The BPG is now the Performance Division of the Buick Club of America Events that led to the decision to approach the BCA to combine forces. Over the past few years we have seen a decline in club membership and*also attendance at our National Event. Our annual event has traditionally consisted of the rental of a drag way in Ohio for exclusive enjoyment of our membership. While each event was positive in terms of expenses and income, we lacked enough earnings to continually expand the event. This appears to be the case with other national Buick performance related events. In short, we lack the critical mass to fully realize the potential of the BPG. Late in 2014 we were offered the opportunity to continue twenty-five year tradition of the Buick Race*Day at Summit Motor Sports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. We were approached by the promoters of this event to take the reins in 2016. As we considered this an opportunity that would best serve our membership, we put our full effort toward supporting and enhancing this event in 2015. This did not happen so we pursued another avenue of joining another Club. The BPG hosted a very successful car show offsite from the racing portion of the event in order to reinforce our ability to provide a top notch event for the Buick faithful. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, we were never provided the financials related to the racing side of the event at and therefore could*not commit to taking on a 2016 event with fiscal prudence without see a profit/loss statement. The owner of Summit subsequently decided not to host any Buick event in the future, regardless of the group wishing to put on such event. As a result, the BPG finds itself at a crossroads with a number of possible choices to consider: Consider a one year event hiatus in order to be able to appropriately plan and secure a venue Consider ending the club, which we believe would be to the detriment of our membership as we would end what has become a perennial event for many Buick faithful Consider combining forces with another organization with a Buick-oriented audience where we would be complementary For the obvious reason of wanting to continue to serve our membership in a meaningful way, the third option is the option of choice. In looking at other organizations where we would dovetail seamlessly, the BCA is the obvious organization to align our efforts with. So we did this. We provided The BCA a copy of our membership and our* financials for review and to cross reference BCA and BPG memberships. By way of organization legal definition, the BPG is a tax exempt nonprofit organization registered in the State of*Ohio. * We feel the*BPG can help the BCA grow by providing the BCA access to a large contingent of Buick fans dedicated to Buick performance and racing heritage. The BPG started conceptually around racing, but has expanded in scope in recent years to include everyone that owns and drives a Buick. Our primary goal is*to promote Buick automobiles and Fun. Anyone who has attended a BPG event can attest to the family-like atmosphere and dedication between members and non-members alike who are perennial participants. We believe that the BPG would provide value in coming fully under the auspices of the BCA. As an integrated part of the BCA, we believe additional decades of the 60?s, 70?s and 80?s Buick automobiles as well as performance enthusiasts would augment the BCA. With a focus on serving the membership of both groups, we respectfully request that the Board of Directors of the BCA take into earnest consideration the above information and our request to consider providing the opportunity for the BPG membership to have a continued avenue to participate in Buick events through BCA membership. This has been on going process for the past few months with numerous e-mails and conference calls. Here is the break down if you are a current paid member of the BPG you will be a current member for the BCA 2016 BPG member 2016 BCA Member 2017 BPG Member 2017 BCA Member Lifetime BPG Member 2019 BCA Member if you are a current member of BCA it will be extended if you wish not to join the BCA and want your membership dues refunded we will refund you. Just contact us. I want to thank Brad Conley, Ken Lisk (as he put most of this together) and the BOD's from the BPG and Mike and Nancy Book, Alan Oldfield, and Brian Clark and the BCA BOD's for accepting the BPG into their fold. This is a win win for both clubs. Regards Sean Ryder
Hmmm, this is an interesting development! I look forward to seeing what this means not only event-wise, but how Cars like mine are welcomed into the BCA fold, as it was made clear to me before that a "highly modified" Street car (not show car) really had no place there. But given the BPG format, with emphasis on the "P"erformance, perhaps this will open new opportunity's indeed. Thanks again Sean and all the BPG BODs for all they've done. Hopefully we all meet again!!
BCA has traveling car shows and activities at a host hotel. How is bpg planning on adding racing to those events? 50 % of bca membership just had a stroke . DL
So if I continue to pay my BPG dues am I going to continue to be a BPG member? Is the BPG going to continue and be a club within a club or does the BPG get sucked up and is now know as part of the BCA? Tom
Who says there has to be Racing at a BCA event. It is about the Performance end of Buick's. The Muscle Cars.. which in BCA Directors feel the BPG can provide that.
