January 18, 2022
Looking for an inside line on the Club? Inside the SCCA is a new podcast that features interviews with the club’s leading personalities, but it’s not owned by SCCA. Instead, it’s an independent media outlet managed by Rule 15 Productions and hosted by long-time SCCA Member and journalist, Brian Bielanski. He uses the Club’s name with permission, but without direction or influence from SCCA.
“We’re excited about this podcast,” said Kristen Poole, Director of Marketing and Communications for SCCA. “Brian’s passion for the club — and racing in general — is evident, so when he approached us about hosting this independent podcast to provide members with an unbiased look at the club, it seemed like a natural fit.”
Bielanski has lived a parallel life of motorsports and journalism for more than 30 years. He first became involved with the SCCA in 1986 as his father’s 16-year-old “crew chief” wrenching on Formula Vee, Sports Renaults and Improved Touring Hondas. He has also participated in numerous SCCA programs including Road Racing, Solo, and Road Rally. As a journalist he has held positions with CNN, CBS and local news stations in seven markets across the country. He founded RacingWire in 2009 and was one of the first web-only motorsports news services given credentialed access at NASCAR, IndyCar, and NHRA events.
SCCA has also partnered with the Inside the SCCA podcast to present several keynote sessions for the 2022 National (Virtual) Convention. Those sessions — detailed below — cover an exciting array of topics with noteworthy individuals from various parts of the racing world.
This first session will be broadcast on Friday, January 21 at 5:00 pm central, and will be an open discussion between SCCA President Mike Cobb and Hagerty Insurance CEO McKeel Hagerty. The pair will discuss what car culture is in the U.S., today’s outlook on car culture as a whole, and how SCCA can benefit from better understanding “car people.”
On Monday, January 24 at 5:00 pm central, VP of SCCA Road Racing Eric Prill and IMSA President John Doonan will take to the virtual stage. This discussion will explore what IMSA understands about their fans and how SCCA can become more attractive to people who love racing but aren’t yet members. Doonan and Prill will also explore how SCCA can become more attractive and engaging to the next generation of motorsports enthusiasts, as well as the differences between IMSA fans and SCCA members and how to better connect the organizations.
Finally, on Wednesday January 26 at 5:00 pm central, SCCA’s Senior Director of Experiential and Solo Programs Heyward Wagner and long-time member Randy Pobst will discuss “Redefining Winning.” What does winning motorsport mean in 2022 for an SCCA all of Famer who’s arguably won it all? Are there other definitions of winning that standing atop the podium? Tune in to find out what Randy’s view is on what it’s like to be an “everything” motorsport consumer or someone who just likes to have #funwithcars.
Subscribe to the Inside the SCCA podcast today on your favorite platform (like Anchor.fm or Spotify) to make sure you don’t miss out on these sessions, or register for the 2022 SCCA National Convention — which kicks off this Friday, January 21.