and closed at 8:30 am.  An early start to the event will allow all of the participating drivers to enjoy more timed runs during the day.
June 25th will be an autocross held at Malstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls.  As with previous years events at the air base, members will need to have the following information on file either from last years event, or provide the information for this years event.  The information that is required will be:
Drivers full name
Drivers license number
Social Security number
Date of Birth
This should be taken care of before the first week of June.  A great time to do this will be at the May 28th Expo Park event.  Please take time to fill out the information at the registration table, or send you information to Jim Messick at jamesbmessick@hotmail.com
Interested in running at Nationals? We have another great opportunity to have a qualifying regional event right here in Montana.  On June 9,10,11, 2006, Big Sky Region of Missoula will be hosting a Nor Pac Divisional at the Helena airport facility.  For more information, check the web at www.bigskyregion.org.


Text Box: Car Show and Club Display


Text Box: The club would like to take part again this year in the Cruzin the Drag car show May 13th, 2006. The club is looking for participation from members by having them bring their autocross vehicles down to the corner of 7th and Central Ave and put them on display. This is a great PR opportunity for the club to showcase what we do, spark new interest, and let people know how reachable autocross is for anyone wishing to participate.  The club will be having a burger and dog barbeque, and best of all, its FREE.  9:00 am to 3:00 pm . Contact Greg Rice for more information at 761-1831


Text Box: Monthly Meeting


Text Box: The club will hold its monthly meeting the last Thursday of the month.  The meeting is from 7:00-8:30 pm in the room adjoining the Coca Cola Café at the Community Center located at 801 2nd Ave. N. This is a great location with a room large enough to hold all of the members that are starting to attend. Items on the agenda for April’s meeting will include:
Transition to national vehicle classifications
Upcoming events
New committee formation
	   Everyone welcome


Text Box: Regional Executive…...Message From the Top


Text Box: Our first event under the new system went great; vehicles were classified with out too many issues and everything generally ran smooth.  However there is one matter that should be mentioned again because I guess somewhere in this “new” system it is confusing some folks.  Remember the vote last October the exact wording on the ballet was “Do you want to use the SCCA car classing system as per the Solo Rule Book.”  The only things that is “new” or different from last year is the actual class the vehicles run in, which as you know can be located in the pages of the 2006 Solo Rules book.  The vote was about the classification not the entire rulebook.  Now this is where some confusion comes from since also in the same pages of the solo rule book are things like timing and scoring, protest committee, awards, and what size and location of your cars numbering etc .  As yet the club hasn’t elected to use all that other rulebook stuff, just the classification that’s it.  In regards to all that other information if it does not pertain to the class a vehicle runs in then it’s the same deal we had last year.

This just in- The events scheduled on the base are a go the package was signed off and approved.  If you were on the base list last year you do not have to resubmit your information but if you or anyone with you was not included on the list then in order to get on the base they need to do a background check.  The following information is required for the list- full name, date of birth, SSN and DL numbers.  I know it’s a bunch of personal info but that’s the way it is, if your not comfortable putting that info out there we understand and have made the events non-point events for that reason.  Send the info to Jim via e-mail or regular post. 

 jamesbmessick@hotmail.com

Jim Messick
1718 41st street South
GF, Mt. 59405


Text Box: SCCA ON THE WEB


Text Box: Regional Executive                                               	Jim Messick 899-4544             Assistant RE                                                  	Rick Cummings 454-1812       Secretary/Editor/Treasurer                      	Zan Brady 362-4146


Text Box: National Site  www.scca.com


Text Box: Great Falls Region www.mtscca.com


Text Box: Bozeman Region www.swmtscca.com


Text Box: Billings Region www.yellowstonescca.com


Text Box: Missoula Region www.bigsky.org


Text Box: April 9th, 2006 Autocross Results - Helena, Montana


Text Box: SCCA MT Region105 	           PO Box850				 Lincoln, MT 59639


Text Box: MAY 13 - CRUZIN THE DRAG


Text Box: MAY 28-29 EXPO PARK


Text Box: MAY 25– CLUB MEETING


Text Box: RESISTRATION FOR AUTOCROSS EVENTS
IN TOWN CUTOFF 		8:30 AM	
OUT OF TOWN CUTOFF		9:00 AM


Text Box: Never turn your back on a car.
Don’t start running to reset a cone until the car has safely passed, and you know where the car is.
When you do go out to reset a cone;
	RUN-don’t walk-while still keeping track of where other cars are on course.
Watch out for other workers at your station , and others around you all day.
Radio operator at each worker station should also hold a red flag.
Cameras, cell phones, pagers, and other such distractions are prohibited at worker stations.
No sitting or kneeling at worker stations while cars are on the course.
Know how to use your fire extinguisher. If you have to carry it any distance, cradle it in your arms like a baby-don’t carry it by the handle.
Watch for “intruders” entering the course area and be sure that spectators near your work station are at least 75 feet away from the active course.
If there is an “incident”, hold your position. Stop all other cars that might be on course. Only respond to the “incident” if you have a specific skill that might be needed, such as medical. Other assistance will be called for as needed.


Text Box: DOUG’s
s


Text Box: safety corner


Text Box: Station Worker-Top 10-Do’s and Don’ts”


Text Box: PORSCHE CLUB of AMERICA


Text Box: Big Sky Region-Driving Event


Text Box: Greg Madson, President of PCA’s Big Sky Region was at the last club meeting with the following announcement.   Two driving events will be held this year at the D.R.I.V.E. facility in Lewistown, MT.  May 20 –21 and September 16-17 are the scheduled dates. Cost is $35.00 per day or $60.00 for both days. Tech inspection will begin 7:30-8:00 am on Saturday and Sunday. Greg extended an invitation to non-Porsche drivers as well. Snell 2000 helmets or newer are required. Pre-registration is requested, and Greg can be contacted at 406-453-6816, or at madson@3rivers.net. Call or visit their website at http://bsk.pca.org


Text Box: Hot off the Press


Text Box: The last club event with Southwest Montana Region proved to be a positive cash flow event for the club.  The entire two day event yielded a profit of $464.00.  Each club received half of that total.  After a few more expense,s the club was able to add $123.00 back into our bank account. Thanks again to the members for the great participation.


Text Box: Club Finances


Text Box: Montana Region 105… Autocross Vehicle Numbering


Text Box: As the season gets underway, members need to keep in mind the club’s numbering system for their vehicles.  Number 1, 2, and, 3, are reserved for the previous seasons top three place finishers. The general membership of the club can reserve numbers that are 4-100, or a particular number they wish. Non-members, and members of other regions, will use available numbers above 100. There is a current list of available numbers at the registration desk at each event.