The 5 Commandments of Marshalling
 

The 5 Commandments of Being a Marshal

1. Please put the cars back on the track in the order that they wrecked. The guy that is 3 laps down is a little less important when I am battling for for the lead.

2. If you are overweight, have emphysema, or a broken leg, stay away from the sweepers and tight corners. If you can help it, marshall at the straightaway when there isn't much collision going on.

3. When it is your turn to marshall, don't whine about it. We all have to do it. Or at least we all SHOULD do it. It's kinda unfair when one person has to do it through all the races. When your heat is done, step-up and do your duty to your fellow racers. They do it for you.

4. When you step on my car and bust my shock tower, an apology would be nice. I know you didn't mean it, but saying those words mean a lot when you break something that isn't yours.

5. And finally, marshall unto others as you would marshall yourself.

6. Stay at your cone till the last racer is done.
7. Watch your cone not the race.
8. Don't carry broken cars across the track turn them off and set them on there lid.
9. Be safe wear safety glasses and gloves.
10. And know what to do in case of a run away or a battery short.

And drivers please be nice to the marshals they didn't crash.
Note: Fastlane raceway has marshal lessons 35.00 a session.

Marshalling lessons... :ha::ha: That is the greatest this I have ever heard!

TURN MARSHALING AT R/C CAR EVENTS

Many people who have never driven at an organized R/C Race Track may have not heard this term before. So I am going to start off with the basic definition of a Turn Marshal. Basically, a Turn Marshal is driver that immediately returns to the course after his or her race to work the course and maintain optimum racing conditions for those racers in the following session.

Here are the responsibilities of a Turn Marshal:

1) Help maintain a clear race course for competitors.

2) Assist vehicles that have become unable to move because of a crash or spin.

3) Remove disabled vehicles that are unable to continue because of mechanical problems (By the shut off switch or unplugging the battery with electric vehicles and the appropriate method to shut down a gas vehicle).

4) Correct issues that arise with the track layout. This normally includes re-positioning corner cones and/or barriers to their original position after being displaced during a session.

Provide an open race course for the rest of the racers as QUICKLY and SAFELY as possible. If you race, you have an obligation to work as a Turn Marshal. Various tracks handle marshaling differently. Some tracks have numbered pylons corresponding with your starting position to indicate where your turn assignment is located. Others just allow you to pick a corner or area of the track. In either situation, after your race is over, disable your vehicle and return the transponder as quickly as possible and proceed to your Turn Marshaling position. This will help the race day go smoothly and as quickly as possible.

Here are the basics of Turn Marshaling:

1) When on the track, be sure you are not standing in a driver’s line of sight or blocking a view of a portion of the race track.

2) Stay focused on your assigned portion of the racetrack. It is easy to get caught up in watching the race and miss getting someone on their way or clearing the track quickly in a crash.

3) First to crash is first to be flipped in multi vehicle pileups.

4) Be impartial - Every driver and car should be treated equally. Don't turn over a friend or family member’s vehicle first if they were included on the tail end of a crash.

5) Never step into oncoming traffic to get a disabled car. These vehicles, Electric or Gas, are traveling at a speed that could easily injure you if you are struck by one of them. Wait for a reasonably clear opportunity to move to the disabled vehicle(s). MOVE QUICKLY. Watch your step on temporary carpet tracks to avoid bunching or damaging the track material.

6) Never put a vehicle in the path of oncoming traffic. The proper method is to wait until traffic has passed and reset it or lift the car off the track to keep other cars from hitting it and then place it back in the race when traffic is clear.

7) Always set the vehicle going in the right direction. Don't just turn it over and let the driver to make a large turn to get going in the right direction. Set the vehicle in a position that the driver can quickly reenter the race on his own. Be aware of vehicles that have jumped over barriers. Put them on the track where they left the track and not where they landed. On tracks with a lot of switch backs this could advance the vehicle unfairly ahead of competitors.

