February: "Our icekhana started off with a crack and a semi-splash. John Navakas, who so kindly agreed to use his wagon to haul pylons, and Dale Flesher, found out just how fast one can get out of a sinking situation. Apparently his wagon escaped with only minor flood damage." (The event went on, but was moved further down the ice away from the warm spring that caused the weak spot where the station wagon went through the ice.)
March: "'71 Mid-Div Convention -- This year a precedent has been set. For the first time there has been a general meeting of all regions of SCCA in Mid-West Division."
June: "NRSCCA held its first race (with St. Louis Region) at MAR (Mid-America Raceway in Wentzville, Missouri), The Falstaff Classic, June 12-13."
January: "The Nebraska Region has submitted their resignation to the Nebraska Sports Car Council since we are going to use Solo II rules on our slaloms and this is in conflict with Council rules." (There were so many local car clubs in the late 1960s/early 1970s that the Council was formed to coordinate event dates.)
April: "In Memoriam ... April 4, 1972. I received word this morning of the death of Dale Flesher. Even though I haven't known Dale as long as some of you I feel we all share in the loss of this young sports car buff. Dale joined the Nebraska Region of SCCA in the early sixties and was always an enthusiastic and active member. Our deepest sympathies are extended to his family."
July: "Des Moines Region SCCA has issued a challenge to the Nebraska Region: To come to Des Moines for the weekend of July 29-30 to compete in a weekend of fun, three auto-crosses (to race as teams or individually) and possibly a rally. There will also be a party and dinner on Saturday night." (This event was the first Des Moines vs Nebraska Challenge.)
August: "The 1972 MiDiv National Race conducted at Hutchinson, Kansas was an unqualified success. A record 201 entries competed ... " "Wichita Region RE Stan Carlton has signed a check to each of the qualified regions for $516."
December: "Powder Puff Trophy (1972): Helena Miller" (Helena got to keep it, as it was retired this year.)
April: "We now have 26 members holding either Log Books, Regional or National licenses."
July: "MiDiv Patches ... The concept of a MiDiv patch was hatched at the '73 convention. The idea for this patch is that it should be general enough to encompass all SCCA activities and still represent the Midwest Division." (See design winner on the right.)
"Congratulations to Bill Berg, NRSCCA's first licensed Tech-er!"
January: Everyone was worried about the Energy Crisis - we even reprinted an article from Peter Arnett.
March: NRSCCA celebrated their 20th Anniversary. Patt Buell, Judy Scoggins and Judy Beck attended the SCCA National Convention in San Francisco. They picked up a trophy. The Exhaust Notes won the National Small Region Newsletter Award for 1973.
A group of Nebraska racers attended a Drivers School/Regional Race at St. Louis. It began to snow as the Formula cars went out to practice and half way through the session the tow trucks had out to pull them up the uphill straight because they had no traction. The race was canceled and the snow turned into a blinding blizzard. It took people hours to get cars on trailers and out of the track.
November: Nebraska had 1 CamAm driver, 12 National drivers, 13 Regional drivers, and 7 Log Book drivers. About one-third of the membership were racers.
February: Notes on NRSCCA Members (condensed) ... "Garry Goracke races an MG Midget and holds a National Competition license. Patt Buell holds a National Competition license and races a Formula Vee and a Showroom Stock Sedan. Billie Erxleben holds a National Competition license and races a Showroom Stock Sedan. Lyle Blatchford owns a Lotus 50 and holds a National Timers license. Jim Liska races a Formula C and holds a National Competition license. Don and Carol Knop own a 1966 Shelby GT 350 and a 1965 GT Mustang and he runs slaloms."
"Pat di Natale owns a Vega GT and holds a National Flagging/Communication license. Jack and Judy Beck now reside in Omaha and together own a Mini, another Mini, a Volvo Wagon, and an Alfa. Judy holds a Regional Competition license and Jack a National. Geoff and Kay French live in Lincoln, they own a Datsun, a Fiat and a VW. Tex Arnold holds a National Competition license and races a Ferrari. He also owns a Toyota Corona. Leonard and Bonnie Janke live in Pender, Nebaska. They own the following: a Camaro, a MacLaren MK8, a Devin, a Healey, a MacLaren MK6, and that's just the race cars. Leonard holds a National Competition license and Bonnie holds the keys to the cars."
April: "The Mechanic" (author unknown)
"I'm not allowed to run this car - the horn I cannot blow.
I'm not allowed to designate - just where this car will go.
I'm not allowed to touch the brakes - all this I cannot tell.
