FCA steals FCRA graphics to promote itself

Stu

The FCRA was created to hurt the FCA? The FCRA has attempted to interrupt FCA events? Really? Thats what you claim to be the truth? Really?

You obviously have no appreciation of the history of the FCRA or its schedule, nor do you obviously care, as your bastardization of the facts and history proves.

The fact is I have been longtime FCA member. Stu, you want to compare records of your contributions to the FCA? Franco Valobra and I single handedly created the Louisiana Chapter of the FCA and put on one of the most successful and popular FCA events in the country, the French Quarter Classic, over an 8 year history. In the time we raised and spent over a million and a half dollars promoting, organizing and putting on these FCA events. I have also personally spent over $100,000.00 of my own money promoting, organizing and running FCA events. How much money have you invested in FCA events, Stu?

The simple fact is I, along with Jeff Ippolliti wrote club racing rules years ago and submitted them to the FCA, to promote FCA club racing. He along with other FCA/FCRA members hosted, sponsored, organized and ran 4 preliminary challenge races for the FCA. How many have challenge races have you paid for organized, promoted and run for the FCA, Stu?

The fact is, I organized the sponsorship, organized and promoted the preliminary races for the FCA. The FCA regions supported me, of course because I was promoting FCA club racing, in a not for profit manner.

The fact is the Daytona and Pocono events were run by Joe C. who runs track events for profit. I contacted him for two years telling him I wanted to help bring challenge car races to his events. I offered him money. I told him I didnt want to do the work to organize events or a series and I'd work with him to help run the races at his events without any profit. I offered my work for free. He rejected collaboration with me and the owners. Why? He told people I had "stolen" his idea for a retired challenge series and was upset because he wanted to amass the sponsorship money to put in his pocket. I rejected this idea that he keep the profit for a series for himself and instead raised over $200,000 in cash and incentives and pledged to distribute the benefits directly to the challenge drivers. He was pissed and refused to allow our drivers to race at Daytona and Pocono, despite two years of me negotiating with him and offering him over $10,000 per race (above his entry fees) in an effort to get along with traditional events. BTW Stu, Joe told people that he didnt care when the FCRA events were scheduled because they would have no effect on the participation of his events.

I also spent 3-4 years attempting to work with the FCA national board. They sent me a cease and desist letter and threatened me, despite all I was doing financially to promote FCA club racing. It was only after this letter and the FCA's refusal to accomplish it on their own, and FCA members encouragement that caused me to create and independent club.

The national event approached me three years ago and asked that I support them. I told them of course. I worked with them until the 11th hour when the board refused to work with the racers and refused to allow us to race. Because they were fantastic guys I rearranged the calendar at the last minute so as not to conflict with their plans. The board circumvented their own rules to allow that race to happen. The FCA managed to get six cars showed up at their national event, and I feel sorry the national board did that to the local organizers.

I then called the national board and begged two board members to allow us to race at their events, or to at least not mess with a FCA/FCRA collaboration. At the 11th hour an FCA member called the Glenn and our race was off. No amount of negotiation with the FCA would allow us to run with them.

The fact is I attempted to create, fun, organize and promote FCA club racing. In response to my time and money I was met with petty politics, and bull**** for years. Petty car club crap. I started an independent series only as the last resort after 4 years of work, and the FCA national board's refusal to collaborate with us. Despite creating the independent series I've spent the entire year attempting to negotiate with the FCA and those that profit from these events. No one would work with us. It was either a money or ego play.

The national board prevented us running at the national event, prevented the Glenn, and recently called Charlie Scardina Jr. with the South Beach Classic, and told them that the FCA would not allow the inclusion of an FCRA race. The response, the South Beach Classic said by by to the FCA bull****, and it is now an FCRA event.

The fact is, Stu, that I am an FCA member, who I wager has spent more time and money promoting the FCA than you. I started the FCRA only as a last resort. I did it without profit. I donate my time, my employees time, and also pay to be a main sponsor. The fact is Stu, that Ive done everything I can possibly think of to work with the FCA. Ive been rejected on grounds that have no foundation outside of self interested people that wish to profit off of the races, or flex hollow political muscle.

I did this for monetary reasons? Its a non profit organization that distributes 100% of its revenue to its members. Lets see, guys, which one of you has spent 100K of their own money promoting FCA events? Which one of you paid $40,000,00 in cash to your fellow FCA members to attend a race?

Did you know Stu that 100% of the FCRA members are FCA members? Did you know that? Has it entered your mind that the FCRA was created because a subsection of FCA members did not feel the FCA national were representing their interests? Can you comprehend that by donating my time and money to these FCA members I am benefiting the interests of these FCA members?

