Corner Working @ SCCA Events

Hi, I am currently working on getting involved with SCCA Club Racing. My friend and I are very interested in helping to work events.
Starting with no experience and no training, exactly what does it take to be a corner worker. Are there any schools, classes, or licences required?

Thank You Very Much

[JamesB]

I don't usually corner work, I do help out on pit road though. But you need a valid SCCA membership at the least. I would look up your local region information and contact the cheif of Flag and communications. If there is a local event you want to make it into PIT or Grid can usually use a hand and there is no classes or anything needed.

[planet6racing]

Where are you located?

If you are anywhere near Road America for next weekend, there is a Vintage event going on that is a great way to get into corner working. You don't need an SCCA membership at this event, but most of the corner workers are seasoned SCCA workers. It's a great way to learn and have a good time.

Feel free to contact me directly at the address below if you are interested in this.

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Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com

[Speed Raycer]

Where are you located?

There doesn't seem to be any *required* schools or licenses, but you won't be putting out any fires or running out to assist driver on your first couple of events either.

There are Crash Fire & Rescue schools that are offered. Even if you'll never work a corner, all drivers should attend them when they're offered in your region. A wealth of info and experiance (how many drivers have actually put out a fuel fire?).

Best info would be to contact the regions F&C chief and let them know that you're interested. They'll fill you in on the rest.

I've worked 3 events now since I haven't been racing much lately. It's almost as fun as racing and a little more satisfying as you get to help your fellow racers, workers, the club, and your region.

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Scott Rhea
It's not what you build...
it's how you build it

Izzy's Custom Cages

[dickita15]

Originally posted by Ramblin' Wreck:
Starting with no experience and no training, exactly what does it take to be a corner worker.

A Pulse

actually as James said you need to be a member but there are temorary memberships that are good for 90 day (I think it is 90) that the region sells for $10 to $25. some region will give them to new workers. New England will.
Dick Patullo

[jhooten]

I found on the internet that there was an event at a track about 80 miles away the upcomming weekend. I showed up at the track the first time a non member and with no clue what it was all about. I went into registration and stood there with this dumb look on my face until someone in a white suit asked if they could help me. I told them I had just discovered the SCCA and was interested in volunteering to see what it was about if they needed me. A smile lit up the face and I was told help was always needed. Since I was not a member I was given a temporary membership for the weekend, had a band put on my wrist, and told how to find the workers meeting and who I should ask for when I got there.

Once on the pit lane road in a sea of white I found the flag chief and told him why I was there. He asked if I knew where turn three was and I said I had done some track days at this track and was familiar with the layout. He told me to take the track around in my car and where to park when I got there. He put me on that corner because the regions liscensing cordinator for F&C was assigned there along with one of the other long time corner workers so he knew I would get the introduction I needed. The two of them had me up to speed in no time.

I mailed my membership app in on monday. I worked coreners for the next year while I built my car. It was a learning experiance that helped me a great deal when I went to my schools. As a regional liscense holder I still go to work corners on the double national weekends when there are no regional races and is still a fun and cheap way to watch the races from the best seat in the house. And I still learn something every time I go.

[This message has been edited by jhooten (edited July 07, 2005).]

[RacerBill]

Ramblin'Wreck:

The SCCA website will list all kinds of club races. Pick one, and get the phone number of the registrar. They will be able to get you in touch with one of the specialty chiefs. The SCCA website also has a page called 'Get Involved' that has additional info. The 'Find a region' can help find people to talk to in your area.

The club is generally interested in getting new volunteers for all specialties. Over the years, I have worked, Timing & Scoring (can be hot if there is no air conditioning, but at least there's a roof overhead if raining), Flagging and Communications, Course, Pit, Grid, and Start. I was also Chief of Sound Control for 18 years (Great place to work - no physical work - and see a lot of racing). All have unique tasks and attractions (which might vary from track to track ie Grid is located is located under trees at Mid-Ohio, but out in the sun at Inianapolis Raceway Park). Oh, I didn't mention Registration or Tech.

My advice is to get out to a race or two, try different jobs, and pick one that really interests you. One thing is for certain, all speciaties will welcome you with open arms, and will train you.

Good luck, and have a great time!



