July Lonestar meeting
It's here again... Anyone braving the parking lot at Fudd's in Arlington this month?
I'll make a deal with you and the LSMC... I'll come to a meeting if Tom McGrath and Carl Long come out to, and fully participate in, an ER, SCCA, or [better still] a North Texas S2000 Owners Club autocross. I've been to three LSMC meetings, and never been made to feel particularly welcome. I'd like to show those folks (1) just how friendly/fun we are, and (2) just how much fun autocross -- and performance driving in general -- can be.
Uh... that's why I go... Otherwise, no one would be there to make you feel welcome.
Tom keeps threatening to come out to an autocross... Carl looked like he was about to twist off at the last one...
Don't you need to get your beauty sleep tonight? Didn't I hear you had to be somewhere real early on Saturday morning? :POriginally Posted by tailchaser
Uh... that's why I go... Otherwise, no one would be there to make you feel welcome.
I'm pretty much planning to go by, say hello, go home, take some Tylenol PM, put the Azenises on the car, and go to bed...
I'm not going I'd rather go somewhere else that would be more fun. Like the Dentist.
I just had to comment on this subject since it seems to have gotten personal. I'm truly so, so sorry that LSMC has not been what most of you were looking for. It served a valuable service in the early years of Miata ownership. It probably is not doing much for me personally right now either, but I see no reason to bash it. The club will live or die and right now I'm not willing to prop it up.
Believe it or not I have even attended some events that were not to my liking (see your list plus others) and have chosen not to attend these again. This however did not result in my disowning the club. We have said over and over that the members make the club what it is. Those that are active set the events and direction. Those that choose to operate outside the club (or sit in a corner and complain about said direction) and do nothing to change it might as well stay away.
I am not responsible for making your world the way you want it, so please don't wait for me. I've raised my children.
Carl Long
Couldn't agree more, Carl. Members always make the club. We chose to operate outside of your club, and I for one will defenitely follow your suggestion and stay away from LSMC.
However, should any of your members be interested in MME, please don't hesitate to let them know about us. We prefer to welcome all types of Miata enthusiasts with open arms.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Didn't mean to make it personal, but glad you popped in to say hello!
To be honest, I don't think we're operating inside, outside or otherwise the boundaries of any established group. Most of our "events" are put on by other clubs, groups, businesses or organizations. The extent of our "organization" is a web site designed to promote enjoying Miatas in the area. With any luck, we'll never have business meetings...
This thread has been moved to the "Bull" section where it probably belongs...
I went to some of the LSMC drives and it was fine. Nobody looked at me funny.
I went on an LSMC drive this past spring. It's wasn't really my cup of tea, but to each his or her own. Can't we all just get along?
First, let me welcome you to the Metroplex Miata Enthusiasts forum. I hope you will post here often, so that we can hear what's going on in the LSMC. Constructive dialog is always welcome at MME.
Now, by writing that this subject "... seems to have gotten personal...", I guessing you are referring to my earlier post inviting you and Tom to come play with us at an autocross. In truth, I named you two specifically because you are the only two LSMC members I know by name after having attended three LSMC meetings.
My intention was not to "fire a shot" at you or Tom, but simply to say that if two key members of the LSMC would come out to an Autocross event, perhaps you would see for yourself that not all "performance oriented" Miata owners are street racing yahoos.Besides, I've spoken to Tom (when I bought some parts from him), and he said he'd be interested in trying Autocross at some point. No offence was intended by naming you directly, and I apologize if offence was taken.
We are a mature, responsible group of adult car enthusiasts, who not only enjoy "show-n-shine" and fun-run events, but also like performance activities like Tech Days and Autocross. At the moment, the LSMC does not embrace performance activities, and does not offer the opportunity to participate in club sponsored Autocrosses, Track Days, Performance Driving Schools or Tech Days. I for one (and I know others feel the same) am sorry the one official Miata Club in the DFW area chooses not to delve into these aspects of sports car ownership. But to each their own. That's why MME exists -- to cater to those Miata owners that do want to enjoy some performance related activities.
When you describe your current experience with the LSMC, you write "The club will live or die and right now I'm not willing to prop it up". It sounds like the LSMC could really benefit from getting new people interested in the club. I'll mention that this forum/club-like thingy now has over 85 "members". I'd submit to you and the LSMC that by choosing not to include performance activities in your repertoire of events, you are missing the opportunity to increase your membership and broaden your horizons. Would all 85+ MME folks join the LSMC if they offered some performance activities? No, I doubt it. But it is a pretty large pool of people who are on "the outside" as far as the LSMC is concerned -- people who would bring lots of skills and talents to the LSMC, and perhaps breath new life into the club.
Trust me when I say that I am not waiting for you to make my world the way I want it. I am raising my children now, and I do not allow them to be disrespectful.