The BPG will be heading up the Performance Division of the BCA. The BPG has not solicited anyone to renew since last year as we did not what direction we were going in. If you a current paid member of the BPG you are now a BCA member unless you want a refund.
This all looks good but where does it fit in with the Modified Division of the BCA? As it looks now I am a member of all 3. I attended the BCA National event in Springfield last year and showed in the Modified division. Took a Silver Also served as judged the Riviera class. Although I had many positive comments about my car and the others in my class I could tell that the majority of the membership did not approve. Also did not really care for the way the Modified cars were judged compared to the other regular classes. I dont plan on going to Allentown unless theres something going on other than a meet and greet.
It's been a great ride over the years with the BPG and it's members but I want nothing to do with the BCA and the people running it.Send me a refund. Tom
And that is why the BPG approached the BCA Board and they voted. The BPG will head up a new Division to help change some of the perceptions of the BCA had the past.
Sorry to hear this and that is part of the reason the BPG joined forces with the BCA to change some of those issues. Refunds will be issued to current paid members. Just Contact the BPG via the BPG website and refund will be issued. Please provide BPG member# and current e-mail address.
Please forgive me if I've hit a political nerve but, was there any discussion with the GSCA about a possible merge with them? Richard has been trying to get someone to talk about taking over the GSCA from him for several years. Since the two groups are very performance oriented I should think they might have been able to come up with something that could work.
The simple answer is the BCA and BPG are both non profit organizations. GSCA and GS Nationals are for profit organizations. Legally Tax wise we the BPG could not be involved with either event as we would lose our non profit tax status. There has been discussions between Richard and others about taking over the GSCA in the past and we all know about the past. The best interests of the BPG membership was to pursue joining the BCA.
Time to face the reality of the situation. (Re: BPG joins the BCA) Dear Sean, BPG members, and V-8 Buick community, I feel a need to ask everybody to look over this situation with a level head and an appreciation of the background that led to the Buick Performance Group becoming part of the Buick Club of America. Sean has explained in great detail why the leadership decided to make this change - the status quo was unsustainable. Obviously this is a shocking change and people are entitled to express that shock. People also have their feelings about the Buick Club of America and they are free to act based on those feelings. Nonetheless, I ask you all to show some respect to Sean and the other guys who concluded this was the best course for the Buick Performance Group. It appears that the very survival of the BPG was at stake. Would you all have preferred for it to simply fade away? I think it would be far healthier for everyone to ask the harder question: What has changed so that BPG could no longer continue as it had? The demographics of the country are changing and the cars we love are now around 50 years old. Young people have a very different set of priorities and old cars are looking increasingly to them like station wagons: artifacts of a "dysfunctional society" of our distant past. Whether it is membership in the BPG or the critical mass needed to have new speed parts produced, we need more people interested in Buick muscle cars. That's the discussion that this situation should be encouraging. Edouard
Re: Time to face the reality of the situation. (Re: BPG joins the BCA) Thank you.. Most people do not know what it takes to run a National Club or Event. To run an Event at National Trail averaged around $36,000. Track Rental was about $15,000 Insurance another $3,500 add in T-Shirts.Trophies tickets security at both the track and host Hotels...not to mention the payouts which have always been above other events it all adds up. We provided BBQ's and live Bands cruise ins the ultimate Buick Experience at no extra cost to those that attended. This left us a little to expand. Membership was declining. Attendance was declining. We have yearly overhead, website fee's postage printing etc. We could have raised membership fee's and cost's at gate but the BPG did not feel that was the best option for the Buick Community. Maybe we were to generous and that led us to this point. Our philosophy has been about Buick's and Fun if you were a racer or show car. We tried to provide the best of both worlds. Ultimately joining the BCA was the choice to make. As I stated in another post the BCA is open to the Racing aspect and as the BPG has been there and done that we can help them. I know change is tough. It has only been the first day. This was a tough choice for the BPG the only other option was to close the shop and call it a day. To me and the BPG Directors this was not an option.
Will the BPG website and forums stay active (separate) or will site traffic be redirected to BCA site and BPG shut down?