The fact is I am sticking up for the Ferrari Challenge owners, so they dont get screwed financially. Ive distribute 100% of the money I raise back to them. Ive donated 4 years of work, over 100K of my own money to them, and organized and hosted 14 safe races for them. How much have you done?

By the way Stu, when the FCA national prevented us from running at the Glenn, and the FCRA members came up with monticello as an option, do you know that I called the Empire region director and organizer and told them that if they lost money with their event that I would PERSONALLY write them a check out of my pocket? Did you know that Stu? Think I'm doing this for money? Or to hurt people?

Before you blast me as being anti FCA get your facts straight. What I am is against an FCA board that has acted contrary to the interests of FCA members who own, track and wish to race their cars. And Ive stuck up for them and put my time and money were my mouth is. And I will continue to do so until things change.

As for dates being in conflict, I will tell you this. Ive worked to try to coordinate our events. No one will tell you different that knows the facts. The fact is I've wasted too much time on this and it has hurt the FCRA membership. IF the FCA doesn't want our participation we will not participate in FCA events. If the FCA thinks it represents the interests of Ferrari Challenge racers, then by golly, why are they worried about me? The FCRA next year has been approached by FNA, Grand AM, HSR, Skip Barber, Chin, the PCA and several other racing organizations who would like us to run with them. Unless the FCA national board expresses an interest in working with the FCRA, the FCRA will not have an FCA event on its calendar, and with consistent grids from 20-42 cars, and 14 clean races we have proven our concept.

And I will continue to fight for the rights and protect the pocket books and safety of the FCRA members. I'm not doing this for money or ego. Stu, you dont know me, but I get plenty of Ego satisfaction in my day job. I started this organization for my friends and for their interests, and because no one else was doing it. No one would be happier than me if someone else took over running safe, efficient, cost effective ferrari challenge races. I would be more than happy to turn the reigns over to someone else, because the lost opportunity time I've spent on creating this series has personally cost me a serious amount of time. And the aggravation of dealing with self interested people, is usually something I get paid very well to endure.

And you claim the FCRA stole the name from the FCA? Are you nuts? Take a look at the website and lets see who is using whos work product!

The rest is just hot air. The only thing I am guilty of is spending too much time screwing with the petty short sighted politics of the FCA.

Someone asked "it must be about money." Maybe it is. I've thrown a wrench in the system because I am doing all of the work for free, and distributing all of the money and benefits to the drivers. There is no regional profit or promotor profit. 100% of the money gets distributed back to the drivers. Thats been my concept. Its made Ferrari Challenge racing cheaper, as has the other rules we've implemented. And I guess that has ruffled some feathers. So be it.

Its not the Ferrari Club of America. I attempted to do all of the work for the Ferrari Club of America and they rejected my efforts. Its the Ferrari Club Racing Association. An association of Ferrari Club racers organized for the benefit of Ferrari club racers, and no one else. Maybe someday the Ferrari Club of America will want to work in the best interests of the Ferrari Club racers. When that day comes, I'm happy to turn over the free work I'm doing.

 

Stu

You obviously have no idea, appreciation of the facts of the history of the FCRA or its schedule, nor do you obviously care, as your bastardization of the facts and history.

The fact is I, along with Franco Valobra, an FCRA co-founder, have been longtime FCA members. He along with myself single handedly created the Louisiana Chapter of the FCA and put on one of the most successful and popular FCA events in the country, the French Quarter Classic over an 8 year history. I have also personally invested over $100,000.00 of my own money promoting, organizing and running FCA events. How much money have you invested in FCA events, Stu?

The simple fact is I, along with Jeff Ippolliti wrote club racing rules and submitted them to the FCA and he along with other FCA/FCRA members hosted, sponsored, organized and ran 4 preliminary challenge races for the FCA. How many have challenge races have you paid for organized, promoted and run for the FCA, Stu?

The fact is, I organized the sponsorship, organized and promoted the preliminary races for the FCA. The FCA regions supported me, of course because I was promoting FCA club racing, in a not for profit manner.

The fact is the Daytona and Pocono events were run by Joe C. who runs track events for profit and told people I had "stolen" his idea for a retired challenge series and was upset because he wanted to amass the sponsorship money to put in his pocket. I rejected this idea and instead raised over $200,000 in cash and incentives and pledged to distribute the benefits directly to the challenge drivers. He was pissed and refused to allow our drivers to race at Daytona and Pocono, despite two years of me negotiating with him and offering him over $10,000 per race (above his entry fees) in an effort to get along with traditional events.

I also spent 3-4 years attempting to work with the FCA national board. They sent me a cease and desist letter and threatened me, despite all I was doing financially to promote FCA club racing.

