St. Louis Region Sports Car Club of America
Have you ever seen corner workers doing their thing on TV? Usually dressed in white, these are the guys and gals that work at every turn on a Road Race Course Communicating on radios with Race Control, and with the drivers using Flags; hence the "specialty" name of 'race officials' known as "Flagging and Communications" - or "F&C".
But they may be doing even more. Depending on the sanctioning body, the track, and the experience and desire of the individual; they also function as the "1st Responders" to an 'incident', and perhaps the only response to the scene. You may see them running with fire bottles chasing burning cars, physically helping cars get back on track, assessing a vehicle's ability to resume, assisting drivers from their car, and assisting "Fire Rescue" or "Safety", and "Medical" staff with all their own functions. We sometimes call this "Playing in Traffic" and can be a real boost for an 'adrenalin junky'. But we NEVER require a person to perform any task they are not comfortable with or trained to do; so each individual can participate at their very own level.
This means that on the track you will find young and old, male or female, able bodied or handicapped, and each can still provide necessary skills. Some folks love to flag and radio but do not get out of the 'Bunker' (positive protection from race traffic). Others may not like to be on the radio and just flag, or even prefer to just 'run' as the first person on the scene. While in Oval Racing a Yellow Flag controls the whole track, Road Racing uses "Local" Yellows for the turn where there is an 'incident' - while the rest of the course remains "Green", and for the Yellow Flag area - drivers must be safe and prudent - but the only restriction is "NO PASSING". The cars need not even slow down and racing goes on!
Locally the St. Louis Region of SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) is accepting applicants for this position and is funding incentives for those who want to try it out. SCCA requires that all persons in "Hot" areas (like working corners) be Club Members and we can provide for this with "Weekend Memberships". Normally this costs $15 per weekend but the local Region is paying for it so as to provide for "FREE" tryouts. A person can do this as often as they like and if they want to take the plunge for "Full Membership" the Weekend Memberships" give a $$ credit towards it. (Full Memberships provide various discounts, opportunities, and monthly magazine among others things.)
The Club also provides 'Lunch' on both days to the workers and the 'Dinner Party' including 'refreshments'
after the on-track activities Saturday. You simply cannot get any closer to racing except climbing into the car yourself. In fact some folks start out working these events and get the bug so strong they leave us and begin racing themselves! In that case your experience on the Turns will be quite helpful.
SCCA Cornerworkers are also called upon to staff many 'other' events as well. Besides the lower end of "Track Days" and Racing with various other Clubs like BMW, Porsche, NASA, ChumpCar, Lemons, etc., they also are relied upon for all the other "Professional" Racing Bodies that utilize Road Courses like F1, Trans Am and even motorcycles. Some of these are even 'paid' events, but everyone starts the same and there are always opportunities both in St. Louis, around the Division or Midwest, and the entire Country. The Biggest Event for these "SCCA Club Racers" is known as the "Runoffs" held in the fall and have gone on for more than 50 years and attracting even 700 drivers from all across the North American Continent.
SCCA will hold 3 Race Weekends this year (plans are to get back to 5 a year in the future), April 26-27, August 2-3, and October 25-26, and since this weekend is close you should sign up now! . OJT is the typical route to learn the skills and Club members are always ready and willing to help you get involved.
For a little more information you can view http://roadracing.stlscca.org/ ,,, and the second link below.
And you can register directly at
http://www.motorsportreg.com/events...rts-park-scca-club-racing-602974#.U00_xfldUeo
and Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/events/436507503149502/
If you have never been to the motorsportreg site it's pretty easy to sign up. If it asks any question about money just click through as they ask. You are looking, and registering for, working for "Flagging and Communications", and the cost is zero $$. (You should NOT have to give any payment information - like a credit card number. Just keep clicking ) If you have any problems, or don't want to go that route for any reason, just contact me - AND - No matter which way you register - please DO let me know too. It's a lot easier to form corner crews in advance of the weekend, and we put less experienced players with folks that can help get you up to speed much quicker. So, I hope you sign up asap, and to see you there! )
Mike Byington
31 443 809 51 (lv. mess.)
mdbyington at swbell dot net
PS There ARE other specialties like 'Grid' and 'Tech', but 'Flag & Comm' is what we are promoting here; and you simply can NOT get any closer to the real racing action!!
and another PS Spectating is FREE, as are Parking and Pit Passes Too!!
