Some Thoughts on the Future of Rally in America

The countdown is on in the rally community for January 1, 2015, when we will hopefully find out what all the hype over the USRA action really means. To say it's been confusing and a giant rumor starter would be an understatement, and the lack of response by Rally America to questions and concerns is frustrating to say the least. 
As a fan, crew member, and soon to be competitor in stage rally, I must say that I am a bit nervous about what this all means for the sport that I love. Like most of us, I'm not 100% thrilled with the way the sport is run, and would be happy to see some changes made that benefit smaller teams like ours. The constant catering by Rally America to the big names (cough, Subaru, cough) while almost entirely ignoring the small budget regional teams has left a bad taste in my mouth. Especially considering that in the past year, nearly all of the major competition and excitement has come from non factory backed teams, most of them competing at the regional level. Here in America, rally doesn't have the following that it does in the rest of the world. But it DOES have a following. And a loyal one at that. With the growth of rallycross, and the soon to be returning SCCA rally sprints, I think we will see a new wave of interest in the very near future as well. Rally isn't dead. Far from it. But it is getting increasingly more difficult to be a competitor and even a fan. So how can we fix that? What can we do to make the sport we love more available? 
The most obvious answer is to make entry fees cheaper. But is that possible? Rallies aren't free to run, and while I don't know the ins and outs of where the finances go, I don't think anyone is getting rich off of entry fees. (Although Anders at NASA Rally Sport DOES seem to have quite a nice hat collection... maybe we need to look into that.) But... what is the money going towards? Could it be used better? Or could some of that money be made in more creative ways? For example, at STPR in Pennsylvania, there is the super special event at the end of the rally, and spectators are charged a small fee to watch the teams compete in a rallycross type race. In my experience, that seems to get a pretty good draw. Would something like that be possible at all events? Or go even a step further, and for a larger fee, allow fans to enter their own cars, and compete against the drivers they admire. (An idea I saw suggested by a fan recently, that I think is rather brilliant.) Short ride alongs are another option. Anything that allows the fans to get closer and more involved is always going to help boost the sport. Let's start thinking outside the box. Maybe some of the bigger teams could hold raffles, and the winner could be an honorary crew member for the day. What about getting the local communities, who are hosting the races, more involved? A short parade ending at Parc Expose? Local businesses could pay to be in it, or teams could charge a small fee to drape banners or decorate their cars with the names of local shops, restaurants, etc. More often than not, the towns hosting these events have little to no knowledge of the sport, which leads to frustration and negative actions. (Holding up stages, complaints, etc.) If we made more of an effort to get them involved, who knows what kind of a difference it could make. 
Another issue I think needs to be addressed is media. Let's face it, we live in a media based world. It's never going to be easy to convince people to drive out into the woods, hike a few miles in the rain or snow, to watch a very small section of road, while one car every minute or two drives by. Even typing it is boring me. So how do we get them to watch? The obvious answer is through TV and videos. Rally America had an awesome opportunity with NBC Sports this past year, and they blew it. Aside from the fact that the episodes were essentially infomercials for Ford and Subaru, they also did a piss poor marketing job. No advertising, no internet availability, they even aired one event DURING another event. Seriously, guys? Get your heads out of your asses. I could go on forever about how disappointing that whole deal was, but I won't. Instead, I'll say this:
If FY Racing can get 20,000+ views on a YouTube video, there is most definitely a market for it. Maybe shooting for NBC Sports was too big of a jump. So let's start smaller. Nearly every team has a YouTube channel. Within hours of a race, there is countless fan and competitor footage floating around. Why not follow the likes of something like TheSmokingTire or /DRIVE and create small episodes for YouTube? Allow teams, fans, and photographers to submit their footage from each event. Or what about Netflix or HULU, or any internet based streaming company? Would it be possible to team up with them? Somehow we have to be able to get coverage to more people. I can't tell you how many non rally folks I have made watch 'Easier Said Than Done' who became instant fans. Those same people would never, ever take a weekend off to go sit in the woods and stare at 50 feet of gravel for an hour. Hell, I don't even want to spectate, and I AM a rally fan. But I'll be damned if I miss the latest FY, BRAKIM, or Subaru Launch Control video. Why? Because I can watch it without pants on, in my living room, and I can get a much better idea of the sport. If NASCAR only allowed fans to watch one turn, how many people do you think would show up to watch? The only way for fans to really see what goes on in a rally is through video. But guess what? Once they've seen the videos, they'll want more. So they'll come to events, they'll want to meet the drivers, they'll want to build cars and BECOME drivers. That is how a sport grows. Media is the gateway drug for the future addicts of rally.
We also need to start acknowledging that there are more than 3 teams in the sport. NASA Rally Sport does a great job of this, and Rally America should take a cue from them. Every single team paid to be there, and they deserve some recognition. It shouldn't be any harder to find times for small, regional teams than it is to find them for the big, national teams. If the only drivers people ever hear about and see are Travis, Ken, and David, then what happens when they quit showing up to races? Encourage fans to get to know their local drivers, interview the guy that worked two jobs to build his own car, share the stories of the other teams that aren't getting paid to be there. Let the fans know that rally is accessible to everyone, not just a few.
These are just a few of the things that I personally hope to see changed for the better in the new year. I love rally, and I'm excited to be a part of it, and I want everyone to know what an incredible sport it is. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed, as I know many others are as well, to see what happens with the announcements tomorrow.
Here's to keeping it dirty, my friends. 