But let this car, its engine blow - And see who catches hell!"
August: Race Car Drivers: 18 National Competition licenses, 4 Regional Competition licenses and 3 Novice log books.
October: Nebraska Region had 13 NRSCCA members attend the National Solo II Championships. Three of them trophied.
September: Nebraska Region had 16 NRSCCA drivers running for National Points.
By the Mid-1970's there were a lot of people submitting articles, photos, cartoons and miscellaneous stuff to the Exhaust Notes. Some of the best contributors were Tex Arnold, Judy and Jack Beck, John Bly, Emery Emond, Billie Erxleben, Jerry Doctor, Patc Henry, Bill Berg, Ken and Mary Foster, Garry and Linda Goracke, Jerry Miller, Kendall Shane, John Schrum, and Les Hanson, just to name a few.
The Board of Governors in 1977 were Tex Arnold, Judy Beck, Patt Buell, Pat diNatale, Jerry Doctor and Les Hanson. Five of the six are still members of SCCA.
March: Tex Arnold was Competition Chairman and began writing for the Exhaust Notes "Racing with Tex..."
We had 17 cars entered in the Ground Hogger Rally. Who finished first? Jerry Doctor and Roger Rea, of course. And we had seven NRSCCA members finish in the top 20 for the 1976 Final Midwest Division SCCA Rally Standings Class C - 8th, Jerry Doctor, 9th Patt Buell, 10th Kendahl and Jeanean Shane, 11th John Bly, 16th Patc Henry, 17th Billie Erxleben and 18th Denny Skaanning. Not bad for a small region!
Molly Riley won the title of Miss Road America (Elkhart Lake) for 1977 (nominated by DMVR). She was the first Miss Road America to be a race car driver and she raced the June Sprints as a National driver (after going to her first drivers school in February of 1977). She ran two Drivers Schools, six Regional races and one National race before the June Sprints. Chicago Region invited her and her race car to be part of the Chicago Region display at the Chicago Auto Show in March.
Kendahl Shane started writing a column called "Rally Notes" and Terry Sanne (Activities Chairman) wrote a group of articles called "On the Local Scene."
August: Nebraska Region had over 40 Solo drivers who qualified to go to the MiDiv Solo II Run-offs in Kansas City.
October: NRSCCA held a Solo II at the Fremont Go-Kart Track. There were 75 entrants.
December: Tex Arnold announced he was leaving Omaha to take a job at National SCCA as Director of Club Racing.
February: The first event of the year was a "Keggar Khana" which was basically an indoor time trail type of event. The event consisted of: 1. A TV Race Game, 2. Map Rally, 3. An Etch-a-Sketch Slalom, 4. A map folding contest, 5. A Remote Control Car Race. A beer or two made everything funnier.
June: There were 78 entrants at Mirror Khana IV and 17 of them were from Nebraska. We had 2 firsts, 4 seconds and 5 thirds.
The five oldest NRSCCA members (by number of years they have been an SCCA member) and still members in 1978 were George Gunther who joined in April 1956, Leonard Janke - August 1956, Mike Lemmers - October 1956, Jim Liska - May 1962, and Patc (Woolery) Henry - September 1964.
January: The Exhaust Notes was again the "Outstanding Publication" in Small Sized Regions. (Editor: Patt Buell)
March: NRSCCA celebrated its 25th Anniversary! The Exhaust Notes reprinted some of the history.
Nebraska Region held their first MiDiv Convention. Patc Henry was the convention chairperson; Patt Buell and Molly Riley were in charge of PR; Jerry Doctor coordinated the seminars; Ellen Wilson and Eileen Berg handled registration; Terry Sanne did all the printing; Steve Frisch lined up the beverages; Leo Ross and Mikie Asay were the bartenders; Bill Berg was in charge of fun and games; and Jan Kilgore was in charge of mental support and overall mischief. The guest speaker was Tex Arnold from National Office.
May: Kendahl Shane wrote an article this month called "Airbags: What Do You Think?" Included was a questionnaire to be filled out and sent to Road & Track Magazine.
September: Nebraska Region held the MiDiv Solo II Championships in Grand Island, Nebraska.
October: Attending the "Witches Ryde" Divisional Rally this year were six teams from Nebraska Region. They were: Bill and Eileen Berg, Ellen Wilson and Jan Kilgore, Leo Ross and Patc Henry, Jerry Doctor and Roger Rea, Kendahl and Jeanean Shane, and Stan Wileman and Bob Sanders.
