raffaelli
10-07-2003, 08:30 PM
Hello all,
I am interested in becoming the ROAR Region 1 Director. I have accepted the nomination by ROAR’s Executive Committee and will appear on the ballot in the next issue of the Rev-Up. Please take a few minutes to complete the ballot and mail it back to ROAR. Whether you vote for me or not, it is important that you vote.
A little personal history and background:
I have been involved with the hobby since 1980ish. I started out with a Rough Rider in my backyard. Since then, I have participated in all ROAR provisional and non-ROAR classes (except 1/5th). I am 35, married, two children, one baby on the way, work in White Plains NY and live in Peekskill NY. Aside from RC, I enjoying tracking and auto-crossing my 1:1 car as well as volunteering as a pit crew member for an SCCA ITA car. I also volunteer as a Little League Umpire and think that a hot dog in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium is a top notch dinner (fortunately so does my wife). I am the senior project and firm manager of an architectural firm, a career I chose back in high school and actually still enjoy it.
I have many hours of professional training in the management of teams, development of policy, implementation of plan, think tanks, research, event preparation, logical coordination and years of successful execution of all. These are the same principals I will carry forth in my performance as ROAR Region 1 Director.
I was recently asked why I want to be Regional Director. The answer is simple: I have the tools, the ability, the motivation and the resources to help ROAR to be the spring point in providing a well rounded and supported racing and hobby environment for all participants.
Some RC background:
Local Race Directing:
I was a long term race director for a track which had an indoor concrete oval and an indoor carpet circuit. I was responsible for organizing and running the races three times a week, organizing the weekly handout motors, managing the tech and radio impounds. This is my first experience on how to prepare successful racing events. Additionally I was a part time employee of the supporting store. It was at this store were I learned what the new racer wants, but more importantly what the new comer needs and how to explain it to them.
Regional Race Directing:
I was the Race Director for an Electric Off-road Regional Championship where I helped with the preparation and advertising of the event, coordinated registration, ran the races for the weekend.
Regional Management Experience:
I was the regional representative for NORRCA in the northeast. While the term here was very short (NORRCA started to fold), it was my first real introduction on what needs to happen behind the scenes to manage a region.
Local Management Experience:
I am a past officer of NERCAR as the Series East Director and am an active member of the club.
Current National ROAR Interaction:
I am currently part of ROAR’s Promotions Team working directly under ROAR’s Executive Committee Member, Dawn Sanchez. Since the beginning of the 2003, we have been developing methods for ROAR to reintroduce itself to the racer, club, track and store. We have begun developing better ways for ROAR to manage itself, communicate with membership, and organize rules and races. In short we have been working hard to improve the ‘tarnished’ image that some members and non members have of ROAR. I will remain part of the Promotions Team even if I am elected as the Regional Director. Within the past 6 months, I have been considered for two separate ROAR Executive Committee positions. However, due to my lack of ROAR experience at a national level, we decided to put those plans on hold for a bit. I am a familiar name to the entire ROAR Executive Committee and other nationally recognized key players. I do have a respected opinion with them. In fact, my nomination for Regional Director was submitted by a member of the Executive Committee. I am also being considered for one of ROAR’s class committees. However, if I am elected Regional Director, I will withdraw my name from that consideration. I am the current fair witness for Region 1 on the Starting Grid where I try to maintain a regular and dependable place for Region Members to obtain and share information. It is the most active Regional area on the Starting Grid.
Where do we go from here:
While racing is important, I do not believe that participating at every race in every class all the time will produce the tools required to effectively manage the Region as other have suggested. I believe that the management of the Region goes far beyond entering as many races and classes as possible. In fact, I think that an effect manager for the Region will participate in a limited number of events as a racer and many more as an administrator.
I have no official affiliations to retail store, track, mail order warehouses, manufacturers, sponsors. I am not a national level driver; I am not seeking that level of racing. I am just a regular hobbyist looking to help improve the racing environment in the area. As a result, my decisions will be fair, logical and evenly delivered throughout the region.
I have always believed that this is a hobby where the participants should learn from each other, depend on each other and develop friendships all in an effort to provide a ‘fun and fair’ (to borrow a term from current ROAR President Rick Wilson) racing environment.
