THSCC Forums

I joined THSCC back in 1999. While we had been around since 1964, the club was still raw. There were a lot of involvement in the club and I watched the club grow, rather quickly. The leaders busted their rears to make it special. The autocross program from 2000 to 2005 was in incredible. We had great growth and a lot of top talent within the club. We hosted EV challenges, Viper Club events, Jimmy V autocross, NCAC events, 8-10 autocrosses a year, with usually a 2 day event or two sprinkled in each year. While the club had their little factions within, the club functioned like a well oiled machine.

During the same time, the HPDE and Rallycross program were working their way up. There were struggles, where funds from the thriving autocross program could support the HPDE and Rallycross programs that lacked attendance at times. This was seen as a positive move for the growth of the club. Since then, the HPDE program has evolved to the former glory of the autocross program.

I moved from Raleigh/Wake Forest area in 2004 to Charlotte. As a former Autocross VP who cared a ton about the program, I've long since kept my membership with THSCC, even without attending any meetings or events. I had basically time to do SCCA National events and when possible, I'd make the trip for a Tarheel event. Time passed and after Nationals 2012, I quit autocross for a while as my now near 3 year old son grew and I started doing LeChump and HPDE. Aside from the forum, I have had only three interactions with THSCC events in the last 5 years (HPDE events run in 2014... very well run in my opinion).

In the end, the whole Facebook/Forum bickering has taken its toll. 2014 will end my membership with THSCC. I will continue to run HPDE's with THSCC. It saddens me to not renew, but the club has changed too much... and honestly, has become a bit too sanitized for my desire. If leaders of the autocross program put as much focus into the events and planning as it did to the handling of the "Facebook Scandal", THSCC's autocross program once again may get back to being "North Carolina's Premier Amateur Motorsports Organization".

It's been fun. I'm sure our paths will cross at an event in the future. - AB

_________________
'14 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD
Super Westerfield Bros - '93 Integra - LeChump Du Jour
STX 93 - Scion FR-S

AB.... I hope you'll reconsider. The FB issue was regretful and hopefully a lesson learned for the club in regard to outward facing communications regarding the club and not taking ourselves so seriously. Wishing you well....

_________________
Rodney

'08 Bullitt mustang, CAM 7
Autox VP '09-'10, President '11-'12, interim President 2nd half of ‘14
proud recipient of the Bowie Grey service award '12
Now just a guy driving a mustang....

I'm glad you came on here to whine about it and let us know.

We'll remember that you left with no help, no ideas, no effort, and no solutions, while ignoring the good done by the outreach of social media.

As far as I'm concerned these opinionated old timers who pay 25 bucks to access forums and don't run, don't help, and don't organize can fuck off.

_________________
2006 Civic Si - #24 HS for 2015

2005 GMC Sierra
1991 318is Garage Ornament

<<<< face palms

_________________
Rodney

'08 Bullitt mustang, CAM 7
Autox VP '09-'10, President '11-'12, interim President 2nd half of ‘14
proud recipient of the Bowie Grey service award '12
Now just a guy driving a mustang....

Taking off my Admin hat for a moment...


Good luck Aaron. I understand the frustration.


I absolutely support contrary opinions. And to be fair, Aaron can't expect to leave parting shots and not expect some negative feedback.


And then it goes off the rails. Thanks for the broad generalization that insults a number of people.

So... Ladies and Gentlemen, please give a round of applause for Mr. Keehner. Candidate for Auto-X VP. You sir will not be getting my vote.

Richard

_________________
Richard Casto
1972 Porsche 914
2013 Honda Fit Sport
2015 Honda Fit EX
http://motorsport.zyyz.com
Money can't buy happiness, but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than a Kia.

Good bye Aaron. Can you take the "premier" sign down off the door on your way out?

_________________
2001 Honda S2000 - SOLD
2012 Boss 302
2003 BMW 330i

As someone who is certainly opinionated but not an old timer and who does contribute, your attitude makes me want to leave. In fact, if I hadn't committed to someone I respect greatly to do the opposite, I would.

I have never met you, nor do I want to, but it is safe to say that if you and these statements are what this club stands for, after I fulfill the commitment I recently gave, my time and all involvement with this club will end. That you are currently a VP of this club and would say such things is appalling. I act in a capacity where I am the voice of this club to a fair number of people and I take that responsibility quite seriously. Obviously you do not.

NO! Rob's statement is not what the club stands for and I'm freaking pissed at the statement he made. Rob stepped out of bounds w/ that statement and it was uncalled for. Crap like this makes me reconsider staying as well.

For once, I'm going to quote Remchek, we're an autocross club dammit. and track. and rallycross

Why statements like this are levied out on the forum I will never understand. There are different types of club engagement, from drivers to officers and EVERYONE is needed to make this club work.

Damn, I just don't understand. It seems to take nothing to get folks wrapped around the axle. Statements like Rob's do NOTHING but continue to divide the club and personally I'm tired of crap like this....