Kestrel
aka Rich Keesecker
I joined the LSMC and after 2 visits I decided that that wasn't for me. On my first activity, one of the female members made what I considered an inappropriate remark to my wife and myself.At the two meetings we went to, the first one we were treated very nicely, at the second one only two people, Tom and Sandy, even spoke to us! The only reason I mention this is that LSMC needs to realize they are killing their club. I really hope it makes it.
I’m relatively new the Miata experience, as I’ve only been driving one for the last three years. I have never attended a LoneStar event or function. Therefore have no experience with them either way. That said, for more than a decade I never looked at the Miata as a fun car (for me), because I’ve often seen 8+ Miata’s on the side of the road or at fueling points, of which I assumed they were out on Sunday drive events touring the countryside. While I might enjoy this from time to time (i.e., onec or twice a year), it’s not something I find myself looking forward to as much as it is a way to kill a free Sunday. My impression of the Miata for a decade was that it is/was a girl’s car. I never knew how competitive these cars are and could be. When I finally drove a Miata and decided it was a car I wanted to own, I looked into the LoneStar club, thus reviewed their events via their web page, and didn’t feel it would satisfy my desires. I like to drive fast; I like to drag race, and have recently found the Solo2 events are a lot of fun.
I was introduced to AutoX by a friend of mine with the Porsche club. I ran with them last year for a couple events. I was shocked how well the Miata did up against Porsche’s. I have found a sport I really enjoy in the AutoX, and have been wondering why every sports car club seems to sponsor AutoX’s; but yet there is no Miata club doing it. After reading this thread I now know why.
That said, I found the MME via AutoXing, and it’s been a forum I really like. I like the fact that we don’t have “meetings” to play politics with. I get enough of that during the week, and I don’t like to take my hobbies and turn them into work. So while the LoneStar club has its niche with the drive & shine events, and no performance driving, it is a niche that I’m not in. Good luck to you guys at LoneStar, enjoy your cars and your club. It’s your club you run it the way you see fit. Meanwhile, I’ll keep AutoXing and enjoying my car without the politics. I’m fine racing with other clubs, as long as they continue to invite us out, I’ll continue to support those clubs with my racing fees.
TD
'08 Copper Red GT PRHT, '06 Accord EXL, '05 Dodge Magnum R/T, '01 V8 Dakota for pulling 2135 Chaparral.
Can I get a little history behind this? Why does the LSMC not have any performance events? Is it due to a lack of members willing to organize such events or is there some kind of formal ban against any performance event? Lack of insurance?
Being a new Miata owner, I submitted a membership application. While I have no interest in any car show type of events, a nice drive in the country with a decent meal sounds like something my wife and I can enjoy when we can get the kids taken care of.
Outside of ax, do you guys ever meet for some chow and bs'ing?
I can get my play time at the Ranch.
We just had a nice chow down and chat-it-up in Fort Worth a couple of weeks ago... too bad you missed out. They had a blacked tuna sandwich that was awesome!
We're moving toward some food & bench racing activities (I prefer BR to BS - sounds like we know what we're talking about. Hah!)...
Given interest, we may wind up with a Hooter's night on Thursdays on our side of town.
I usually hit Kedavi on Wednesday nights. Last night, I was the only Miata, but most times, there are quite a few. Then again, I also gave up and left around 8:30...
Regarding brief history:
Yes, there is no one willing to execute "performance" driving events left in the LSMC. There are members of this group, but they choose not to plan club events. Attendance has been "dismal" at those that have been planned in the past. There is no ban on these events!
LSMC went through a period of extreme paranoia about "fast, reckless" driving after a serious accident on a club trip. This was before passenger side airbags and the rider in one car was paralized. One other Miata was totaled and two locals were hurt.
LSMC "slowed" down on our drives, took less chances and had to try to enforce some rules pertaining to how we did trips. We even had "Safety Officers" for a while. There are very few of the members from that era left in the club and there is a push to step up the pace lately. We still attempt to keep the immature (not age related) drivers in check.
I hope this explains where we are and how we got there.
Carl Long
If I'm not mistaken, that accident also led indirectly to the formation of the Outlaws.
There is obviously a sector of the local Miata owning population that is interested in such performance driving events - we draw 10-20 Miatas to just about every autocross that happens here in North Texas, and the Outlaws haven't had any trouble filling their last four or five track days at the Ranch with Miata pilots.
Contrary to the tone of my previous post, I for one would have no problem working with LSMC and encouraging their members to come out to some of the events that MME attends. We can certainly provide an outlet for those LSMC memers who are interested in more "performance oriented" events, while LSMC can offer an outlet for MME members looking for the sort of events that they have to offer. The primary reason I've never made an LSMC meeting is because I work on Friday nights.
I know there is some bad blood from the past between LSMC and the Outlaws, but there isn't any reason why the three distinct groups (LSMC, MME, and the Outlaws, who have a few members on this board) can't find a way to work together, and offer Miata owners in the North Texas area a full spectrum of activities. Heck, even if the Outlaws don't want to play, there's no reason MME & LSMC can't work together.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
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