WDCR Annual Awards Banquet

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Mark your calendars now for Saturday, January 21, 2023!!

This will be an evening affair with dinner, dancing, and multiple awards presentations

The WDCR Annual Awards Banquet will be hosted at the fabulous Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, MD.

Join your WDCR family and celebrate a return to in-person, post-season celebrations and help recognize all the deserving folks who contribute to making all our programs and events successful.

Awards for the Road Racing Program and the MARRS awards will be presented at the same location before the evening dinner portion of the event.

More details to follow soon!!

Loss of WDCR Member: Mike Moscati

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Over the weekend we lost one of our very special people. An after hours accident took the life of Mike Moscati, one of our stalwart volunteers and longtime Emergency Services worker. Mike was very much a part of every racing event, along with continuous support of generally all track activities for the Region. His wife Janet, Chief of Emergency Services has supplied WDCR with the following arrangements:

Arrangements for Mike Moscati:

Viewings: Friday August 19 from 2-4 and 6-8 at John Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, MD 21401

Funeral: Saturday August 20 at 11:00 at John Taylor Funeral Home (address above) with interment at Lakemont Memorial Gardens, 900 West Central Avenue, Davidsonville, MD 21035

Gathering to Celebrate Mike’s life to follow, these details updates will be provided as soon as they are finalized.

If you would like to make a donation in Mike’s memory, we are supporting Fallston Animal Rescue (FARM) 2725 Fallston Road, Fallston, MD 21047

Wayne Armbrust
C.W. Armbrust
Chairman & Region Executive
WDCR - SCCA
WDCR-RE@Outlook.com

WDCR Member Wayne Nicolette participating in the 85th running of the Dundalk Parade

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WDCR Member Wayne Nicolette is participating in the 85th running of the Dundalk Parade ( Baltimore Md.) again to support and promote WDCR, the SCCA, and our venue partners.

From Wayne:

“Last year we rope towed the cars, fired up the engines from time to time and did 3 mock races in front of the judging stands. We were a smash hit and I hope one or 2 more formula cars will help out.  We also had crew members walk along and hand out postcards. This year we would like to have several corner workers flagging our races and handing out postcards. Let me know if you can participate! The Parade starts early in the AM (8:15) Monday July 4th and we are done by 11:00 so you have the rest of the day. Here is the parade link ( Dundalkparade.com ) Please let me know if you or someone you know might be able to help out?”

If you are interested in participating you can contact Wayne at wayne@xibitz.net

Washington DC Region has been honored with the recognition as a recipient and awarded the Tom Burke Award.

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Fellow Directors, Administrators, Program Leadership and Active Members:

We have been honored with the recognition as a recipient and awarded the Tom Burke Award.

The Tom Burke Award is presented to Regions for exemplary efforts to activate and grow the SCCA. Formerly named the Chairman’s Award prior to 1987, one award is given to the RE of a region in each of the Region Size categories from the preceding year. The award is determined by a weighted combination of membership increase and a region’s effectiveness in reaching its local motorsports community.

The Region of the Year Award gauges Region’s leadership team performance relating to the SCCA’s Goals and Business Strategies including a focus on positive Member Experience and Membership Growth, Renewal and Activation.

Beamed in from a "Thanks" to each and every member and your efforts to make this achievement possible

Sincerely,

C.W. Armbrust
RE WDCR

2021 WDCR Region Executive Awards + Region Awards (Congratulations!)

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14 December 2021

2021 WDCR Region Executive Awards:

Award Definitions can be found at: Annual Region Awards — WDCR SCCA (wdcr-scca.org)

Matt Greenland : 
Matthew Greenland, member since 2018, has made immense contributions to the WDCR Region in 2021.  Most notably, this past year Matt stepped up and took the reins on the startup WDCR Karting program in the role of program lead.  Through Matt’s efforts, the Karting program continues to gain significant momentum.  As a note, the last event that was held at United Karting garnered over 40 participants.  As the face of the program, Matt is always out front, talking to the membership and fostering the spirit of our club (as well as competition!).