Have you ever seen corner workers doing their thing on TV? Usually dressed in white, these are the guys and gals that work at every turn on a Road Race Course Communicating on radios with Race Control, and with the drivers using Flags; hence the "specialty" name of 'race officials' known as "Flagging and Communications" - or "F&C".
But they may be doing even more. Depending on the sanctioning body, the track, and the experience and desire of the individual; they also function as the "1st Responders" to an 'incident', and perhaps the only response to the scene. You may see them running with fire bottles chasing burning cars, physically helping cars get back on track, assessing a vehicle's ability to resume, assisting drivers from their car, and assisting "Fire Rescue" or "Safety", and "Medical" staff with all their own functions. We sometimes call this "Playing in Traffic" and can be a real boost for an 'adrenalin junky'. But we NEVER require a person to perform any task they are not comfortable with or trained to do; so each individual can participate at their very own level.
This means that on the track you will find young and old, male or female, able bodied or handicapped, and each can still provide necessary skills. Some folks love to flag and radio but do not get out of the 'Bunker' (positive protection from race traffic). Others may not like to be on the radio and just flag, or even prefer to just 'run' as the first person on the scene. While in Oval Racing a Yellow Flag controls the whole track, Road Racing uses "Local" Yellows for the turn where there is an 'incident' - while the rest of the course remains "Green", and for the Yellow Flag area - drivers must be safe and prudent - but the only restriction is "NO PASSING". The cars need not even slow down and racing goes on!
Locally the St. Louis Region of SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) is accepting applicants for this position and is funding incentives for those who want to try it out. SCCA requires that all persons in "Hot" areas (like working corners) be Club Members and we can provide for this with "Weekend Memberships". Normally this costs $15 per weekend but the local Region is paying for it so as to provide for "FREE" tryouts. A person can do this as often as they like and if they want to take the plunge for "Full Membership" the Weekend Memberships" give a $$ credit towards it. (Full Memberships provide various discounts, opportunities, and monthly magazine among others things.)
The Club also provides 'Lunch' on both days to the workers and the 'Dinner Party' including 'refreshments'
after the on-track activities Saturday. You simply cannot get any closer to racing except climbing into the car yourself. In fact some folks start out working these events and get the bug so strong they leave us and begin racing themselves! In that case your experience on the Turns will be quite helpful.SCCA Cornerworkers are also called upon to staff many 'other' events as well. Besides the lower end of "Track Days" and Racing with various other Clubs like BMW, Porsche, NASA, ChumpCar, Lemons, etc., they also are relied upon for all the other "Professional" Racing Bodies that utilize Road Courses like F1, Trans Am and even motorcycles. Some of these are even 'paid' events, but everyone starts the same and there are always opportunities both in St. Louis, around the Division or Midwest, and the entire Country. The Biggest Event for these "SCCA Club Racers" is known as the "Runoffs" held in the fall and have gone on for more than 50 years and attracting even 700 drivers from all across the North American Continent.
SCCA will hold 3 Race Weekends this year (plans are to get back to 5 a year in the future), April 26-27, August 2-3, and October 25-26, and since this weekend is close you should sign up now! . OJT is the typical route to learn the skills and Club members are always ready and willing to help you get involved.
For a little more information you can view http://roadracing.stlscca.org/ ,,, and the second link below.
And you can register directly at
http://www.motorsportreg.com/events...rts-park-scca-club-racing-602974#.U00_xfldUeo
and Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/events/436507503149502/
If you have never been to the motorsportreg site it's pretty easy to sign up. If it asks any question about money just click through as they ask. You are looking, and registering for, working for "Flagging and Communications", and the cost is zero $$. (You should NOT have to give any payment information - like a credit card number. Just keep clicking
) If you have any problems, or don't want to go that route for any reason, just contact me - AND - No matter which way you register - please DO let me know too. It's a lot easier to form corner crews in advance of the weekend, and we put less experienced players with folks that can help get you up to speed much quicker. So, I hope you sign up asap, and to see you there! )Mike Byington
31 443 809 51 (lv. mess.)
mdbyington at swbell dot net
PS There ARE other specialties like 'Grid' and 'Tech', but 'Flag & Comm' is what we are promoting here; and you simply can NOT get any closer to the real racing action!!
and another PS Spectating is FREE, as are Parking and Pit Passes Too!!
