Chief Steward's Corner - Tom Anderson, Chief Steward [back to top]
VARA Rules
I wonder how many of you fearless drivers really have an idea of what the corner workers do to make your weekend fun and trouble free. Well, here is a weekend in the life of a corner worker.
Friday night means a trip to the racetrack, just like everyone else, except that when you check in to the motel, you find that you are roommates with someone who snores, loudly. You take a pillow and a blanket into the bath and crash in the tub.
Saturday morning finds you up and in the shower around 0500, or waiting for the shower. Then determine the weather by turning on the TV and finding the Weather Channel (not terribly accurate) or open door and look outside. Decide how many layers will be required for the day, and then head out to breakfast around 0600.
At the track for the workers meeting at 0715 and receive any special information from the Flag Marshal or the Steward, and then find a ride to your assigned corner.
First thing is to make sure your radio is working (or land line at Buttonwillow) and that you have a fire extinguisher, broom and the proper flags. Use the Sun Screen you brought or borrow some because yours is still sitting on your bathroom counter. Then its time to annoy the Steward by asking what time lunch will be served.
At 0800 it is time for the first car out for the first session. Your responsibilities are to observe the cars for anything that looks inappropriate. Over filled fuel tank with gas streaming out the back of the car could be a problem if it continues more than a lap or two. A wheel wobbling, tire looking under-inflated, tail pipe dragging, loose hood or trunk lid or a visor up. If there are two people at the corner, one faces up track (oncoming traffic), the other person faces down track, with a yellow flag at the ready.
If you are alone, be ready to observe both directions, often called the Sore Neck position. When a car spins or goes off course, you display the yellow flag, after deciding whether it should be waved or stationary, while calling the incident in to race control. The green flag person (facing up track) is responsible for the blue flag and assisting the yellow flagger with any other flags required, like debris or white. You must stay alert for approximately 4 hours, with short rest breaks between sessions, until the mean old Steward announces that it is time for lunch.
After enjoying a delicious lunch, it’s time to go back on course for another 3-5 hours of flagging. At the end of the day, beverages are usually served and then dinner, if a BBQ is scheduled. Off to party otherwise and await the 0500 alarm and do it again.
Other responsibilities are to keep Race Control aware of tow’s needed, responding to an accident or disabled car with fire bottle, and anything else that comes up. There is almost always something new occurring over a race weekend.
Sound like fun, want to try it? We are always looking for help, even if you can only go out for a couple of hours on one day of the weekend. It is the second best seat in the house and you can get an idea of what you might be doing wrong while watching the mistakes of others. Contact me at varasteward@earthlink.netif you would like schedule your experience of a lifetime.
Fast Esses - Murray Chalmers, Chief Driving Instructor [back to top]
The Soul of Vintage Racing
This is the sixth of a series of columns for our newest drivers, although it may also provide a useful refresher for veterans.
I was recently reading an article in the latest Classic Motorsports on vintage racing in which they asked a group of six professional racers, who also race vintage from time to time, their views on the essence of vintage racing. While they each had differing points of view, one point they all brought up had to do with maintaining the soul of the cars. They all cautioned to not lose sight of a vintage car’s true character, and do not smother its history with modifications, and don’t push a chassis further than it was designed to handle. As they cautioned, it is in the spirit of vintage racing to value these machines for the history and the era of racing they represent.
It seems to me that these are wise points to remember when we are contemplating adding disk brakes, suspension alterations, engine modifications, or other such items that were not available in the car’s era. If running at the front of the field is a main goal then the best way there is to select a car model that can run there without non-period modifications. If the car you dream of going racing in is not very competitive in its run group, then the goal needs to be to as well as it can be driven with its existing limitations. That is not to say one should avoid proper set-up and fine tuning, it just means that we should think long and hard before making changes which compromise the character and soul of a piece of history. Running in the middle of the pack can be very satisfying when we are getting the most from the car that it has to give, in its correct era form.
In no way am I talking of modifications which bend the rules as I am well aware that our good VARA racers would never do such a thing. No, what I am referring to is alterations which, while are within the rule book, still might change the original character of the car. In our form of racing it is far better to look to increasing our driving skills before using modern upgrades in search more speed.
Nothing more quickly puts a smile on the face of those who remember these cars when they were new, as seeing a car in livery reflective of the correct period with wheels and appearance matching the way they looked on the track in their period. As drivers, some go so far as to get a vintage period looking, modern specification, driving suit and helmet.
Vintage racing with VARA is far more than a simple race weekend. VARA racing is a social experience which also has some really fun racing folded into it. Take the time between your turns on the track to wander the paddock and really enjoy the great old cars and get to know your competitors. There are some really fine personalities with a wealth of information and experiences to share. There is nothing quite as fine as idling with your favorite adult libation, at the end of the day, sharing lies about how fast you would be if your car was a bit faster.
It is even a more fulfilling experience to get to know the cars and drivers in other run groups. I have it on good authority that the drivers in A and B production rarely bite and even should they do, they usually have had their shots.
The feel and look of vintage racing is something that we all can participate in and actually make an impact. Invite your friends and family to our races and introduce them around. Let them see the social parts of the event and you will find ever more support for your passion. As they feel part of the social side you will find that they begin to feel part of the actions and be ever more excited about going to the races with you.
