Hello Fellow San Francisco Region Members,
Once again, I am asking for your support for another term on the San Francisco Region Board of Directors. I have served on the Board for a long time, and I believe that experience has value. I know where we have been, why many of the decisions we live with today were made, and what has worked and what has not. But experience is only valuable if you are willing to use it to help determine where we go next.
Over the past term, the Board has made real progress. Most importantly, we have gotten the Region back on firm financial footing. Financial stability gives us the ability to stop simply reacting to problems and begin investing in ideas that can improve the Region.
One of those investments was hiring a full-time Regional Manager… John Hunter. For years, we have had plenty of ideas about things we could or should be doing; but implementing those ideas often fell to volunteers who already had full-time jobs and other responsibilities. Having someone whose full-time responsibility is to help move the Region forward gives us an opportunity to turn more of those ideas into reality.
We have also started broadcasting our races live on YouTube. For the first time, family, friends, sponsors and potential racers who cannot be at the track can follow the action as it happens. I believe this is an important step, because if we want our sport to grow, we have to make it easier for people outside the paddock to see and understand what we do.
But these accomplishments also lead to a much bigger question: What does the future of SCCA racing look like?
There was a time when SCCA was the industry standard in amateur road racing. If you wanted to go wheel-to-wheel racing, SCCA was where you went. Today, the motorsports landscape has changed dramatically. There are more organizations, more events and more ways for someone to get on a racetrack than ever before. Meanwhile, SCCA is too often viewed as the dinosaur of the industry.
That doesn’t mean what we do is obsolete. Far from it. One thing SCCA still does extremely well is wheel-to-wheel racing. The competition, the variety of cars, our workers and race officials, our history and the quality of our events are things worth preserving.
The problem is getting new people through the front door. The barrier to entry is simply too high. Getting a competition license can be complicated. Before prospective drivers even know whether racing is right for them, we ask them to invest in expensive racing gear, find or purchase a race car, and arrive at a driver’s school ready to race. Compare that with some of the other ways people can get on a racetrack today; and it isn’t difficult to understand why attracting new racers has become a challenge. And attracting a new generation of Workers and Race Officials is a challenge facing every racing organization today. SCCA’s training and licensing programs are recognized worldwide and we should be capitalizing on this.
We need to look at that driver recruiting problem differently. That includes exploring alternative sanctioning options and asking whether every event we conduct has to be done exactly the SCCA way. I am not suggesting that we abandon SCCA or the things that have made our Region successful. I am suggesting that we be willing to explore different approaches which could make it easier for someone to discover wheel-to-wheel racing and eventually become part of our Region.
We also need to rethink how we communicate. The WHEEL Magazine has been part of the San Francisco Region for generations. I previously pushed the transition to digital publication when the economics of printing it every month no longer made sense. That change saved the Region significant money while allowing us to provide more photographs – in color, more timely race coverage and more content.
Now I think there may be a new role for the printed WHEEL. Instead of thinking of a printed magazine simply as something we mail to every member, I see it as something our members can share. Imagine having copies available at the track that racers can give to sponsors, potential sponsors, family and friends. It also could be used to attract potential Workers and Race Officials. The WHEEL can become more than a record of what we have already done. It can become a tool for promoting who we are and attracting people to our sport.
Technology also gives us opportunities we have never had before. I am currently working on the concept for a San Francisco Region app that could put much of the race weekend directly into the palm of your hand. The goal is to provide live Timing and Scoring, live race announcing and current Region information in one place. I also want to develop a much better classified section—one capable of gathering available listings from multiple sources so that someone trying to sell a racecar can reach a nationwide audience, while someone trying to enter the sport has a much easier way to find a car.
These ideas all have something in common: removing barriers. We need to make it easier to discover our Region, easier to become involved, easier to follow our races, easier to buy and sell race cars, and ultimately easier to become a racer.
I don’t believe the answer is to throw away the history and traditions that made the San Francisco Region successful. I believe the challenge is figuring out how to take the best parts of that history and make them relevant to the next generation of racers.
I have been around long enough to know how we got here. I am running again because I want to help figure out where we go next. I would appreciate your support for another term on the San Francisco Region Board of Directors.
Blake Tatum
See you at the track!
