Drag Illustrated Issue 132, May 2018 | Page 86

NMCA name manufacturers and companies like Nitrous Oxide Systems and Edelbrock stepped up for sponsorship. While NMRA was flourishing, the NMCA (which had been established in 1988 by Russ Smeltniks) was facing an uncertain future and had changed hands several times as a result. Wolcott received an offer to purchase the orga- nization, and he did not hesitate to say yes. In early 2005, NMRA’s parent company, ProMe- dia Publishing, officially took over the NMCA and helped shape the sanctioning body into the world-class series that it is today. Over the years, the NMRA and NMCA have grown tremendously and led the way in street-le- gal drag racing and events and publishing, but it wasn’t just through Wolcott’s wisdom. A major transition in 2013 inspired Wolcott to rebuild the team, and he chose to surround himself with a top-quality group of people who are dedicated to the sport of drag racing and carry with them an incredible abundance of information and expertise. “We brought on Rollie Miller, our national event director, and Gene Bergstrom, who works as our operations director and has 30-plus years of experience with NHRA. Mike Galimi takes point on our marketing and editorial con- tent, and lots of other great people with a passion for the sport,” Wolcott elaborates of the group that makes his associations great. ROLLIE MILLER GENE BERGSTROM 86 | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com Wolcott carefully selects each member of the ProMedia family to ensure there’s a great blend of firsthand experience with racing as well as a solid business sense for how things should be run in a professional manner. He also isn’t afraid to be in the trenches with his staff and puts in long days while retaining his positive outlook and trademark optimism. He is a leader helping to pull with his team through encouragement and example, not a boss who sits back and just pushes. The persons (and personalities) behind the scenes are integral to both NMRA and NMCA’s success, and Wolcott focuses on continuous im- provement as much as possible. Investing in his team ultimately means a better overall experi- ence for his racers, and Wolcott hired on TJ “El Prepe” Bailey (later succeeded by Jake Green) as ProMedia’s official starter. Kurt Johnson of Total Venue Concepts was brought on board to provide exceptional track prep services, and quality technical directors, including Lonnie Grim and Dave Werremeyer, make sure that everyone stays safe and legal. Wolcott credits Norwalk, Ohio’s Bader family for much of his inspiration and motivation behind providing a world-class customer service experi- ence to racers and fans at his events. “I was blown away by Bill Bader Jr.’s attention to detail with customer service and how he runs his events, and my goal with the NMRA and NMCA was to be what Summit Motorsports Park is to venues but Issue 132