FCA steals FCRA graphics to promote itself

With the background of the FCA board, intentionality interfering with the FCRA/FCA events, and adopting and interpreting rules in a way that prevents FCRA participation at FCA events I find it more than ironic that the FCA national site steals FCRA graphics and photos of FCRA members to promote the FCA. The national uses FCRA logos, graphics and pictures of FCRA members and events and pass it off as there own races. The national does this while bad mouthing and preventing local regions from working with the FCRA. Take a look:


http://www.ferrariclubofamerica.org/index.cfm/ID/123/FCAHistoricChallengeRacing


For those of you that wish to continue with FCA track events I highly encourage you to take a stand at the next FCA elections.

 

Yes. And notice the logo on top.

Funny they use my car and Jeromes car too.

 

Something else that is funny is that some of the cars in the picture are owned by people who arent even FCA members...haha

 

John,
Can you write a letter to them demanding the removal of the photo of my car? I didn't have my SCCA license at the time it was taken!!!!!

 

I dont quite understnand what is going on? I'm in the FCA and dont even know who / what FCRA is?

whats the beef?

 

Let me see if I understand this correctly.

The Ferrari Club's long time National Track Chairman who had been organizing races for Challenge car drivers at a number of different tracks on the East Coast for many years. Proposes to the Ferrari Club National Board of Directors just before he leaves his position that the Ferrari Club begin to organize races for Challenge car drivers on a National basis.

The Ferrari Club's Board accept's this proposal and has the new Track Chairman write a rule book for the series.

While the rule book is being written. Independently of course, without any prior knowledge of what the Ferrari Club was doing. John begins a business venture to organize a series of races for drivers of Ferrari Challenge cars. So as not to be confused with the Ferrari Club's racing plans, for his race series John chooses the name Ferrari Club Racing Association.

Now John accuses the Ferrari Club of stealing his idea of holding a race series and for having the audacity to use the name Ferrari Club Racing for a Ferrari Club race series.

The only thing missing are lawyers on each side with massive egos!

 

I don't think they are 'missing"! LOL!

Welcome to the discussion though....

 

I think the accusation pertains to "use of images".....to be precise.

And it certainly does not help that FCA's willful recent scheduling prevents some car owners from doing BOTH....

 

Stu, John can speak to your post if he chooses, but I've heard a very different version of the evolution of club racing for Ferraris. As far as I can tell, John is responsible for the introduction of a fantastic series that should have been developed long ago. When FCA has any sort of series, let me know.

The characterization of FCRA as John's "business venture" misses the point completely.

The use of photos of FCRA founder cars in promotion of the FCA race program just has to be an intentional insult. Very, very childish.

 

So let me get this clear;

FCRA makes races for x Ferrari challenge cars?

FCA now has its own series / club racing aka Porsche club

The same folks who like to race are mad that everyone will not come play in their own sand box? ( I'm sure money is involved ) either FCA or FCRA.... All I have to say is "what ever"

 

Tom

You obviously have no facts here. You are wrong about the history of how the FCA club racing developed and why, how, and for what purpose the FCRA was formed.

I have been hosting FCA events for over a decade and hosted a challenge race 5 years ago 3-4 year ago I and Jeff Ippolitti petitioned the FCA to run club races for challenge cars. Jeff and I wrote and submitted rules to the board of the FCA. While the FCA was considering it, I spent about $30,000.00 of my own money to organize, sponsor and/or host 5 races over this period. I did this in an attempt to benefit the FCA. During this period I recieved a cease and desist letter from John Hurribell the lawyer on the board of the FCA. It threatened me. After this letter I petitioned FCA members officers and regions in an attempt to work out our differences. During this time a person who makes a living off of track events claimed he "owned the retired Ferrari challenge series", that he copywrited the idea and I was stealing it. I worked for two years to work out differences and politics between these individuals in an effort to get the FCA to run races. I had no intentions of making a "business venture" out of it. And told everyone that my intent was to organize this in a non profit manner. I did not want the drivers and club members to be prayed upon.

When the politics and self interest became unbearable, and with years of inaction on the part of the FCA, I organized it myself, pledging that the organization would be a such that the sponsor money would go direct to the drivers and the club would not be a promotor profit driven organization. Despite having to go at it alone I still held out hope that the FCRA and the FCA could run events together. I also called the FCA lawyer John Hurtibell and track chairman Denny Austin and told them that we wanted to work together. I explained all of the FCRA members were FCA members, and that I did not organize the FCRA to compete with FCA events.
After announcing a calendar and a series, the FCA board intentionally incorporated clauses in
thier rules which would prevent the FCA from running races with the FCRA. Since that time they have through acts and omissions to take positions adverse to FCA/FCRA members and to prevent the FCRA from running races with the FCA.

