RacersReunion - State of the Organization - Update

Hey folks!

This post is a copy that I sent to all members today. Thought I would post it here so the non-members can be updated as well.

It's been a while since I've corresponded. The team here at RacersReunion try to keep emails to your inbox at a minimum and therefore we limit the number of updates we send out to you.

As for the amount of emails you receive, you can select what you do and do not want to receive from your "settings" on your member profile. We hope you choose to continue to receive our updates.

If you haven't noticed yet, check out our new home page at http://racersreunion.com . We gave it a face-lift and did the same for our radio archive site at http://racersreunionradio.com.

RacersReunion Memory Lane Hall of Fame

We're fielding many questions about our next induction into the RacerSreunion Memory Lane Hall of Fame. The expense for the Hall has been covered in the past by some great sponsors. This is a very important effort to us and is a very high priority. Now is the time of year we send our sponsorship proposals to prospective partners for the Hall of Fame and other RacersReimom Events and projects. Over the past three years, due to the economy, it has become extremely difficult to raise money and fund our racing related (or any other for that matter) projects. We're hopeful that the positive signs we're seeing around the country will entice prospective sponsors to begin supporting such projects. We'll keep you posted on our results as they unfold. If any of you have any ideas/prospects, you can let me know through our "Contact Form".

RacersReunion Radio

Our radio programming just keeps getting better. Hats off to our great broadcast teams for STARS Radio, Motor Week LIVE!, Racin' and Rockin', and Thee Goat Rodeo. There's not a better racing talk radio product anywhere! We're very proud of all of you!

We survived a recent lighting strike that temporarily took out the studio and fried some equipment. We were only off the air for a very brief time (about an hour), but were unable to do the live broadcast that (Monday) night. It was only the second time in over 5 years we missed a broadcast....the first was due to a wide-spread power outage 3 years ago.

If you are a new member...here's a quick rundown. We produce new live content each Monday and Tuesday night and replay that content 24/7 for the next week, You can hear it by clicking the "Listen Now" button on the site's main page. We also archive all shows for listen on-demand at RacersReunionRadio.com.

RacersReunion Websites

As mentioned in the opening, we recently gave the home page and radio archive sites a new look. Part of the effort was to make it easier for folks landing on the home page to find the stock car and drag racing sites. Coming later this fall we'll be giving the stock car and drag racing sites a make over as well. We'll have some cool new features and functionality...as well as fixing some nagging bugs. This new state-of-the-art platform has been a long time coming (over a year in development) and will greatly improve the RacersReunion experience. I'm continually amazed at the speed to obsolescence and the effort to remain in front.

RacersReunion Tour

Mr. Jimmy (the real Jimmy Johnson) Johnson continues as the RacersReunion Ambassador as he makes his rounds around the country from event to event promoting RacersReunion. Thanks to some help form Jeff Cordell at Cordell Racing Performance , Jimmy is now making tour sporting a racing simulator. The simulator has been a hit at every event thus far. If you would like to have the simulator at your event, contact JJ through the site. You'll find his "Tour Updates" on the forum.

RacersReunion Events

For the same reasons mentioned above, (declining sponsorship) we've curtailed the number of events we create, but still support all our friends who are able to keep producing their great events. The 3rd Annual Jeff Smith Chevrolet Middle Georgia RacersReunion is coming up on August, 31th at Middle Georgia Raceway. The Augusta International Raceway Preservation Society (AIRPS) Reunion and Induction Ceremony is September 14th and 15th. The 7th Annual Occoneechee Celebration of the Automobile and Racers Reunion is coming up September 27th and 28th. Charlie Crag's Sinclair Cruise-In is October 12th.

We urge all members to get out whenever /wherever possible and support these events. You can get more information from our events calendar.

RacersReunion NASCAR Hall of Fame Visit

For the second time, a group of RacersReunion members will be meeting at the NASCAR HOF for a visit. This is coming up next Thursday August 22, 2013. If you would like to participate contact Tim Leeming or Randy Myers here on the site or add your name to the list on the Events Calendar HERE

Please use our events calendar to post your events....or events you plan to attend. It is a free service. If you need help, let us know.

The Bell & Bell Vintage Modified Series

Although not officially connected to RacersReunion, the Bell & Bell Series is certainly family here. This is one of the most successful racing series to make the scene in a long time. Their car count is growing each year, and the racing is great! If you want to see some old-school racing, be sure to catch one of their events. You can keep up with them HERE. Many thanks to Mr. Bell and the folks at Bell & Bell Buick GMC for their support of the growing series.

We hope you continue to enjoy our site, organization, and all our features as we progress toward the 6th anniversary of launch next January. Most folks here speak of this group as family. I like that! Please never lose sight of the reason we exist...to preserve and celebrate racing history.

This site was inspired by the work of Mr. Paul Lewis who has spent much of his life with those goals. We are here in honor of him an all others who participated (in every aspect) to create the sport we love. Please tell your friends about us. You can easily invite them by familiarizing yourselves with our "Invite" tab.

Here's to the future!

Cheers!

Jeff Gilder

Founder, Creator, RacersReunion

Perfect!!

Regardless of the formats, revisions, updates, improvements, changes, etc...... whether to a specific RR site, show, HOF, event, outing or whatever.....

I think many of us feel as though we've found a favorite place because of your efforts and applaud you, Jeff and Paul Lewis as your inspiration. Many of us because of your efforts have forged friendships with both people we've now met and people we'll never meet in person. We all learn from each other - young and old.

We've also learned to disagree amicably when we don't see eye-to-eye.

A favorite now defunct television show had an opening theme that kind of summed up my feelings about the familiarity of RR:

Thanks for the comprehensive update Jeff. I am hoping sponsorship will become available for the RR Hall of Fame as well as other things you have in mind. You have done a wonderful job and I sometimes wonder how you handle it all.

Just a reminder: The next NASCAR Hall of Fame visit will be January 10, 2015. Please see the Events Calendar. Hope to see you there!

Just threw my walker away last week (well, it is parked next to my recliner just in case) and don't have the physical strength yet to attempt a NHOF visit in January. However, I know the attendees will enjoy each others' friendship just as I have the several times I attended. That's the best part of a group visit - meeting new friends and reconnecting with old friends. Hopefully, if we schedule a spring or summer outing I can join in. To all who can make it, I wish you a great time.

Great update, Jeff, RR's future's bright; so fun to be a part of it. Thanks!