8) Attempt to repair minor damage if you can quickly, (Popped Rod ends, loose batteries, dislocated CVD’s, wedged in body parts, etc. Remember... The Cars still in the race have priority!!!! If you have to, hand the vehicle over to a friend of the driver or just shut it off and tend to the track.

9) If you are not able to Marshal the next race after your session, it is your responsibility to inform the track officials or find a replacement marshal. At many tracks you are penalized a lap or disqualified for not Marshaling and not informing the officials.

10) Please remember when you are driving, Do not scream at the marshals. Abusive language is not acceptable. If they don't see your vehicle, then yes you can get their attention. Treat people like you would want to be treated.

Here are a few things to be aware of. Be conscience of areas of the vehicle that can harm you. Gas engines have exhaust systems that get hot and electric motors get very hot too. Be cautious of moving parts. Wheels, axles, and flywheels can all cause injuries. When on the drivers stand, please wait until the Marshal has released your vehicle for their safety, before hitting the throttle. Make sure you don't have things in your pockets that can fall out on the track as you are assisting vehicles.

In closing, there is a time and place for everything. When you are marshaling a race, it is not the time for a smoke, eat or chat with fellow onlookers. Surely you can wait until the race is over for such things. There is a saying that holds true…If you don't like having your car marshaled, don't crash. The most important thing to remember is that we are all out there to have fun.

Thank you for fulfilling your obligation to Turn Marshal.

b
 

That is great information...

LOL - funny this was mentioned in the Top 5 - my XRay '007 got stomped on this weekend. Luckily only a tire and two body posts were screwed. And yes, I received about 3-apologies from the racer that did it. All is well :)

Is Bob still teaching the class?lol

Later,:)

Marshall to the boards!!
 

In other words... don't stop and leave your feet in the middle of the driving line. :weird: :rolleyes: (You know who you are!) :p

Usually a car gets parked next to a board... so Marshall yo' feet to that board and OUT of the groove.... so no one has to drive around yo' big feet tooo...!:eek:

If a car is dead or broken -and in the groove - then pick it up on your way to the closest board... then wait for traffic to clear and return to your marshalling position, and put it on it's lid. :nod:

Simple???

Lots of good points here, gang and all worth bringing up from time to time:nod: This is my personnal favorite; "5. And finally, marshall unto others as you would marshall yourself." If you want someone to run to your car after and incident, you better run to theirs:nod::nod:

Yeah, its a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. Maybe we should send Mike Rowe out to one of our tracks and make him suffer the pains of being a marshall.

Remember that there are heats after you marshall and wrenching can be done by the racer.

In other words dont be AN ON track pit-man, the guys have time to fix their own cars.

If its broke turn it off rest it down in a safe place and get back to working your area.

Never try and fix a downed car on the straight it will only end in disaster since your feet and ankles are not stone you will lose to the 50 PLUS mile an hour missiles headed your way.

The same blind spot you have others may have as well certain spots are not meant for you to be in, keep them in mind.

I was thinking about this yesterday. Key tips for both drivers and marshalls:

Drivers:
If you crash, take your finger off the trigger. It is dangerous for a marshall to potentially cut their fingers on rotating gears. No gas until the marshall is clear of the car.
Don't yell. Stay cool. If you crash, it's your fault. I crashed several times on Sunday, and to be honest, there were one or two marshalls who were watching the race and should have noticed my car about 5 seconds earlier. But, still, I crashed and it was my fault.

Marshalls:
Do not watch the race. Watch your area. Continually scan the track for jammed up cars. Again, it is tempting to watch the race, but don't.
Move quickly when there is a crash. Check the track before going back to your station. Sometimes, I'll wait for 4 or 5 cars to get by before returning to my post.

Last, enjoy! Marshalling may not seem like fun, but be glad you're racing and are at the track.

Khal

marshall my car first
dont step on my car
able to take verbal abuse
its your fault i wrecked
hurry up

1 dont go back to the pits
2 dont go back to the pits
3 dont go back to the pits
4 dont go back to the pits
5 dont go back to the pits

Can I go back to the pits if I'm running back to back?
:sneaky:

Well after finding a replacement. :D