Some things I would like to do:
We have noticed some deficiencies in the current racing environment. Here are some of my ideas as far:
Since I do not have an affiliation to any track, I do intend to spread the sanctioned racing throughout the Region – And rotate the location of the sanctioned racer.
Bring the national overall growth of ROAR into Region 1 by: maintaining a regular schedule of local, state and regional sanctioned races, using the newly developed promotional tools to encourage shops and track to be ROAR Affiliated and communicating on a regular basis with the racers, clubs tracks and shop owners. By giving ROAR a more visible presence and bringing ROAR to the forefront of racing, we will be able to increase the popularity of sanctioned racer thereby bringing bigger fun for everyone.
I have reviewed the Regional Directors Handbook. The Regional Director is allowed to assign two assistants. However, I will assign as many members as required to provide a full administration Regional Team. One of the national issues with ROAR is that there really isn’t a breeding ground for new Regional Directors. By utilizing a complete Regional Team, not only does the management of the Region run more smoothly and more fulfilling to the racer, but it also provides several people the opportunity to be involved at a regional level with the anticipation of placing an experienced member in a Regional Directors role or beyond.
I will provide clear, concise, accurate and timely information to the internet, to hobby shops, to race directors and to the membership.
I will provide official referees and race directors at all state and regional events to ensure a level playing field with unbiased enforcement of the rules.
I will coordinate the schedule of all local, state and regional sanctioned events within the region, with the neighboring regions and with national events.
The tracks and clubs are asked to bear the financial burn of a sanctioned race which is them mostly passed off to the racer. We should find some fund raising tactics such as raffling off products donated by the manufactures, sell race sponsorships, T-Shirts etc, hats, etc to use to defray the cost of the sanctioned events for the clubs, tracks and racers.
The Regional event is the first step in racing on an elevated level. While many of the racers and these events are the same you race with on a weekly basis, these are special events. They should be treated as such. There should be care giving to the new racer, there should be how to classes from every thing to how to pressurize a shock to how to marshal to how to trim a body. The events should be advertised outside the R/C.
Some Other Ideas to chew on:
I have several fully developed plans on:
How to get some money pack into the pocket of the racer.
How to get some money back into the pocket of the owner.
How to get some money back into the pocket of the club.
How to improve the chain of communication from the top ROAR Offical
down to the newest entrant into the hobby.
How to give meaning to local, State and Regional Championships and
beyond.
How to build a solid basis for a club to get moving.
How to develope a region wide points system.
How to recognize members for there efforts.
How to well....you get the point.
Gimme some Big Races:
There are many major racing events in the country. How cool would it be to bring a race like the Biggie or Cactus Classic or Kyosho Challenge to the area? It is actually easy to do, just gotta do i.
From my experience the Regional used to be a very impressive race. There were handouts from major companies like car kits to radios down to the little nothing things like oil and stickers. Then there were T Shirts. They usually didn’t fit but it was something. Then there were pit spaces filled with racers getting along as far as you could see. There was actually a registration deadline, not because the director need to be sure people were going to be there -but because the race would actually get filled!0 There were nonbiased race directors. There were rules that were enforced. There was some guy with lots of experience helping the first timer get hooked. There
were friendships made. There were actually people that wanted to marshal so they had to pay attention to a particular turn so they could learn it better. There were people that would actually stand rows deep to watch the A Main and applaud when it was over. There was a presence at the track that oozed competition, hobby, friendship and fun. ROAR was the presence because it would not be at other big non ROAR events. 'Back then' ROAR was it. 'Back then', the tracks put
some money in there pocket and the racers had a great time.
I don't think that most of what I described happens today. I think that the current Ex Com has it right - ROAR promotes fun and fair racing. If that can get transferred through affiliates and directors, we would all have a much happier hobby world.
So you have to just vote and participate:
I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to participate in ROAR. The biggest step is to vote. Should I get the phone call from Rick that I have won the election, please do not hesitate to give me a call, drop me an email, grab me at the track, to let me know what you think, to let me know your ideas, to let me know where you think things should be headed, to let me know
what you think is good, to let me know what you think is bad, to let me know if you want to help out, to let me know well, whatever. You know, even if I don’t win the election, still feel free to jump on your soap box and let me know what you think. We are all in the community together for each others benefit.
