CCS or NJMP??

[gs750t]

Who cheaped out?  If you are a trained qualified corner marshal, why would you work at NJMP?  They would be satisfied with any breathing body standing on the corner.

[clarustnb]

... very confused.  Did I miss something?

[Simon]

Who cheaped out?  If you are a trained qualified corner marshal, why would you work at NJMP?  They would be satisfied with any breathing body standing on the corner.

What happened? I thought Airfence Andy Curro was putting the crew together for this?

[Kuala76]

Taken from the CCS site: "

SAFETY CREW POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR NJMP

More corner workers are needed to complete the safety crew for our first New Jersey event May 5-6. Anyone interested in working that event should call Eric Kelcher at 817-246-1127.


I also thought Andy was arranging this; but that was only AFTER I thought NJMP had their 'rules' about having 'their people' work.

[gs750t]

More and more I have the feeling that corner safety has been going the route of " Let's go with the lowest bidder."  You think racers want to see inexperienced or untrained corner workers saving their asses?  Those of us that do this aren't looking to get rich, we want to cover our expenses.
If you are running a racing org, are you looking for qualified people or just hoping to get by with the lowest amount of $$$ to run the show?
I think it's time for those of us that know our craft to tell those orgs it's time to pay the price.  I'm pretty sure after posting this up my chances of working CCS event will be null and void.
So be it.

[RoadRaceJunkie]

Been saying this for a while...  Promoters don't know who's who and they have to run the event they've promoted.  Without some kind of certification like the credentials EMTs have, they're going to go with whatever they perceive to be in their best business interest.  With the relatively recent industry move toward having those directly employed by the promoter or racetrack to do the corner working, we're seeing a new liability model, however flawed it may be.  Put yourself in the promoter's/racetrack's position... If your insurance/liability adviser is telling you to have these people under your business's liability umbrella, why would you seek those who are an unknown quantity (to the promoter) and not the "legal" definition of employee? 

Motorcycle corner working is a different craft than working cars... N.J. regulations don't make any distinction and are ignorant of the realities of motorcycle road racing.   I'm not privy to what may have changed at NJMP but, I was impressed that they had sought to have experienced motorcycle corner workers at their events.   

One would think, from a liability standpoint, ALL concerned parties would want those with the most, best experience with motorcycles.  Until there is an industry standard that all can agree on, we'll have the issue of who will do the work and deserve the compensation.  Until all of us who specialize in working motorcycle road racing can get together and establish, at least, some sort of certification, these issues will continue to piss people off.  The SCCA F&C model is out there as a framework.  We need to show how and why another model for motorcycles is necessary.  "build it and they will come..."
Ed McFarland
27th year 

[Kuala76]

Motorcycle corner working is a different craft than working cars... N.J. regulations don't make any distinction and are ignorant of the realities of motorcycle road racing.   I'm not privy to what may have changed at NJMP but, I was impressed that they had sought to have experienced motorcycle corner workers at their events.   

I think the issue is that they haven't sought 'experienced motorcycle corner workers' as much as they seem to be seeking the 'cheapest' motorcycle corner workers. 

[RoadRaceJunkie]

Like I said, I don't know what might be different at NJMP, but, with the local economic reality that they have pledged to help address, the local track employees who do corner working are going to get first dibs on the compen$ated positions.  Why there are not uncompensated, volunteer EMT's working should be obvious from what I stated in my previous post.  Until we bring our craft to the level that becomes an industry standard, recognized by those whose responsibility it is for the risk/liability management of this business, we'll continue to see what we're seeing.

I hope it never comes to what I quote from a post I made here in 2007:
"if some smart litigator learns that there are more comprehensive capabilities available out there, specifically for motorcycles, and responsible parties don't take advantage of them, they might be accused of negligence."

Ed

[Eric Kelcher]

For NJMP we looked at several scenarios.
1. Have track provide marshalls
2. Hire corner marshall group/organizer
3. Hire marshalls individually thru our office


We looked at each of these and they all had advantages.


What we have decided to do is hire marshalls individually thru our office. At the moment I am taking names and expeirence info from those I did not already have on record. Then I can review and discuss with those they have worked with to insure we have trained marshalls trackside. We will also be looking to bring some new people in that are interested in starting to work trackside, so I need to work on training program/trainers.


Since this will be, from our perspective, a new group we will have a more extensive review/training of procedures with marshalls to insure our control people and marshalls are on same page with CCS procedures and safety policies.

As we work through the list of people wanting to work there are several factors that come into play, abilty to do any position(ie injuries ailments etc that might hamper/limit someone from/to pick-up, radio, flag, captain positions), experience, availaibilty, teamwork; with no one thing being more important than another but weighed as a full package for the marshall positions needed.

There seems to be a grumble from those that either did or want to work at NJMP. I hope we can alleviate that and build a cohesive group as we see at other tracks in the area and throughout the US.

[gs750t]

Eric,
Thanks for the straight up response.  Being one of the grumblers, wish I would have known that before making other plans that week end.

[gs750t]

Please disregard my post #9, can not delete the post.  Why have you blocked my pm's????

[Eric Kelcher]

I have PMS turned off, as I had stuff get lost there that I didn't respond to in a timely manner and with limit to messages I didn't want anything important to get deleted. Email I can sort into various folders so I can stay better organized.
Best way to get in touch with me is via email Eric.Kelcher@ccsracing.us or by phone M-Thur 9-5 CST/CDT (817)246-1127