Executives of Michigan Turn Marshals

Chairman - Gordy Ensing

Vice Chairman - Willy Perez

Secretary - Phil Schilke

Treasurer - Phil Schilke

Detroit Region F&C Administrator - Nancy Schilke (for licence upgrade processing)

Western Michigan Region F&C Chief - Verne Wandell

Waterford F & C Chief - Debbie Martens

Member at Large - Grant Wilcox

Co-ordinators (non-voting servants)

Newsletter Editor - Dick Coburn

Training - Verne Wandell

Member Database - Willy Perez

Recruiting - Debbie Martens

Trash & Trinkets -
Tom Allen and Scott Whitehead

Webmaster - Melissa Wojciechowski

My Year as a Rookie Flagger

 In March with final exams around the corner, my husband suggested I go to the Waterford Hills Flagging School.  He said that since he was always at the track and I was about to finally graduate from college, I could work at the track too.  So I registered online, bought white jeans and off I went.

 I was a bit nervous when I arrived at the tower.  I didn’t know anyone and I didn’t know what to expect.  Debbie Martens introduced herself and led us up to the pressroom where the class would be held.  She was incredibly thorough explaining the flags, how to communicate on the phones, emergency procedures and equipment that we would need to buy.  We had a track lunch and headed out to the corners.  Turn 5 (“Nothing ever happens at 5”) was eventful enough to break me in.  By the end of the day I was comfortable on the phones and I could wave the yellow like the best of them.

 The next race was a lot of fun.  My husband was crewing and I was pretty comfortable working corners.  Saturday nights at Waterford are a blast.  The drivers, crew and workers get together for an after race party.  There is a real sense of community and belonging at Waterford.  Each race I became more and more comfortable working corners.  I was ready for an SCCA event.

 Debbie put together a road trip to Grattan to introduce all the rookies to an SCCA Regional Race.  Grattan was a much bigger track with a lot more workers.  The weather was less than ideal, but I was fortunate enough to work with Dick Coburn.  He was a great mentor with lots of stories.  I was hooked.

 I continued to work all the Waterford weekends including the Meadowbrook Historic Race.  It was incredible to see such beautiful old cars racing. I went to the Michigan National where I met a lot of new people.  We also road tripped to the Western Michigan Regional.  I worked with people from Milwaukee and Western Michigan.  The Saturday night parties at Grattan are always a blast.

 We road tripped to WOR Games, The Valvoline RunOffs and The Great Pumpkin.  Fifteen events later, a ton of miles on my truck, my rookie year is over and I look forward to next year.

 Melissa Wojciechowski

Waterford Hills Break-in

 Deb Martens made a quick call out when it was learned that there had been a break-in at Waterford Hills. A work party gathered on Saturday November 11^th at Waterford Hills. Good news was that the stolen vehicles were recovered. They were also very neat crooks as far as the F&C equipment was concerned.

 The volunteers were happy after checking to learn nothing was missing from the Falkland/Jeep or the flagging and communications equipment. The flags were all checked and found to be there. This did afford an opportunity to check the equipment and see what needed washing, repair and replacement. The latter will be re-certified in the spring.

 The flag stations were also checked for phone box covers and shelter stability. All the benches were brought into winter storage.

 The Miata Pace Car did appear to have some damage done.

Trash & Trinkets

 Difficulties have been reported that new members are not receiving their trinkets and membership identifiers. The executive is attempting to address this membership concern. New members names are being forwarded to Tom Allen who is joined by volunteer Scott Whitehead (email Tom Allen and Scott Whitehead ) Latest report is that Tom Allen is assembling new member packages to be distributed in the near future to all new members.

Something Different in Indy

 Well, I didn’t work F&C at my first race in Indianapolis: Indy F1. 

 I tried to get in but there were too many people with more experience ahead of me. I found a way to work the race anyway. I found the paddock crew was the same as Detroit, and they all happen to be good friends of mine, so with a bit of begging, groveling, whining and bribing I got added to their crew.

