SCCA Trophy Ruling
I had something super pre-drafted. I wrote and rewrote it hundreds of times since September. I think it was the only thing keeping me sane (lets be honest I was fucking stir crazy) in the ordeal as I'm not one to be hush about how I'm feeling(often to a fault). So this post won't be as eloquently written as the pre-drafted post, but it isn't AS relevent as I thought it would be after the whole report was posted.
I've had one foot out the door with SCCA events since September. I was fully ready not to have a single SCCA event on my schedule this year. Especially after the trophy was removed the second time quietly after I had come to peace with the situation. Fun fact, after I noticed they removed it, I recieved my placard in the mail for said trophy two days later and it wasn't listed in Sportcar. The confusion around if it's considered a tropfy or not was addmittedly super frustrating.
This was so devastating to me not once but twice. It was super hard not to take personally and honestly? I still do. Especially since I found out it was removed the second time when I went to bench race and noticed it was gone. The lack of transparency at the time hurt so much.
I'm really glad things are being discussed at length and transparencey to the process is happening. As I think more people would care if the situation had happend around first and second.
My action items closely resemble Erics action items in the ivestigation.
I'm glad to finally see the accountablity and an apology I so desparately needed since September. I know some people may not understand it but to me- accountability is huge and goes a long way in healing. Especially when if it being removed once is a mistake, removed twice is intentional. (I will note, that on site James Darden, Heyward Wagner and Mike Cobb apologized but this is more of what I needed to heal)
The rollercoaster of emotions I experienced at Nationals 2023 I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. It completely ruined my event, my week, my vaction and most importantly? my time with my friends I see so rarely. I was devastated that it was put in my hands and taken away, I was devastated I was asked not to fight the battle for change with a protest, I was devastated that I had to accept a trophy I didn't earn at the banquet with a shitty look on my face, in front of people who have been fighting 30+ years for a trophy, I was devastated that after I came to peace with the situation it was taken away again.
Some people take a vacation every year to visit new and exciting places. I use all of my vacation, money, and time to be with the SCCA. Admittedly it felt like the club I cheerleaded, the club I spend all my money with for well over a decade, the club I dedicate my life to, let me down. I'm so glad that Heyward took the problem seriously and took the steps to see the change also, thanks to Mike Cobb for listening to me rage on site (and KP for translating since I was speaking very fractured.) One thing I recall saying was "the event is a product, make sure it right, you're messing with peoples money and egos and I wouldn't want to mess with either."
Special note- Richard King drove really well day two and over came just as big of a hurdle I did, it was less than a tenth between us all said and done and he earned it. He did nothing wrong in this process. I do want to thank him and Jeremy Foley for acting in the spirit of CAM to ask for me to be able to keep the trophy. That kind of sportsmanship is awesome and truely what keeps me wanting to try again.
Maybe one year I'll earn an open trophy at Nationals, 2023 was not the year. Now that things have come to a close I have found the perfect place for this thorn in my side.
TL;DR - I'm sad, I'm healing, I'm glad there is transparency, I'm glad change is coming. Thank you for the apology, the accountability and all the work done between September and now.
Announcement here