The point of my post, Tom, (which I understand was missed by you) is that I found it inronic that after taking positions adverse to the FCRA members, thier new website uses several photos of my car, and use the FCRA graphics and pass it off as thiers.

Maybe this clears it up for you. If not, I'd be glad to elaborate.

FYI: I started the FCRA only because there was no alternative. My hope is that these FCA board members get voted out next term and that the FCRA and FCA will, in the future, be able to run races together.

 

I have been casually involved in the FCA for quite a while, and have never experienced any embrace or cultivation of the "competitive" idea for it's members. The National meet was interesting in concept, but had no idea if I would even be allowed to participate, or even how for that matter. I have never had as much fun on the track as I have this year running with the FCRA, and look forward to continuing with it. It is in everyone's best interest to have a unified group, but I am certainly aware that there are always different motives behind everything. I am not sure who started the war, but the FCRA number board and photos of you, Jerome and other members are in very poor taste and quite juvenile. John, you have, for whatever your motives may be, have been able to energize a very solid, committed group. So thanks for that. I am sorry to not be going to the Glen, but I'll see you in Monticello, it's going to be great.

 

As the series title sponsor, we can attest that there is nothing about the FCRA that is a "business venture". All funds have been, and will continue to be channeled directly to the cost of the series and to its drivers.

The bottom line is the FCA and other individual event organizers are upset that somebody outside of their "gang" organized and executed a very successful racing series, and beat them to the punch. Even if the FCA continues to organzie their own race events, it will definitely cost drivers much more, and have the baggage of all the typical B.S politics (which is really pathetic).

John should be commended for his efforts with starting the FCRA, and I am sure this will be all laughable a year from now after the FCRA continues to attend bigger events like ALMS and Grand Am.

 

I had to post.

Bottom line, FCRA is a racing league which exists to benefit the drivers. That's it.

John has done everything in his power to create this league for the "spirit of Ferrari racing". There are no personal gains by him. He is done everything he can to get along with FCA, IMO, too much. BUT, He understands Ferrari owners are a small group; an even smaller group which races.

FCA, Is a club which is not very organized when it comes to track events. They don't know what they want to do. One day, they want racing events, the next day, they don't.

There are a few individuals in FCA which do not support John and FCRA because they have something to gain from it. I'm not sure who it is or what they are thinking. They need to go.

In the meantime, John, keep doing what you are doing!!!!

 

I still say "What ever" to both sides.

what money is there to gain? And you are right if you dont like the FCA leaders vote them out, however from my experience its a small group of dedicated folks who make the FCA work, mostly because the folks who host events like to particiapte in them theirself.

Maybe we are insulated here in GA, but it just seems to me pretty stupid to have two Ferrari groups pointing at each other. if the sponsorship goes to the drivers great. I cant see why it matters who has done what, unless there is an economic benift, and that is where the argument starts. best to everyone, I'm not on sides, it just seems silly to me to be aruging over this. in the USA we need as much Ferrari owner particiaption as possible and stuff like this makes it harder.

 

I am not one who likes to get in the middle of politics and it is not my intention to do so here although I feel compelled to express my point of view as relates to what appears to be taking place around Ferrari Club Racing. Over the years I have enjoyed and participated in many Ferrari venues including FCA events since 1990, The Ferrari Challenge, and a host of other Ferrari related experiences.
In as much as most of them have been successful and fun events, the politics, egos, and bureaucracy seem to have always been a governing force behind the scenes particularly when change is to be considered.
That said, I cannot express how refreshing it is to finally have a venue in the FCRA that is truly and primarily concerned with friends sharing their passion in a Highly efficient, well supported, organized, and cost conscious environment.
I would like to commend John Houghtaling for taking the reins and making this happen instead of just talking about it. The only ego that exists here is to provide the best events possible for it members, and John has accomplished just that.
Approaching it in a sensible, business-like and non procrastinating fashion, I believe John
has a winning formula in the FCRA.
John's intention here was never to trump the FCA, but instead to enhance it's offerings and
be a successful part of the whole
If the FCA's true intention was to do what's best for it's members, I cannot see how not
embracing what John has brought to the table could possibly make sense.
It appears to me that once again, ego has gotten in the way of a great thing.
Hopefully one day soon, the FCA will wake up and realize that their stonewalling tactics have been highly counter productive if not embarrassing and if they don't come to their
sensing very soon, will lose the opportunity to incorporate a great component into the FCA.
I know John has tried vigorously tried to work with the FCA and I have seen their responses. It's obvious that their motives are not solely and purely in the interest of their members. How could it be? in fact, their proactive negativity is disheartening to say the
least. "Make love not war" FCA.
In any event, thanks to John again for putting together and amazing series.
See all you racers at Monticello...its gonna be a good one!

