I had a free weekend so I thought I’d have a go marshalling at Snetterton.
It’s always good to see things from another perspective.
You certainly get to view the racing close up.
Paul G
I tried it once in Belfast, at a hillclimb. I had a broom, but they had run out of flags. So in the event of an incident, I was supposed to go running down to the next marshall, who had a flag, to stop the cars coming out. I spent most of the time jumping into the bushes.
Sounds fun, OP is only up the road from me, it’s something I’ve considered looking into.
I bet you made a clean sweep at that event.
Bits of 205 Gti and Elise as I recall.
I did a marshalling taster day at Silverstone. They take you round the whole site, showing you the medical centre, the timing room, the scrutineering area etc. When I went it was the Walter Hayes Trophy event, so lots of classic cars racing.
Was in interesting day, but sadly rained for most of it. Well worth doing and does get you closer to the action.
Sounds good, but none of that posh stuff at Snetterton. Just Band-Aid & TCP.
I think they were pleased that I had passed the on-line tests for Rally & Off Road so wasn’t a complete numpty.
I was also part of a Radio Crew a couple of weeks back on the Corbeau Seats, Tendring & Clacton Closed Road Rally. (That’s a mouthful)
Now those cars blasted the wax from your lug holes.
When your too old to drive at a competitive pace it’s good to still get involved.
I’m still too young for carpet bowls.
Snetterton’s only a few miles down the A11 from me.
A friend of mine was a marshal there about twenty years ago, mainly with motorcycle racing. He loved it, met some interesting people, and even got to do a sighting lap or two on his Ducati!
I spent a year helping as a marshal at a speedway circuit, I’d spend every Sunday’s setting up the track, marshal with a red flag and then pack up before going home.
It was great fun, we used to have the best spot to watch the racing (inside the track so I wasn’t covered in shale, unlike those in the stands).
And at the end if year do I met Wendy, several years later she became my wife.
I often marshal (or, more correctly, “observe”) at Classic trials run by the Motor Cycling Club (the oldest motorsport club in UK).
These trials consist of about 150 to 200 road miles, interspersed with around fifteen off-road hill climbing sections. Not only do you get to see the motorbikes and cars at very close quarters, you often get to help pick them up / help push the ones who don’t get up the hills. The trials run overnight and into the afternoon of the following day.
I drove 300 miles to Cornwall on Good Friday to assist on an overnight section of the “Land’s End” trial at Easter (as I have done for the last three years in fact). A tirng weekend but great entertainment.
I did a couple of years marshalling at the TT a few years back. Not anything special just a bod to pick up broken bits of bike and tell people where they can’t be. Was great fun and being the TT I got REALLY close to the action.