What separates a good communicator from a great communicator?In this episode of Inside the SCCA, Brian Bielanski sits down with Nikki Prevenas, veteran Flag Chief and Race Control Communicator, to break down how effective communication keeps drivers safe and races running smoothly.From radio etiquette and landlines vs radios, to training new communicators, staying calm during major incidents, and real-world role-play scenarios from Road America, this episode is a must-watch for:New SCCA flaggers & communicatorsExperienced workers looking to sharpen their race control skillsDrivers who want insight into how calls are made behind the scenesYou’ll hear exactly what race control needs to know, how to say it, and why calm communication matters more than anything else—even when cars are upside down and on fire.👉 Whether you’re working a regional at Blackhawk Farms or a Runoffs-level event, this episode gives you practical, transferable skills you can use immediately.Watch until the end for live communication role-play and breakdowns of good vs bad radio calls.Instagram: @trnupdates Twitter: @TRN_Updates TikTok: trn_updates Twitch: @greybeardsimracer Partners - A big thank you to our partners who help make Inside the SCCA possible! William R. Pintaric and Associates. David Pintaric is a long-time SCCA racer. He's also the Principal at the investment and financial planning firm William R. Pintaric and Associates. Check them out at https://www.wrpintaric.com/ Solo Performance Specialties - Learn more at https://soloperformance.com/ – Check out SPS for all your autocross racing needs. Babyface Fabrication – https://www.babyfacefabrication.com/ – Josh has two decades of experience as a fabricator, most recently working for championship winning NASCAR teams. He has more than 70 wins in the top three NASCAR series, along with multiple championships and a little success racing his own cars and snowmobiles. Full Send Sims – The Official Sim Rig of Inside the SCCA. https://fullsendsims.com/ Ray Esports is the official sim racing league of the Inside the SCCA podcasts -- from the "Unofficial SCCA eSports Racing Leagues on Tuesday nights, to the weekend warrior leagues on Saturday and Sunday. Go to rayesportsracing.com for all the info you need. About Brian: Brian has lived a parallel life of motorsports and journalism for more than 30 years. He started in motorsports in 1986 as his father’s 16-year-old “crew chief” on SCCA FV, Sports Renault and IT Honda CRX efforts. He has also competed in, and plans to compete again, in SCCA Club racing, Autocross and Road Rally. He's an award winning journalist who has worked in news in network staff positions with CNN and CBS and local news in seven markets from LaCrosse, Wisconsin to New York and Los Angeles. In 2009 he founded RacingWire, one of the first web-only motorsports news services given credentialed access at NASCAR, IndyCar, and NHRA events. He currently hosts several podcasts including “Inside the SCCA” and is an editor/producer for KNX 97.1FM NewsRadio in Los Angeles.

