SPEC MIATA COMPLIANCE FEE, WHAT AM I GETTING FOR IT?

What are we getting for our $10 compliance fee? This is a question that I get asked all the time. So here is what your compliance fee has paid for so far and what is planned for 2009.
During 2008, the first year of the program, approximately $74,000 was collected from the SM drivers. Of this, about $24,000 was spent on the following:
1. 7 compliance visits to:
Thunderhill Norpac Mar 14-16 Double National 25 Cars were checked
Summit Point NE April 26-27 Regional 21 Cars were checked
Watkins Glen NE July 12-13 National 30 Cars were checked
AutoBahan CN Aug 16-17 National 8 Cars were checked
Heartland P MW Aug 30 Double National 7 Car were checked
TMS SW Sept 13-14 Double Regional 13 Cars were checked
Road Atlanta SE Nov 7-9 ARRC Regional 42 Cars were checked
2. 8 Divisional Administrators and 2 National Administrators were sent to Topeka to train on testing for SM compliance. This was a “train the trainer” program so that when the test equipment is bought the Divisions will have people that know how to use it and the program can go on without the expense of sending the compliance crew from National office.
3. The purchase of comparison parts for comparing camshafts and other engine parts.
4. Shipping of the compliance equipment to and from the 6 events that the team went to.
Most of the remaining $50,000 in collections has been spent on the purchase of the test equipment listed below. One each of the following purchased items will be sent to each of the divisions.
• Whistler
• Ultrasonic thickness tester
• Bore stroke tool
• Multimeter
There was a small surplus of monies that will be rolled in to the 2009 budget.
Ok, so what is planned for 2009? The SM Advisory Committee and CRB asked the Board of Directors to continue the $10 compliance fee in 2009. Here is what I call the 50,000 foot overview of budget (not much detail but a good idea what is planned for the money.) This is all based on the fact that about the same amount of money will be
collected from the compliance fee in 2009 If the fee brings in less money than anticipated, then of course some parts of the program may have to be cut.
• $5,000 additional equipment ( this gives us $555 to be spent per division as the tool needs are determined)
• $50,000 Compliance visits
1. 18 visits budgeted at $1,500 each for airfare, hotel and rental car plus;
2. $1,200 each event for teardown bonds. (The compliance team has to file a protest and post a teardown bond as well.)
*Please note that if the teardown bonds are not needed, that the money will be re-allocated back in to the program;
• $5,000 comparison parts ( things like shocks and other components that are year and model specific);
• 2,500 VTS sheets - While the class is called “Spec” Miata, it is not really a spec class. There are several models and the VTS sheets are not as detailed as the community would like to see in helping them build to the spec. The SM Advisory committee will probably help with the creation of the information and it will then be produced as needed for the driving community;
• $5,000 training materials (compliance manual requested for distribution to tech personnel)
The board approved this for 2009. If this program needs to go on, or sustainment money is needed, then a recommendation will have to come from SM Advisory Committee to the CRB to it put on the agenda for 2010 for the board to vote on.
The compliance crew was at the Sebring national on Jan 10-11 2009.
Robin Langlotz