I am currently on the Board of Directors and running for re-election. I believe I still have a lot to contribute to this club, especially now that I am finally up to speed. I originally ran for board because I saw the same problems all of you do. When I was elected, I found out things are much more complicated than I had realized, and it took a year to even understand the issues. I believe the current board under Mike Smith’s leadership is on the right track. We have reduced our operating losses by about $200K in spite of increased costs across the board and, after our Thunderhill dividend, will be profitable this year.
The current board is not “business as usual”. We are trying new things, some of which have worked and some of which have not. The key is we are willing to try new ideas. We have increased on track time (although I admit the current implementation of “follow by” could use some fine tuning). Along with Bill Booth, I pushed for the three-race format which some groups have adopted, and others have decided against. At least now there is a choice. I will take the blame for gridding according to finishing position. That was an attempt to get people to finish races. Not sure whether it worked or not – you can always give your opinion, and I will listen. I will always advocate for other changes that group majorities request and as time and logistics allow.
I want to bring back social or at least Saturday night beer – and I had a couple of not very well advertised kegs at Laguna. I am the Sonoma liaison responsible for relations with the track. I am currently trying to move our early season race to later in the spring where it will be less weather affected. I am also the Group 7 Miata leader. Despite my constant lobbying to make Miata racing better, I also understand that we are not a Spec Racer and Miata club and fully support any efforts to increase participation in the other groups and classes. I encourage everyone to participate even if it’s just to email the board with ideas. I am very good at responding to emails and try to explain the relevant issues and ideas to others. If you believe the club needs to change with the times, I believe I can represent you well on this board.
In my opinion, all the current candidates for the Board can do a great job. They are already participating behind the scenes. I would like to ask whether you vote for me or not, please consider voting for Linda Rogaski. She is one of the key backbones of this club right now, with a wealth of information and experience. I am making this request because I truly believe the club will suffer without her on the Board.
Greg Hoff
My racing journey began in 2012, and since earning my competition license in 2015, I’ve been fortunate to experience the sport from many perspectives—behind the wheel, in the paddock, and in leadership roles. One of my proudest moments was serving as crew chief for the winning team at the 2018 Runoffs at Sonoma in Spec Miata, an experience that showed me the teamwork, dedication, and spirit that make our community so special.
In 2021, I founded ESi Motorsports, where I now support about 15 Spec Miatas in the San Francisco Region. This work has given me the unique opportunity to engage with a wide range of members—from new drivers just starting out to seasoned competitors—listening to their experiences, challenges, and ideas. I’ve seen firsthand what’s working well in our region and where we can continue to grow and improve.
At 32 years old, I bring a younger perspective to the Board. Two key issues I want to address are low entries and race contact incidents. I believe we can grow our club by investing in stronger marketing, outreach, and community-building efforts to bring in new racers. At the same time, I’d like to help reduce race contact by improving our systems for tracking incidents and encouraging open conversations, so competition stays hard-fought but respectful.
My priorities are to strengthen programs, support volunteers, and foster an environment where every participant—drivers, crew, and workers alike—feels valued and included. I’m excited about the opportunity to give back to the community that has given me so much, and I would be honored to represent you on the Board.
Candidate Statement: Bill Booth
Candidate for Board of Directors, San Francisco Region SCCA
Fellow SFR SCCA Members,
When I look back on where our region stood a few years ago compared to today, I am pleased with what we have accomplished together. Over the past five years serving on your Board of Directors, I’ve had the opportunity to help lead a deliberate transformation in our region—one focused on financial stability, event quality, and long-term sustainability.
What We’ve Accomplished Together
Turning our trajectory around required a disciplined effort and shared commitment across our organization:
- Financial Health & Visibility: We transitioned from losing hundreds of thousands of dollars annually operating races to reaching operational break-even last year and net break-even this year. We analyzed and restructured our financials enabling us to establish clear P&L visibility for every single race, eliminated unnecessary expenses, reduced overhead, and strategically reinvested savings back into our events.
- Investing in Our Future: Establishing that stable financial foundation enabled us to hire a full-time Regional Director, John Hunter, to focus full time on club operations, partnerships, and growth.
- Enhancing the Racer Experience: We’ve expanded what it means to race with SFR SCCA. We introduced new race formats, launched live broadcast video coverage, established custom racecraft seminars, and brought in sponsorship to help offset rising track costs.
Despite rising track rentals and evolving driver demographics, our community adapted and put us in a position to move forward with confidence.
