Restructuring at IMSA?

Just heard that Tom Seabolt, Racing Operations Manager and J.J. O'Malley from the media department have been let go and possibly one or two others.
Said to be part of a "restructuring".

 

One thing that may be counted on like the tides is a near constant shuffling in and out
of staff in the sports car racing ranks.

No doubt, they'll be replaced by NASCAR groomed underlings who've been itching for
advancement and who've never once attended a sport car race of any sort.

After a while, this stuff becomes all too predictable.

BHW

 

I would argue that the replacements will be fresh-out-of-school interns. The people who were let go were long-term (14yrs for one of them) employees and extremely loyal to Grand-Am / NASCAR. J.J. O'Malley had started at Watkins Glen in the mid 80s before it became part of ISC.

 

Likely so...

This is one of the biggest problems in racing. Too many people in it that know nothing
about racing instead of hiring experienced racing hands, they go for pretty faces with
new marketing or communications degrees.

This was an issue in ALMS too. One year, must have been around 2006, the ALMS had
a new PR girl to help handle media and events. She addressed us at the Sebring Winter Test
in the media center. Nice girl and everything, the ink on her new marking degree was barely
dry and she was introduced by Scott Atherton who exited stage right.

She issued a statement, running through a litany of issues and then took questions. A
few of the attending media had rather pointed questions which she completely did not
understand and things were getting a little awkward.

Finally, one of my British colleagues standing next to me said, "Congratulations on your
high school diploma sweet heart, welcome to racing!". Anyone within earshot nearly
lost it but, really, it's not funny.

BHW

 

Sad part for me is that many of the apparently well-liked and respected experienced hands are terrible at their jobs and many times are victims of the "I have an important position so I must be important" syndrome.
It's been my experience over 30+ years in racing that many of the series and track communications and media people are completely useless. A few of them border on being vile human beings.

 

as long as Mark Raffauf is around, things will head in a good/better direction

perhaps not all at once, or quickly, but in the right direction

"professional" sports car racing, particularly in the US, is a delicate business model by definition

 

Mark IS a survivor...

 

And, one of the many reasons I no longer participate any more.

Walking into a media room at races makes my skin crawl.

BHW

 

Definitely some vile human beings among the occupants too.