Post by jbrotbeck on Feb 22, 2012 5:42:26 GMT -5
If you're like me, I always assumed the guys & gals wearing white at the corner stations at road race events were employees of the track (or unemployed painters. 
) Well, I was wrong. The corner workers aka Flagging & Communications (F&C) workers are SCCA members just like you & me who volunteer!
The SCCA defines F&C as:
"Flagging and Communications
This worker takes a position along the course and uses flags and hand signals to communicate track conditions to each driver. This position serves as first responder to any incident on the course, maintains the link between the steward and the drivers, and keeps the fun moving at all times. These people go home dirty."
If you would like the best seat seat in the house for a club race, we could always use people who are enthusiastic about our sport and are willing to learn. It's really fun, and you join a tight-knit family of racing-junkie weirdos!
Perks for SCCA events normally include free breakfast and lunch on race weekend, along with beer at the social Saturday night. Some regions even do door prizes at the social. Workers are normally paid either in cash $30-$50/day depending on the region OR you get a free hotel room (double occupancy, so bring a friend!). Another perk that is not advertised very well is that you get discounts off your annual SCCA membership dues.
Tracks within a 4-hour drive of Charlotte include Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC, CMP (Carolina Motorsports Park) in Kershaw, SC, Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA, VIR (Virginia International Raceway) in Alton, VA, and RRR (Roebling Road Raceway) in Bloomingdale, GA.
Not only can flaggers work events at road course tracks, but also hillclimbs! One that's on my calendar this year for sure is the Tail of the Dragon Hillclimb near Robbinsville, NC.
If you really get serious, you can work races like the 24 hours of Lemons, PCA (Porsche Club of America), and BMWCCA (BMW Car Club of America)...to name a few. These clubs normally pay $80-$100/day.
Speaking of getting serious, if you are the type who reads instruction manuals (I know, we're a dying breed), here's a link to the SCCA F&C Manual:
www.ner.org/sites/ner.org/files/scca_F-Cmanual.pdf
Not sure if it was Don Drennon who originally penned it, but flagging can be summed up in one sentence: Hours of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror.
Interested? Keep an eye out on the Club Racing forums for upcoming races. One that is fast approaching that we can definitely use help with is the Buck Muse Memorial at CMP March 31-April 1. Give it a try - you will be put with somebody who knows what they're doing. We can't have races without you!
) Well, I was wrong. The corner workers aka Flagging & Communications (F&C) workers are SCCA members just like you & me who volunteer!The SCCA defines F&C as:
"Flagging and Communications
This worker takes a position along the course and uses flags and hand signals to communicate track conditions to each driver. This position serves as first responder to any incident on the course, maintains the link between the steward and the drivers, and keeps the fun moving at all times. These people go home dirty."
If you would like the best seat seat in the house for a club race, we could always use people who are enthusiastic about our sport and are willing to learn. It's really fun, and you join a tight-knit family of racing-junkie weirdos!
Perks for SCCA events normally include free breakfast and lunch on race weekend, along with beer at the social Saturday night. Some regions even do door prizes at the social. Workers are normally paid either in cash $30-$50/day depending on the region OR you get a free hotel room (double occupancy, so bring a friend!). Another perk that is not advertised very well is that you get discounts off your annual SCCA membership dues.
Tracks within a 4-hour drive of Charlotte include Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC, CMP (Carolina Motorsports Park) in Kershaw, SC, Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA, VIR (Virginia International Raceway) in Alton, VA, and RRR (Roebling Road Raceway) in Bloomingdale, GA.
Not only can flaggers work events at road course tracks, but also hillclimbs! One that's on my calendar this year for sure is the Tail of the Dragon Hillclimb near Robbinsville, NC.
If you really get serious, you can work races like the 24 hours of Lemons, PCA (Porsche Club of America), and BMWCCA (BMW Car Club of America)...to name a few. These clubs normally pay $80-$100/day.
Speaking of getting serious, if you are the type who reads instruction manuals (I know, we're a dying breed), here's a link to the SCCA F&C Manual:
www.ner.org/sites/ner.org/files/scca_F-Cmanual.pdf
Not sure if it was Don Drennon who originally penned it, but flagging can be summed up in one sentence: Hours of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror.
Interested? Keep an eye out on the Club Racing forums for upcoming races. One that is fast approaching that we can definitely use help with is the Buck Muse Memorial at CMP March 31-April 1. Give it a try - you will be put with somebody who knows what they're doing. We can't have races without you!
