Just a couple of hours after the news officially broke that IMSA COO Scott Atherton was to leave his post at the end of 2019 there was the opportunity for a small group of long-time series-following media to have an opportunity to join Scott on the phone for a Q&A Conference call.
It was an excellent opportunity to look back at Scott’s time at the helm of first the ALMS and latterly IMSA and on the background to the decisions
How long has this decision been in the making?
“The dialogue, honestly, it goes back more than a year.
“I had approached Jim France and Ed Bennett more than a year ago, with the idea of crafting a succession plan. And I actually have used the ACO model as my benchmark, because whenever there’s a change of presidency or of the CEO, they always name a lieutenant, and that person spends at least a year travelling attending, mirroring the existing president.
“We weren’t able to pull that off. And after much discussion, it was concluded that I would remain through the 2019 season, which obviously coincided with our 50th anniversary, it didn’t take much for me to do I do agree.
“I mean, I love what I do, I still have a passion for it.
“Many have asked me what’s the motivation? Why are you making this change? I think I’ve outlasted every sanctioning body president that I’m aware of in this position, is a very taxing role to be in. I’ve been in this industry for 34 years, I’ve been married for 32 years. And my wife, Nancy informed me that she was tired of waiting. And a change was needed. And I was very candid, saying the only way that my schedule will change is I’m no longer doing what I’m doing.
“So there’s no more to the story. It’s completely my choice. There’s no other action or force involved. It’s all, as somebody put it, on my terms.”
You mentioned that you’re going to be staying as a liaison to the ACO. What do you anticipate that role being and how will you keep in close relation to the ACO?
“I’ve got deep roots with to ACO, the title of the very beginning of the American model, everything when Don Panoz crafted that relationship.
“I think I’ve been through three ACO presidents if my math is correct, and we have a very strong bond with that group. And the goal is to keep that and continue building it.
“I think my role will be very similar to what it is today as it relates to the steering committee that exists that is composed of Pierre Fillon, Gerard Neveu, Jim France, Ed Bennett and myself.
“The capacity that I’m in now (with the Steering Group) will remain intact.
“I don’t have a gun to my head from my wife. That’s not the case at all. I think there’s been a couple of life events that have occurred for me, without getting too personal. I lost a brother in law recently who was very healthy and very vibrant. I considered him the brother I never had. And it is a bit of a wake-up call. There’s a lot of things that I’ve been putting off for a long, long time that I’m looking forward to embracing.”
Do you have any sort of a personal highlight? What would you say is your biggest achievement?
“Without question, it is the crafting of the process and ultimately, the coming to fruition of the merging of what was the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am road racing.
“Having started that dialogue myself with Jim France approaching me, the two of us having some very private, off-site meetings, even before I raised it to Don’s attention, and really having the outline of what a merged entity would be scribbled out on a yellow pad before going in to talk to Don about what what was potentially capable of happening.
“Without question that is the highlight. And I would say the second highlight is the outcome of that merger and what we’ve been able to do with IMSA as a whole since then when I told the staff this morning, it’s been seven years, believe it or not almost eight, since that merger occurred. And to me, it’s been the most rewarding, satisfying period of my career.”
Are we going to see you doing anything else in the sport?
“ I don’t have an educated answer for you. today. I have had many phone calls, emails, texts and that question is probably the most common thread to all of them.
“I’m not resigning or retiring from IMSA so that I can move to an alternative role at this time. I need to take a bit of a break, as I said that this job is an extremely difficult and onerous position.
“I’m thrilled by who we have selected as my successor. And you know, to use the western analogy, the cowboy analogy. It’s time for fresh horses.
“I’m confident that IMSA will continue to grow and prosper. It’s never been in a better place. With a lot of good things locked and loaded for the long term, title sponsorship, broadcast relationship, OEM involvement, all these things are at really high water marks right now.”
You mentioned your successor, has he or she been picked? And we’re just waiting to get the announcement at the end of the year? Or is that process still going on?
“The announcement will be after the end of the season. Our original schedule for this announcement was to have it occur the week of Petit Le Mans. There was enough rumour circulating the paddock in Monterey though, and my commitment to myself from the start of this process was that I wanted to be able to communicate this appropriately, properly and most especially to the staff and the people closest to me that they would hear it from me and not from someone else or read about it elsewhere.
“So when it became clear over last weekend at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca that enough people, for whatever reason, had been made aware, we made the decision to accelerate this announcement to today. But we will not affect the original schedule of when the rest of the story comes, that will be shortly after the end of the season.”
It’s been a long time at the top of the sport – Any regrets?
“Honestly there’s no regret that stands out.
“There’s been some low watermarks.
“There was a single 24 hour period where our previously announced scheduled, contracted sanction agreement in place event in Mexico City was cancelled and our second-year return to Washington DC was cancelled. All within, as I say, a 24 hour period and on short notice. The other example and this is humorous now but it was devastating at the time. It was Thanksgiving Day when my cellphone rang. And I looked down at the screen and it was Dr Ullrich, the head of motorsport for Audi.
“And the first words were ‘Scott, there’s something wrong with your phone system. I keep trying to dial your office, and there’s no answer.’
“I explained to him that it was Thanksgiving Day holiday here in the States and the office was closed. And for that reason, no answer. And he paused for about one second and said, Well, unfortunately, I have bad news. I’m calling to tell you that Audi is withdrawing from the American Le Mans Series effective immediately. No discussion, nothing else to be said, you know, we’re out.
“And that was a Thanksgiving holiday. That I remember it as if it happened yesterday. But I remember nothing else of that entire period because I was immediately in the fog.
“So those are two, I guess regrettable examples, but nothing that I look back on and you know, my dad had a great saying the only things I regret is the things I didn’t do. And in this industry there’s that’s a shortlist for me.”
Scott, what advice would you give to your successor?
“Stay humble. Stay passionate. Listen to your customers. They’re never wrong. Listen to your fans, they’re never wrong. And remain close to the heart of the sport. This is a job that requires a lot of shoe leather.
“And make yourself a target. Attend the team managers meetings, attend the driver’s meetings, walk a paddock and make yourself a target.
“You’ll be surprised pleasantly of some of the good advice that you’ll pick up along the way. And it’s the rare example of ideas and things that we’ve implemented within this sport that hasn’t come from positive constructive feedback. Some of it from fans, some of it from teams, some of it from promoters, it runs the gamut. But yeah, it’s not a job that’s, that is successful, successfully done from the office.”
Don’t you have to find yourself a hobby now?
“I honestly can say it’s a daunting situation there. There is no plan at this moment other than to take a breath, take a breather. There’s a long list of things that have been on the to-do list. I won’t go through them now. It’s a bit personal if you can imagine, but, I’m looking forward to embracing a lot of diversity that this job has defined me, and every
moment of my waking hours for as long as I can remember.
“In 34 years in this industry, I’ve moved 14 times, always for the right reasons, always for the opportunity. Looking back over the course of those many years.
“I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s been a wonderful, wonderful experience and so many people that have enabled me to achieve whatever it could be described. As, you know, career-wise, and I’ve heard from many of them today already.
“I’m so humbled and grounded like never before in getting the response that I’ve had from around the world. Word travels fast.”
