Maybe you have noticed the people in white along the racetrack with the yellow or blue flags and fire extinguishers. They alert drivers to situations and respond to disabled race cars, decide if Tow is needed etc.

Well those people all volunteer with SCCA Sports Car Club of America scca.org
and with new events added in street races for CHAMP Car and Trans Am, the new races IN THE LAS VEGAS STREETS!!!! There is a need for more staff on both flag and communication crews. You do have to be a member for insurance reasons $80 year, and there is free lunch and dinner and Social after racing.
You "work" a few local level "Regional" races at a nearby track and then you can do PRO events- pretty much anywhere in the USA.

Some of our San Francisco area members go to INDY, Canada, LeMans!!

Please see scca.org and type in zip code for your local region
If you live anywhere near Las Vegas or Long Beach- we NEED YOU! for 2007!

non compensated article from a volunteer

 

I'd disagree with this call for volunteers. I have a National Flag & Comm license from SCCA, have for many years. And I've worked many, many ChampCar, F1, etc. races. If you'd like to do this then come out to your local SCCA region and work a number of club races toward at least a Divisional license (as in get lots of experience). It'll take a minimum of a year to get one.

Why do I say this? Because working corners is dangerous!!!! People have been killed on corner stations. We don't need any newbies on station at this level of racing.

I guarantee that if you take corner working up as a hobby, you will have an absolute blast!! But, please, get some experience first before trying it out at this level.

 

Not to mention some sunblock.....

 

If you disagree with this request, take it up with the Chief of Flag and Comm Chief for the event.
They have sent out a request to SCCA Regions to spread the word.

Certainly a newbie would not be put on a corner alone.
Training is provided at the local races and if you are good enough- work the Pro event

Pro races want several people on each corner, so a newer worker can safely do Yellow Flag, Full Course Cautions etc. Its an oppurtunity to get up close and personal with the cars and enjoy the rare opportunity to see a street race in America. With the 2 races being a week or 2 apart- that is really a drain on the resourses of available volunteers.

There is also a need for the safe job of Pass Checker, making sure the right badge is being displayed in public or restricted areas, you put in 1 or 2, 4 hour shifts and get a weekend pass for you and a friend.
If you are a trained Firefighter or Race Driver with full Nomex, there is a need for you in the Pit Lane

Again- Training provided, fun, car crazy new friends and more

I hold A National on Race Control and work nearly every crew during the season, from Tech and Worker Transportation to Driver Observer

 

Oh...I would agree...didnt want you to think I was knocking it whatsoever....it IS a great way to get involved for sure! Plus...you get to check out some good racing from up close and personal - I have never NOT learned SOMETHING from my experiences working a course, if it was nothing more than a new technique or driving line....although that was just at local autocross events....nothing to the caliber of what you are suggesting here. This is a great opportunity no doubt!

 

Do you have to be a certain age?

 

You might want to run this one by Jim Swintal, Clerk of the Course for CC, I don't think he wants any newbies out there either. There will be a number of out of Region people who come in for the event, so the local folks won't have to provide all the staff.

New people shouldn't be there at all!!!

An excellant way to get exposed to pro racing for the first time. And without the dangers to a newbie.

 

You must be 18 to work in the "hot " areas such as flagger, you are welcome to be a pass checker at 17

I am a member of SFR and we got an email requesting Licensed F&C people to come and help. It also encouraged new worker volunteers to join and get in the training at local events- now- early in the 2007 season, so if they are proficient- they work Pro events.
Our Region runs 10 Regional and National event weekends PLUS 10 Pro events including CHAMP IRL Monterey Historics Trans Am- at Laguna Seca, Infineon,Thunderhill and now the streets of San Jose
This is far more event days than most regions do in a year, so our workers get trained at a much more intense pace.

At no point in my first posting did I say lets put brand newbies on corner at Pro street race!
I said come join us for training and fun!
If already experienced. pack your bags and whites and show up.
There are so few street race courses in the USA- Long Beach, Las Vegas and San Jose being the principle ones- its like the opportunity to see F1 run at your local track.

 

My wife and I have wanted to work the track as volunteers since the mid-80's but we just can't do it now. Maybe in a few years at our home track, the Glen.

 

Thanks for reviving a 5 year old thread. :wink:

 

Really weird: I got on as usual and this thread popped up so I commented.