Holy Red Flags Batman! AMA SBK Race 1 Mid-Ohio

[Dr675]

What do you expect from a bunch of car people that are "burdened" with motorcycles.  I watched this race and was shocked at how terrible the workers were... I mean completely useless.  How in the hell do you not notice water pooling up at that point on the track... or maybe spot it dripping in the first place... to hell with that: why isn't the freaking bridge water tight in the first place?  That unexpected loss of grip is the kind of situation that causes major injuries and death.  I also like the guy who refused to put out the bike that eventually burned to the ground.  I can understand not wanting to get in the line of other possible crashers, but the dude who crashed went as far as possible so just go 10 feet further away on your way out to it and put it out!  The combination of bad things I've heard and the bad things I've seen about Mid-Ohio make me glad I've never been there.

Most corner workers are highly trained. Yes, most are "Car guys", but 80% of the events at any track are car based.  Each corner will have a corner captain.  In cases like Matt Lynn's crash, they are not to leave the "safe area" until its deemed safe to do so.  If you look at the turn 2/3 area, a lot is in an impact zone.  Remember your first aid training?  Make sure the situation and area is safe to work in.  Its easy to call the shots from your couch in your living room.

[Burt Munro]

The only experience with AMA races I've got as a corneworker is from the first ever AMA event at Barber - so I'm in no position to be judge and jury.   That being said I (as well as the 3 other guys who made the trip with me) was surprised at the level of danger to our well being that was expected. 

The phrase they hammered home all weekend was 'do whatever you need to do to keep the race from being red flagged.' This was especially emphasized on Sunday because the races were being televised live.  The comment was also made several times that the expectation would probably put us into situations that we weren't accustomed to.

I didn't see any of the races from Mid-Ohio so I can't compare it to what we ran into at Barber.

...... just my 2 cents

[Simon]

  That being said I (as well as the 3 other guys who made the trip with me) was surprised at the level of danger to our well being that was expected. 

The phrase they hammered home all weekend was 'do whatever you need to do to keep the race from being red flagged.' This was especially emphasized on Sunday because the races were being televised live.  The comment was also made several times that the expectation would probably put us into situations that we weren't accustomed to.

Wow, I hope you got paid well!!

[Burt Munro]

Wow, I hope you got paid well!!

$65 a day minus $5 a day for our lunch.   Checks came several weeks later.

[Mongo]

Keep in mind that doing whatever you can to keep things rolling included you not getting hurt which would cause an immediate red flag....

[Burt Munro]

Maybe I didn't phrase that properly.........  the expectation was clear.  We were to remove bikes from impact zones that under 'normal' CCS/WERA conditions would not take place under a green or yellow flag.   

Kinda like crossing a 4 lane city street with 35 mph traffic versus crossing a 6 lane highway with 55 mph traffic.   You can get across - you just gotta pick the right time!