Shakes dust off the keyboard…

Well helloooooooo out there. How’s everybody doing?
My media credential for CIAS arrived last week.
It was like being handed the relay torch for the new season of auto racing before us. I had been feeling rather blasé about racing over the winter to be honest, but once I opened that package, BAM! I was in race mode overdrive.

And now you’re all scratching your head saying “what the fuck is she talking about? she’s been silent for weeks!”

Well, yes, that’s because it’s mostly all been behind the scenes. Lot’s of “i” dotting and “t” crossing, and planning, and making lists, and sorting through files and folders and drawers and stuff. Lots of “stuff”. (with lot’s of stuff still to do!)

But after a truly dreadful off season, I can now say without a doubt that I am actually very excited for 2013 and the upcoming racing season.

By the end of this weekend the first major race of the season will have concluded. The Rolex 24, a mega event whose participants are some of the top names from all levels and genres of the North American racing community. A chance for the drivers to kick the rust off so to speak, while their people network and schmooze and leak rumours of sponsor signings and secured seats in their respective series.
Every year I plan to get down there, and every year that plan is massively derailed by some unexpected road bump. This year was no different in that regard. Dammit.

As it stands I won’t be able to catch any of it until Sunday due to a variety of other commitments, but really, come on… the first 23 hours don’t mean diddly-squat other than culling the herd down for the final shootout. It’s all about that last hour. I will be around for that. And maybe some drunk tweets in the wee hours with the punchy folks doing the marathon viewing.

Speaking of which I did a quick write up over at OWW for Daytona
Zach (otherwise known as IndyCarAdvocate) did a great little IndyCar Guide to Rolex 24 on his blog
And it wouldn’t be the 24hrs of Daytona without the Annual Blogathon over at Grabbagsports! There are a couple of great previews up already. oh and Click here for the schedule of the weekend’s events

Let me know if I’ve missed anything noteworthy in the comments

Two weeks from now the CME (Canadian Motorsports Expo)(see banner in sidebar) opens its doors to thousands of pasty white Canadian race fans who will groggily come out of hibernation to catch up with friends and colleagues, and check out the latest offerings from local vendors and venues. More on that later this weekend.

The following week, CIAS (Canadian International Auto Show) rolls into town. A convention centre full of shiny new cars! Yum! And a day of catching up on all the latest gossip with my fellow auto writers.

Then, before you know it, 5 weeks later, I’ll be boarding a plane for St. Petes for the first race of the season. (yes, that’s my plane ticket in the photo above) (yes, my suitcase already has some stuff pre-packed) (yes, I’m a Virgo)

It’s gonna be an interesting year. I just feel it my bones.
What about you guys? You still lurking in the shadows ready for another year of bitching and bellyaching and all the beautiful moments in between?

Let the 2013 scheduling begin…

I just got finished registering for the 2013 Canadian International Auto Show, which takes place next February.

It went something like this. (totally paraphrased by moi)

Dear Person we value!
Since you attended our event last year, and we value your presence and coverage, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to attend our event again this year. Yes, it’s over 2 months away, but we want get the pre-registration of our valued regulars completed before moving on to new attendees, so WE are reaching out to YOU to make you feel special and entice you to attend again.

So here is an invite with a link to your profile with all that info you filled out previously, which we saved in a handy database. Please verify that your info is still correct and then click to answer these four easy questions so we can assure you have everything you need when you get here.

Why yes, you can do it right on your cell phone.

Oh, you’re done! Great! now we’re going to send you a confirmation immediately and then mail you your credential so you’re good to hit the ground running on media day.

************************
There you go. One event locked and loaded. Confirmed. In the calendar, no questions marks, no “tentative pending approval”.

This got me thinking, as I have been spending the morning mapping out my 2013 season schedule. There are two events that do this “pre-approval” every year, without fail. The Autoshow and the Indy 500. I love how easy it is, and I love how it takes all of the guess work out of my schedule and my planning.

This would be such a GREAT and SIMPLE thing for all of the races on the circuit to do, especially for those of us that cover the entire season every year.

