Mister Mopar – Alan Lesher Car Chatter – the Name Game
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March 2014 Sports Car Club of America, Inc. - Incorporated June 29, 1959 Car Chatter – Mister Mopar – The Name Game Alan Lesher In an arena where many owners choose to pursue a more common path of driving and competing in vehicles produced by GM, Ford, Honda or Subaru, Alan Lesher spends his on-track time following the beat of a different drummer – Chrysler. Whether he does this as an extension of his family’s heritage or just to be different is anybody’s guess. As editor, I was curious about his dedication to the The Z-car, born a Datsun, has survived and marque, so I asked Alan if he’d explain. Turns thrived since the company changed its name out his family lineage has Chrysler blood as and identity to Nissan. — Nissan Motors photo well. See Alan’s story on Page 6. q Success in the automobile business can often be measured not by sales alone, but by repeat customers who develop brand loyalty. Brand recognition carries a great deal of weight, so when a profitable global corporation decides to change its name, it takes the chance of alienating a loyal customer base. It also risks the future of its product’s brand identity. Successfully carrying it off can be a daunting and expensive task. One corporation Alan Lesher’s “Stinger Racing” Neon is just one in particular, Datsun, managed to execute the vehicle in a long history of Chrysler product changeover, leaving the Datsun nameplate ownership within the Lesher family. Alan has behind in favor of that of its parent company, spent many years strapped in behind the Nissan. See Charlie’s story on Page 4. q pentastar badge. — John Rudy photo From the Page 2 Editor’s MARCHMARCH 2012 2014 The Squeal is a monthly publication of Desk Susquehanna Region, SCCA Send editorial, scheduling and advertising to: Spring has sprung and we’re stoked! I The Squeal — John Rudy, Editor 3800 Hillcrest Road, Harrisburg, PA 17109 suspect you are too. The competition season [email protected] is about to begin and we’re jumping in with both feet. The club truck has been cleaned, Susquehanna Region’s membership meets equipment checked, new pylons purchased at 7:30 PM on the fourth Tuesday of each and the computers tested. We’re ready to go, month, except December, at Gilligan’s Bar & and just in time. Grill, 987 Eisenhower Blvd, Harrisburg, PA. For more information, go to our website at Gear up! Next weekend, March 29-30, we’ll www.scca-susq.com hit the pavement at the large lot adjacent to Hershey Park for Saturday’s Autocross #1 and REGION OFFICERS Sunday’s Autocross #2. After the long Winter Regional Executive chill, drivers are itching to get back out to Chris Paveglio — 717-664-5495 Assistant Regional Executive stretch their legs and blow the dust off the Henry Brillinger — 717-697-1610 race tires. A couple of brisk walk-throughs Treasurer and a few quick times on the long courses Alan Lesher — 717-486-4087 should get rid of the hibernation blues. Secretary Alan Pozner 1yr — 717-343-7708 Rallycrossers can rejoice, too. The Directors following weekend, Saturday, April 5, Markus Houser 3yr — 717-495-6742 Susquehanna Region’s first Rallycross of the Geoff Craig 2yr — 717-367-7853 season will take place on the Farm Show’s Dave Walter 1yr — 717-691-9320 ASCC Representative grassy lot at their overflow parking facility on Markus Houser — 717-495-6742 Elmerton Avenue. To check out the full details and enter any of the above mentioned events, AUTOCROSS COMMITTEE go to http://www.myautoevents.com Kate Ritter & Geoff Craig — Co-chairs Susquehanna Region has a full schedule Henry Brillinger — Site Aquisition/Relations this season. In the 7 month span from March Geoff Craig — Course and Grid Design Chris Paveglio — Pre-registration 29 to October 26 we’re offering 13 Autocrosses, Kate Ritter — Registration 4 Rallycrosses and a Novice School. We’re also Dennis Cipriany — Safety again playing host to the autocross segment Ryan Hetrick — Tech Inspection of the Import & Kit Car Nationals at Carlisle. Anne Demmy — Timing The Carlisle event is not part of our series and Charlie Demmy — Starter carries no points. The energy and commitment Greg Hagan — Novice Program of our Region’s core workers can best be Dan Woland — EMT Services Paul Sciukas — Workers expressed with a turnout worthy of their Markus Houser — Truck & Equip. Manager efforts. And of course, anyone willing and able to help out with our events is welcome. q RALLYCROSS COMMITTEE — John Adam Moore & John Roscinski — Co-chairs Page 3 « Meeting Minutes « The February 25th member- series for rallycross with 9 autocross class trophy winners ship meeting