For those of you who don't know, Steve McNamara (LSTD owner) stepped down as President of the CMRA yesterday. Steve thought it best to step down and take the pressure off the CMRA board that a few people with an agenda were asserting. These good folks have accused Steve of using his position as CMRA president to gain advantages over others in the track day business.
The first accusation was that LSTD has an unfair advantage in licensing CMRA racers!
Fact:
LSTD put together the licensing program 2 years before Steve ever became President of the CMRA board. And you can take it for fact that it was a very tough sell that took almost a full year of discussion and leg work to finally get going. In the process we have given every nickle ever collected for licensing fees directly to the CMRA totaling almost $16,000; we charge $50.00 for the class and the CMRA gets $50.00. Steve and the rest of the licensing instructors volunteered their time to teach our up and coming roadracers in an environment free from the pressures of a race weekend.
Point of fact, the board voted on having other track day organizations license for the CMRA last year before Steve was President and it was declined. Steve had no influence or pressure exerted when this vote was taken. It still baffles me that another organization thinks they are owed something because they hold track days too, we did the leg work, we took the chances staying loyal to the CMRA while the other guys were in bed with RPM and now they think they are owed what we have worked for.
Second accusation:
It isn't fair for LSTD to have scheduled track days the Friday before the race weekends at Cresson and TWS, and in some way Steve exerted pressure to get these dates and prevent the other guys from doing the same.
Fact:
Yes, as President Steve made the majority of the 2005 schedule for the CMRA calendar year. The schedule was posted on the message board a full 2 weeks before LSTD sat down and hammered out our 05 schedule. We make an entire schedule a full year in advance not when the mood strikes us.
Point of fact: The CMRA doesn't subsidize any of the cost for a Friday track day or any other track day that we hold. They have no say in when we do or do not hold track days. This is a private company taking the risk and rewards that entails. We are in business to provide a service for our customers and further our success. Did I miss a meeting? Did America turn socialist while I was in in the bathroom? Give me a break....it isn't fair!
I post this message because the accusation that we have somehow benefited from Steve being President couldn't be farther from the truth. We, like all CMRA members, have benefited from the experience and fellowship that comes with racing. The volunteers that give of their time and energy so we can all race is incredible. Financially speaking, I think the CMRA has been the big winner in this relationship and to see it torn apart by the uninformed or agenda driven is very disappointing. I am definitely biased but I think the CMRA has lost a very good leader that was continuing the great work Brooks Gremmel had started.