Fall Meeting 2007:
The MASCC Fall Meeting was
held on Sept. 13th at Jim and
Kay Chase's residence in
Cortland, NY. A pleasant ride
up Route 38 through Newark
Valley, Brookshire and Dryden
started my day by taking in all
the brilliant fall colors. Pulling
into Jim's drive members were
greeted by the arrival of his
latest project, a '41 Ford coupe
delivered by Larry and Howdie
Witter. Nice shape and great
frame, Jim's intentions are to
re-create his father Paul's U2
racer that ran at Midstate in
the late 1950's and early
1960's, he has a good start, it's
nice material.
After some bench racing,
members settled in and we got
down to business. The
secretary's and treasurer's
reports were given and then
onto old business. We
rehashed the season past and
to a man concluded that we
had a fun and enjoyable
season. Our show car class
continued to excite and
educate race fans while our
racing division put on
competitive shows throughout.
Examples were cited from
many events of former racers
and fans proclaiming their
pleasure with our clubs
displays. Our only misgiving
would have to our car counts
which were lacking in the race
division. Brainstorming to
come up with new ideas to
attract prospective members
we last year added a set of
OHV V8 rules but for various
reasons, this didn't add car
count. We revisited our
reasons for starting the club in
the first place; to present
authentic, period correct
racers form the 50's thru early
70's era's. Problem is, there
isn't that many of them,
they're getting rarer than
hen's teeth. Logistics, gas
prices, personality conflicts,
apathy - all reasons that we
can't seem to get more cars on
the track. So; what to do for
2008? We came up with a few
ideas.
First, it was noted by Jim
Florence that the Penn Can
show was a very popular event,
seeing Eddie Rafferty wheel
around in the P-13 brought a
smile to the crowd. This had
been going through my head
for the past few weeks in that I
felt bringing cars to place
behind the grandstand, as we
have the past three years,
could be enhanced by allowing
former drivers wheel them
around during intermission at
our race events. We all agreed
that this would be an excellent
addition to our shows. If you
could have seen the smile on
Bennie Stephens face at the
Shangri-La farewell a few
years ago you'd agree too. The
show car class is strong and
we didn't feel any changes
were necessary in that division
with the possible exception of
setting up these driving
exhibitions with track
promoters.
Onto the racing division: It's
no secret to club members
that I planned on stepping
down as president this year. I
feel we've accomplished what
we set out to do, mainly get
this club off the ground, get
incorporated and obtain our
not-for-profit exemption. All of
our paperwork and structure
is in place at this time and has
been since we started racing
again. We have what we all feel
is a god set of bylaws, rules
and membership, we all get
along well and play well
together, there have been no
incidents either on track or off,
which is what is supposed to
happen in a 'social' club. OK,
so our only drawback is car
count in the racing divison,
when we started out we
thought we had it, hasn't
worked out and my thought
was that it'll be more difficult
to schedule races in the future
if we don't add a few cars.
Obviously, it's fun to race, and
we'd like to continue, but how
to do it and stick to our guns
on being a purist club?
Especially if the cars don't
exist? Everyone in the club
would like to see 15 flathead,
stove bolt and period OHV cars
take to the track - what to do?
Former President Carl
Carpenter has laid an offer at
our feet to run the race
division, but this comes with
the proposal to open up the
rules to cars that are already
built. In other words, cars that
don't meet our current rules.
This would include tubular
framed chassis, 350 cu.in.
V8's, etc. and would mean a
total revamping of our rules
and handicapping. The
handicapping could probably
be handles with our restrictor
plate - which models a stock
283 Chevy, Rochester 2G
venturi, 1.105 in diameter.
That'll certainly cut back the
power. It would add more cars
but at what cost? The last
thing we want to do is alienate
or disgruntle current members
who have supported us. Rules
changes always do two things:
cost people money and
aggravate them. It's a catch 22
situation. Most agreed they'd
do most anything to keep
racing on a limited, local
schedule as we have set up in
the past, but there were some
reservations. We decided to sit
on it for a week to decide at
Afton where Carl will present
his proposal, he wants
commitments from at least 12
race teams which is very
reasonable. If it can be worked
out then we'll be racing again
next year. If not then we'll
concentrate on the show cars
and prepping them for fellows
like Don Beagell, Chuck
Akulis, and if I can talk him
into it, Don Diff to tool around
at 5MP and Penn-Can. We'll
most likely do that whether we
race or not as it'll be a lot of
fun.
We discussed the schedule
next and agreed we'd all like
shows again at Norwich, Utica
Rome, Sherill, 5MP's Heath
Memorial, Penn-Can's
Legends of Penn Can, Afton
and Thunder Mountain if they
have Old Timers nights, and of
course the two events at
Midstate; the Otsego County
Fair and CNY HOF Induction.
All well attended events, all
fun. We then decided to
disburse some of our
membership funds in the
treasury; and agreed that the
Spaulding Foundation and
NYSCCA would be good
charitable donation
organizations to support as
they both help injured drivers.
A good way to give a little back.
Lastly was election of officers:
President was tabled, as was
treasurer as Gary Wood has
declined to run again as well.
Vice President is Jim Chase
again and Sue Lowe stepped
up for the secretaries position.
Richard Parry will now head
up the Show Car Chairman
position, club directors were
left as is. So, in the end,
basically a week to determine
where we're going with the
racing division, interested
parties can contact Carl
Carpenter @ (607) 847-9501
and he can give you the
lowdown on his plans. The
Spooktacular takes place next
Saturday, the 20th at Afton
Speedway and we should
know more as to our 2008
plans upon the meeting there.
Gates open at 9:00 Am, see
you there.
