LOL-SCCA Year End Awards

by Norm Nelson

Ed. Note: This is the fourth in a series of articles about the history of the major Year End Awards given by LOL to outstanding members.

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

"Given those years when a driver/group of drivers or others have shown outstanding sportsmanship towards a driver or a group of drivers. The winner of the sportsmanship award will have shown the willingness to sacrifice for the ultimate good of the sport."

As the description indicates, this award is not necessarily given each year. The criteria for this award is arguably as or more difficult than any other award the region gives. This, coupled with the outstanding performance or sacrifice needed to be considered, makes this a most difficult award to achieve. Truly exceptional achievement is needed to qualify for nomination and selection to receive this award.

Because of the criteria for the award, there are not necessarily circumstances that present themselves each year for individuals to have the chance to qualify for the award. Therefore, out of the past seventeen years, the award has been given only six times, or approximately 35% of the time.

Recipients of the award have been individuals, two individuals, a small group of individuals, and a large group of individuals. Each in their own way committed a selfless act or acts that did not go unnoticed by this racing community. It is a tribute to these people that they were recognized by their peers as having done something that no one would have expected them to do. They clearly went out of their way in an extraordinary manner. They may have put themselves personally at risk, or given up something they could have had for themselves, or taken their time and effort to help, knowing they would not, and probably never could, be repaid. Their act was selfless and can be held up as the standard for us all to strive toward. They are to be admired by each and every one of us, and we can each hope that if the opportunity arises, we will act as courageously and without regard for ourselves as did these outstanding sportsman.

Recent winners are: 1979 - Jerry Knapp/Mike Sparks, 1981 - Don Cooper, 1985 - Steve Carlstrom, 1993 - Vintage Club, 1994 - Steve Parlee and Crew, 1995 - George Battina.

OUTSTANDING WORKER AWARD

"Given annually to a worker chosen for his/her longevity and diversity of active involvement in LOL/SCCA. The previous year’s recipients choose the winner, although they do use the list of nominated people. However they will add people they feel have been overlooked to the list of nominees."

The list of outstanding worker award winners reads like a virtual who’s who of people who hold this Region together. Without people like these there would be no rallies, no solos, no road races, no Region. They work to put on all of the events. They come from registration, technical inspection, grid, pit, paddock, flagging and communication, emergency services, stewards of the meet, race chair, rally administrator, solo administrator and others.

Many of these people wear several hats. You see them at the events carrying out their specialties, but many times you also see them helping to run the region. They serve on committees, serve in elected office, volunteer for special projects and do all of the things behind the scenes that enable us to have a region. A disproportionate number of people from the worker ranks have had to serve in leadership capacities in the Region; This has evolved through a lack of driver and crew interest. This is unusual, because without these many jobs being done there would be no place to race.

Almost always, the worker of the year is first noticed doing the job that allows us to have an event. Seldom are these people recognized as they go quietly about their most important work. It is only in their absence that they would be noticed. Their pictures do not often grace the pages of The Tonneau or SportsCar. They are not often hailed as having special prowess or as heroes of the region. Their work is behind the scenes enabling those who participate in the event to have a place to play. To anyone who has driven in an event and marveled at how everything is arranged for them when they arrive at the race course, these are the people who make it possible. To anyone who has driven an event and wondered how did all these people get here to work for the Region, these are the people who do it. If you ever have had the occasion to need some help, be it a blue flag to help you make a safe pass, or be helped from an overturned car, these are the people who give of their time and expertise to help. Their talents are many, and as specific as anyone's who ever turned a wheel or wrench. They don’t often get recognized, but with this award we try to make up a little for that.