Here’s how easy:

Max Papis joins AIM Autosport’s for 2013 Rolex Series Season!

This gallery contains 31 photos.

Monday Afternoon I got to hang out with some colleagues at the Ferrari Maserati of Ontario showroom for the Aim Autosport – Racing With Ferrari Rolex Series Team Announcement/Driver & Car Unveiling. They are pairing their current driver, reigning Rolex … Continue reading →

The Catch 22 of Fandom…

Last one for today I promise. (Bear with me, everything on tv was a rerun tonight, and I was enjoying a glass of red wine, which put me in a “thinky” mood)
So… What is it? The “Catch 22″? Well, you’ll just have to scroll to the last paragraph for that bit of wisdom (what a bitch eh?)
But before that, I just want to clarify my last post.

It wasn’t aimed at anyone in particular. It’s just that I’ve seen myself, my friends, my colleagues and my fellow fans being chastised and belittled virtually, for the last 24hrs in particular, for expressing their opinions and venting their anger/sadness over the mess that is IndyCar right now, and well, it really pisses me off. Here’s why:

Yup… still talking about it…

Disclaimer right off the top: If you don’t want to discuss the situation we find our series in, or if you’d rather stick your fingers in your ear and sing “la la la I can’t hear you” because some of us are not filling your newsfeeds with hearts and flowers, that’s totally fine, but this is not the place for you.

I am not going to tell you how you should feel or deal as a fan of racing, so please give me and my fellow #teamWeretiredofthebullshit folks the same consideration.

We all have things that need to be said, positive and negative, even if it is only for ourselves to try to work through what we are feeling. It’s a discussion. Instead of chastising each other, why not be open to some other points of view? Have some empathy. I think it’s great that some of you can let this all roll off your back, and just move on like nothing has happened. Kudos to you. I wish it were that easy for all of us. But it’s not.

So, that said, If you want to unfollow or block me because I refuse to go quietly into this good night, and accept whatever is tossed my way, so be it. I won’t hold it against you. (I really won’t) But please do me the courtesy of not telling me how to think and feel, or what I can or cannot say in order to be your version of a race fan.

Those still reading, welcome to the discussion, lets see if we can weather this storm together…

“Who, what, where, when, how”
I had a thought this afternoon while I was walking, doing errands, and scrolling through the many thoughts of my colleagues and friends on twitter.

When it comes right down to it, at least for me, it’s not as much the “who” of this decision that is the most disheartening. It’s not the change at the top, or who “deserves” to be listened to with regards to who should be next up to bat, nor should it even matter if the “next guy” is the fucking second coming of Christ.

It’s the “why” “when” and the “how” how it was done, or not done as the case may be.

If you listen to the comments about Randy over the past 3 days (and long before that) the common theme is “honest” “transparent” ” he listened”

If (and it’s a pretty big if) Randy Bernard wasn’t the man for the job, then so be it. But please justify it. And please do it in a way that reflects and honours the man himself, and those who respect him (and vice versa)
Sack up and come right out and say it, with CLARITY, and CULPABILITY, and HONESTY.

I guaranfuckingtee had the powers that be just come right out at first hint of rumoured unrest and succinctly said:

“due to overwhelmning concerns regarding situation A, B and C, from within the franchise, as well as from outside forces (promoters/sponsors, etc…), we have come to the difficult but mutual decision that it is in the best interest of the series to reevaluate Mr. Bernard’s role as leader moving forward. As such we have asked Mr. Bernard to step down to a consulting role while we explore other options. In the interim, we will continue to move ahead with our plans for 2013 and beyond, and ask for your patience and support during this difficult transition”

See how that worked? Simple.
No bullshit. No deception. No hearts and flowers. No Spin.

It doesn’t change this shitty situation, and there sure as hell still would have been push back, but they would have been ahead of and in control of the message, and come off as a group of professionals looking out for the best interest of the series, instead of a clique of catty teenagers trying to usurp control of the high school cafeteria from the nerdy popular kid.