Hey Guys,
I'm looking at possibly volunteering some time this up coming season with a drift team and I just wanted to know typically what is covered by the team when someone volunteers? I'm sure this varies team to team but I was curious for those of you that volunteered what did you have to pay for out of pocket?
From my experience (see below) it can vary all over the range of options
As a crew member I got;
Jim Russell Racing School Quebec 1981 season & Laguna Seca early part of 1982: Mechanic Training and Raced for free (no damage liability)
SCCA Summit Point National 1985: Room, food, and some cash (can't remember how much). I paid my own travel and had my own credential
World Challenge 2003 season: All expenses + $100/day
Sebring 12 Hour race 2004: All expenses + $100/day
Various local NJ Drag Racing events (helping a friend): Nothing. Even housed him in my motorhome or at my place
Rolex NJMP race 2008: Food (I had my own credentials)
World Challenge GT NJMP race 2008: Food and my credentials
As an assistant team manger and driver for a Grand Am team (Cup and Rolex) in 2006 and 2007, we paid Room, food, credentials for everyone and Travel for key/experienced personnel
For my own SCCA Regional events I offer 1 event's worth of car & equipment use (with repair liability) for someone willing to help me with prep/repair and race weekend support for 5 events. I also pay food and credentials for the race weekends and offer a place to sleep in my motorohome/trailer. I pay travel for an experienced person. No one has ever taken me up on this deal though.
IMO, a "volunteer" should at least have entry/credentials paid for and be fed during the event. If you are getting travel and room paid, you usually fall under the title "Fly-In Crew"
I volunteered with a Grand-AM GT team for the 2008 NJMP race, they paid for my credentials for the event and fed me. They offered to put me in the hotel which i was not expecting, but I was local so I commuted. The food setup was probably the best I have ever eaten at the track and it was an awesome experience!
I would echo P Doane's answer.
I have done one race with a Grand-AM team. They covered all of my expenses for the weekend. It seems like $100/day is pretty typical for someone who is wrenching. More if you are doing DAQ, engine management, fuel strategy, or some other more specialized function.
I have also heard of people being compensated with low hours used parts.
Wow, the previous posters are much bigger time than anything I've done.
As a teenager I volunteered time as a scrutineer for SCCA club events and worked the first two Detroit Grands Prix on Belle Isle. All I got was a tshirt, ball cap and a full access pass.
This past summer I started crewing for a vintage racer. I got in for free and he bought me a burger :) It was the most fun I've ever had though.
Volunteering for SCCA tech (American Road Race of Champions):
- Free entrance to track for weekend
- Free lunch
Volunteering for ChumpCar:
- Free entrance to track
- Free lunch
- $100/day in ChumpCar credit
I've volunteered to drive the Pace Car for the first two NASA Central Region events next season.
I'll get a small bit of credit to put toward HPDE/TT later in the year. More importantly I'll get a chance to meet everyone one in charge and get a good feel for how a NASA weekend works.
I worked on some friends stock cars and a few years on a NASCAR North car. Local stuff was generally a pit pass and drinks. The Busch north car they bought my license, pit passes, travel in our luxurious cube van and accommodations in some of the finest overcrowded hotel rooms $29.99 could buy. He also would pick up dinner and throw us a few bucks now and then. The real perks to doing it were the places we went and the fun we had with some really good people.
I have met other crew members that had "special" skills (like data acq and engine magement) and have even traded time in the car for their labors.
My volunteer time goes back to the late 80's when a friend went to work for a guy that ran part time in both the IMSA and SCCA Trans Am. He had a Ex-Roush built GTO Mustang. I brought a bit of skill to the team as I knew how to run a lathe and mill so I ended up doing most of the minor machine work that the team needed. All but my friend were volunteers. The driver/team owner allowed us to use his shop to do some of our own projects, he bought lunch/dinner for us every once in a while and he treated us to a few other things such as a night at an indoor go-kart track or an outing for dinner.
As for the races, if one drove to the race he paid for your gas & tolls, provided all food or paid for meals out, and of course all motel rooms. If the race was far enough that driving was a problem then he paid for the airline tickets. For some races we traveled as a group and others we made our own arrangements. A couple of time when I did this I either scheduled my flight a few days sooner then needed or delayed my return flight so that I could take a "Mini" vacation without having to pay for the air. I did this for one race in San Diego CA and another in Reno. NV.
I later did work for the same driver part time for a about a year driving the race transport truck and crew member. It's been about 10 years since I last did this. It's a young mans game unless you're in the "management" or technical end of pro racing. My friend that was the one lone paid crew member back in the day is now going on 25 years as a pro race mechanic having worked for teams that raced in IRL, Trans Am, & ALMS. He stayed away from NASCAR as the weekly grind would keep him away from his family.
I've crewed for a few SCCA enduros, as a basic go-getter, minor grease-monkey, and fireman on pit stops - they paid for my expenses of the weekend (hotel room, food, etc) and provided any gear I didn't already have that I needed to crew.
I crew an FVee for a friend. I turn wrenches and he turns laps. He pays for most of my food and lodging and entry to the track though I told him I don't mind camping at the track in my tent.
Thanks for all the responses!
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