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March 2004
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MEETING! The next club meeting is at 7:30 PM, Thursday, March 25 at the 10th avenue south Hardees restaurant. If you’d like to know what’s going on or provide your input to the club leadership, please join us. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend! PARTIES AND POINTS About 50 of our closest friends and fellow pylon eaters were in attendance at January’s 2003 Awards Banquet. The food was terrific, the beer was cold, and the bench racing was, well, creative. Just another in a long line of wonderful get-togethers with ourselves to celebrate a great year gone by. Probably a little too much fun, even. Thanks to all involved, but especially to Jim Messick, who brought along some very nice but unexpected trophies for folks who vow to get even some day. In actual points, from 10th on up to number one 10th 76 points Bob Stevenson 9th (tie) 78 points Rick Cummings and Namen Paul 8th 80 points Steve Nutter 7th (tie) 81 points Zack Gilmor and John Weinzettel 6th 82 points Jerry Rukavina 5th 85 points Galen Smith 4th 92 points Clint Houge 3rd 97 points James Rowen 2nd 100 points Tim Helms 1st place (drum roll, please!) 105 points GARY WOLF Congratulations on a very fast season. Nice work! An outstanding year, all brought to you by the club that knows how to put on an event and how to party. Cheers! 2004 SCHEDULE (ONLY A MONTH AWAY, DUDE!) All on the first list are Montana Region events; others listed separately; April 25 ExpoPark May 16 Helena Regional Airport May 29-31 Double Nationals @ Pacific Raceway June 20 ExpoPark July 11 ExpoPark August 7 Demo Derby @ ExpoPark August 28&29 TOP GUN @ ExpoPark September ? October 10 Helena Regional Airport Why don’t we do it in the dirt? There seems to be plenty of interest in doing a dirt-o-cross (autocross on dirt –Duh) as well. Originally scheduled for the open September date, there is some reason to consider an earlier date (June?) in Fort Benton at the Choteau County Fairgrounds only 40 short miles up the road. Smooth dirt and lots of it, but dirt, man. The June event would likely even involve other activities and a parade earlier in the day, but we really do need to know who might be interested in a dirt-o-cross. It ought to be good fun and a little loose, to say the least. Let us know! Other regions (still waiting for some to send schedules) Bozeman (South West Montana Region – SWMR) May 16 Ice Garden @ Bozeman June 13 SWMR @ Helena RA June 27 Ice Garden @ Bozeman July 18 Ice Garden @ Bozeman August 22 Ice Garden @ Bozeman
Missoula? Billings? Jeeze! 2004 NORPAC CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS (courtesy of Tom Masterson) Record numbers attend NORPAC Convention despite the weather. By any standard the 2004 NORPAC Convention was an outstanding success. Like they say, "Ya needed to be there.” And we were there for all the fun and networking. Before I tell you all what you missed, let's review just what NORPAC is or does. First of all it is you, uh huh that is right YOU. Every member of the 8 regions, Northwest-Montana-Snake River-Reno-San Francisco-Big Sky-Oregon-Alaska, is a member of NORPAC and of course, SCCA. Your board of directors are your region R.E's. These are the voting members of the Board of Directors. Additional officers include Gary Van Horn as Chair/Sec. (Oregon) and Jeanne Loyning (Oregon) as Treasure. They are both non-voting members. There you have the basic structure of NORPAC. The Area 9 and 13 Directors and the NORPAC Executive Steward, who are non-voting members, may also attend meetings. Your Executive Convention Committee, mostly NWR members, with Mike Lawler as chair, Jay Bratton, Sherri Masterson, Esther Sicks and the new addition as of this past convention, Dave Deborde RE for Reno. This committee now handles all the hotel arrangements and financial disbursements for NORPAC. Of course their actions are all subject to board approval. Back to convention and what you missed. First of all, FUN, followed by a huge choice of seminars. The FUN was the welcome reception on Friday night, hosted by the Stewards of NORPAC. This is a night of registration and the renewal of old and the start of new friendships with a few libations, hosted, and lots of laughter. On Saturday night Subaru hosted the party with food and drink and a Guest speaker from Shelby America, Gary Patterson. It also featured the conclusion and awarding of 109 items from the Silent Auction. This is the third year Subaru has been the keynote sponsor of the convention. The seminars ranged from SCCA University's Barb Lundquist presentation on Volunteer Motivation to technical seminars on Cam Shaft Design/Selection presented by Mr. Gasket Performance Group, Erson Cams-Steve Tanzi Mgr. or Engine Setup/Race Tuning by C&C Fuel Injection-Dave Capurro & Justin Beug. On the non-technical side there were seminars for licensed workers related programs including Licensing All Specialties, Rally Spectators, Entertainment and Safety, Worker Incentive Programs and Solo II Safety...All told there were 15 separate topics to choose from. All day Saturday, outside the East Entrance of the Atlantis Casino Resort was a display of 8 late model Subaru's and one brand spanking new, you read me right, Shelby Cobra with a proper 427 straight from the Shelby American factory in Las Vegas, NV. It had a whopping 55 miles on the odo and it sparkled like a jewel. Way cool. Inside on Saturday morning almost three quarters or more of the attendees were absorbing the SCCA University presentation on Volunteer Motivation or they were having a nose to nose chat with Steve Johnson C.E.O. of SCCA or with other National Staff members. Ya know what, they are enthusiastic members just like you. And boy howdy can they answer your questions and if you happen to stump them with a question they will work hard to obtain you an answer. Thrown in to the mix are the two Breakfasts and luncheons along with the Town Hall meeting on Sunday morning. For you members not familiar with a Town Hall concept, this gives you an opportunity to express your views, concerns, and questions to National Staff and NORPAC BOD. My suggestion to all of you is that you mark your calendars for next year on the second weekend of January 7-9 for a trip to Reno and the 2005 NORPAC Convention. You will be happy that you did. Looking forward to seeing you there. DIVISIONAL TALK The Missoula Region (Big Sky) is quite interested in putting on a divisional event in 2005 at the Helena Regional Airport site. Talks are in the early stages right now, but an event of this magnitude will need plenty of help. Are YOU interested in helping Big Sky? Let Ed know so he can put you directly in touch with the Big Sky facilitator ASAP. As always, if you need more information, call Ed Austin at 452-1135 or Jerry Rukavina at 761-4357. STUFF TO DO IF YOU CAN’T HANDLE YARDWORK YET Charge Battery after long winter nap. Clean cables. Flush brake fluid. All of it. Oil. Filter. Fuel filter. Air filter. Grease chassis. Flush coolant, check all hoses and belts. Look for leaks |