What is the LSSRA?
Have you been asked this question? You probably have, and if you answered that it is a statewide association of street rodders you were right. But it’s a lot more than that. LSSRA was formed in March of 1974 with an original sixteen (16) members. In 2011, after a vote by the membership, the Board of Directors voted to include all vehicles manufactured through 1972 in the Association.
What are we doing and why? There are at least six ideas. A brief description of each follows.
Safety…
Safety, as you know, is and will be of increasing importance to rodders everywhere. With current trends in government to legislate against “specialty type vehicles”, it is of the utmost importance for all rodders to be aware of all vehicles requirements and to make sure their car is a suitable example of a “safe” Rod.
At Lone Star runs, and through the “Street light” Newsletter, LSSRA will try to keep its members abreast of the legislative action concerning Texas rodders. Also, the association will work to encourage safe and courteous driving among its members in order to showcase our sport and make it an example for all drivers to follow. It takes only one bad example to ruin the image of hundreds of good rodders. If we keep our act clean, it helps rodding on the local, state, and national levels.
Recognition…
Recognition is an important part of rodding today. On the national level, NSRA is working to help rodders in areas pertaining to vehicle legislation, public image, etc. LSSRA intends to provide the same recognition in these areas on the state level, in addition to providing recognition within NSRA itself and the NSRA Nationals. Being recognized as an organized group of enthusiasts can only help to better our cause in the state.
Participation…
What can you say about participation? LSSRA seeks to encourage participation in all phases of our sport. Anything from attending runs, helping in benefit drives, even to contributing to the newsletter. We encourage participation because its fun and you get something out of it. It gets down to the old adage that you get out of something what you put into it, and that includes street rodding!
Promotion…
Promoting rodding is an important job to all street rodders. Acceptance by the public, the government, and other rodders is often dependent on this. It serves to better our image. Promotion of rodding can be as simple as driving your rod around town, or as complicated as trying to convince a legislator that a certain piece of legislation would be impractical. It’s a job we have to do to survive.
Coordination…
This is one of the two most sought after goals of LSSRA. There are many clubs in Texas. All of these clubs usually try to host some kind of event (be it a rod run, car show, whatever), at some time or another. Throw in the NSRA Nationals and the Divisional Events and there are a lot of street rodding activities going on every year.
Without some coordination of schedules, it’s possible to have three or four events on the same day. Coordination of these events also includes clubs helping out one another on producing these events. With large runs like the Divisional Events, it is a must. The idea is this, instead of everyone working against one another; every one will work together through Lone Star Street Rod Association.
Communication…
This is the other primary goal of LSSRA. Communication is the means of accomplishing all other goals. By organization of all Texas Rodders, you improve communications between them. In this way, you get ideas from all types of rodders all over the state. Through LSSRA you meet and get to know fellow rodders you might never have known. The “Street Light” Newsletter is designed to be the sounding board of the association when used by its membership. Communication is the key to an effective association.
These are the basic goals of LSSRA. They will be accomplished not by any individual or small group of individuals. It will take an effort, be it large or small, by every member and club to make the association workable and beneficial to Texas Street Rodders.