I helped out with the Colorado Rally Cup in it's first year with rules, schedule, timing, results, points, and website.
The second year they decided they needed a better website (for the Cup and the company both of which turned out to be turds in their new form) and I was no longer, well, I was pretty much not included. Ironically there was more money from sponsors and such. I was annoyed by my exclusion so gave up and too a time out from the Cup. That was it's final year, the last year of any significant rally class at hill climbs, and the last year of Rally Colorado.
Now, there was alot that contributed to the demise of rallying in Colorado. Was it because I quite being involved and my negativity discouraged others? Was it the organization group that caused people to become disenfranchised? Was it simply the loss of Rally Colorado (thanks Rallycross) and the resulting 800+ mile tows to do any event that made people look to cheaper and more local stuff? We'll never know. I think I had little effect personally, but maybe if I had instead stepped up and battled to keep enthusiasm high and encouraged more competitors it would have never died. Now we have a huge uphill battle.
Please don't leave totally. Good people are hard to find. Even a friendly face in tech (like Ken and Sharon in Colorado), even if not involved the rest of the year, can have huge impacts on the experience (and blood pressure) of competitors.

I'll make a comment here, if I may, having taken a recent 'hiatus'. Rally is a passion, rather than a paying job in this continent. Always has been, and will continue that way, for most of us in the foreseeable future. As such, it involves one's own personal time and commitment rather than any reward like a paycheck.

We all only have some much to give from that 'personal passion account', and doing organizing and teching and approving cages and such can take a lot of that out of you. I am going to guess that Gene has run down his 'personal passion account' for rally, and when that happens, regardless of your situation in rally, it's the time to step away and enjoy life, and forget the pressure.

I am also going to venture to guess that Gene gets worn down from teching cages and such is a similar way that I do. Calls in the evenings after a long day are OK, and meeting people and discussing cages and solving problems is fun, but the fun runs out when any competitor starts pushing or demanding solutions on a timeline from a person like Gene. One wants to help and be responsive, but the competitor demands gets old after a while. (Try it; you'll see....) Similarly, when one gets into the general rally organizing that adds an even higher and more stressful level of demand on time, patience, and the 'personal passion account'; it can pull months of your sprare time every year to do a major event. Pile all that on top of running your own business and being responsible for your family's and employee's financial well being, like Gene does, and the overall sense of responsibility in both your hobby and your wokr life adds up massively.

So, my advice is to let Gene know how much we like and care for him, and value him and appreciate all of his work. And then let him (or anyone who has to take a rally break) go along their way. IF GENE IS DESTINED TO COME BACK, THEN HE WILL COME BACK AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR HIM, or he will just check in as he sees fit. Our best way of getting him to come back, IMHO, is to let him breathe and relax and not feel the least bit burdened over rally. This has been the recipe in the past for other returning contributors to the sport.

Gene, please rest and relax. Someone here will keep the lights on (like in the Motel 6 commericals). Also, I hope you come to good terms your personal loss with Ray's passing: I suspect you told us a lot with that little note, about the depth of that friendship, and your characteristic commitment to people in general.

Mark B.

Yeah, what Mark said.
And of course it might help if we dropped in---with our cars, and did big huge broadies all around the shop sideways and spitting gravel.

He'd see just how much fun he's missing and probably sumpin would click, he'd grab something parked there and like....join in.

ya know, positive reinforcement.

and it's all downhill from there.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

I didn't post to get attention or sympathy but the response has been overwhelming and quite humbling. I'm somewhat speechless and that is rare for me. Thank all of you, sincerely. I do this for fun, distraction and to be part of a greater community( or whatever we are).

Everday pressures can get to a guy, even when things are going well. I've met and made some great friends this go-round and renewed and strenghtened friendships from my previous rally days. That is seriously priceless.

I'll think this thru and get it resolved. My rally family will always be in my mind.

So lets change the subject, no one wants to see an old guy sniffling...

Can I put a V8 in the back of an Audi 100 and does HotBits make suspension for it???

Quote
heymagic
I didn't post to get attention or sympathy but the response has been overwhelming and quite humbling. I'm somewhat speechless and that is rare for me. Thank all of you, sincerely. I do this for fun, distraction and to be part of a greater community( or whatever we are).

Everday pressures can get to a guy, even when things are going well. I've met and made some great friends this go-round and renewed and strenghtened friendships from my previous rally days. That is seriously priceless.

I'll think this thru and get it resolved. My rally family will always be in my mind.

So lets change the subject, no one wants to see an old guy sniffling...

Can I put a V8 in the back of an Audi 100 and does HotBitch make suspension for it???

You want the engine rearmost? If you are smrat and use a Howdy trans you CAN flip the diff so you have lots of foward gears.
Which 2 turbos do you want to use?...Everybody says they use Holsets from 6.5 Cummins for 2.3 liters and "they spool nice---full boost by 4800" so if one is "perfect " for a 2.3, 2 must be even better for around 5 liter, and neveermind the thing came off a 6.5 liter with 20:1 compression..

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
heymagic
So lets change the subject, no one wants to see an old guy sniffling...

It's just that the shop is really dusty right now, right?.

Anders

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Grassroots rally. It's what I think about.

For transportation purposes, you can fit two i5's in the back of 100. v8 should fit.

what you really need is a twin charged lsx in the back of a 100.

I still vote for a six-pack of snowmobile engines.