As a turn captain, your primary responsibility is your workers, drivers, the spectators, how incidents are handled in your area, along with equipment. You must be firm, but still flexible and responsive to the needs of your workers and their capabilities. You will need to learn to accept people doing some things differently than you would, which is o.k. as long as the job gets done. Don't have preconceived notions of what a worker is capable of. Some just need more time to get up to speed. Work with them as much as possible and be patient. Below are some recommended techniques for running a turn.


 

Turn assignment meeting

1. Note captains at adjacent turns - make agreements on range of safety work, usually about 1/2 upstream & downstream.
2. Note who is assigned to your turn - how many, their names, see if you are familiar with any of them for making your turn rotation. Make sure new people know how to get to turn.
3. Get any equipment handed out at meeting (phones, flags, corner packets, etc.), spread this out among your crew.

Station Opening

1. Have all turn equipment collected from edge of track.
2. Put someone on phone net ASAP as this is critical to getting the first session started -- report missing equipment.
3. Hold morning meeting. Go over day's schedule & rotation. Go over any special features of turn (special impact points, black flag procedure). Make sure workers know who is to throw a black flag if needed, who will decide on a "Priority / Alert" (or other word at some tracks) call. Cover basics with new workers. This is the time to take command of your turn and to tell your workers how you want to operate your turn.
   • Determine experience level and physical limitations of crew (bad backs, bee sting allergies, etc.). Remember licensing requirements are not standard across the country, some workers may be specialists and inexperienced at some things with a National license..
   • Appoint an assistant captain who can run the turn in your absence, i.e. if you handle an incident.
   • Determine where to staff point positions with fire bottle if you have sufficient workers. Look for a safe location (behind positive barrier) near where incidents are likely. Across track is good, so is downstream. big trees count as barriers.
   • Have all workers sign in on station roster. Make sure new workers have signed waivers and have a Regional license at SCCA events. Non Members at SCCA events can't chase cars (insurance again!)
   • Set up a rotation. If there are more than 4 workers, you should be out of the rotation so that you can direct incident handling and teach new workers. If you are in the rotation, the assistant captain should be on phones or yellow when you are on safety so that they can direct the turn in an incident. Ideally as a captain, you should go to an incident only after all other workers except the communicator. Some recommended rotations:
     • Phone - yellow - blue - safety.
     • Captain on yellow, phone - blue - safety.
     • Phone - yellow - blue - safety, with captain two positions from assistant.
     • If enough workers, (usually only pro events) set up rotation by pairs: phone/safety - yellow/blue - point/point, etc. Put in an off session only if desired by workers.
     • Stack your rotation when possible so best workers are on blue flag & phones for most difficult session (like "Things With Wings").
   • Plan escape paths and tell crew where likely impacts will occur. Make use of natural terrain like bridges & tunnels for rotating & incidents.
   • Stress safety procedures in meeting, flagging face to face, covering back doors (like at turn 3 at Waterford), track crossing, incident handling, etc. Point out safe parking zones, along with how to call for equipment now (i.e., never a flat tow now).
4. Check extinguishers for pins in place with a tie and full charge on the dial. There is no need to shake, but they should feel full. For cartridge type extinguishers, check the indicator, or unscrew the backwards threaded pressure cannister to check that it isn't punctured. Position extinguishers at point positions or likely areas for spinouts. A welding glove or rope draped on the guardrail can mark where a bottle is hidden behind it.
5. Make sure all gear is behind the guardrail, don't have anything propped on the rail since it will fly when the rail is hit.

Incident handling

1. Get worker to incident safely (good point) & with an extinguisher and rope. Don't send them until needed (not for spin & continues).
2. Safety point workers respond first.
3. Blue flagger responds next.
4. Yellow flagger passes off flag to communicator and responds next, or if on radio, radio could respond next - set this up ahead of time.
5. Captain responds last.
6. Handle any fire first of course, get a fire truck if needed!
7. Determine driver condition, get ambulance or EMT if needed. If driver is O.K. but had severe impact, send to medical at end of session.
8. Attempt to clear the track and go green. Call wrecker if unmoveable. If the car is in a safe location (away from track, not in direct line of impact), it can be left till end of session. If car is in a mediocre location, but can't be retrieved without blocking track or there are only a few minutes left, it might be best to leave until end of session and cover with a yellow flag.
9. Call a "Priority / Alert" if equipment is needed now or for any rollover or severe impact. Important information to report in call:
   • Turn number & flag condition
   • Car number & color (for medical information)
   • Incident location (may determine if shutdown is needed).
   • What equipment needed.
10. In the event of a Red flag or Black flag all (Black at start, yellow at turns), it is more important for the incident turn to maintain the yellow flag than to get the black flag up. The other turns will get the cars if you can't operate both flags at the time. Other turns should be ready for a race stoppage whenever an Priority / Alert is called.
11. When the incident is under control, write notes as to what happened, you know an incident report is coming!