 

PS - Watch out Jerome...I'm coming for you

 

I think the FCA post today summs up the position that makes the most sense...

 

Alfredo, I am suspecting some kind of aero modification on you car... Game on!

 

California Civil Code Section 3344.

Read it and maybe it will provide some insight into what can and can't be done here.

Art

 

You may want to compare the schedule of long running events vs. when FCRA scheduled their events this year.

January: Cavallino – 20th Annual. The premier Ferrari event in the US. Heavy involvement from FNA, this year FNA introduced the new 458 Challenge car. FCRA schedules a test day at Sebring the same weekend as Cavallino.

April: FCA Florida Region track days at Sebring. FCRA schedules a race 2 weeks earlier at Sebring as part of Celebration Exotic Car Festival. (note: there has been an on-going date conflict between FCA Florida Region and the Celebration Exotic Car Festival for a number of years).

Early June: The FCA Annual Meet at Savannah announced a year in advance with a tribute to the Challenge Cars that features a Challenge car race. FCRA schedules another Race the same weekend at Sebring with Chin Motorsports. (note the FCRA date was cancelled at the request of the teams as it also conflicted with the FNA Challenge Race as part of the Canadian F1 GP).

Late June: Pocono – A large Italian car concours and track event run under FCA guidelines that has been taking place for 25 years. Challenge car races have taken place there for a number of years. FCRA schedules a race at VIR 4 days later, making it very difficult for a driver to both events.

July: FCA Empire Region’s Lime Rock track event. 35 year old event with strong tradition of Challenge car racing from FNA and FCA. FCRA schedules a race at NJMP. (note that this year FNA replaced FCA for Lime Rock’s July slot for Ferrari, however that happened after FCRA scheduled their race at NJMP. There seems to be a pattern in FCRA’s race scheduling).

September: FCA Empire Region’s Watkins Glen event. For 20 years it has been known as one of the best Ferrari track events in the country, the site of numerous Annual meets and has held a number of races for Challenge cars. FCRA schedules a race at Monticello the same weekend.(Note: Chin Motorsports is scheduled at Watkins Glen the day after FCA. Why didn’t FCRA simply arrange to have a race with Chin like they did at VIR and planned to do at Sebring? Is it because that doing so would not have done damage to the FCA’s event at Watkins Glen and it was purely retaliation for not giving in to FCRA’s demands?)

October: FCA Empire Region’s NJMP track days. FCA has run at NJMP for 3 years and held last year’s FCA Annual Meet at NJMP. FCRA schedules a race at Homestead 10 days later. (This is a logistical nightmare for teams having only 10 days to prep cars and transport them 1,300 miles).

November: Daytona – 4 years ago the same group that does the June Pocono event was able to secure 3 days of track at Daytona to run the 24 hour course. No small feat and VERY EXPENSIVE. Like the Pocono event it is run under FCA guidelines and has run a Challenge car race. FCRA schedules a race at New Orleans Raceway the same weekend. (note the New Orleans track is still under construction. There is only 1 event on their schedule until 2012, big surprise it happens to be FCRA dates. With a wide open calendar at a new track FCRA could have choose any date for this race that didn’t conflict with any other event but didn’t, why? )

Then there is the name, Ferrari Club Racing Association. There are plenty of other names that could have been used. Ferrari Racers Association, Challenge Car Racing Association, etc. The only reason for calling it the Ferrari Club Racing Association is to imply that it is associated with the Ferrari Club.

What should become obvious to anyone that takes an objective view is that FCRA has deliberately chosen its name and scheduled its races in direct conflict with long established FCA events with the goal of harming those events and the club unless they agree to FCRA’s demands. Most of the events listed have run Challenge car races in the past. No one ever told anyone from FCRA that they couldn't participate in any of those events, only that they would have to obey the same rules as every other participant. The fact is that FCRA went to war with everybody before it ever conducted its first race.

Allegedly the FCRA has its own Board of Directors, maybe it is time those supposed Directors wake up to the fact that the problem might not be their message, that it is in fact their messenger. No one likes it when someone holds a MAGNUM to their head.

 

I still dont see the differences - unless its about money???