Deacon Blues wrote:
...I am one of those interested but have left. Now you have a fairly negative post saying that the grass isn't greener... I would love to see it flourish again, but I don't see anything changing to make it so. I am not selling my car hoping that I can get back in for some of the reasons I did in the first place....
First of all, I was not attacking anyones ideas. I was simply pointing out that it is possible to find as much fault with alternatives to the SCCA, as it is with the SCCA itself. Pointing out the negatives of the SCCA, and positives of any alternative, is the definition of a grass-is-greener fallacy, and not an accurate representation. I suggest it is also unfair to the hundreds of volunteers who make the SCCA one of the better venues around, regardless of its "issues".
I continue to contend that there is no single venue or activity robbing participation, and the problems of the SCCA have been the problem with motor sport forever, not specific to any one specific organization. The fact is, we all have MANY more choices to spend money today than ever before. I know many who are moving from racing to other expensive fun, like hotrods, and putting the kids through school... not all of the SCCA problems have anything to do with the SCCA or the class. Meanwhile, there are newcomers to SCCA from outside, that are abandoning some other expensive prusuit to feed the kitty hear.
The karting industry is suffering as much as FV and the SCCA. Clubs are seeing almost exactly the same losses of participation as sports car racing. The cheap low-end classes are shrinking, while the higher end classes are growing (TAG), and the participation of shifter pilots for fun on test days is expanding, while actual shifter racing is dying. We are not alone in this period of adjustment. The sky is not falling, the clouds are just moving.
As far as selling cars, there are more than one reason to do that. From the outside, not knowing the individual involved, those who are quitting, those who are selling their car (and graphix business, motorcycle, and anything else not bolted down) to rebuild and commit themselves to greater involvement in a class they totaly love, and those who are just exploring options for trying a new combination for the fun of it- all look exactly the same. Funny how that works, no?