was called to year-end trophies ( one for were informed but not all of the order by Regional Executive each class) with no minimum special award winners were. All Chris Paveglio at 7:32pm. Dave attendance requirement with this will be corrected for next Walter moved and Ed Wormer the rules decided by the year. seconded that the January rallycross committee. Dave Alan Lesher reported that meeting minutes as printed in walter seconded and the motion long-time member Floyd The Squeal be approved; the passed. Conklins’ wife Tina has passed motion passed. Chris Paveglio led a away. Two new members, Eric discussion of autocross classing, Alan Pozner discussed the and Jared were introduced and specifically the new Classic SCCA and Tire Rack Street welcomed. American Muscle. We decided Survival Summit Seminar with Alan Lesher gave the that the PAX for the CAM class the idea of possibly hosting one treasury report. Expenses far be the same as Street Mod, not of these fine events, maybe at overwhelmed income but this ESP as originally discussed and Manhiem Auto Auction. is normal for this time of year. that the class be limited to cars The meeting was adjourned The treasury is in good shape that were manufactured for the by RE Paveglio at 8:30. q financially. Alan does not 1983 model year or older. Chris Respectfully submitted, anticipate many more expenses ordered trophy glassware for Alan Pozner before the autocross season the autocross series. They will begins at the end of March. be the same design as last year. Steve Limbert reported that The club is looking for Region our membership has grown to several additional volunteer 298. Steve also brought up the core workers for autocross Membership topic of charitable donations to registration. Additionally, Geoff reduce excessive balances in the Craig is looking for a course Meetings treasury. designer and for setup help. Susquehanna Region holds Chris Paveglio reported that There are lots of small jobs that its membership meetings on the website is up to date with we would like people to take the fourth Tuesday of each the autocross and rallycross responsibility for; remember calendars. many hands make light work. month at Gilligan’s Bar&Grill, Rallycross chair John The club truck cleaning 987 Eisenhower Boulevard in Roscinski gave the rallycross party is scheduled for Saturday Harrisburg. The food is great report and was asked by new March 8th. (If the weather is bad and you get to interact with member Eric to describe it and March 8th, the cleaning day will your fellow region members. he said the most important be moved to March 16th.) Please And you’re in luck. The thing about rallycross is that call or email Chris Paveglio so March meeting is on the 25th. it’s fun and it is not what you that you can join the fun. Come out and join us for a see on TV – racing but is a solo Charlie Demmy wondered little bit of club business and a event similar to autocross but if we let people know that they lot of chit-chat. The meetings on dirt or gravel. received a trophy so that they Alan Lesher moved that we come to the year-end banquet. begin at 7:30 pm, but come make 2014 a championship It was determined that the early for a great meal. q Page 4 Cover Story Car Chatter – The Name Game — By Charlie Demmy I recently saw a report from Nissan that December 26th, 1933, and their first passenger they are planning to re-introduce the Datsun car, the Datsun Model 11, could trace its brand this year as a low cost, affordable car heritage to a Japanese car built in 1914, the Dat in the emerging markets of Russia, India, and automobile. The Dat had taken its name from Indonesia. Nissan hopes to sell around 300,000 the initials of its backers – Den, Aoyama, and units annually, but don’t expect to see any new Takeuchi – and the new Nissan model, logically Datsuns here. enough, was to be the “son” of Dat. But that became a problem. In Japanese “son” is pronounced like an expression associated with losing a great deal of money, something Nissan was hoping to avoid. In the end “Datsun” was chosen. NAME CHANGE Reading that led me to wonder if many of The first Datsun arrived inAmerica in 1958 our younger club members know much about and the company recorded 1,640 sales for that the early Datsun sports cars that arrived here on year. Eventually more models were arriving our shores. Cars like the very competitive 1600 and by 1965, sales had exploded, with Datsun and 2000 roadsters that were often seen at local finding itself listed among the top ten US autocross and hillclimb events. (I remember a imports for the first time, finishing is sixth place certain Datsun 2000 in my class that constantly for the year.