Ever wonder how grassroots motorsports clubs like the SCCA keep the tires turning? In this final episode of our three-part series, SCCA VP Hayward Wagner dives deep into the growth engine that is Track Night in America and the enduring culture of SCCA Autocross (Solo). We pull back the curtain on how these programs became the largest participation events in the club. Learn the core philosophy behind Track Night's massive success ("Fastest way to get on track") and the biggest challenge facing the SCCA: inventory (finding available racetracks!). Plus, Wagner addresses the biggest Autocross debate—the challenges of rule evolution and the future of the Solo Nationals at Lincoln. If you love driving your car on the edge or want to see where the next generation of racers comes from, this is a must-watch!Hit 'Like' and subscribe for more exclusive SCCA insights!#SCCA #TrackNightInAmerica #Autocross #Solo #Motorsports #TrackDay #SCCAClubRacing #funwithcars Instagram: @trnupdates Twitter: @TRN_Updates TikTok: trn_updates Twitch: @greybeardsimracerPartners - A big thank you to our partners who help make Inside the SCCA possible! William R. Pintaric and Associates. David Pintaric is a long-time SCCA racer. He's also the Principal at the investment and financial planning firm William R. Pintaric and Associates. Check them out at https://www.wrpintaric.com/ Solo Performance Specialties - Learn more at https://soloperformance.com/ – Check out SPS for all your autocross racing needs. Babyface Fabrication – https://www.babyfacefabrication.com/ – Josh has two decades of experience as a fabricator, most recently working for championship winning NASCAR teams. He has more than 70 wins in the top three NASCAR series, along with multiple championships and a little success racing his own cars and snowmobiles. Full Send Sims – The Official Sim Rig of Inside the SCCA. https://fullsendsims.com/ Ray Esports is the official sim racing league of the Inside the SCCA podcasts -- from the "Unofficial SCCA eSports Racing Leagues on Tuesday nights, to the weekend warrior leagues on Saturday and Sunday. Go to rayesportsracing.com for all the info you need. About Brian: Brian has lived a parallel life of motorsports and journalism for more than 30 years. He started in motorsports in 1986 as his father’s 16-year-old “crew chief” on SCCA FV, Sports Renault and IT Honda CRX efforts. He has also competed in, and plans to compete again, in SCCA Club racing, Autocross and Road Rally. He's an award winning journalist who has worked in news in network staff positions with CNN and CBS and local news in seven markets from LaCrosse, Wisconsin to New York and Los Angeles. In 2009 he founded RacingWire, one of the first web-only motorsports news services given credentialed access at NASCAR, IndyCar, and NHRA events. He currently hosts several podcasts including “Inside the SCCA” and is an editor/producer for KNX 97.1FM NewsRadio in Los Angeles.

What happens when Gridlife, Global Time Attack, and SCCA all start working together?

In this episode of Inside the SCCA, host Brian Bielanski sits down again with Heyward Wagner, Senior Director of Rally/Solo and Experiential Programs at SCCA, to dive deep into how programs like Time Trials, Targa, and RallyCross are reshaping grassroots motorsports.

💥 From the upcoming Time Trials National Championship in 2026, to how Target events could become the ultimate “motorsports road trip,” this episode unpacks how SCCA is evolving to give drivers more seat time, more tracks, and more community than ever before.If you’ve ever wondered where SCCA fits in today’s motorsports landscape — and how it’s learning from the likes of Gridlife and Global Time Attack — this one’s for you.

🎧 Topics Covered:

How SCCA reinvented Time Trials for accessibility and competition

The “One Team” concept behind the next generation of events

What the 2026 Time Trials Nationals might look like

Targa : the perfect program for busy racers and “soccer-parent” schedules

Collaboration with Gridlife & GTA — not competition, but cooperation

The future of multi-track, multi-day events that bring the community together

👇 Tell us below: What track do YOU think Heyward teased for that secret Texas event? One lucky commenter will win a special Inside the SCCA care package!

📅 Subscribe so you don’t miss Part 3 with Heyward, covering Track Night and Solo!

#SCCA #TimeTrials #Gridlife #GlobalTimeAttack #GrassrootsMotorsports #InsideTheSCCA #RacingCommunity #Autocross #TrackDay #MotorsportPodcast

Instagram: @trnupdates

Twitter: @TRN_Updates

TikTok: trn_updates

Twitch: @greybeardsimracer

Partners - A big thank you to our partners who help make Inside the SCCA possible!

William R. Pintaric and Associates. David Pintaric is a long-time SCCA racer. He's also the Principal at the investment and financial planning firm William R. Pintaric and Associates. Check them out at https://www.wrpintaric.com/

Solo Performance Specialties - Learn more at https://soloperformance.com/ – Check out SPS for all your autocross racing needs.

Babyface Fabrication – https://www.babyfacefabrication.com/ – Josh has two decades of experience as a fabricator, most recently working for championship winning NASCAR teams. He has more than 70 wins in the top three NASCAR series, along with multiple championships and a little success racing his own cars and snowmobiles.

Full Send Sims – The Official Sim Rig of Inside the SCCA. https://fullsendsims.com/

Ray Esports is the official sim racing league of the Inside the SCCA podcasts -- from the "Unofficial SCCA eSports Racing Leagues on Tuesday nights, to the weekend warrior leagues on Saturday and Sunday. Go to rayesportsracing.com for all the info you need.