(Thank you to Images by Achilyse for the original action shot used to make this.)

The Only Real Resolution

Let's be real... very few people ever stick to their New Year's Resolutions. Sure, we make them with the best of intentions, but isn't there a quote about the road to Hell and good intentions? 
Here is the reality. We could all stand to make some changes, but the majority of us just aren't going to do it. Why? Because it's hard, and most of the time life is hard enough, without adding more hoops to jump through. Sure we want to lose weight, save money, stop smoking/drinking/etc. and maybe we'll even make a valiant effort for a few weeks. But then we get busy with work or family, and those good intentions become one more thing we are forced to do that we just can't or simply don't want to do. 
So why do we even make New Year's Resolutions? Most people do it because it's the thing to do. Everyone else is doing it, so you jump on the bandwagon. But is that really a good reason to want to change? No, it's not. Change is difficult, and while we all might really want to make some changes, very few of us are truly ready or willing to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve it. Especially in January. You just survived the most stressful time of the year, do you really want to reward yourself by adding new stresses? It's winter, many of us are cold and depressed, and that cookie or glass of wine might be the only thing keeping us from losing our damn minds.
So I'm going to save us all a lot of hassle and say that there is really only one REAL worthwhile resolution to make this year. Drumroll please....

Be better.

Yup, that's it. Whatever changes you want to make, whatever goals you set, however big or small, the only thing that really matters is to be better versions of ourselves. To never stop growing and changing, to try new things and discover new joys. To accept that while there are some things we can't change, there are many more things that ARE within our control. Be a better friend, a better spouse, a better employee, a better human. 
Maybe you will lose all that excess weight and look great in a bikini, but if all you can do is change a few bad habits, and stop hating yourself... isn't that still better? Making big and difficult resolutions is merely setting ourselves up for failure, but if we simply try to be better, we are much more likely to succeed. A mountain is climbed one step up at a time, not in one giant leap. 
Here's to 2015.... may it be a better year for everyone. 

My Christmas Wish...

I want to feel something. Anything. I want to be awed by the lights, I want to be moved by the music, and I'd give anything to feel joyous. But I don't. 

I used to love Christmas. I used to spend days making the house festive and beautiful. I would worry about finding the perfect gifts, and make sure they were wrapped just so. I would play and sing carols for weeks, never tiring of them. I would read 'The Night Before Christmas' to our son, and when he grew older, I would listen to him read it to his younger cousins. 

When Zach hit his teenage years, the magic changed. He no longer believed in Santa, he didn't rush out of bed Christmas morning to tear into his gifts. But we still celebrated, and we still honored our traditions. We made holiday crafts, we watched movies, and we stuffed ourselves full of junk food and candy. I loved it. Though part of me longed for the days of innocence and wonder back. So I would dream of someday seeing our grandchildren's eyes light up with pure happiness at the lights on the tree. Of hearing them squeal in delight as they tore into their stockings and presents. Of seeing Zach watch them with the same pride and joy we had watching him. That's the way it's supposed to go. And I'd mistakenly believed that we would get to experience that. 

Then we lost Zach.  And with him, the magic died as well...

