My name is Mike Spencer, and I am running for Assistant Regional Executive. As the name implies, this role assists the Regional Executive. However, there is another very important responsibility. The Assistant RE also runs the Competition Board, which is made up of all the various specialty chiefs. The Comp Board meets at different times during the year to plan for upcoming NC Region races, and to discuss events shortly after they are run. The lessons we learned from 2014 and earlier are used to make the 2015 events even better.

I first joined SCCA in the early 80s and participated in AutoCross for several years. Once my kids came along, my wife and I agreed that my hobby would get shelved "for the time being".

The re-opening of VIR in 2000 and the timely encouragement of a good friend convinced me to get involved again. Since I only had AutoCross experience at that time, I started as a Flagger. Not too long after that I obtained my Competition License. Since then I have also worked on Grid, Pit Road, and driven the Safety Car. My family is involved, too. My daughter, Ericka, has been a Safety Car Communicator since (I believe) the first 13-hour race. She also has experience in the Start stand. My son, Paul, was at that first 8-hour endurance race that became the 13-hour "Charge of the Headlight Brigade" the following year. He has been crewing for me and will be going to get his Competition license this coming February.

I am asking for your vote because, like the current Assistant RE (who is not running for re-election), I believe that someone who regularly "plays on both sides of the Armco" is in an excellent position to address issues from both a driver's perspective and a worker's perspective. All of us in NC Region are very fortunate to have such a wonderful playground in VIR. I will do everything I can to ensure that our race weekends continue to be safe and fun activities for everyone involved!

Elsewhere in this post, you may click on any of the candidates' names as links to our email addresses. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have or offer any suggestions.

I joined SCCA in 1995. I didn't really know what to expect, so I just showed up at a Triangle Chapter meeting, introduced myself and said, "Somebody please put me to work". The first to do so were Rob and Laurie Suggs. Rob was a SARRC Champion in Formula Ford and Laurie was a long-time Race Chair for NCR. Laurie was taking her first driver's school, at Road Atlanta, after being Rob's Crew Chief for years, and they took me along to crew for them.

On Saturday morning, I asked who those folks were driving their street cars out onto the track prior to us getting started. I was told that they were corner workers. Anyway, to make a long story short, that weekend was a real eye-opener! I learned a lot, found a way to become a part of the sport I love and I've never looked back.

A few weeks later, I headed to Rockingham for my first SCCA race. I had no idea how long it took to get there, so I arrived waaay early. The guard at the tunnel said it was too early for Registration to be open, but that I could go in, just be sure to come back out and register. It was my first time at Rockingham in many years and, before I realized where I was, I found myself driving on the track! Nobody was up yet in the paddock, the sunrise provided just enough light to see where I was going without headlights, there was a light fog, it was cold out and I was alone on the track, yet somehow I felt completely at home!

Later that day, I was introduced to corner working. It was awesome...hell, EVERYTHING was awesome! The people...the cars...the racing...I was hooked!

After about two years of working corners, I decided I wanted to try out the Start stand. I've been a Starter ever since. Earning my National Starter license was a big deal for me, especially since my "Starter mentor", Al Fairer, recommended me for it. I remember thinking, when we began racing at VIR in 2000, how great it would be to be Chief Starter there. Well, after Al gave up the position to become a Steward and nobody else seemed to want it, I kind of "inherited" the Chief Starter position a couple of years later. I was Chief Starter until the 2012 season, when I gave it up due to work conflicts and turned over the reins to James Buckberry. I felt that the Chief should attend ALL our races, and I wasn't able to do so at that time.

In the ensuing years, I was honored to be named Worker of the Year in 2003 and 2006. I was the Editor of the Region's publication, The Bulletin, from 2004 through 2008. Now that NCR, like many other Regions, has given up publishing a newsletter in favor of an all-electronic version of getting the news out, I'm currently serving as the Web Content Editor (not to be confused with webmaster...that's Jeff Eng) for our website, ncrscca.com. I'm also Chair of the Publicity Committee, which sends out bulk emails advertising our events to drivers and workers and sending out informational emails, such as the one you're reading now.

Past: 

• Continuous member of NC Region since July 1976. 
• Solo competitor 1976-1983. Region Solo chairman 1979-1983. Past BOD member during that term. 
• Past VP Tarheel Sports Car Club. 
• First driver's school 1983 at Rockingham. 
• Competition license holder and racer since 1986.
• Runoffs competitor 1995. 
• SARRC Champion, GTL 2006. 
• Worked as corner worker and/or wrecker driver for NC Region at Roebling, Charlotte, and Rockingham up to the early 90's. 
• Crewed for amateur and pro teams 1976 to 2001 in SCCA and IMSA. 
• Designed the original scales building at VIR, and helped restore it in 2013. 
• Led the implementation of our e-mail ad program 2013. Copy writer for NCR e-mail ads in support of Bruce Dover's efforts as Newsletter Editor. 
• Member of the Year 2013.

Future: There are exciting and positive changes coming to NC Region in 2015 and I would like the opportunity to continue to contribute to our Region's success in implementing those changes. Where I think I can best contribute is in continuing to expand promotional, advertising, and sponsor support for our racing programs at VIR. I am committed to putting as many cars as possible on the track, believing that doing so ensures greater competition, more fun, lower entry fees, and the financial stability of NC Region. I thank you for your support.

 By serving on the board as an at-large member, I hope to bring the perspective of a driver, a worker, and a long-time SCCA member to help the Region remain financially sound while offering even more opportunities for more people to play with cars!

I currently race a GT-1 Mustang and am also part of Ed Wentz's pace car team. I joined SCCA in 1969, flagging races in Texas while I was in the Army. I bought my first race car, a Boss 302 Mustang, in 1972 (interesting story, ask me about it sometime) and started racing in 1973, and I have continued to the present. Along the way, I have belonged to the Lone Star, Milwaukee, and Central Carolinas Regions. I have been a member of North Carolina Region for the past 20 years. Over the years, I have worked F&C, Registration, Emergency Services, T&S, and served as Race Chair.

I am currently retired from a dual career. The first half was spent in manufacturing, in which my responsibilities included production scheduling, customer service, inventory management, and purchasing. In the early 1990s, I made a transition into business software consulting. In this role, I analyzed a company's business needs from a software perspective and determined appropriate software solutions. I also assisted companies in implementing software. I am well-versed in assessing complex situations and determining the best course of action.

I have been a member and driver for the past seven years. In late 2010 I felt that I needed to give back as a worker if I were to keep racing. So I became a Steward and have been a worker as well as a driver since that time.

I believe my background in the SCCA as well as business owner has given me the knowledge to be able to move forward and serve NCR as a Board member.

If elected I would serve both drivers and workers of NCR. We must have a strong union of both if we are to be prosperous and successful as a club in the long run. I ask for your vote and support.