Kinda scary...

[cornercamping]

You know what... is there a cornerworkers org.?  There should be.  There should be a web page out there, where people can sign up as a cornerworker, and list all the tracks they can work at.  They can enter all their information, including qualifications like EMT, ect. and all that data can be stored in a database.  Then, all valid track day orgs., race orgs., ect. could get user names and passwords and look at the database and make phone calls.  Then their could be an emergency list, where cornerworkers could sign up as "emergency will call" where they would be willing to show up at a last minute notice incase of shortages.  There could also be a paypal donate page where this website could pay cornerworkers for working.  Imagine if every single track rider regardless if it's a racer, or just a regular track day'r donated $1.00   Think about how many people that is nationwide.  It could be a nationwide database of cornerworkers with qualifications, ect.   Phone numbers, addresses, ect. would be listed, and if it came down to it, a race org. could go online right at the track, look up an available "emergency will call" cornerworker at that local track, and have them there in a reasonable amount of time, and then the website could pay that cornerworker via paypal or something.   That would be sweet.  Then, there is always a cornerworker available.  CCS, WERA, AFM, NESBA, ect. could also book cornerworkers ahead of time, and verify a day or two before the even that they are gonna show.  I'll tell you guys what, if someone is willing to build the site, I'll pay to host it.  8)

[cornercamping]

Then, don't forget all the car clubs.  Imagine if all racers/drivers donated $1.00    The database could be for those orgs. too  :D  More money = happy cornerworkers and safer race tracks  ;)  If there was enough money, cornerworkers could get a raise.  :D

[cornercamping]

the domain:   www.cornerworker.com is available

:D

Who's gonna build the site and databases?

Anyone?

[cornercamping]

And for the people that b@tch when a red flag goes out which they feel was not needed:

http://www.bikepics.com/movies/000183/

Watch that movie.........

[cornercamping]

Anyone download the video  ???

[EX#996]

Anyone download the video  ???

Nope...

I have dial up in the middle of cow country, so I wouldn't even try.

Dawn   :)

[cornercamping]

Nope...

I have dial up in the middle of cow country, so I wouldn't even try.

Dawn Ê :)

Well, what happened is a guy lowsided, and got stuck in the middle of the track.  So, 2 cornerworkers run out to help him.  About 15 seconds later, one of the cornerworkers gets nailed by a bike.  They didn't stop the race in time.  :(  Kinda graphic, but it's kinda like a sex ed video from back in Jr. Highschool.  Has to be grapic to make a point.

[Johnny B]

I know that accident. That was Rob Dages that got hit.
I was working as Head Pit Steward at Loudon that day and bad things were building up starting in the morning. During morning practice there were no less than nine red flags thrown for various incidents. I was the first person the riders saw coming off of the track, and I got plenty of abuse from them, questioning why there were so many flags being thrown.
Rob got hit that afternoon and a firestorm of criticism hit the internet (A majority of it from people who only saw the clip you posted. One "expert" stated that Rob was killed), questioning why we did not throw the flag. You can't have your cake and eat it.
Same goes for that BARF thread.
First thing. Track days are held during the weekdays. It's awfully hard to get a full compliment of cornerworkers on a weekday. If you want to hire a full compliment of them, you'd best be competitive with the amount of money they're giving up to take the day off. I'm one of the few people at NHIS that can commit to a lot of days doing track control, and I limit the number of "Pro Bono" days I throw in. One of the girls actually asked me if I had a real job! Insurance regulations for track days tend to try to discourage all-out racing, so that the action is more manageable. Some contracts that I have read actually prohibit the use of stopwatches.
For every "I'd gladly pay an extra $20.00 in my entry fee for improvements" thread in a forum, there are several "If we do this, we can save money and lower the entry fees!" threads. Therefore I don't see vast amounts of money rolling in anytime soon.
BTW, here's a picture of Rob two weeks after he allegedly got killed. Behind him is his lovely wife Ann, best known as the cornerworker who had that altercation with Grant Lopez in Turn 3 a few years earlier.