Looking Ahead: Delivering High Value in a Changing Landscape
We have built a strong foundation, but there is still key work to complete. In today’s environment, track rental fees and race operations expenses have increased dramatically. Racing is expensive, and every driver has choices on where to spend their time and money. The key to our region’s future is ensuring our members get maximum value for their race dollar.
If re-elected, my priorities will be:
- Supporting Leadership: Providing our Regional Director, John, with the historical context, operational planning, and backing required to build on our progress and take the region to the next level.
- Expanding High-Value Programs: Scaling our sponsorship initiatives, video coverage, coaching seminars, race formats, and race groups so that every entrant sees a tangible return on their weekend investment.
- Modernizing Marketing & Communication: Rolling out updated outreach programs and modern communication approaches to actively recruit new drivers, volunteers, and members, while ensuring our current membership stays fully informed on upcoming events, race schedules, and exclusive offers.
- Elevating the On-Track & At-Track Experience: Making sure our events are not only efficiently run, but fundamentally fun, worthwhile, and high-value for every driver, crew member, and volunteer.
One More Term
Motorsports is evolving rapidly, and we have positioned the San Francisco Region to navigate these changes effectively. My goal is to ensure we respect our region’s rich history while seeing the hard work we’ve all put in come to full fruition as we transition into this next chapter.
Thank you for your time, support, and dedication to the region.
Bill Booth
Candidate Statement for Robert R. Sachs
Candidate for Board of Directors, San Francisco Region SCCA
Region Members:
I joined the Board last year to complete the term of Trish James, after she resigned from her position. What I’ve learned over the past 11 months is just how much planning, work, and coordination it takes to put together a single regional event, let alone an entire season.
During the past year, I’ve focused my efforts on developing our sponsorship program and additional event related activities. My outreach resulted in the following events and offerings:
- Partnership with APEVIE SIMULATOR, who brought their racing sims to Laguna Seca
- Partnership with AQUALINE PERFORMANCE, who brought their vehicle washing services to Laguna Seca
- Promotional relationship with COBALT RACING, for their brake products
- Master classes on race craft by Andy Pilgrim at Sonoma Regional.
To be fair, this is less than I hoped to accomplish. But I’m inspired to build on these initial efforts to expand the program next year.
I look forward to serving on the Board and moving the Region forward.
Robert R. Sachs
Spec Racer #35
Candidate Statement for Mike Smith
Candidate for Regional Executive, San Francisco Region SCCA
Hi Everyone,
Many of you don’t know that I was Regional Executive for a number of years ending in 2012. As I end the second year of I will say the world of amateur road racing is not remotely the same as it was. Both Road Racing and Autocross face headwinds ranging from major increase in the cost of track rentals, to increased competition for our customers time and money (my definition of customer is both Workers and Divers).
Having said the above, I am here very enthused with what we have accomplished in the last two years. The Autocross side of things has been working extremely well. That is not to say they are not dealing with significant issue, but we have strong leaders running each of the Chapters and they are digging for real world solutions. And they are doing a great job of managing the finances.
I’m happy to report the Road Racing side of things is looking far better in several areas.
We have had two years of very successful events at both Laguna Seca and Sonoma. This is significant because of the very significant increase in the cost of track rental and at Laguna we are working with a new management team. A key part of our success has been two individuals that have been the working contacts at the tracks. Gregg Hoff (a SFR Board Member) works with Sonoma and Joe Briggs (a Thunderhill Board Member) works with Laguna Both have made significant contributions to our event success.
Thunderhill is our rock. Matt Busby and his team continue to successfully achieve its mission that it was built to do 35 years ago, which was to provide long term affordable racing for SFR.
On the financial side of things, I’m happy to report 2026 like 2025 will be operationally financially breakeven, a far cry from the $300,000 yearly losses in the prior years. I said operational breakeven. That means the dividend we receive can be used to build the Road Race program.
This year we have used the dividend funds to try some new things. We engaged Andy Pilgrim to hold workshops on Driving, we did our first live broadcast on Utube, we’ve upgraded out trophy program, and we now provide our Workers with $100/day stipend to help them with the expense of working our events.
As members all of us owe big thanks to our Region Board Members. Making the needed changes over the last two years does not happen without lots of work and most importantly their ability to support change.
In the coming weeks I will be sending our an RE News containing information on what is coming in 2027. 2027 will not be radically different but we will begin process of moving SFR into a new, fun and exciting era.
See you at the track,
Mike Smith