_________________
Rodney

'08 Bullitt mustang, CAM 7
Autox VP '09-'10, President '11-'12, interim President 2nd half of ‘14
proud recipient of the Bowie Grey service award '12
Now just a guy driving a mustang....

While I agree with Richard, I think that was kind of the point of Aaron's post, to get the current administration to stop the downward spiral we've seen (well at least us useless old-timers have) over the last 2 years. Given Aaron's life situation, he doesn't have any reason to continue to support THSCC any more but he has. We've now given him extra reason not to anymore and the administration should be concerned about that. Hopefully we are taking notes.



X2. I was warned about Keehner when he resurfaced in the club and he had me fooled. Thanks for reminding me. Have I introduced you to my friend? He has the biggest tool box I've ever seen. Rob won't fit in it.



Joking aside though, I think in general folks are forgetting what THSCC is. It's a place where all of us like minded gear heads and race car drivers with day jobs can get together and do what we enjoy while hanging out with friends. It's a club run by volunteers and there are a countless number of people that have volunteered over the last 50 years that we have somehow lost respect for and it shows. The autocrosses don't run like they use to and it's been pointed out a number of times lately that we aren't as friendly as we use to be. When I got involved with the DE program 6 years ago, I always wondered why they felt disconnected from the rest of the club, so I tried to make a focused effort to show up to meetings and make sure the rest of the club knew what was going on with the track program so we could try and be a part of the bigger "THSCC family". I'm hoping that wasn't a mistake, but comments like Rob's have me wondering. Still actively involved in the club, I'm not at the same point Aaron is, but I'm certainly being pushed that way.

For the people on the ballot for next year, I hope you are keeping your name there because you think you have something to offer the club and are committed. We didn't use to call ourselves NC's Premier Amateur Sports Car Club for no reason and I'm hoping we can get ourselves back to that point sometime in the very near future. Next year's administration has a lot to work on and I'll give you a hint, social media is not part of the fix.

_________________
Stephen Westerfield
2009 Infiniti M35 | 2007 Honda Fit Sport | 2005 Ford Mustang GT |2000 GMC Sierra |1992 Acura Integra LS | Super Westerfield Bros Acura Integra

And you wonder why people aren't showing up to autocrosses. I'll be voting this year, and you won't be getting my vote. Rob, you have completely missed the point of Aaron's post, it should be a wake up call. His post is a final attempt to offer guidance to YOU, but you're too hot-headed to take it.

_________________
In need of car.

There is a common theme I see from people who quit do to some pictures getting deleted. They aren't active participants, they have a superiority complex about their era of the club, they don't have an understanding of how many people attend autoxes directly due to Facebook because again they aren't attending events.

If you think it's a failure then you aren't seeing the number of walkup registrations due to people sharing the links. They aren't realizing we had one of the largest donations to Jimmy V ever, they aren't paying attention to the fact that there is a order of magnitude more people on the Facebook page than our other mailing lists.

I attended events during that time, they are the same now as they ever were. I had just as much fun doing autox this year as I did 10 years ago, or with others around the southeast. If your skin is so thin you can't shrug a little squabble then...

_________________
2006 Civic Si - #24 HS for 2015

2005 GMC Sierra
1991 318is Garage Ornament

I won't quit do [sic] to pictures being deleted. I will quit because someone like you, someone in a position of leadership in the club decides that the loss of a paying customer is best responded to by saying "fuck off."

I am proud of what I do in my association with THSCC, but if Mr. Keehner is the voice and face of this club, that will have to end.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. This is where subtlety doesn't translate well into an
internet forum. Dude, you might as well have typed it in all caps. When you hold an office in the club, your words have a little more weight behind them. Be careful how you get your point across.

Yes, I'm exactly one of the people that you complain about. I've kept my membership with THSCC after moving away from RDU 10 years ago. I've continued to do track events and maintain some relationships with old friends via the forums.

You drive away "old timers" like me who pay their memberships, but you lose 2 track school entries a year in addition. Sure, you lose me, no big deal. You lose 10 or 15 of me, you've impacted the bottom line of the club.

*Disclaimer...I'm moving COMPLETELY out of the area in January (California). So, I don't have much of a dog in this fight. I just don't like seeing the club that got me started in motorsports go through this kind of struggle.

_________________
Tom Freeman
'98 M3/4/5 | '93 Spec3 325i | '12 TSX sport wagon | '03 Tahoe
Team Silver Bullets '91 240SX

The saddest part is that Rob is completely missing the point. Social Media isn't the issue. The way you respond to people is an issue. The lack of respect is an issue. The lack of a schedule is an issue.

You can reap the benefits of social media without pissing away your existing members.

_________________
In need of car.

I can't comment one way or another about the AX program (co-drive next year anyone?). But I do think Rob is missing the point. Its not about social media. I personally think the FB presence is great. But Rob's communication style... Officer or otherwise...

http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-I ... 0671027034

Richard

_________________
Richard Casto
1972 Porsche 914
2013 Honda Fit Sport
2015 Honda Fit EX
http://motorsport.zyyz.com
Money can't buy happiness, but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than a Kia.