Thanks, workers

This weekend I ran in an SCCA PDX track event at Sebring. We were scheduled for two morning sessions plus the very last session of the day. There was talk that any delays in the schedule--lightning, mostly--could cause that last session to be cut. Track was to go cold at 5:00, we were told.

As the day drew to a close, we were watching the time. Eventually it was mathematically impossible for us to get in our full session before 5:00. Weather had put us back. If we take the green before 5:00, we were then told, we could get in our full session.

So we all got to grid and watched the session before ours come to end. It was going to end at like 4:55.

As one of the last cars takes the checker, it blows an engine--oil everywhere.

The grid chief rounded us up for a talk, and we figured it was bad news. There's going to be oil-dry on the straight, she said, so be careful out there.

At about 5:15, we took our green flag.

Thanks, Central Florida Region SCCA workers.

I wish we had the SCCA guys this last club race.

We did not have the Angels in White on the job at out last club race and horrible flagging damn near got someone killed. Only some seriously amazing driver reactions kept a really, really bad situation from being a grave one.

The SCCA can be a bit of a pain to deal with as a driver sometimes but they are the class of the field when you need to trust the corners to communicate life/death info properly.

(golf clap)

Glad to be of service David. I did not hear one single complaint on the radio about us going past 5:00pm. My co-corner worker was kind enough to let me take blue-flag position for each of the PDX sessions so I could watch you guys and I even heard at one point on the radio that the PDX group were all around better drivers compared to the rest there that weekend

Our local guys are awesome with setting up and organizing our solo events, and seeing Cal Club in action in Long Beach really is awesome. Being car guys the volunteers don't mind putting in the effort because we know how much the participants appreciate it.

Yep, Kabel watched over us. Fortunately he didn't need to do much more than that.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I wish we had the SCCA guys this last club race. We did not have the Angels in White on the job at out last club race and horrible flagging damn near got someone killed. Only some seriously amazing driver reactions kept a really, really bad situation from being a grave one. The SCCA can be a bit of a pain to deal with as a driver sometimes but they are the class of the field when you need to trust the corners to communicate life/death info properly. (golf clap)

The SCCA Washington DC Region workers are phenomenal. I'm in an "alphabet soup" formula car and sports racer run group with a HUGE amount of speed disparity. I'm often leading the group at Summit at a 1'14" pace (not bragging, but it's generally good for fastest lap of the event overall - it's just a fast car) and there may be rookies in formula vees or club Fords doing 1'30"-somethings at the rear.

Things happen extremely quickly w/ these kind of closing speeds and we're all entrusting the flaggers and race control with our safety. Our lives, potentially.

The enforcement of the 800+ page general Competition Rules can be as much to deal with as you make it, but as a governing body they've been absolutely fair, and safety is a huge #1 priority.

Thanks, workers!!

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I wish we had the SCCA guys this last club race. We did not have the Angels in White on the job at out last club race and horrible flagging damn near got someone killed. Only some seriously amazing driver reactions kept a really, really bad situation from being a grave one. The SCCA can be a bit of a pain to deal with as a driver sometimes but they are the class of the field when you need to trust the corners to communicate life/death info properly. (golf clap)

Well-said, GPS. I think a lot of people take corner-workers for granted, thinking that all they do is wave flags at cars going by.

On a good day, that may be true. And we all hope for those days when that is all they have to do. But sometimes E36 M3 hits the fan, and that's when the SCCA workers shine.

Some people here may have never read a SCCA Safety Report post-incident, so here is a link to the report for my friend's 2008 Mid-Ohio crash. http://www.johnmillsracing.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13:safety-report&catid=9:new-category-212pm&Itemid=19

It's a lot more than just flagging... Thanx to all workers!!!

Equal love for my mid-atlantic NASA workers. They all do an excellent job. I don't know WHY they do what they do, but am always grateful that they do it. That's why I'm always waving at everyone on my cool down laps (and cuss out my students when they forget to).

I thinking working the event is just another way to get involved. I helped a friends' band this weekend--carried gear in, worked the merch table, carried gear out, etc. You know, it was fun being part of the production. I have done it before for them and look forward to doing it again.

In reply to David S. Wallens: You are completely welcome. beer wasn't cold yet anyway.