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Bill Stevens
Mbr 103106
BnS Racing
83 ITA Shelby Dodge Charger
www.motorpride.com/BnSRacing

[mgyip]

Originally posted by dickita15:
A Pulse

You've just decribed the average corner worker at a NASA or EMRA event

SCCA workers are of a higher caliber (yeah, it sounds like I'm kissing up but I've experienced the difference). SCCA requires a pulse AND a minimum of situational awareness (in other words no brain-dead corner workers).

Haz-Matt

[Wreckerboy]

[q]
quote:
You've just decribed the average corner worker at a NASA or EMRA event
[q/]

Frankly Matt, I'm very disappointed in you. I've read your posts here in the past and until now held a fair amount of respect for what you had to say.

As a worker at an awful lot of EMRA events over the last 16+ years and quite a few SCCA events as well both up north and in the southeast, I'll put an EMRA person up against an SCCA person any day. We have people who have started with EMRA and gone on to flag CART and SCCA pro events around the world, and we get more than a few SCCA types who get tired of the bureacracy. Are all EMRA workers the best? Of course not. Are all SCCA workers the best? Not true either.

You've managed to insult both me and a lot of the people I know and respect, as well as all of the hard work we put in getting SAFE events in. It's this kind of flippant response and attitude that leads to a lot of the ignorance I have heard over the years regarding a great organization, EMRA.

To the rest of you reading along at home, sorry for the rant, but unlike the 50,000 member SCCA, EMRA is a small organization - there is a core of perhaps 40 or less who make things show and go. This means you can reach any one of us who are responsible for organizing, staffing, insuring, running, and supplying the beer and trophies for your race day DIRECTLY when you have a question, concern, or complaint. As a result, I tend to have a lot of pride in this organization, and do not take insults to my efforts lightly.


Rob Myles, aka "Wreckerboy"
EMRA Chief of Tech

ON EDIT - Yes, Matt, I saw the smiley, but I also saw the reference to "brain dead corner workers" and how you "have experienced the difference." When this happened at an EMRA event did you bring your concerns to anybody's attention who is/was in charge at the time? If you have a problem or concern at an EMRA event let us know and we'll always work with you to straighten it out. EMRA is a driver-centric organization, run by drivers for drivers.

Rob

[This message has been edited by Wreckerboy (edited July 08, 2005).]

[924Guy]

Thank you Rob! Matt, you really deserve far worse - Rob let you off lightly. It really isn't something to be joking about, unless you are a flagger and referring to yourself!

Yes, a pulse and some remote level of interest are all you need - no matter where you flag! Training and usually even loaner gear are provided free! I spent my first year around the racetrack flagging, and while I haven't been back flagging recently - once a flagger, always a flagger! There really is no better place to learn how things really work on track, not to mention a great view to learn what lines do and don't work!

Also, as pointed out - there's a lot of cross-over of flaggers between organizations, SCCA flaggers also flag NASA, EMRA, CART, ALMS, etc events, and bring the same professional attitude and cheerful demeanor with them, no matter what the circumstances!!

Again, let us know where you're at, most likely a local will be able to help point you in the right direction to the second-best seat in the house!

------------------
Vaughan Scott
Detroit Region #280052
'79 924 #77 ITB/GTS1
www.vaughanscott.com

[mgyip]

Originally posted by Wreckerboy:
[B]To the rest of you reading along at home, sorry for the rant, but unlike the 50,000 member SCCA, EMRA is a small organization - there is a core of perhaps 40 or less who make things show and go.

I fully understand the level of committment put in by EMRA's workers. I've also watched and participated in the some of their enduros. There is a difference partly due to the size of EMRA vs SCCA - my concerns aren't so much with the workers themselves but with the level of preparation. At the SCCA enduros, the workers have more tools at their disposal to be visible at night whereas EMRA workers are invisible. Even though they may have been SCCA cross-over workers, EMRA needs to work on making their night races safer by making their flags more visible which ain't an easy task.

Does that make EMRA workers less worthy? No but that wasn't the point of the post which was tongue-in-cheek. Sorry to have offended EMRA. OTOH, I have no allegiance to NASA VA as both my employer and friends have "taken in on the chin" due to their leadership.

[DavidM]

I'd guess by your username that you currently or used to go to GA Tech. Go to www.atl-scca.org if you're still in the Atlanta area. There's a list of people there you can get in touch with in the Atlanta area SCCA. There's a race weekend coming up at Road Atlanta July 23 & 24.

Otherwise, I think you can probably find a list of websites for your local SCCA organization at www.scca.com.

David