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| June The
Un-Sung Heroes of Motorsport |
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Lets face it we all sit
there on the grass banks or in the grandstands that’s if you have a
second
mortgage that is, and look down on the vast fortune and wealth that
surrounds
the cars and teams on the grid and in the paddocks. It’s unbelievable
the
amount of money that is swirling round the teams and sponsors plus one
or two
celebrities, lets face it, motorsport is a multi million global
business. orange or white coveralls that you see dotted among the track with there various colored flags, these people are the un-sung heroes of the motorsport world.  Just think what would happen if on the morning of the 24 Hours of Le mans if just 40% of the marshals turned over in there bed and said I don’t think I will bother, we would be in trouble that’s what would happen. “Don’t pay them” I hear you cry, well that’s the thing you see, these guys and girls are all volunteers, they get paid nothing not one penny not even for there traveling or living expenses and without them lets face it, there would be no motorsport. If you have not realized by now this months feature is all about the motorsport marshals “the un-sung heroes of the motorsport world” and they are heroes each and every one of them. A Motorsport Marshal is someone who is interested in Motorsport and who wants to be involved in motorsport without cost of competing or sponsoring, all Marshals are volunteers who enjoy being part of motorsport and do not get paid.  However enthusiastic you may be, every Marshalling job requires a great deal of training and practice. The BMMC was one of the first clubs to set up a regular training programme for its members. All organizations and regions have their own training officer whose job is to construct and run a training programme for the members. All training sessions include theory and practical sessions, including fire fighting and rescue unit work. Experienced marshals will guide and offer advice to you at race meetings, observe your progress and help you gain greater enjoyment from your duties. To organize
any event requires a small army of
volunteers, usually many more than the number of competitors. These
volunteers
carry out a wide range of duties, all of which contribute to the
overall
efficiency and success of the event.  So how do I become a
Marshall and what do I need? There is a vast amount of information via
the web, first you need to decide witch club to join, and that depends
on where you live, most motorsport Marshals organizations web sites has
a set of questions and answers and many also may have a down loadable
pocket guide to Marshalling - which will explain different branches of
Marshalling, equipment, and what sort of things you'll need to do when
you start.
It's not necessary to join any club to volunteer, but you will probably find things easier and gain a few other advantages by joining one of them. We asked Chris Hobson (Senior Racing Marshal) some questions of our own click here for the Chris Hobson Interview  Porschsport.com would like to thank all the marshals out there for there time and dedication, be safe. |
INFORMATION: Home News Porsche Art Links Contact us Forum Merchandise Monthly Feature For those wishing to become involved with motor sport - but not as a competitor, there can be no better introduction than as a marshal or official.  What can you do when you become a marshal ! Several years ago UK motorsport’s governing body, the MSA, introduced a universal grading scheme for Race marshals, based largely on the BMMC’s existing scheme and decreed that, from the year 2000, the MSA scheme for marshals’ training and grading would be adopted by all clubs. In order to move through the grades, marshals gain signatures on Upgrading Cards for carrying out duties to the correct standard and for attending training sessions. Prior to 1st January 2003, the BMMC and the BRMC issued metal coloured badges denoting the experience level of each member. Grading badges worn by Rescue Unit personnel, Experienced and Examining Specialists, and all grades of rally marshals may also carry tags to identify an area of specialization. Since that date a laminated, photo card showing the grade has been issued. Is it Dangerous ! Yes: like any motorsport event there is a element of Danger, that why expert training is provided. But there has been fatal accidents and some very bad injuries over the years, the most famous story is that of Steve Tarrant. You can read about this horrific accident by clicking on Steve's image below.  Below you will find links to some of the Worlds Motorsport Marshals Web Sites. There are too many to list so we apologize if we have note listed your club below.  British Motorsport Marshals Club  British Racing Driver's Club  Scottish Motorsports Marshals Club  U.S. Marshalls  Western Canada Motorsports Association  Motor Racing Marshals of Ireland  Sports Car Club of America |
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