Okay let’s start unification on the local level in a place where there has been quite a split, some of it intentional, some of it because of personalities, some of because of jealousy, some of it because of selfishness. The place I am talking is the Central Auto Racing Boosters (C.A.R.B.) and the Central Auto Racing Boosters Hall of Fame and Museum (C.A.R.B.H.O.F.). In 1952 the Central Auto Racing Boosters were started by Virginia Nelson and Clara Goshorn, two women who wanted to see race fans supporting the racers. While it firsted started in their homes it soon became a club, an organization, with the expressed intent “To promote interest in and understanding of the Auto Racing Sport in Missouri and elsewhere among the general public. To induce cooperation between Fans, Car Owners, Drivers, Track Officials, and the General Public. To encourage better sportsmanship at the race tracks”.

Need a history lesson of how this worked let’s look at some of the history.

BOX, HOBO, POT LUCK: The Membership of the Club has always sat down to share a meal or two. Besides the Annual Banquet, the Annual Potluck had become a sharing of the meal. In the early years of the Club, an Annual Box Supper was shared. In 1963, the meal was known as the Hobo Dinner (everyone that attended was to dress as a Hobo), I bet Nicole Noll could head up a modern version. Over time, that became the Annual Potluck. The Annual Potluck Dinners were held in the month of March. The Club supplied the meat and the Membership brought along their favorite covered dish. Started in 1983, Drivers began bringing their racing albums and scrapbooks to share with others (a precursor to the Hall of Fame?). The potluck was open to the Promoters of the racetracks to come and provide insight into the upcoming racing seasons. This event is now the Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony, I wonder how many realize how we got here?

October Meeting 1969 then President Lee Fagala proposed a C.A.R.B. Hall of Fame.

In 1980 the Membership Roster was introduced and has become an annual staple of the organization. In 1996 a yellow page section was added, first to honor those who support C.A.R.B. then ultimately to those who support our sport.

In 1994 the first Bowlathon was held, in 1995 the first golf tournament, these events are still going on today.

In 2002 the First 50 Years of the Central Auto Racing Boosters book was published. In 2003, a committee was appointed by myself to create the Hall of Fame first mentioned in 1969. In March 2004, the first 15 members of the Central Auto Racing Boosters were inducted to a packed room. Were you there? Do you remember how excited the racing community was for this first event?

In 2010, work began on the museum portion with the drawing for the El Camino. In 2012, the club was split intentionally to take advantage of the 501c3 portion of the tax code and the C.A.R.B.H.O.F. came into being. Unfortunately this split has led to two different groups trying to go into two separate directions. Fortunately, both groups report to one membership, the local racing community.

Now let’s give credit where credit is due, the C.A.R.B.H.O.F. has accomplished the original goal of becoming a museum when they became part of the Kansas City Auto museum. Reading their preamble to the constitution they have accomplished their goal. So isn’t it time for unification?

Here is what I would propose the two organizations do since they report to one membership group – all event functions should be moved back to the original C.A.R.B., the 501c7, that includes the Hall of Fame ceremony which was born from the BOX, HOBO, POT LUCK dinners. This organization led to the creation of the 501c3, this organization puts on the Bowlathon, the Golf Tournament, and the Banquet, the events. The C.A.R.B.H.O.F., which now has a museum, should remain in force as the guiding force to preserve local racing history in the museum. We as members need to make this happen so both groups will again work together. In other words we can cause the unification by making a motion to accomplish this goal “I move that the Hall of Fame Ceremony be moved back to the original group who started it the C.A.R.B 501c7, and the C.A.R.B.H.O.F. constitution be rewritten so it the C.A.R.B.H.O.F., the 501c3 can continue to update and maintain the museum”.

The truth is working to together both groups were growing, separating has the club on the brink of extinction (listen closely to the financial reports). What Virginia and Clara formed in 1952, wouldn’t it be a shame if two women destroyed it in 2015. Unity is how we got here, unity is what we need now, however, the choice is the memberships.