[Johnny B]

Kinda graphic, but it's kinda like a sex ed video from back in Jr. Highschool.  Has to be graphic to make a point.

No it doesn't. Rob would like nothing better than to eradicate every copy of that flick from the planet. He doesn't like being the "graphic to make a point" poster boy.
The one point that is not obvious in the flick is that the rider, who was more seriously injured than Rob, was rumored to not have any insurance at the time of the incident. THAT is insane!

[G 97]

I know that accident. That was Rob Dages that got hit.
I was working as Head Pit Steward at Loudon that day and bad things were building up starting in the morning. During morning practice there were no less than nine red flags thrown for various incidents. I was the first person the riders saw coming off of the track, and I got plenty of abuse from them, questioning why there were so many flags being thrown.
Rob got hit that afternoon and a firestorm of criticism hit the internet (A majority of it from people who only saw the clip you posted. One "expert" stated that Rob was killed), questioning why we did not throw the flag. You can't have your cake and eat it.
Same goes for that BARF thread.
First thing. Track days are held during the weekdays. It's awfully hard to get a full compliment of cornerworkers on a weekday. If you want to hire a full compliment of them, you'd best be competitive with the amount of money they're giving up to take the day off. I'm one of the few people at NHIS that can commit to a lot of days doing track control, and I limit the number of "Pro Bono" days I throw in. One of the girls actually asked me if I had a real job! Insurance regulations for track days tend to try to discourage all-out racing, so that the action is more manageable. Some contracts that I have read actually prohibit the use of stopwatches.
For every "I'd gladly pay an extra $20.00 in my entry fee for improvements" thread in a forum, there are several "If we do this, we can save money and lower the entry fees!" threads. Therefore I don't see vast amounts of money rolling in anytime soon.
BTW, here's a picture of Rob two weeks after he allegedly got killed. Behind him is his lovely wife Ann, best known as the cornerworker who had that altercation with Grant Lopez in Turn 3 a few years earlier.

Not meaning to take away anything from the tragic events that transpired.  A truly sad and preventable situation.

I will say that not all track days are held on weekdays.  In fact, well over 95% of NESBA's events are held exclusively on WEEKENDS.  NESBA also employs the exact same CW's that the track facility/race organizations do.  Anyone who would even allude to the fact otherwise is simply misinformed.  I can't comment on any other track day organization with regard to how they handle the CW situation.  I can comment on NESBA and can assure you that safety is our number one consideration.   It's not about the money.

[Johnny B]

The track day being discussed on the BARF Forum was held on a Monday.
NHIS's weekends are pretty booked with formal events (This weekend I'm working an FIM/USCRA/NAMU event), so I can say with a fair amount of certainty that 100% of the track days there are on weekdays. LRRS, USCRA and the Penguin School use the US Marshalls, the other orgs. (Hawk Racing School, BCM Ducati, A.R.C., Team Daemon, Tony's Track Days, etc.) put together their own crews. Some might come from the US Marshalls, but they are not officially contracted.
Money CAN be a factor. We've gotten calls from the track telling us of a day opening up because the org that had the day reserved couldn't sign up enough people to show up at a reasonable price. Raising the price to cover the red ink would have scared off some of those already signed up.
At the last Penguin Advanced School, I was up in the Turn 8 treehouse overlooking the entire track. I had 1 worker in Turn 5 and two (One a newbie that I was observing) at the 3/10 split to cover my blind spots. And Race Control was at Pit Exit/Turn One with me as their eyes. That's it. I am watching the entire track, and damned if I'm not watching one side of the track when something happens at the other side. I was brought in at the last minute to cover a no-show. Most of the US Marshalls have normal jobs and a limited number of days off.

[EX#996]

Johnny...

I'm glad you posted the picture and that he was alright.  We appreciate what the CW do for us.

Dawn   ;)