Team WTF?! member BahnBaum won the coveted WDCR Ron Katona Spirit of the Sport Award for the 2006 season. This award is given to somebody in the Washington, DC Region Solo community who not only enjoys the sport, but is also willing to help others to share in the experience.  The award is named for Ron Katona, who passed away in 2004.  He was a very well respected member of the local autocross community who was never without extra time to help others.  BahnBaum's time spent standing around the parking lot at FedEx Field (and other locations at non-WDCR events) in the hot sun, driving rain, and everything in between to try to get photos of everyone and making them available to the community were recognized with this award. Previous winners of the award were Greg Obadia (who later became a reluctant Team WTF?! inductee) for 2004 and John Dacrema for 2005.

The award presentation was made at the annual WDCR awards banquet in Falls Church, VA on January 20,2007. The bulk of Team WTF?!, including BahnBaum, was confined for the dinner portion of the banquet to the table in the very far corner, furthest away from the podium.  Team WTF?! doesn't know for sure, but they suspect that they may also have been given some special WTF?! beef for dinner. They believe that it was special since whoever cooked it clearly didn't want anyone to see its insides.  If they had, they surely would have provided chainsaws strong enough to cut into it instead of the whimpy little table knives.

The actual presentation of the award was not without a Team WTF?! element or two.  The makings of a true Team WTF?! moment were put into place as the final awards were beginning to be announced, BahnBaum left the room before he could be stopped to make a phone call.  If the award had been presented before he returned, it would have been one of the most classic Team WTF?! stories to tell in the coming ages, but instead the next best thing happened.  According to Clyde, "Whoever was at the podium said that the awards were done.  They were over.  Of course, those that knew what was supposed to be coming were mumbling, 'WTF?!' to themselves...and responding with, 'what are you gonna do?'" :dunno: 

But Craig Garfield eventually made it to the microphone and began the presentation of the Ron Katona Spirit of the Sport Award.  Back at the Team WTF?! table, they could barely hear what was going on. From the other side of the wall that that they were wedged up against, there was a wedding reception going on and the blaring music drowned out most of the comments being made from the dais.  BahnBaum described it thusly:

I heard Craig mention "worker chief" and then I heard "pictures" and I thought, "Great, they're going to give the award to Clyde for all of the photos I've taken.  And you know what's funny?  I was really excited for him to get it.  I turned my head to look at Clyde and he had a camera in my face as Craig said my name.  I was shocked.  I was stunned.  And the flash went off on the camera and, to be perfectly honest, I think I wet myself a little.

BahnBaum at the exact moment of his recognition that he had won the Ron Katona Spirit of the Sport Award 

BahnBaum went on to say that, "this award means more to me than anyone may ever know. It's very nice to be recognized by the community and I am very humbled. Thank you to everyone involved." 

Team WTF?! recognizes BahnBaum and his efforts every day, and expresses its sincerest and most heartfelt congratulations for his accomplishment.