You can reach me:
Email: chris.raffaelli@verizon.net
Cell: 914 715 5620
I am interested in becoming the ROAR Region 1 Director. I have accepted the nomination by ROAR’s Executive Committee and will appear on the ballot in the next issue of the Rev-Up. Please take a few minutes to complete the ballot and mail it back to ROAR. Whether you vote for me or not, it is important that you vote.
A little personal history and background:
I have been involved with the hobby since 1980ish. I started out with a Rough Rider in my backyard. Since then, I have participated in all ROAR provisional and non-ROAR classes (except 1/5th). I am 35, married, two children, one baby on the way, work in White Plains NY and live in Peekskill NY. Aside from RC, I enjoying tracking and auto-crossing my 1:1 car as well as volunteering as a pit crew member for an SCCA ITA car. I also volunteer as a Little League Umpire and think that a hot dog in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium is a top notch dinner (fortunately so does my wife). I am the senior project and firm manager of an architectural firm, a career I chose back in high school and actually still enjoy it.
I have many hours of professional training in the management of teams, development of policy, implementation of plan, think tanks, research, event preparation, logical coordination and years of successful execution of all. These are the same principals I will carry forth in my performance as ROAR Region 1 Director.
I was recently asked why I want to be Regional Director. The answer is simple: I have the tools, the ability, the motivation and the resources to help ROAR to be the spring point in providing a well rounded and supported racing and hobby environment for all participants.
Some RC background:
Local Race Directing:
I was a long term race director for a track which had an indoor concrete oval and an indoor carpet circuit. I was responsible for organizing and running the races three times a week, organizing the weekly handout motors, managing the tech and radio impounds. This is my first experience on how to prepare successful racing events. Additionally I was a part time employee of the supporting store. It was at this store were I learned what the new racer wants, but more importantly what the new comer needs and how to explain it to them.
Regional Race Directing:
I was the Race Director for an Electric Off-road Regional Championship where I helped with the preparation and advertising of the event, coordinated registration, ran the races for the weekend.
Regional Management Experience:
I was the regional representative for NORRCA in the northeast. While the term here was very short (NORRCA started to fold), it was my first real introduction on what needs to happen behind the scenes to manage a region.
Local Management Experience:
I am a past officer of NERCAR as the Series East Director and am an active member of the club.
Current National ROAR Interaction:
I am currently part of ROAR’s Promotions Team working directly under ROAR’s Executive Committee Member, Dawn Sanchez. Since the beginning of the 2003, we have been developing methods for ROAR to reintroduce itself to the racer, club, track and store. We have begun developing better ways for ROAR to manage itself, communicate with membership, and organize rules and races. In short we have been working hard to improve the ‘tarnished’ image that some members and non members have of ROAR. I will remain part of the Promotions Team even if I am elected as the Regional Director. Within the past 6 months, I have been considered for two separate ROAR Executive Committee positions. However, due to my lack of ROAR experience at a national level, we decided to put those plans on hold for a bit. I am a familiar name to the entire ROAR Executive Committee and other nationally recognized key players. I do have a respected opinion with them. In fact, my nomination for Regional Director was submitted by a member of the Executive Committee. I am also being considered for one of ROAR’s class committees. However, if I am elected Regional Director, I will withdraw my name from that consideration. I am the current fair witness for Region 1 on the Starting Grid where I try to maintain a regular and dependable place for Region Members to obtain and share information. It is the most active Regional area on the Starting Grid.
Where do we go from here:
While racing is important, I do not believe that participating at every race in every class all the time will produce the tools required to effectively manage the Region as other have suggested. I believe that the management of the Region goes far beyond entering as many races and classes as possible. In fact, I think that an effect manager for the Region will participate in a limited number of events as a racer and many more as an administrator.
I have no official affiliations to retail store, track, mail order warehouses, manufacturers, sponsors. I am not a national level driver; I am not seeking that level of racing. I am just a regular hobbyist looking to help improve the racing environment in the area. As a result, my decisions will be fair, logical and evenly delivered throughout the region.
I have always believed that this is a hobby where the participants should learn from each other, depend on each other and develop friendships all in an effort to provide a ‘fun and fair’ (to borrow a term from current ROAR President Rick Wilson) racing environment.