The MASCC Fall Meeting was
held on Sept. 13th at Jim and
Kay Chase's residence in
Cortland, NY. A pleasant ride
up Route 38 through Newark
Valley, Brookshire and Dryden
started my day by taking in all
the brilliant fall colors. Pulling
into Jim's drive members were
greeted by the arrival of his
latest project, a '41 Ford coupe
delivered by Larry and Howdie
Witter. Nice shape and great
frame, Jim's intentions are to
re-create his father Paul's U2
racer that ran at Midstate in
the late 1950's and early
1960's, he has a good start, it's
nice material.
After some bench racing,
members settled in and we got
down to business. The
secretary's and treasurer's
reports were given and then
onto old business. We
rehashed the season past and
to a man concluded that we
had a fun and enjoyable
season. Our show car class
continued to excite and
educate race fans while our
racing division put on
competitive shows throughout.
Examples were cited from
many events of former racers
and fans proclaiming their
pleasure with our clubs
displays. Our only misgiving
would have to our car counts
which were lacking in the race
division. Brainstorming to
come up with new ideas to
attract prospective members
we last year added a set of
OHV V8 rules but for various
reasons, this didn't add car
count. We revisited our
reasons for starting the club in
the first place; to present
authentic, period correct
racers form the 50's thru early
70's era's. Problem is, there
isn't that many of them,
they're getting rarer than
hen's teeth. Logistics, gas
prices, personality conflicts,
apathy - all reasons that we
can't seem to get more cars on
the track. So; what to do for
2008? We came up with a few
ideas.
First, it was noted by Jim
Florence that the Penn Can
show was a very popular event,
seeing Eddie Rafferty wheel
around in the P-13 brought a
smile to the crowd. This had
been going through my head
for the past few weeks in that I
felt bringing cars to place
behind the grandstand, as we
have the past three years,
could be enhanced by allowing
former drivers wheel them
around during intermission at
our race events. We all agreed
that this would be an excellent
addition to our shows. If you
could have seen the smile on
Bennie Stephens face at the
Shangri-La farewell a few
years ago you'd agree too. The
show car class is strong and
we didn't feel any changes
were necessary in that division
with the possible exception of
setting up these driving
exhibitions with track
promoters.
Onto the racing division: It's
no secret to club members
that I planned on stepping
down as president this year. I
feel we've accomplished what
we set out to do, mainly get
this club off the ground, get
incorporated and obtain our
not-for-profit exemption. All of
our paperwork and structure
is in place at this time and has
been since we started racing
again. We have what we all feel
is a god set of bylaws, rules
and membership, we all get
along well and play well
together, there have been no
incidents either on track or off,
which is what is supposed to
happen in a 'social' club. OK,
so our only drawback is car
count in the racing divison,
when we started out we
thought we had it, hasn't
worked out and my thought
was that it'll be more difficult
to schedule races in the future
if we don't add a few cars.
Obviously, it's fun to race, and
we'd like to continue, but how
to do it and stick to our guns
on being a purist club?
Especially if the cars don't
exist? Everyone in the club
would like to see 15 flathead,
stove bolt and period OHV cars
take to the track - what to do?
Former President Carl
Carpenter has laid an offer at
our feet to run the race
division, but this comes with
the proposal to open up the
rules to cars that are already
built. In other words, cars that
don't meet our current rules.
This would include tubular
framed chassis, 350 cu.in.
V8's, etc. and would mean a
total revamping of our rules
and handicapping. The
handicapping could probably
be handles with our restrictor
plate - which models a stock
283 Chevy, Rochester 2G
venturi, 1.105 in diameter.
That'll certainly cut back the
power. It would add more cars
but at what cost? The last
thing we want to do is alienate
or disgruntle current members
who have supported us. Rules
changes always do two things:
cost people money and
aggravate them. It's a catch 22
situation. Most agreed they'd
do most anything to keep
racing on a limited, local
schedule as we have set up in
the past, but there were some
reservations. We decided to sit
on it for a week to decide at
Afton where Carl will present
his proposal, he wants
commitments from at least 12
race teams which is very
reasonable. If it can be worked
out then we'll be racing again
next year. If not then we'll
concentrate on the show cars
and prepping them for fellows
like Don Beagell, Chuck
Akulis, and if I can talk him
into it, Don Diff to tool around
at 5MP and Penn-Can. We'll
most likely do that whether we
race or not as it'll be a lot of
fun.
We discussed the schedule
next and agreed we'd all like
shows again at Norwich, Utica
Rome, Sherill, 5MP's Heath
Memorial, Penn-Can's
Legends of Penn Can, Afton
and Thunder Mountain if they
have Old Timers nights, and of
course the two events at
Midstate; the Otsego County
Fair and CNY HOF Induction.
All well attended events, all
fun. We then decided to
disburse some of our
membership funds in the
treasury; and agreed that the
Spaulding Foundation and
NYSCCA would be good
charitable donation
organizations to support as
they both help injured drivers.
A good way to give a little back.
Lastly was election of officers:
President was tabled, as was
treasurer as Gary Wood has
declined to run again as well.
Vice President is Jim Chase
again and Sue Lowe stepped
up for the secretaries position.
Richard Parry will now head
up the Show Car Chairman
position, club directors were
left as is. So, in the end,
basically a week to determine
where we're going with the
racing division, interested
parties can contact Carl
Carpenter @ (607) 847-9501
and he can give you the
lowdown on his plans. The
Spooktacular takes place next
Saturday, the 20th at Afton
Speedway and we should
know more as to our 2008
plans upon the meeting there.
Gates open at 9:00 Am, see
you there.
