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Race Track Volunteers - getting started (Read 3,459 times)
Pam Stec
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Road Racing-Not Street
Racing-do it at the track

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B.C.
Race Track Volunteers - getting started
Nov 19th, 2003 at 6:52pm
 
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So, you're interested in car racing. You must be, or you wouldn't be browsing this page.
There are many aspects to being involved with automobile road racing. Driving, crewing, sitting in the stands and watching, or BECOMING A VOLUNTEER RACE OFFICIAL
Many people become interested in a sport or social activity because a friend, family member or other associate introduced them. On the other hand you may have an interest in something and not know how to go about getting on the "inside." I can tell you that many motorsport volunteers and competitors in the lower mainland have wandered out to River's Edge Road Course (and previously Westwood Motorsport Park) and found themselves involved in a sport and a family that they never expected.
Amateur road racing is much easier than you can imagine to get caught up in. Many of our drivers, past & present, started coming to the track as spectators, then found themselves track-side, waving flags or acting as the turn communicator, or part of emergency response crews, helping in timing and scoring or communications, or one of many other volunteer positions. From there they moved into the drivers seat and now have a deep gratitude for the volunteers that make it possible for them to compete. Some volunteers have been manning corners or other positions for more than 30 years. If you always wanted to get a little closer to the action there is a place for you.
The rewards are not monetary, but they are numerous. The friendships you build can last a lifetime. Our volunteers come in all ages, shapes & sizes. From 16 to 60+, there is a track-side job for everyone. Under 16's can get involved in manning gates, running messages and helping in administrative jobs. From the front gate to the Race Starter, everyone is a volunteer.
Positions include security, registration, pre-grid (getting the cars lined up to go out on the track), technical inspection, PA announcing, timing and scoring (computerized), pace car, starter, turn marshals, fire, safety & rescue marshals, and race communications.
If you watch racing on TV, take a note next time of all the folks you see flagging. You may notice the different coloured flags and hand signals they use to communicate with drivers and each other. Learning those flags and hand signals is just part of the track marshals training program that is free for volunteers interested in getting involved at our track. Trained, experienced track marshals from all over the USA and Canada, and even Britain, converge on the streets of Vancouver every year to work at the Molson Indy Vancouver.
Interested? Drop us a line and we’ll be happy to introduce you to our racing family. Racing events, Marshal training and Race Driver Training start at our Mission facility in March each year. Don’t put it off another year, tell your friends, “I’m going racing.”

Email the Sports Car Club of B.C. at membership@sccbc.net

or

Check out the marshals webpage – www.meta.bc.ca , call Roger at 604-581-7189 or email ann_peters@telus.net

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« Last Edit: Feb 4th, 2004 at 8:32pm by Forum Admin »  

Pam Stec
 
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