F&C Event Chief: First Time Experience

 My experience as a first time event chief for flagging & communications was interesting, hectic, a little bit of stress, a few moments of being tongue-twisted and a lot of fun!  Would I do it again, you betcha'.  How I got to be chief is just as interesting as how the weekend went.  The story starts "eons" ago when Phil & I joined SCCA; he was a driver and I was his crew chief.  In our first year, we meet the Burkes' (Mike, his brother Tom & sister-in law Joann) and the Prills' (Paul & Pat).  They were the heart & soul of the SCCA and helped me along the way when I found free time to try out the available volunteer worker specialties: Pit, Paddock, Grid, T&S, Registration and F&C.  By far, the one I enjoyed the most was F&C.  I went through a training school conducted by Lake Erie Communications.  Only one problem: I was unavailable to be in pit lane for Phil when he was on the racetrack (we had other crewmembers but it was hard on me not being there for him).  Joann enjoyed having me help out at Registration and I stayed there until I rediscovered T&S (blame that one on Chris Syfert!)  Over the next few years, I bounced between the two specialties depending on our racing schedule until I settled in T&S because we were lucky enough to become parents.  By the time Phil retired, David & I were perfectly settled & happy up in the T&S tower.  As David grew up, we found lots of volunteers to watch him at the track while I stayed in T&S and Phil went out on stations to work F&C (one reason Mary Wollesen was like a second "mom" to him).  I left T&S after I served several years as Chief for Detroit Region (so yes, I have been an event chief prior to the National race at Grattan).  When I realized I wanted to go back to F&C, Phil was the Chief for Detroit and I decided to try it when he was unavailable.  Thanks to the encouragement of Marty Waalkes, Gordy Ensing and Jim & Priscilla Ohanesian, I took the step. I had a blast and was hooked!

            Since Phil was the chief, I felt it best to take my time asking for any upgrades since we didn't want anyone to think he showed favoritism!  After Phil retired, I asked Gordy if I could work the tower with him at the WMR race on Memorial weekend.  As it turned out, we were so short of workers that we ended up running race control with him on the as "control" and me as "copy."  I did one race group with 6 cars for qualifying as the voice of race control.  And had the only alert of the weekend.  Yes, prior to that I had worked numerous events with Willy!!  So the first time wasn't so hot but I tried again and finally was back up in the tower with Jason Guylay at a low key regional race at Grattan (by that time, David was 16 & was working F&C…. the years had gone by quickly).  We had lots of cars, lots of workers and a busy schedule.  I worked both days and imagine my surprise when once again the only alert was while I was "control"  (thanks to Lauri Burkons)!  Pat Burns, the Divisional Administrator at the time, was there and sent me a National License.  Now I had the license to work all aspects of F&C but after the two alerts decided to stay away from the tower.

            This year, Phil was asked to Chief F&C for the Driver School and asked me to assist him by doing the worker assignments, etc.  Since we were short handed, I ended up on a corner for most of Saturday but was called up to work copy for one of the groups.  He kept me up there and gave me the next group as "control" so he could take a short break.  Okay, here we go (I brushed up on a copy of Willy's "how to work race control" list) but still … the butterflies were there.  As I was doing my mental check list (i.e. 5 minute post to grid, course check, 3 min. post, 1 min. post, cars on course) I thought I had remember everything until Dick Coburn asked "control" what the flag condition was.  Okay this was a driver school group practice … were we still displaying a white flag even though all groups had been out earlier?  Where are those GCR's?  No, we were no flag all.  Okay by then the cars had come by on the first lap and I had other calls; thus, I had already made my first error!  My fellow corner workers knew I was just a tad tensed-up so one of them said something to ease the tension and then it was like clockwork.  I found out it was not so bad having been away from it for a number of years (kind of like riding a bicycle… you never really forget).  On Sunday, Phil & I traded the open practice groups in the afternoon so that I got to play at a station that morning (I have always enjoyed being on station during the practice races at the school).

At the INR National at GingerMan, I was Phil's Assistant Chief and we traded each race group both days.  At the conclusion of the event, I was asked to Chief the Detroit/WMR National.  Now it is one thing to get your feet wet again but it is entirely another to be the person responsible.  After giving it a lot of thought and discussing it with Phil, I said yes with one condition: I get two assistant chiefs, not just one.  My two assistants were Willy Perez (race control) and Verne Wandell (roamer and problem solver).