 Boy was it different.

 The track was very professional; not something Michael Andretti would call a Mickey Mouse track. The food was great even if it was the same every day, and there was some confusion that delayed the meals one day. The work was different, and the perks made it worth not working a corner.

 It was a real track with excellent asphalt, beautiful grass, and gravel runoffs.  The pits were alive with preparations and the cars all were beautiful. After the track walk we fought traffic to go around the corner to registration and the worker party. At registration we received a polo shirt, a hat, the coveralls, and a vest with a number.  Then the party, with real food! They served everyone a full multi-course meal. Classy!

 Friday we went to work, and it was a difficult schedule. Not.  We had to get the support races cars and the Vintage F1 cars on and off the track and pit. My area was the support cart entrance to the pit. This would have been more difficult if it were not for the excellent track workers. These folks have an average age well over 50, and many have been working at the track since 1948. They knew their stuff and were very helpful. Between session and during the support races track time we either stood near the ambulance at the end of pit lane or went back to the USAC office to get water and eat lunch. The vintage F1 cars were awesome, and it was great watching the F1 crews drop their tools to go to the pit wall to watch the vintage cars. Especially cool was listening to Ross Braun talk about the cars in the vintage group that he had a hand in.

 Then came the news. We would have to work grid for the Porsche Supercup cars and the F1 cars. Shoot, are you going to twist my arm to make me stand at the pit wall during the start of the first F1 race at Indy? Boy I hoped I didn’t do anything to screw up.

 Saturday’s schedule was worse. We had to be at a meeting at 11:30 AM for the grid workers, and then the support sessions in the afternoon. I guess the morning is for shopping, even though most of the team wear wasn’t that interesting I must admit I bought some stuff like the “I was there” T-shirt.  At the grid meeting the ‘pushers’ were selected, and I wasn’t one, which meant I would have to hold a grid board over the wall then be prepared to wave the yellow if my driver stalled the car. The pushers would have to jump over the wall and push any car that stalled out of the way. That at least would have been something I had experience in. 

 After lunch I got my grid assignment and I had the 7^th qualifier. Oh man that would be someone more likely to stall than the 1^st qualifier, and he’s at the front enough to really get clobbered if I don’t get the yellow out quick. Now I’m nervous, and the first race is the Porsche Supercup at 3:00. Well getting ready for the Porsches was interesting since the Canadian workers wanted to use the position number on the board and the instructions were to use the car number. Well it got worked out and we used the car numbers. The cars came around and the race started without any problems. Well I guess I can do this for F1, I hope.

 I looked up and saw all those people in the stands. One word….Awesome. The young girls with the number boards and umbrellas were rather bored, and those short outfits could not have been warm. The umbrella girl near me was quite excited to see David Letterman when he walked past looking scruffy.  Heinz-Harald and the rest got off ok, and they didn’t run over anyone’s toes in spite of the large quantity of people on the track.

 We all ran over jumped the pit wall and I got my grid board out over the wall so Heinz-Harald could find his spot. He came up stopped and I grabbed the yellow. I was really nervous at this point thinking what if I get distracted just as he stalls. I didn’t and he didn’t, and no one else stalled, so off they went. What a sound! 22 V10 engines screaming at 18,000 RPM just a few feet away is truly awesome! Of course when Heinz-Harald moved I ducked and just my eyes peered above the wall. Next time by and the second time by it was duck and cover again. After that we were free to go, but on call if the race was stopped. So we stood around the ambulance at the end of the pit lane watching the jumbotron and the pit stops. After the race we had to guard the cars from the spectators.

 Working Paddock and Grid for Indy F1 wasn’t the same as working F&C. It was exciting, amazing, boring, wonderful and terrifying. I still think they need to dump the silly grooved tires, and the tight infield section could be opened up a little, but I am planning on doing it again next year.  I’m not completely converted so I will continue to work F&C for the region and the Detroit Grand Prix.

Rob LaMoreaux

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