The national event approached me three years ago and asked that I support them. I told them of course. I worked with them until the 11th hour when the board refused to work with the racers and refused to allow us to race. Because they were fantastic guys I rearranged the calendar at the last minute so as not to conflict with their plans. The board circumvented their own rules to allow that race to happen.

I then called the national board and begged two board members to allow us to race at their events, or to at least not mess with a FCA/FCRA collaboration. At the 11th hour an FCA member called the Glenn and our race was off. No amount of negotiation with the FCA would allow us to run with them.

The fact is I attempted to create, fun, organize and promote FCA club racing. In response to my time and money I was met with petty politics, and bull**** for years. Petty car club crap. I started an independent series only as the last resort after 4 years of work. Despite the independent series I've spent the entire year attempting to negotiate with the FCA and those that profit from these events. No one would work with us. It was either a money or ego play.

The national board prevented us running at the national event, prevented the Glenn, and recently called Charlie Scardina Jr. with the South Beach Classic, and told them that the FCA would not allow the inclusion of an FCRA race. The response, the South Beach Classic said by by to the FCA bull****, and it is now an FCRA event.

The fact is, Stu, that I am an FCA member, who I wager has spent more time and money promoting the FCA than you. I started the FCRA only as a last resort. The fact is Stu, that Ive done everything I can possibly think of to work with the FCA. Ive been rejected on grounds that have no foundation outside of self interested people that wish to profit off of the races, or flex hollow political muscle.

I did this for monetary reasons? Lets see, guys, which one of you has spent 100K of their own money promoting FCA events? Which one of you paid $40,000,00 in cash to your fellow FCA members to attend a race?

The fact is I am sticking up for the Ferrari Challenge owners, so they dont get screwed financially. Ive distribute 100% of the money I raise back to them. Ive donated 4 years of work, over 100K of my own money to them, and organized and hosted 14 safe races for them. How much have you done?

Before you blast me as being anti FCA get your facts straight. What I am is against two members of the FCA board who have acted contrary to the interest of FCA members who own, track and wish to race their cars. And Ive stuck up for them and put my time and money were my mouth is. And I will continue to do so until things change.

As for dates being in conflict, I will tell you this. The FCRA next year has been approached by FNA, Grand AM, HSR, Skip Barber, Chin, the PCA and several other racing organizations who would like us to run with them. Unless the FCA national board expresses an interest in working with the FCRA, the FCRA will not have an FCA event on its calendar, and with consistent grids from 20-42 cars, and 14 clean races we have proven our concept.

And I will continue to fight for the rights and protect the pocket books and safety of the FCRA members.

Lets see the FCRA stole the name from the FCA? Are you nuts? Take a look at the website and lets see who is using whos work product!

The rest is just hot air. The only thing I am guilty of is spending too much time screwing with the petty short sighted politics of the FCA.

 

Joe

We disagree on a few things.

I understand you do this for a living. When I was putting the series together I specifically told you that I was not attempting to do what you do for a living, and that I was putting a series together. I didnt begrudge you for the way you make a living. I had been to your Daytona event. However, I had a different idea than you. I had the idea that the sponsorship from the series would be owned by the drivers, the series run by the drivers, and be non-profit. I told you that I believed you provided a valuable service (running the events), and that I didn't want to do it and that I would pay you a profit to do so. You didn't take me seriously. Instead of trying to work with me you told several people you owned the "retired Challenge series" and that I was stealing your idea. The fact of the matter is Joe that the idea of an independent challenge series was an idea whose time had come. I put a race on during the FQC over six years ago and I was behind the initial submission of the proposed rules to the FCA.

My goals stated to you and the FCA was that I wanted to create a cost effective series where the sponsorship money would go to the drivers to help defray the high costs of Challenge racing. And I wanted the series controlled and run by the drivers.

I understood you ran track events and that you had an idea that you would get David involved and "own" the series yourself. You had every right to attempt to do something in direct competition. Its america, and I don't begrudge you for attempting to make a profit off of the idea of running a challenge series. What I did begrudge was the way in which you dealt with me, and how you tried to compete.

You got upset by this because you couldn't compete with a non profit system, and you bad mouthed the FCRA and what we were doing, and then blamed me when your idea for a series failed.

I did not attempt to hurt you. Instead I offered to organize the series and to pay you on top of your entry fees. For two years I approached you. You first refused to respond to me preventing me from creating a calendar. You did this purposefully because you wanted to own a series yourself and saw a non profit as a threat. I enlisted everyone I could to try to call and reason with you.