In addition to the Karting program, Matt is also engaging on the HPDE front, where he has recently become a competition director for the Time Trials program.  Working in concert with our other competition directors, Matt has consistently fostered the spirit of competition in one of our most valuable competitive feeder programs within the region.

Matt Greenland embodies the spirit of what the WDCR stands for, and all that we try to accomplish with our membership.

Ron Shellenberger:
Long time Flagger for the Road Racing Program has helped train and develop new F&C members for many years as well as countless hours of volunteer work. As a retired doctor (DDS) he agreed to step into the role of COVID-19 advisor for the region and helped locate and secure PPE supplies and keep tabs on state and local policies and regulations through the 2020-2021 period. Ron volunteered extra hours in advising our leadership and monitoring procedures and results. We were able to put on a few events in the peak year of the pandemic in 2020 then return to a near normal season with basic precautions under the advice of Dr. Shellenberger. 

Dominic Mandile:
Dominic has become our voice in the mass social media forum and delivers the ability to envision action through use of his family’s shared photography and other sources. He has driven the social presence and internet contacts to a high population and response. His energy and ideas are driving the Region in a very good direction. He is also working as an announcer with our Road Racing Program and delivering a knowledgeable and sharp performance.

Region PR Award: Alan Claffie - for mastering the Straightpipe Publication. Producing a well-presented newsletter in a style that gets and keeps attention. His communication touches thousands of members and interested people. Through the Straightpipe and Alan’s work we can link our people to each other in stories, news, and upcoming plans.

Dave Roethel Award: Mike Kelley - Multiple area involvement and success. Volunteering is support of the Road Racing as F&C as well as in the Tech Program and as a Driver Rep. Mike spends a significant amount of coordinating with and advising drivers, communicating with the leadership, and enthusiastic guiding hand for novice entries, and a thousand other points of involvement. 

MVP: Heidi S. Weir - 14 years of excellence in delivering Region Administrative work and establishing a high bar on performance standards. We couldn’t have done it without her.

*Newly Established Award:

Jeannie and Tom Hoffman Exemplary Leadership Recognition Award: Kathy McLeod - (WDCR Stewards Representative - Road Racing Program) Kathy has a strong reputation for her pre-event organization and communication in addition to the additional work with the Executive Steward and others within NEDiv. She has introduced or lead several changes on and within the RR program. She has been offering well-reasoned advice to the CRC for a long time. Kathy is accomplished and knowledgeable as well as proactive and encouraging to participants and entrants in all of our events.



Washington DC Region SCCA Announcement Annual Membership Meeting held 10/12/2021

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Election for the WDCR Board of Directors was completed at the Annual Meeting on Tuesday.

Congratulations go out to new Board member, Mhyar Alzayat,

as well as re-elected incumbents Kate Claffie and Mike McKee.

We thank all the candidates for their participation.

We also want to thank Kahlil Natirboff (still active with region but chose not to be up for re-election on the board) and Heidi Weir (retiring) for all their hard work and dedication to our region and wish them all the best in their new adventures.

Wrap-up notes from Region Executive, Wayne Armbrust:

We are back!

Not only are we back, but we are back in a big way! In spite of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic issue, we hit the ground running going into the 2021 season and we did it in style. We have just experienced the most active year in history for the Washington DC Region. Including Out of Region Sanctions for joint events with WDCR, we have been part of and participated in 52 sanctioned events resulting in 85 event days. That is almost 3 solid months of track time

There is room for everyone, almost. The only reason there is not room is we have run out of space for a couple of our HPDE events through the year. Sold out!

This season was not without its challenges, we started the season under relatively tight COVID-19 controls, and managed to deliver a high-performance year in the overall picture.

