Stick with me. It truly is a positive piece!
“As of now, the exorbitant costs of international motor racing—Formula One in particular—is because of the engines. There are only a few constructors and the job is virtually a custom one. The Watkins Glen (N.Y.) and Mexico City promoters of Grand Prix Formula One events this year (Watkins Glen on Oct. 4 and Mexico City on Oct. 25) will have spent close to $150,000 each before a starter’s” flag is waved.
The racing problem is one of the S.C.C.A.’s biggest. But they have others. For example, the club’s national rally program has shown signs of crumbling of old age. The Rip Van Winkle Rally of the New York region, for years one of the nation’s most attractive, has been canceled this season for lack of interest of organizers.
The other nationals, most of them at least, have been excellent tests for I.B.M. machines and rallyists with electronic minds. A comparatively small group of this type has monopolized the victories. Rallying, in this fashion, is just too much for the average person and of even the better than average. Consequently, there have been few additions to the rally rosters and the fun is all gone.
So the rally officers are faced with a challenge—come up with something new and interesting or move out. It may be necessary to scrap the whole rally setup as it now stands and start all over again — with a stop watch, pencil and paper, a slide rule, maybe, and a set of tables.”
Bruce Gezon wrote, “Hey, Girl! I think it might be time for this one. The Richta and MiRally apps have given new life to all rallying!” The New York Times article above goes back to August 30, 1964. We have heard the concern many times since, haven’t we? Does anyone reading this recall hearing that our beloved RoadRally is a “legacy” sport within SCCA? Fifteen years (or so) ago, I had an SCCA Board of Director seek me out for lunchtime conversation at a Convention; he wanted to assure me that road rally was not being “put out to pasture.” He was not our BOD Liaison for RoadRally, yet he sought to confirm the BOD would support my program and my reason for being an SCCA member.
Bruce went on to add, “I should like to point out that the Rip Van Winkle National Rally was still running in the upper Hudson River valley around 1970. They were great events.”
All, it was difficult to leave the opening quote above without amending the grammar, yet I thought you might wish to read the file Bruce sent.