Your statement of what we offered you is a lie. In December of 09 we asked you how much you wanted us to pay you to run at Daytona. You told Bob you would only do it if the drivers of the FCRA paid you $20,000.00 ON TOP OF OUR ENTRY FEES PER EVENT. Your entry fees are approximately 1K. With a 35 car grid at Daytona, that was a $55,000.00 demand for Daytona alone. I thought that was too much. Grand AM, charged us 15K total, and next year we are fielding offers for an AMLS weekend for a similar amount. I made you a counter offer of $5,000 on top of our entry fees (an offer which was equal to $40,000.00 for a 35 car grid), and gave Bob authority to raise that offer to $10,000.00 on top of our entry fees. That was an $45,000.00 offer for a 35 car grid. Joe, theres spin and there are outright lies. You post just finishes claiming to the FCRA members that you've never charged a dime to race, (bc its covered in entry fees), and yet you were turning down this type of money. Why? because, as you state you wanted to run a competing series that you would own, and keep 100% of the profits from.

BTW, all, and I mean 100% of the money raised by the FCRA goes to directly to benefit the drivers, and I am doing this pro bono. I even gave out $40K in cash the first race, and the FCRA subsidizes over $10K in costs for drivers at every race. (ie running with Grand AM cost the drivers $125 per day total. (and by the way we provide all professional steward, race control, and 6 million dollar of insurance which binds all organizations and officers. And on top of that I provide a certificate of 6 Million of insurance for each drivers team. How does that compare to your coverage Joe? You say the FCRA is unsafe and not carful, so I'm curious how careful you really are when you allow anyone who can pay to dive into Daytona's turn one at 160mph in a convertible )

You refused to respond and told Bob you didn't care if we decided to host events at different venues. You refused to respond to me. And you did so as a tactic. You didn't want the FCRA to exist. You claimed that the FCRA had nothing, would have nothing and no venue and brought you nothing. You told Bob you did not care if we had something during the same weekend because the Challenge drivers were coming to your event anyway.

The fact is you were bitter that I was promoting that my concept would be that the races would not be for promotor profit. It simply undercut your goals and your ideas for a series folded. I told you tgere was a middle ground and that I'd help you with more profit and you refused. Daytona and every track would allow us to run a race under your contract and a sub lease was not necessary. The BS about liability or spinsor conflicts were made up as an excuse for you to stonewall us. What made me particularly angry is that as the 2011 calendar needed to be finalized you refused commit either way and only refused to respond. You gambled that the drivers would not know better and the FCRA would be a failure. Your excuses of sponsor or track conflicts was BS. It was a way of stonewalling us. You gambled that we would not be able to get other venues (which you told several people we could not do) , and you tried to stall us out. Your gamble did not work.

Upset by your tactics I approached the drivers and told them that we would be a self governing not for profit series, and to join and stick together. My hope was that if they did they would have collective barginging power, and we would be treated fairly, and that we would be able to work things out. After we were organized I attempted to contact you again, and I was blown off. AS late as two weeks ago I called Bob Coates and asked him to speak with you and see if we could run together in the near future. It all ended in nothing.

Instead of being reasonable, you instead went after the FCRA and badmouthed us. After our series started you attempted to have a meeting with Classic (who cancelled the meeting), and you then had a meeting with Universal were you told Universal that the FCRA had no chance of success, that the FCRA was lying about prospective driver grids and was lying about running during the Grand Am weekend. You told Universal and others that the FCRA was unsafe, just as you allege in your post. Your tactics were not fair competition. You spread misinformation.

Joe, you overplayed your hand. You could have profited moderately by working with the series but instead you wanted to own it yourself. You were angry the sponsor money was going to the drivers and not you. You are bitter I started non profit that you could not compete. You overplayed your hand about the tracks.

And you are right, I do want the series to be a lesson to those that play petty politics and try to take advantage of the series financially. The FCRA is a Challenge drivers Union. Thats what I started. I'm tired of the fighting but I will not give in. I have a reputation for doing exactly what I say I am going to. 2011 has been a fantastic success, and 2012 is wide open.

Someone said some of the conflicts must be about money. For you it was about money. I had no problem with that, its just that I wanted the drivers to own the series sponsor money. I was not begrudging you a profit. I don't begrudge the track owners, Grand AM, AMLS, CHIN, HSR or any other for profit entity. I am working with all of them this year and next and have had fantastic relations with these professional organizations. I was attempting to bring you more profit. We fought because you attempted to take the series from the drivers and keep it for yourself. You basically told me to shove it and you didn't see a drivers union as competition. You miscalculated and you overplayed your hand. You told everyone you had the venues, and all the cars participating already. You were wrong. We tried very hard to work with you. I called you for two solid years. In the end my pleas fell on deaf ears and I ended up wasting a lot of time, as I did with the FCA.

My goal was to create a non profit drivers union series. I did that. And if that ruffles feathers and alienated a few people, then that's too bad. At least I've demonstrated I will fight for what I think is right.