Recent recipients include: 1974 - Mary Ann Buck, 1975 - rested, 1976 - Marie Eide, 1977 - Diane Mignone, 1978 - Eloise Ittner, 1979 - Barb Gullion, 1980 - Judy Krause, 1981 - Scott Olson, 1982 - Bev Heilicher, 1983 - Mike and Alice Powles, 1984 - rested, 1985 - Pat Lamon, 1986 - Bob Nielsen, 1987 - Kathy Maleck, 1988 - Kerry and Karen Freund, 1989 - Les Tillman, 1990 Betty Thomson, 1991 - Beryl Ann Burton, Bruce Weinman, Steve Hess, 1992 Jim Knowlton, 1993 - Judy Sunderland, 1994 - Sue Wittcoff, 1995 - Sandy Blackman, 1996 -Bill and Lois Medcalf.

CREW MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD

"The recipient of this award will be an LOL member who serves as a crew member on a pro or club racing car. This individual may perform mechanical preparation of the racing vehicle or engage in any number of other functions a crew member may be called upon to do during a race weekend."

This award recognizes the myriad things necessary to field a successful racing effort. Crew members are called upon to do everything from engine building to running for pizza. There is no stereotypical crew member of the year. Sometimes it will be a person with outstanding mechanical knowledge who can mechanically set the car ahead of the field. Sometimes it will be a person who methodically goes over the checklist to be sure the car is prepared for each session, always has a cold drink on hand for the driver and other crew, times more cars (within a hundredth of a second of T&S) than seems humanly possible with a cheap stopwatch or two so the driver always knows his grid or racing position and calmly goes about all of these tasks with no one other than the immediate team aware that if one of these function were not done it would have an adverse affect on the entire effort. Oh yes, don’t forget the parts runs, lunch or snack preparation, running for grid sheets, filling out entry forms, cleaning the car, putting in fuel and always double checking the check list.

Will Rogers said "We can’t all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by."Crew don’t get their pictures in the media, aren’t asked to provide pithy, insightful quotes, nor are asked for autographs. They, however, are the heart of any racing effort. In the book CREWING by Grace Schmitt the Preface reads " IN THE BEGINNING there were only driver schools. All other race team areas were learned the hard way --- by trial and error. Confusion and dumb mistakes reigned supreme!" The fastest car on the track driven by the region's greatest hot shoe doesn’t get far if not enough fuel is present in the tank when the race begins. One of the common truisms in racing is "don’t let the driver touch the car during a race weekend". This refers to the "dumb mistakes" above when someone with too much on their mind about something else forgets to do an important procedure, putting car and driver at risk. Some drivers try to do it all themselves, but it takes an unusual person to get it all right, and is much easier and more enjoyable if crew are present.

Grace Schmitt dedicated her book to "the unsung heroes who sweat, swear, get grimy, labor and break fingernails over: who pull, pry, drag and push: who let someone else receive the glory, awards, interviews, and victory laps: without whom no car would ever make it into the winner’s circle. Crews of every race car, everywhere, this is your victory lap."

It could be said this award is dedicated to the same people, for they have found what Schmitt wished them in the final paragraph of her preface: "May the day come when you are standing in a pouring rain, soaked to the skin, nursing a sick race car, and say to yourself, 'I’d rather be doing this than anything else I can think of', as I did. In other words --- may racing pleasure you more than it disappoints."

Recent recipients are: 1977 - Steve Kranz, 1978 - Dave Rice, 1979 -Steve Knapp, 1980 - Don Erickson/Spence Johnson, 1981 - Chris Zur, 1982 - Sean Ittner, 1983 - Bill Germar, 1984 - Jerry Knapp, 1985 - Steve Thomson, 1986 - John Koloski, 1987 - Gene Bartsch, 1988 - Gene Wilkerson, 1989 - Dave Bowman, 1990 - Gene Anderson, 1991 - Greg Wennerstrom, 1992 - Sharon West, 1993 - Mike Archer, 1994 - Mark Utecht, 1995 - Chuck Blackman, 1996 - Chris Foster.

Copyright 1997, Land O'Lakes Region.
Last revised: May 5, 1997