Board Meeting Minutes April 7 2026

[Philip A. Young]

Attended:
Dennis Bartlett
Michael Hogate
Scott B
Trey Larkin
Cindy Larkin
Jeff Cox
John Ward
Randy Adkins
Justin Brown
Chris Harp
Matt McBee

Financial Stability: Club’s current balance is near $74,000, with a $261 monthly deficit expected to recover quickly.

Hill Climb Plans: Scheduled for May 29-31 with 27 early registrations; strong logistics and safety measures confirmed.

Software Improvements: Updates will enhance timing and novice management; volunteer coordination needs better processes.

Novice Retention: Only 20% of last year's novices attended multiple events, highlighting the need for better engagement

strategies.

Volunteer Coordination: Seeking reliable worker assignment systems and improved clarity in roles to streamline event flow.
Compliance Issues: Ongoing waiver processing challenges noted; meeting to clarify procedures planned at the national event.

Notes
Financial Overview and Event Impact

The club maintained a stable financial position despite recent event expenses, with a slight monthly deficit that is expected to reverse soon.


Monthly financial results showed a $261 deficit due to costs from Bristol and Pellissippi events, including generator purchases and sound equipment.

Treasurer Trae Larkin confirmed deposits from SECA, Hagerty, and MSR offset some expenses, keeping the net loss low.

Current account balance stands near $74,000, indicating solid reserves despite recent expenditures.

Jeff Cox noted anticipation of recovering funds quickly as upcoming events generate revenue, reinforcing financial sustainability.

Hill Climb Event Planning and Execution

The Appalachian Hill Climb event is on track for a successful May 29-31 weekend, with strong early registrations and comprehensive logistics in place.

27 early registrations and 9 volunteers confirmed, with event access opening to SCCA members at 6 pm, expected to sell out quickly.

Full safety support secured, including fire, rescue, ambulance, and EMS services, plus local law enforcement presence during peak hours.

Road improvements, such as gravel work preventing dirt buildup, enhance course quality and safety.

Plans for spectator management include a designated flat area halfway up the mountain, with pending decisions on bus transportation support from Brushy Prison management.

Randy Adkins coordinates frequent communications with about 8-10 local stakeholders to ensure smooth event delivery.
Additional regional events planned: Five total for the Appalachian Hill Climb Series, starting with Pine Mountain in two weeks.

Focus on technical safety checks and logbook maintenance at a North Carolina tech day highlights commitment to competitor

safety standards.

Solo Racing Operations and Software Improvements

Solo event operations are improving, with critical timing and registration software updates underway to enhance run group management and novice classification.

Software updates from Darren aim to fix novice classification and enable live run group timing display, addressing prior delays and organization issues.

Challenges persist in coordinating morning setup roles—registration, timing, worker chief—and efforts are underway to streamline these workflows.

Chris Harp and Jeff Cox propose a core team meeting on the Saturday afternoon of the next event to improve communication and coordination.

Matt McBee is developing a step-by-step timing chief documentation guide with troubleshooting advice to preserve institutional knowledge and ease future transitions.

Randy Adkins suggested recording a Zoom training session for registration and timing setup, which Chris supports for visual learning and reference.

Issues with worker check-in printing remain unresolved but are actively communicated to software developers.

Announced the need for more volunteer support during the upcoming national event, especially for waiver table management, with offers from multiple members to assist.

Novice Driver Engagement and Retention Strategy

Data analysis reveals a significant drop-off in novice driver retention after their first events, highlighting the need for focused engagement and support efforts.

From 397 unique drivers last year, 77 (about 20%) were novices, but most novices attended only one or two events before discontinuing.

Contrary to assumptions, Bristol events attracted as many or more novices than Pellissippi events last year.

Retention analysis shows a steep decline: only 28 of 73 novices returned once, and just 9 returned at least three times.

Attendance at the local school greatly improved novice retention, suggesting educational efforts boost ongoing participation.

Chris Harp emphasized the value of personal connection through buddy systems, warm communications before and after events, and hands-on support like coaching novices in the grid area.