Some things I would like to do:
We have noticed some deficiencies in the current racing environment. Here are some of my ideas as far:
Since I do not have an affiliation to any track, I do intend to spread the sanctioned racing throughout the Region – And rotate the location of the sanctioned racer.
Bring the national overall growth of ROAR into Region 1 by: maintaining a regular schedule of local, state and regional sanctioned races, using the newly developed promotional tools to encourage shops and track to be ROAR Affiliated and communicating on a regular basis with the racers, clubs tracks and shop owners. By giving ROAR a more visible presence and bringing ROAR to the forefront of racing, we will be able to increase the popularity of sanctioned racer thereby bringing bigger fun for everyone.
I have reviewed the Regional Directors Handbook. The Regional Director is allowed to assign two assistants. However, I will assign as many members as required to provide a full administration Regional Team. One of the national issues with ROAR is that there really isn’t a breeding ground for new Regional Directors. By utilizing a complete Regional Team, not only does the management of the Region run more smoothly and more fulfilling to the racer, but it also provides several people the opportunity to be involved at a regional level with the anticipation of placing an experienced member in a Regional Directors role or beyond.
I will provide clear, concise, accurate and timely information to the internet, to hobby shops, to race directors and to the membership.
I will provide official referees and race directors at all state and regional events to ensure a level playing field with unbiased enforcement of the rules.
I will coordinate the schedule of all local, state and regional sanctioned events within the region, with the neighboring regions and with national events.
The tracks and clubs are asked to bear the financial burn of a sanctioned race which is them mostly passed off to the racer. We should find some fund raising tactics such as raffling off products donated by the manufactures, sell race sponsorships, T-Shirts etc, hats, etc to use to defray the cost of the sanctioned events for the clubs, tracks and racers.
The Regional event is the first step in racing on an elevated level. While many of the racers and these events are the same you race with on a weekly basis, these are special events. They should be treated as such. There should be care giving to the new racer, there should be how to classes from every thing to how to pressurize a shock to how to marshal to how to trim a body. The events should be advertised outside the R/C.
Some Other Ideas to chew on:
I have several fully developed plans on:
How to get some money pack into the pocket of the racer.
How to get some money back into the pocket of the owner.
How to get some money back into the pocket of the club.
How to improve the chain of communication from the top ROAR Offical
down to the newest entrant into the hobby.
How to give meaning to local, State and Regional Championships and
beyond.
How to build a solid basis for a club to get moving.
How to develope a region wide points system.
How to recognize members for there efforts.
How to well....you get the point.
Gimme some Big Races:
There are many major racing events in the country. How cool would it be to bring a race like the Biggie or Cactus Classic or Kyosho Challenge to the area? It is actually easy to do, just gotta do i.
From my experience the Regional used to be a very impressive race. There were handouts from major companies like car kits to radios down to the little nothing things like oil and stickers. Then there were T Shirts. They usually didn’t fit but it was something. Then there were pit spaces filled with racers getting along as far as you could see. There was actually a registration deadline, not because the director need to be sure people were going to be there -but because the race would actually get filled!0 There were nonbiased race directors. There were rules that were enforced. There was some guy with lots of experience helping the first timer get hooked. There
were friendships made. There were actually people that wanted to marshal so they had to pay attention to a particular turn so they could learn it better. There were people that would actually stand rows deep to watch the A Main and applaud when it was over. There was a presence at the track that oozed competition, hobby, friendship and fun. ROAR was the presence because it would not be at other big non ROAR events. 'Back then' ROAR was it. 'Back then', the tracks put
some money in there pocket and the racers had a great time.
I don't think that most of what I described happens today. I think that the current Ex Com has it right - ROAR promotes fun and fair racing. If that can get transferred through affiliates and directors, we would all have a much happier hobby world.
So you have to just vote and participate:
I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to participate in ROAR. The biggest step is to vote. Should I get the phone call from Rick that I have won the election, please do not hesitate to give me a call, drop me an email, grab me at the track, to let me know what you think, to let me know your ideas, to let me know where you think things should be headed, to let me know
what you think is good, to let me know what you think is bad, to let me know if you want to help out, to let me know well, whatever. You know, even if I don’t win the election, still feel free to jump on your soap box and let me know what you think. We are all in the community together for each others benefit.
You can reach me:
Email: chris.raffaelli@verizon.net
Cell: 914 715 5620