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Leadership Issues Cloud TBARA's Future
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An internal power struggle among leadership of the Tampa Bay Area Racing Association could spell the end of the 41-year-old sprint car racing club.
The TBARA, a club that sanctions asphalt sprint car racing at various Florida short tracks, is in limbo as TBARA President Buff Fritz and TBARA Vice President Josh Wichers are at odds over the group’s future.
On Jan. 10 Fritz held what has been described as an emergency meeting in order to elect new board members to replace departing ones. However, according to Fritz, no one stepped up to replace those departing board members. As a result, Fritz says a decision was made to put club activities on hold until new board members could be selected.
“Basically what has happened is the club is kind of in a dormant stage,” Fritz told SPEED SPORT. “By no means are we giving up or closing down. We’re looking to get some new officers to take over my position and some other guys (positions). No one wanted to step up to the plate, so what we’ve done is put everything in a hold situation. We’ll go back sprint car racing if and when we can get some people to take over the club and run it in a positive direction.”
Wichers, however, tells a different story. Wichers told SPEED SPORT that TBARA bylaws require a 30-day notice prior to holding a club meeting. Wichers said there was only nine days’ notice prior to the Jan. 10 gathering.
“Our president (Fritz) and our treasurer (Rex Hollinger) decided they were going to have a meeting without me,” Wichers said. “They are calling it an emergency meeting. They thought they put everything on hold, but in our rules and bylaws we have to give everybody 30 days (notice for a meeting) and they gave everybody like nine, kind of getting the people there that they wanted there and not everybody.”
The confusion surrounding the status of the TBARA has led to scheduled races at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., that were to be held during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing in February to be canceled.
“New Smyrna basically said we don’t want to get in the middle of this war, so we’re not going to have sprint cars period,” Wichers said.
Fritz said he hasn’t spoken to New Smyrna Speedway owner and promoter Robert Hart, so he was unable to comment on the cancelation of the TBARA events.
Fritz said that Wichers is no longer an active member of the TBARA and Wichers has said the same about Fritz. Fritz told SPEED SPORT he remains the acting president of the TBARA.
“Josh is no longer any type of officer with our club. Josh has no say so whatsoever regarding TBARA business,” Fritz said. “For the betterment of the club I’ve had to make a stand. Josh is just not working as a team player anymore.
“Josh Wichers has nothing to do with the series anymore. Nothing. None,” Fritz said.
Wichers said Fritz resigned during the emergency meeting on Jan. 10, making him the interim TBARA president based on club bylaws.
“He (Fritz) actually resigned at that emergency meeting,” said Wichers. “I guess I would be, by our bylaws, the interim president. They are still trying to control it even though they don’t want the control.”
Fritz confirmed to SPEED SPORT that former Indy car racer Davey Hamilton has approached the TBARA about bringing Hamilton’s King of the Wing Sprint Car Shootout asphalt sprint car series to Florida.
“He’d like to have a branch of that in the Southeast here in Florida. He has approached us about that,” said Fritz.
Both Fritz and Wichers made it well known that neither wants the TBARA to close shop. They both want the tour to continue its 41-year legacy well into the future.
“I really don’t want to throw away 41 years of history,” said Wichers. “My ultimate goal is to keep the group together. We’ve had 41 good years minus a little glitch in the late ’70s. Other than that, the club has been 41 years strong and I’d hate to see that go away.”
“The bottom line is our club is still solid. We have money in the bank. We have procedures in places. We’ve got all of our assets, our trailer, all of our tech supplies, tools, safety supplies, everything that we’d normally have,” Fritz said. “It’s just that right now we’re looking for some leadership. We’re just looking for some new blood to take it over.
“It’s not closed down. It’s just kind of pulled its arms in and gone dormant until we can get a strong administrative staff to take the club to the next level,” Fritz said.
SPEED SPORT first became aware of this story when a Jan. 12 posting on the club’s Facebook page indicated that all TBARA activities had been placed on hold. SPEED SPORT reported that news and was contacted by Wichers, who declared the story to be false and asked for a retraction.