We don't celebrate Christmas anymore. I don't decorate, I don't listen to carols, I haven't even bought a single gift. People joke and call me Mrs. Scrooge, or say "Don't be such a bah-humbug!" and I feign a laugh, knowing that they'll never really understand why I feel the way I do. I scroll past their happy family photos around the tree, and my chest hurts, my eyes burn with barely contained tears. I read their cheerful posts, and I want to be happy for them. I AM happy for them, but I'm also jealous. And angry. I want my family back. I want my future back. I want all the things you're promised in life, that you take for granted. 

I wanted to have my son bring home girlfriends for Christmas, so I could try to embarrass him by telling them stories of him growing up. I wanted to help him pick out the perfect gifts when he finally found that one special girl. I wanted to surprise him and his new wife on their first Christmas with all the ornaments I had bought and made for him each year of his life, and then give them their first one together. I wanted to be the world's best grandma, and have our home filled with the laughter of grandchildren on Christmas morning. I wanted a happy, normal life. 

But I guess that was too much to wish for.... 

What Offends Me

I'll be honest, I'm not G rated. I'm an adult, so luckily I don't have to be. I don't take offense to cuss words, nudity, and adult humor. My idea of what's inappropriate is most likely vastly different from someone less.... well let's say... outspoken. 
I do have tact, and a moral code. I'm not an animal. I know that there's a time and a place for certain things. But, I also have a sense of humor. I know how to take a joke, and I am far from easily offended. 
So it never ceases to amaze me when other adults take offense to something that wouldn't even cause a blip on my Inappropriate Radar. 
You want to know what DOES make my Offense Spidey Sense tingle? I'll tell you. Here is a list:

Ignorance:
I loathe ignorance of all kinds. Racism, sexism, prejudice, and the like. Those things offend the hell out of me. I have never in my life judged someone by anything other than how they treat others. I don't care what God you worship, what color your skin is, who you want to have sex with, or how fat your momma is. If you are cool to me, I'll be cool to you. Period. 

Hurting Children:
Let's make something real clear. It is NEVER ok to hurt a child. Now, I'm not talking about light discipline. If you want to spank your kid when they misbehave, go ahead. But within reason. And never in anger.
But these people who molest, abuse, and murder kids.... fuck that. Eye for an eye in those situations. When I see images of bloody and bruised kids, I take major offense.

Fear Mongering:
Basically, I take offense to most types of media, because nowadays, this is all that they do. They play on our emotions, and feed our fears and insecurities. When people allow fear based media to override their common sense, I take issue with that. How many times a day do you see articles and "news" stories shared on social media? I'm guessing a lot. How often do you research those stories before you hit the share button? I'm guessing not often. When you do that, you are perpetuating the fear mongering. That bothers me. 

People Who Try to Control Others:
Remember when I said I hate ignorance? This falls into that category as well. When I see people trying to tell other people what to believe or how to feel, that pisses me off. If you aren't gay, you have no business trying to tell someone who is how they should act or feel. If you are religious, you have no right trying to force those beliefs on others. Just because you are wealthy, doesn't mean you should be treated better or have more say than someone who is poor. Live your life, be happy, and allow others the same courtesy. 

Bad Drivers:
Yes, I am offended by poor driving skills. And not just because it is annoying, but because it is dangerous. People have become so complacent behind the wheel, they've forgotten that they are in control of a potentially deadly machine. Distracted driving, drunk driving, and general lack of respect create a situation ripe for disaster. I can't tell you how many times a day I see people narrowly escaping an accident. This shit has to stop. People need to get their heads out of their asses and pay attention. 

Terrible Music & Television:
What happened to quality entertainment? Songs with stories and meaning, not just a catchy chorus and one repetitive beat. And don't even get me started on TV. It's one garbage show after another. Reality TV? Seriously, whose reality is that? Not mine, or anyone that I know. I miss music that moved you. Gave you goosebumps, and inspired you. I yearn for the days of television shows that you could really relate to. Shows that made you think, made you laugh, made you cry. So yes, I'm offended by today's entertainment industry as a whole. It's complete crap. 

That's just about it I think. I'm sure there are a few others, but these are the biggies. The ones that will instantly raise my hackles. Everything else is just not worth getting worked up over. Life is too short to be so sensitive. Take a joke, learn to laugh, and quit getting your panties all twisted over stuff that has no impact on you whatsoever.