Road Racing, Track Events, and Rallycross stepped right up in starting up their 2021 Season programs, our Autocross team was breaking new ground in restarting the program after a forced year’s hiatus. Autocross events have proven popular at the Summit Point facility in the early stages of establishing a presence at a new venue. Summit Point Motorsports Park has expressed the intent to modify their Washington Circuit into a more compatible format allowing added flexibility to the pad as a multi-event type resource.

This year we also introduced a Tour Trek event with a cruise through the extended countryside of the Washington DC Region territory. Positive feedback encourages the likelihood of a similar event going through the 2022 season.

Early in the year, working in cooperation with the Apple Blossom Mall in Winchester, Virginia, we placed a display of competition cars. Some interest was shown. We are reconsidering a repeat and if the effort was productive.

On the financial front, we are indeed back. With 2020 leaving our account cash outflow the primary direction of cash flow, 2021 has turned the tide. We are looking at a strong financial performance as well as remining financially sound.

One area that has slipped considerably over the last two years is the Labor Day annual charity fund raising program. Combined forces, including COVID-19 issues, have resulted in suspension of the generous program. Re-evaluation of the overall objective and means is underway. Hopefully we will return to a healthy and hardy fund-raising program in the near future.

Having received notice of planned retirement of our long serving Region Administrator, Heidi S. Weir, we have brought two well founded people to the staff position. Job development has been very successful in bringing our new Region Administrators up to job duties and responsibilities. Transition will be complete by the end of the calendar year.

We continue committed to SCCA policy maintaining a welcoming environment. We are working hard to see that everyone is given the opportunity to have fun and be a valuable part of what makes the SCCA special.

Wayne Armbrust

C.W. Armbrust

Chairman & Region Executive

WDCR - SCCA

Mobile: 540-539-6379

WDCR-RE@Outlook.com


The 58th SCCA National Championship Runoffs: Top finishers & Awards

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The Washington D.C. Region (WDCR SCCA) would like to extend a huge congratulations to our top finishers during The 58th SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

SM - Nicholas Bruni (Finishing: Second place)

AS - Gregory Eaton (Finishing: Third place)

T1 - Brian Kleeman (Finishing: Third place)

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The WDCR SCCA would also like to acknowledge our SCCA Worker of the Year Award winners. Thank you for everything you do and have done for our fine region! Read more about this prestigious award.

Worker of the Year awards were presented on Thursday night during the all-participant dinner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of the SCCA Runoffs. Each of the nine honorees, coming from each aspect of road racing workers, receive a commemorative plaque, patch and jacket, as well as an SCCA Gear merchandise gift certificate.

Pit & Grid
Bonnie Wannarka, Lone Star Region (and Washington DC Region)

Wannarka joined the SCCA in 1987 as a member of the San Francisco Region. Nearly 20 years later, she began spending time on the East Coast and was recruited to work the grid at Summit Point with Washington DC Region. She continues to hold many specialty licenses, but grid is her home and Wannarka has worked at 22 different tracks across the country. Always willing to help when a Region needs it, she has been called upon several times to step in as Chief when the region she was visiting needed someone. She is a friend to all, sincerely sweet and helpful. You will always see her at the Runoffs and she even served as Victory Circle chief for several years. She now calls Texas home and has added Lone Star Region to her SCCA story. You never know where she’ll show up but you know she’ll have a smile on her face when she does!

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Timing & Scoring
Carla Heath, Washington DC Region.

The godmother of Timing and Scoring, Heath has scored cars in SCCA for nearly 40 years. She has worked as a local chief, divisional administrator, Runoffs chief, and for numerous pro racing championships. Timing chiefs across the country call anytime to answer questions, learn, and get advice. In 2021, she stepped in as Chief of Timing at the Pitt Race Hoosier Super Tour, and has set standards in the specialty. She’s created instructions and checklists that are used by many SCCA teams across the country. Heath strives for excellence and pushes those around her to do the same.