IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

November 13, 2007 TBARA’S FUTURE KARNAC STAFF REPORT The following letter was received by Don Rehm, President of the TBARA. Don has been the head of the TBARA Winged Sprint club for over 10 years. The season just concluded this past weekend. For more on the TBARA (Tampa Bay Area Racing Association) visit their website at www.tbara.com. The letter follows: Since I assumed the position of President of the TBARA many positive changes have occurred: Purse structures were standardized and brought to a level that encouraged car counts to increase. Of the six tracks that we competed on in 1990’s, each track had a separate payoff. Since the standardization, not only have purses improved, car counts have increased. From an average of 14 to 16 cars per race, to today’s average in excess of 25 cars per show. Recognition of the TBARA as one of the premier racing organizations has been achieved through good working relations with track promoters. Not only in the state of Florida, but with expanding our racing scope to include Georgia as well. Our relationship with Anderson Speedway and the Little 500 where extra bonus monies were paid to TBARA members in honor of Frank Riddle. Through having representatives at other events, such as the Chili Bowl, the Knoxville Nationals and Trade Shows, we have been able to establish contingency awards that are given away during each race event. The dollar amount for these contingencies alone total over $20,000.00. We now have our own Website where visitors can keep abreast of race results, race schedules, point standings, etc. We have printed wallet size schedules to hand out at all race events. The Club now has a professionally designed t-shirt to sell. These t-shirts not only bring recognition to the Club, and the past Champions but also are a revenue source for the Club’s Point Fund. And speaking of Point Funds – when I started as President the Point Fund was a little over $3,000.00. The last several years we have paid out over $40,000.00 per year! The Club’s staff has grown over the years from four (Dick Friedley, Dot Brady, myself and my wife) to over fifteen dedicated workers, all but two being volunteers. We now have our own flagman, our own race director/competition inspector, photographer, four full time push trucks (two of which are equipped with fire fighting capabilities), three trained first responders, emergency safety equipment (back boards, neck collars and other equipment), a secretary to handle race results and keep our website updated, volunteers to handle race lineups, point standings and payoffs, staff to publish a monthly newsletter, etc., etc. The stabilization of the Club’s tire rule has been achieved through good working relations with Hoosier Racing Tires. The Club has been able to control the cost of tires and create another source of revenue for the Point Fund through this contractual arrangement. Through this arrangement with Hoosier we have also been able to have 25 right rear tires to give away to participants each year at our Banquet. That alone totaled to over $4,400.00 for 2007. 2008 and Beyond Plans for the 2008 race season have already begun. We have been in contact with four tracks that have indicated an interest in running the Club approximately 20 plus times next year, and we still have other tracks to negotiate with. Our reputation for being a quality show, for being a professionally run show speaks volumes. Would you like to have the Winter Nationals televised? That’s a possibility. We are in negotiations as we speak. --Advertisement-- Would you like to run a TBARA sanctioned race at Anderson, IN the weekend before the Little 500? That’s a possibility. We are in negotiations as we speak. We are for real! These are just a few of the plans that are currently in the works. You know our track record – we can produce. In closing I would like to mention our mentors: Jeff and Lee Barfield. Every TBARA member has benefited from their dedication to the Club. Either through t-shirt sponsorship (they buy the shirts for us to sell with all proceeds going to the Point Fund), through Clean Sweep awards, through covering the expense of the race director, through a donation going directly to the Points Fund, or to you finding monies being applied to your bill at the end of the night from a ‘secret’ source. They have contributed over $15,000.00 in 2007. My hopes are to continue working hard to make your Club, the TBARA, the best racing organization it can be and I would appreciate your support. -Don Rehm Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on The Real Racin USA Florida Fan Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!