S.T.A.R.T Meeting report

[NickHolt]

For Immediate Release – Dec. 17, 2004

 

Contact: Charles Buxton, 512.431.3392

 

Chuck Licata, 512.736.2426

 

 

 

S.T.A.R.T. group fires up its engines

 

A very spirited conversation about how to work together to improve the local racing scene highlighted the S.T.A.R.T. (which stands for “Supporting Texas Auto Racing Together”) meeting held Dec. 14 at Highland Lanes in Austin.

 

Twenty-two auto racing enthusiasts attended the meeting, which commenced at 7:25 p.m. and ended at 10 p.m. Among those who spoke at the meeting: Thunder Hill Raceway co-owner/general manager Brian Callaway and Terry Dickerson, owner of the United States Racing Association (USRA).

 

“We’re very happy with the turnout of people in support of S.T.A.R.T.,” said organizer Charles Buxton. “There were plenty of ideas about how to improve racing for everyone – the drivers, the fans and those otherwise involved in racing – and the group reflected the passion of all auto racing enthusiasts. This went well and laid the foundation for our next meeting (scheduled for Jan. 11, 2005), where we’ll try to pick a couple of specific projects to work on and appoint a governing board for the group.”

 

Among the several topics discussed were: Dickerson’s presentation about the importance of sponsorship – and bringing in new sponsorship – to the local race scene, so the brunt of the local support does not have to fall on the drivers and diehard race fans; several suggestions about how to increase attendance to local race tracks; having a few S.T.A.R.T. board members and group members travel to meet with racing enthusiasts in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth and Corpus and start “regional groups” in those cities; the building and maintaining of a TxSTART.com web site; and how to increase attendance and get more local drivers to attend S.T.A.R.T. meetings.

 

“We realize its going to take a while to get things organized,” Buxton added. “But I feel the good turnout – and enthusiasm of the people who showed up – has us headed in the right direction. I think once we get a governing board in place, we can get the group focused on what we feel will be important – and far-reaching – projects. One immediate priority is to get more racing enthusiasts from all around the state involved in what we’re doing.”

 

The group will meet again on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2005 at a place to be determined. Buxton said that Mary Ann Naumann, the owner and founder of the Texas Super Racing Series (TSRS), is expected to speak to the group at that meeting.