Social engagement after events has declined, with fewer people staying to socialize or dine together, impacting community building.

Justin Brown noted new younger groups forming organically and stressed the importance of facilitating social activities and novice-friendly events close to Knoxville.

The group discussed the challenges of event scheduling (Saturday vs Sunday) on attendance and social opportunities, with past Saturday events showing lower turnout.

Recommendations include announcing post-event gatherings and promoting social interaction to strengthen community ties.

Volunteer Coordination and Operational Efficiencies

Volunteer engagement and operational logistics are improving but require further systematization to reduce stress and improve event flow.

The group acknowledged the need for a reliable worker assignment system integrated with the timing software to print heat-specific worker lists.

Olivia has been filling in as worker chief but requires clearer processes and updated tools.

Experiences at Pellissippi showed that cleanup volunteers, even inexperienced, can effectively manage tasks if properly organized.

The club aims to incentivize volunteer cleanup participation with T-shirts and potentially other rewards, though alternative prizes are being considered.

Jeff Cox highlighted challenges related to short setup times due to access restrictions at the national event venue, calling for maximum volunteer support.

Plans to improve morning event setup include better role clarity and coordination among registration, timing, and worker leads to reduce bottlenecks.

Emphasis on cross-training board members and volunteers to understand multiple roles enhances resilience and smooth handoffs.
Regulatory and Compliance Updates
Minor waiver processing and equipment readiness are ongoing concerns requiring attention before the national event. (56:31)

Chris Harp reviewed minor waiver complexities, noting online waivers are not approved until after the event, complicating event-day compliance.

National will issue annual minor waiver cards, but the process is convoluted and unclear for non-members.

Jeff Cox plans to meet with Tracy and Rick at the national event to clarify minor waiver procedures.

Solo pro-trees equipment boxes are at Jeff’s house; assembly and software integration are pending cooperation with Darren.
The group is monitoring LLC matters raised by Ryan Gerard on the forum, with Jeff Cox committed to follow up.


Action items

Matt McBee
Email novice retention analysis report to Jeff Cox to support outreach and benchmarking efforts
Provide novice retention data to Jeff Cox for sharing with other regions and gathering best practices

Jeff Cox
Post volunteer requests for waiver table and setup shifts for the national autocross event on the forum and manage volunteer signups
Coordinate volunteer help for national event setup, including waiver table and water distribution shifts
Reach out to Rob Leslie and other Regional Executives to share novice retention data and explore best practices for improving retention
Follow up on LLC forum post and moderate discussion to ensure clarity and appropriate communication
Organize a minor waiver review session during the national event to address complexities and ensure compliance


Randy Adkins
Continue coordinating Appalachian Hill Climb event details including volunteer recruitment, spectator logistics, and communication with local officials

Follow up on pro solo timing box hardware readiness and software integration with Darren (00:56)
Chris Harp
Coordinate timing and event setup training session including recording a tutorial for timing software to support new timing chiefs

Continue troubleshooting timing software issues with Darren and Frank to improve event timing reliability (00:27)
Assist in volunteer coordination and improvements in timing registration processes ahead of upcoming events (00:16)
Plan a visit to Flat Rock track to evaluate its suitability for future events such as time trials or rallycross (00:11)
Trae Larkin
Confirm Pellissippi event reservation details and monitor invoicing status to ensure no unexpected charges
Improve volunteer check-in and worker management processes including printing check-in lists and announcing missing check-ins
before event runs

Promote event cleanup volunteering and encourage volunteers to stay longer after events to foster community and socializing

Justin Brown
Support communication and community engagement efforts, especially regarding novice events and post-event social gatherings to improve retention and participation
Pull and analyze novice retention data specifically for the Tennessee region to better understand local trends (00:39)

Matt McBee & Chris Harp
Collaborate on compiling and updating the timing setup manual, enriching it with video screenshots from recorded training sessions to aid new timing chiefs

Core Group
Attend Saturday afternoon coordination meeting during Pellissippi event weekend to plan event setup and operations with the
Volunteer for waiver table shifts and general event support at the national autocross event in July to ensure smooth operations