Teaching new workers

1. Nerves are normal at first (and occasionally later) -- don't worry, you will get used to this soon!
2. Try and team with an experienced worker if possible.
3. Try and keep on the same position for two sessions if possible their first day, i.e. 2 yellow flag, 2 blue flag, 2 phone sessions.
4. Always send an experienced worker with them to an incident.
5. Make sure they call in as a novice when on the phones.
6. Make sure they are members at an SCCA race, with a Regional license.
7. When in a standard rotation, Set it up so they get easier groups for blue flag & phones.
8. Some Areas to cover:
   • Basic purpose: communication to drivers & stewards, along with basic safety work.
   • Racing can be dangerous, C.Y.A.!, always stand, buddy system, don't lean on guardrail.
   • Flagging: Blue flagger does all flags except for yellow and black.
   • Yellow - face to face with blue flagger. Stationary off track, waving on track. Never put it down until after all cars are past station on cool off lap. Yellow & blue flagger swap positions when yellow is displayed. Hand signals for stationary, waved & down. Workers count too for flag coverage. Cover area of responsibility & where a pass is legal. Cover hand signals for flag change. Watch for passes under yellow.
   • Blue - check mirrors, advisory, not command. Blue is stationary if following close, shake, rock or waving as appropriate for actual passing attempt. Cover where car should be when flag is shown at each turn, how to pick out correct car by timing. Cover how to blue in race -- for lapping, not for position. Try the memorize first three & last three cars on pace lap trick.
   • White - Advisory, slow moving (50% speed) race cars or any emergency vehicle or pace car. Might use for slightly higher speeds during qualifying sessions. Be ready to use after session when victory laps are under way. Show hand signal for this flag.
   • Hazard - Advisory, oil, coolant, gasoline, dirt, turtles, etc. Show hand signal for this flag.
   • Black - emergency session ending or consult steward, usually done by captain. Go over how this is used.
   • Meatball - mechanical problem, consult steward usually done by captain.
   • Red - stop at flag, for emergency session ending, at start/finish (may also be used at all turns now!).
   • Hand signals to drivers - come to my side, go to opposite side, slow down, very slippery (one hand sliding, not "O").
   • Phone communications
     • All calls - turn number & flag condition, wait for control.
     • When permission given, give car number (single digits), color, incident description, car location, driver condition if impact, equipment needed. Try to send in shorthand, cover report in one sentence. Cover upstream, downstream, drivers left & right, impact, flip, roll, etc.
     • If requested information unknown respond with "checking".
     • Keep log of incidents on turn. This is often the only way to prove what a "miscreant" has done later on.
     • Keep captain informed of incidents on track.
     • Primary attention is to phones, not to station conversation.
     • Call "Priority / Alert" for serious incidents requiring equipment now.
     • Black flag procedure - black flag station copies transmission, repeats to control car number & color along with type of black flag to use. Call through station(s) responds "turn #x copies". Call through station announces car through turn, along with position in pack without asking for permission to talk. Black flag station announces whether driver acknowledged the same way. The last station announces if the car enters the pits or stays on track. The last station should also announce cars that were being watched when they enter the pits. Communicator should set up number board with any car that is being discussed for mechanical problems to be ready ahead of time. Non "Priority / Alert" calls should be held while a black flag or meatball is pending.
   • Checkered - Session over, enter pits at next opportunity.
9. Safety work
   • Basic hand signals - fire, ambulance, wrecker, oil, flat tow, tilt bed, help, point, driver O.K. - must know!
   • More advanced - numbers, colors, corner of car, time left, session started & ended, broken, flat, hood open, flap, drag, jaws of life, EMT, etc.
   • Always wear gloves - cars sharp & hot!
   • Use of rope for pulling formula cars - demonstrate it.
   • Always take an extinguisher, and why! Go over use of bottle.
   • Get point for track crossing, demonstrate signal. Show how it can be used to point a car on the track. Stress spending minimum time on track itself along with using any existing protection along the way.
   • Handle - fire first, upwind if possible, from where it can be fought, always. Don't open the hood and add oxygen. Call for fire truck when needed.
   • Driver condition second - get ambulance if needed. Keep car between you and track as a shield, other way makes you meat in the sandwich!
   • Move car to a safe location. If not moveable, signal for a wrecker. Get it now if not in a safe location.
   • Give driver about 1 minute to restart car, then leave it there. Get driver out. Have him use kill switch. Make sure car is in gear. Remember difference between kill switch and onboard fire system. On some cars they are on the same button!
   • A flat tow can be used if car has steering, brakes & all tires O.K. Otherwise get a wrecker. Tiltbed for car with fenders & 1 side broken, or any car with large fluid leak, but almost never can be used on hot track since they block it!
   • Get a point & return to station with driver. If session almost over, stay across track in a safe location.
   • Keep driver standing, feed water if needed. Check for heat problems that sneak up. Rest the safety worker if needed. Keep the helmet with the driver, it has his medical information.
   • Return to incident with extinguisher when flat tow or wrecker arrives. Put driver in car for flat tow with lap belt, helmet & glove. Check car for tow hook in front for GTs, ITs, production and sportsracers.
10. At end of day, go over with novice how they did, give encouragement, recommend items they should bring, how to get a flag manual, etc.

Station Closing

1. All equipment at track edge unless otherwise requested.
2. Stay on phones until released.
3. Lay down used extinguishers.
4. Empty out all water jugs.
5. Thank your crew!