The Art of Volunteering in the Rain

"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley)
04/30/2019 at 10:23 • Filed to: None

2019 will be my third year as a track official /corner worker at our local road course, River’s Edge. I enjoy being out there and supporting racers from across the PNW, but am also considering quitting.

The title is a reference to the book The Art of Racing in the Rain. They filmed the upcoming movie at our track this past year.

View from Turn 6 - Rivers Edge Raceway

The racing season lasts from April until October with an average of 2 races a month. I’ve never missed one since I started, but am now questioning if it is really the best use of a couple months worth of weekends during the best months of the year.

Why leave you ask? There are a few reasons that have annoyed me for my entire time there but have recently grown to be more irritating.

First and foremost is that most if not all of my fellow volunteers are not car people or even racing people. They are all retired people that have been doing this forever and the highlight of their day is waving a stick with some fabric on it. They seem totally oblivious to the types, colors and characteristics of the cars on the track. I am the only one who actively walks the paddock/pit during the weekend.

Second is the infighting. For some reason, some schism occurred like 20 years ago between the corner workers and the rescue team. Ever since then, they don’t let each other use each other’s equipment or even socialize.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! One of the workers turned to me and said “I bet rescue is loving this, they must feel so important” . This was said as the ambulance transporting the critically injured driver was just leaving the track.

Obviously, that statement shocked me. Especially as I was on radio and a) heard the urgent calls for an ambulance when rescue reached the flipped open racer and b) could hear the driver’s wife frantically asking for updates in the background back at race control. We had just learned, to our shock, that he was still alive.

Third is the selfish one. I get to the track at 7:30am and leave around 5pm. As mentioned, these are on the nicest weekends of the year and I blow the whole day. I eat badly, get sunburns and bug bites and it costs me about $20 round trip in gas. In April, May, September and October it is very cold by the river and when it rains it really sucks.

Fourth is the risk that volunteering presents. Corner workers do get killed/hurt occasionally. Not at my track yet, but the risk is always there.

But then, there are the reasons to stay. I enjoy the people individually, the cars are cool, loud and fast and there are frankly worse ways to spend a weekend. It makes for good photos and I get the satisfaction of supporting Motorsports in my community.

Anyway, sorry to rant, but I genuinely feel stuck on what to do. I’d love to have so many weekends back for spending time driving and with my wife and dog, but feel bad abandoning the racing community up here. Every year there are less and less volunteers and sometimes they have to pull family of racers to help as we can’t run a race without a minimum number of workers.

What would you do?

DISCUSSION (9)

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
04/30/2019 at 10:36

wtf is wrong with people

also, if I left the wife and dogs alone for a weekend all hell would break loose

TheRealBicycleBuck > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
04/30/2019 at 10:41

The commit ments we are willing to make change as we grow older. That’s normal. If it’s time to move on, then move on. Perhaps life will bring you back around to the same place again someday.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
04/30/2019 at 10:45

Corner workers rock! In my area, more of the corner workers tend to be future/past racers that can’t afford to play yet/anymore, and there are a good number of mechanics out on the corners also. Most of ours are car people, and we’re all friends in the paddock.

The shortage of workers is always a problem. We (the local SCCA regions and division) try to offset costs where we can, like buying blocks of hotel rooms for the out of town workers. There is also, and always, a big party Saturday night. Everyone is invited and attends, but it is specifically for the workers. They eat and drink first. Usually something like BBQ is catered and there is lots and lots of beer brought in. As a driver, it is a valid and practiced strategy to sometimes see if you can get your competition considerably more intoxicated than you at the party and reap the benefits of their less sharp mind and body on Sunday.

I see two ways you could go. One is to perhaps work less than the full schedule, leaving you more time for you, but still getting your fix and supporting the racing community. I don’t see why it has to be an all or nothing thing. The other option is trying to get involved with the leadership of the sanctioning body and work to make things better . Sometimes new blood and fresh perspective can do wonders.

412GTI > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
04/30/2019 at 10:56

I’m surprised to hear a lot of the volunteers aren’t race or car fans, that’s very surprising.

Certainly a difficult choice, I’d look for a way to still volunteer but not participate in every race weekend. Maybe reduce it to half?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
04/30/2019 at 11:24

Honestly, if you’re thinking about quitting, quit.

Spending that time with your wife is more important, and you won’t feel bad for taking time away when you’re doing a variety of other things purely for your own enjoyment.

Mid Engine > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
04/30/2019 at 11:43

recruit a replacement and retire knowing the community still has the workers required.

DipodomysDeserti > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
04/30/2019 at 12:31

Is it the norm for track workers to go unpaid? I’ve never participated in motorsports, but it seems very strange that a hobby mostly enjoyed by people with means would rely upon unpaid workers. I grew up playing baseball and football, and even at the youth level, referees were paid. Seems a bit strange, especially if you’re volunteering with a bunch of sociopaths.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > DipodomysDeserti
04/30/2019 at 12:34

I think it is a point of contention. Some organizations pay, some cover costs, some give gifts.

bubblestheturtle > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
04/30/2019 at 18:49

I never started the race volunteer thing becuase they ask for the whole day or even weekend. Although I would like to do that, I am not burning that much time.