The TBARA, a club that sanctions asphalt sprint car racing at various Florida short tracks, is in limbo as TBARA President Buff Fritz and TBARA Vice President Josh Wichers are at odds over the group’s future.
On Jan. 10 Fritz held what has been described as an emergency meeting in order to elect new board members to replace departing ones. However, according to Fritz, no one stepped up to replace those departing board members. As a result, Fritz says a decision was made to put club activities on hold until new board members could be selected.
“Basically what has happened is the club is kind of in a dormant stage,” Fritz told SPEED SPORT. “By no means are we giving up or closing down. We’re looking to get some new officers to take over my position and some other guys (positions). No one wanted to step up to the plate, so what we’ve done is put everything in a hold situation. We’ll go back sprint car racing if and when we can get some people to take over the club and run it in a positive direction.”
Wichers, however, tells a different story. Wichers told SPEED SPORT that TBARA bylaws require a 30-day notice prior to holding a club meeting. Wichers said there was only nine days’ notice prior to the Jan. 10 gathering.
“Our president (Fritz) and our treasurer (Rex Hollinger) decided they were going to have a meeting without me,” Wichers said. “They are calling it an emergency meeting. They thought they put everything on hold, but in our rules and bylaws we have to give everybody 30 days (notice for a meeting) and they gave everybody like nine, kind of getting the people there that they wanted there and not everybody.”
The confusion surrounding the status of the TBARA has led to scheduled races at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., that were to be held during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing in February to be canceled.
“New Smyrna basically said we don’t want to get in the middle of this war, so we’re not going to have sprint cars period,” Wichers said.
Fritz said he hasn’t spoken to New Smyrna Speedway owner and promoter Robert Hart, so he was unable to comment on the cancelation of the TBARA events.
Fritz said that Wichers is no longer an active member of the TBARA and Wichers has said the same about Fritz. Fritz told SPEED SPORT he remains the acting president of the TBARA.
“Josh is no longer any type of officer with our club. Josh has no say so whatsoever regarding TBARA business,” Fritz said. “For the betterment of the club I’ve had to make a stand. Josh is just not working as a team player anymore.
“Josh Wichers has nothing to do with the series anymore. Nothing. None,” Fritz said.
Wichers said Fritz resigned during the emergency meeting on Jan. 10, making him the interim TBARA president based on club bylaws.
“He (Fritz) actually resigned at that emergency meeting,” said Wichers. “I guess I would be, by our bylaws, the interim president. They are still trying to control it even though they don’t want the control.”
Fritz confirmed to SPEED SPORT that former Indy car racer Davey Hamilton has approached the TBARA about bringing Hamilton’s King of the Wing Sprint Car Shootout asphalt sprint car series to Florida.
“He’d like to have a branch of that in the Southeast here in Florida. He has approached us about that,” said Fritz.
Both Fritz and Wichers made it well known that neither wants the TBARA to close shop. They both want the tour to continue its 41-year legacy well into the future.
“I really don’t want to throw away 41 years of history,” said Wichers. “My ultimate goal is to keep the group together. We’ve had 41 good years minus a little glitch in the late ’70s. Other than that, the club has been 41 years strong and I’d hate to see that go away.”
“The bottom line is our club is still solid. We have money in the bank. We have procedures in places. We’ve got all of our assets, our trailer, all of our tech supplies, tools, safety supplies, everything that we’d normally have,” Fritz said. “It’s just that right now we’re looking for some leadership. We’re just looking for some new blood to take it over.
“It’s not closed down. It’s just kind of pulled its arms in and gone dormant until we can get a strong administrative staff to take the club to the next level,” Fritz said.
SPEED SPORT first became aware of this story when a Jan. 12 posting on the club’s Facebook page indicated that all TBARA activities had been placed on hold. SPEED SPORT reported that news and was contacted by Wichers, who declared the story to be false and asked for a retraction.