            Now to prepare myself for being chief.  My first step was to find a copy of the GCR's and read the section pertaining to F&C & the sections on the flags.  The one I meet a mental note to discuss with the Chief Steward was the display of a white flag at all stations on the first lap for each race group to indicate which stations are manned.  That in itself would seem simple; however, the National race is held at Grattan and the cars are released from the false grid which means the first station they see is turn 4.  My question was "do we drop the white flag when the green flag is displayed at start/finish?"  Reason for the question was "if we keep the white flag up & a car slows down on course going into turn 1 and yet remains on course, how do we indicate a slow car on course at the first 3 stations when we are already displaying a white flag?"  Found out that those types of questions are relevant but nonetheless, the GCR is the "law" in which we conduct the race events.  (Side note: it did happen, a slow car while the first 3 stations remained white after the green flag was displayed)!

            Next step was to read all of the F&C updates that are put on the Internet by Pat Burns, the National Administrator for F&C.  The new yellow flag procedures were updated after the GCR's so I place that on the notes for the morning meetings.

            On Friday night, Phil and I head over early so I can check everything and talk to the Chief Steward, Harry Constant.  A few changes and I had the assignments ready for the meeting (of course, all things change and the next morning, the list was once again revised)!

            Saturday morning and we all arrived early. Found out that we were missing some flags in each set until we located the RE of WMR, Wayne Rogers, who had them with him (he cleaned them.)  So first problem solved.  Now, how to get the equipment to the stations?  Willy found a truck somewhere and that problem was solved.  The workers were terrific in dealing with a first time event chief.  Outside of normal operating problems at Grattan (i.e. radios), we made it through the first day of practice and qualifying just fine.  Willy and I rotated as did our two copy workers, Linda Dent and Liz Wilcox.  Willy, Verne & I had a short meeting and made notes on problems/issues to solve for the following day and a shorter worker count on Sunday (which stations to close?)  Thanks to Pookie, I had some "down time" that night with dinner & relaxation at her and JO's new home (he was at Mid-O.)

If someone is interested, they should contact the chief of their Region and put their name on a list to gain experience in the tower.  If you like it, then request being assigned an Assistant Chief at an event.  All it takes is common sense, remembering that your workers come first in all safety issues, holding one's ground without argument, knowing when to keep calm, having a quick reaction, realizing & accepting some low levels of stress, knowing that alerts do happen & knowing how to handle them, and have a level head.  You are part of a team: Race Control, Copy, Station Workers, Starters, Stewards and other specialties.  It all gels together to make a race event happen successfully.  When you are working a station as the communicator, pay close attention to the calls.  This could help you decide.

Nancy Schilke

Plan well ahead to Steward/Worker Seminar March 3-4 (Tentative) in South Bend IN @ the Holiday Inn City Center

 The new Divisional Administrator designate, Tom Phillips, is planning special workshops aimed at the F&C  specialty

 1)       F&C Mentoring Programs

a)       including equipment sourcing

2)       GCR and F&C awareness

3)       Plans for the Year

a)       CHI/WHRRI/MTM/LEC/IRP

4)       Effective seminars

5)       Basics – what constitutes being safe

6)       Communications – Oral & Written

7)       Executive Steward – F&C meeting

a)       Expectations

b)       Who’s who at the track- responsibilities

8)       Forum of National/Divisional/Assistant Divisional Administrators

Check and update your datebook

Please make sure you have February 17, 2000 in your date book for the MTM Winter Meeting and party at the home of

Rob LaMoreaux
4096 Central Blvd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48108 (find it on MapQuest)
(734)-971-5583 (if you get lost)
Rob_LaMoreaux@compuserve.com

Start Planning for 2001

The schedules of Races for 2001 have been published

Michigan Turn Marshals

(soon to show 2001 schedule)

http://www.michiganturnmarshals.org/

SCCA CenDiv

http://cendiv.scca.org/01racesk.html

Waterford Hills (soon to show 2001 schedule)

http://www.waterfordhills.com/info/schedule.htm

http://www.megsinet.net/~timdeb/racing/flag5.htm 

CART

http://www.cart.com/global/schedule/schedule_2001.html 

Regional Updates

Dick Cole has been named the Regional Executive of the SCCA Detroit Region succeeding Marcus Meredith. We have shared the NEW directions of MTM with both gentlemen.

Cost Containment

 We attempt to use the Internet to the best advantage. Snail mail members have not been able to receive all the updates and reminders. Please ensure that we have your current email address get it to Willy Perez or Dick Coburn Please make sure you let us know when you change ISP or email address. It is a bummer to get bounced emails

Please keep MTM informed as to changes in each Region and Club so that there can be positive communication amongst all fans of racing.

Best wishes for all your Holiday Seasons Believe it or not the seasons will be upon us before we are ready.

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