As most competitors will now know, Michael Lindsay will stand down as championship co-ordinator for the BRSCC Alfashop Alfa Romeo Championship at the end of the year.

For those that haven't seen it, here is the letter that Michael sent last week to competitors, preparers and friends of the championship.

I am delighted to have been asked by the panel to take over the role of co-ordinator for the 2012 season. For those of you that don't know me, or my history with the championship, please CLICK HERE for my ARCA CV.

To follow Michael as co-ordinator, after 30 years performing the role, is a daunting task - luckily I have the support of a very strong panel and an understanding wife & family! I would like to thank them for their support and of course for the support and help Michael has been providing. However it is a task I take very seriously - the fact that after competing in the series for 22 of the past 23 years I am no longer eligible to race in the championship is evidence of this.

As Michael indicated in his letter, many club championships, including ours, are going through a tough time. I am committed to making every effort to safeguard the future of this championship and also ARCA's independence.

We have recently had a panel meeting, with me at the helm and Michael in his new role as panel member. The meeting was very positive and allowed me to discuss some of my ideas for strengthening the championship with all of the panel. Over the coming weeks we shall be making some of these plans and initiatives public as we formalise them and start to initiate them. We have a lot to achieve and at the moment our priorities are to get as many cars on the grid in 2012, particularly competitors that we have not seen for a few years. My other priority is to reduce costs, both to ARCA, and more importantly, to the competitors for 2012. I also want to make efforts to provide our sponsors, both existing and new, with greater exposure and to feel more involved.

I plan for ARCA to be a more transparent organisation, with better communication. Taking into account the transparency and the desire to reduce costs I want it to be known that I have no intention of taking any payment for performing any of the roles I do for ARCA. I may occasionally claim appropriate expenses if any extra-ordinary costs need to be met but I do not consider traveling to any of the championship rounds to be extra-ordinary.

To help with communication I have already implemented one small improvement. Anyone who wishes to contact the panel, perhaps with an offer of help, a request for a regulation clarification or to air a grievance can do so using a new email address - any email sent to panel@alfaracer.com will be delivered to all panel members. Please make use of this if you want to contact the whole panel.

One of my first objectives is to speak to as many drivers and preparers as I can to hear their views on the championship, ways they think we can improve it and what they can do to help us make the championship better for all those who compete in it. All I would ask is that people remember that resources, both time and money, are limited and that all suggestions should take into account "the bigger picture" - it's the championship I'm interested in and not one drivers desire to make his / her car more competitive!

As a panel we also realise that we are lacking in some of the skills we need to cover all aspects of the tasks we have identified. Therefore we will, over the coming months, be appealing to drivers, their partners, preparers and supporters for assistance with specific roles that we are in the process of identifying. If you think you, or a member of your team or family, can assist the panel with any of these tasks then please let me know. Also if you think you have skills, and just as importantly spare time, that the championship could make use of then again please let me know.

Finally, for now, I'm trying to update our contacts database of people involved with the championship - again drivers (past, present & future), team members, preparers & supporters. I would ask you all to take a few minutes to click on the link below and complete the online form. The details will allow me to build up a database of contacts and to get some idea of your plans for 2012. This list will not be made available to any 3rd parties.

To kick off with the news and the 2012 season - we can confirm that we will have a car on the BRSCC stand at the Autosport International show from Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th January 2012. I intend to be on the stand for the duration of the show. Please come along for a chat about the championship. Don't forget that current BRSCC members qualify for a FREE ticket.

Details of our plans for 2012 will start to appear on both the website and our Twitter account very soon. I hope you will find some of the announcements refreshing & encouraging and that they will make you keen to race in the championship in 2012.