About Brian: Brian has lived a parallel life of motorsports and journalism for more than 30 years. He started in motorsports in 1986 as his father’s 16-year-old “crew chief” on SCCA FV, Sports Renault and IT Honda CRX efforts. He has also competed in, and plans to compete again, in SCCA Club racing, Autocross and Road Rally. He's an award winning journalist who has worked in news in network staff positions with CNN and CBS and local news in seven markets from LaCrosse, Wisconsin to New York and Los Angeles. In 2009 he founded RacingWire, one of the first web-only motorsports news services given credentialed access at NASCAR, IndyCar, and NHRA events. He currently hosts several podcasts including “Inside the SCCA” and is an editor/producer for KNX 97.1FM NewsRadio in Los Angeles.

n this special three-part Inside the SCCA series, host Brian Bielanski sits down with SCCA VP of Experiential Programs Hayward Wagner for a deep, candid dive into the club’s “street car first” programs — Hill Climb, Road Rally, Track Night, Time Trials, and Solo.

In this first installment, Brian and Hayward talk about the soul of grassroots motorsports — how SCCA connects everyday enthusiasts to dream events like Pikes Peak and Baja 1000, why Hill Climbs are booming, and how SCCA events fuel local communities across America.

It’s a behind-the-scenes look at how the SCCA keeps motorsports accessible, relevant, and just plain fun — whether you’re a first-timer in your street car or chasing championships at the Runoffs.

Instagram: @trnupdates

Twitter: @TRN_Updates

TikTok: trn_updates

Twitch: @greybeardsimracer

Partners - A big thank you to our partners who help make Inside the SCCA possible! William R. Pintaric and Associates. David Pintaric is a long-time SCCA racer. He's also the Principal at the investment and financial planning firm William R. Pintaric and Associates. Check them out at https://www.wrpintaric.com/

Solo Performance Specialties - Learn more at https://soloperformance.com/ – Check out SPS for all your autocross racing needs.

Babyface Fabrication – https://www.babyfacefabrication.com/ – Josh has two decades of experience as a fabricator, most recently working for championship winning NASCAR teams. He has more than 70 wins in the top three NASCAR series, along with multiple championships and a little success racing his own cars and snowmobiles.

Full Send Sims – The Official Sim Rig of Inside the SCCA. https://fullsendsims.com/

Ray Esports is the official sim racing league of the Inside the SCCA podcasts -- from the "Unofficial SCCA eSports Racing Leagues on Tuesday nights, to the weekend warrior leagues on Saturday and Sunday. Go to rayesportsracing.com for all the info you need.

5About Brian: Brian has lived a parallel life of motorsports and journalism for more than 30 years. He started in motorsports in 1986 as his father’s 16-year-old “crew chief” on SCCA FV, Sports Renault and IT Honda CRX efforts. He has also competed in, and plans to compete again, in SCCA Club racing, Autocross and Road Rally. He's an award winning journalist who has worked in news in network staff positions with CNN and CBS and local news in seven markets from LaCrosse, Wisconsin to New York and Los Angeles. In 2009 he founded RacingWire, one of the first web-only motorsports news services given credentialed access at NASCAR, IndyCar, and NHRA events. He currently hosts several podcasts including “Inside the SCCA” and is an editor/producer for KNX 97.1FM NewsRadio in Los Angeles.

Go behind the scenes with 7-time National Champion Jesse Prather and Mazda Motorsports’ Senior Manager Jonathan Applegate as we uncover the passion, precision, and people driving success in grassroots racing. From one-man engine shops to 100+ Mazdas storming Road America, this episode dives into: How Jesse Prather builds championship-winning engines with unmatched attention to detail. Why Mazda Motorsports invests so heavily in grassroots racing. The evolution from rotary legends to Spec MX-5 dominance.What’s next for Mazda’s racing future — and how competitors are welcome to join.