banshee1

iTrader: (5)

I'm the race director at our local indoor asphalt track. We race 2wb buggy and SCT's with small jumps.

A little history. When we design a track sometimes we put little rollers just before a corner. Drivers would try to shortcut the corner by using the roller as a jump so we tried enforcing a rule that you cannot cut corner, but the problem was drivers would take the chance of me not watching them and jump the corner. We would build barriers to limit this, but we only have so much material to work with. It was to much of a hassle so I decided that on corners where a driver could cut the corner but not always make it without flipping or losing time I would allow cutting the corner which leaves me with more material to prevent short cutting on corners or sections where I don't want it to happen.

Just recently I had an incident during the a main where a corner marshal went on to the track to corner marshal a buggy that flipped (on a corner where I allow drivers to cut using the roller at the corner) and at the same time another buggy was cutting the corner which resulted in said buggy to graze corner marshals leg causing him to flip and land on his lid. Yes everybody is instructed that when corner marshaling to avoid getting in a racers way, but try to get to flipped buggy ASAP. I saw it happen and verified with security camera footage.

After race driver complained and I told him he was not in the racing lane, and if he had been he wouldn't have hit the corner marshal so all of the fault doesn't belong to the corner marshal. He then tried to say everybody was cutting the corner in which he was wrong because I raced SCT that night and I never did because I couldn't land in correctly every time. I watched several people (including said driver) not cut the corner, usually it was when they either didn't have the preferred line or didn't have the needed speed to clear it.

He claims the racing lane is where ever I allow the vehicles to go on the track, then he tried to claim that the corner marshal should know who did and didn't cut the corner so he wouldn't step in front of him. I laughed and said that is ridiculous. On average each driver has to corner marshal 2 races in every round with 5-7 drivers in each race and because we sort after every round drivers are always changing so it would be impossible for that to happen.

Yes the corner marshal should have waited, but maybe he didn't see the black and red buggy on a black track, and this guy is fairly new to racing and probably wanted to hurry to flip the other buggy over. How many of you racers can honestly that you've never stepped in front of another vehicle while corner marshaling? I can't and I know I've had to swerve or even stop to avoid a corner marshal countless times.

My question is this, am I correct in stating that the racing lane is always between the pipes even though I allow drivers to cut a corner where I deem it acceptable?

Thanks.

buster8787

get a 6x6 piece of lumber about 2 ft high and put it on the corner and cover it in ABS. There should never be any grey area, somebody always pushes the envelope. In my opinion, just let them race. Jump the pipe, whatever, just let them race. If there is a problem area, put a barrier up.

banshee1

iTrader: (5)

I do just let them race and take chances cutting corners. If I think there's high risk trying to cut the corner I wont put anything up to keep them from doing it. Drivers complaint was that the corner marshal crossed the track while he was jumping the corner and they collided. If driver hadn't tried cutting the corner at that time he never would have hit corner marshal. I tried to explain to him that jumping corners is risk as you have no control and it was obvious from watching all the racing and practicing that a lot of people were struggling with that corner which means the corner marshal was going to be crossing the track a lot at that corner. If you didn't try jumping the corner you typically just rolled over the jump so you'd be able to stop quickly or steer around the corner marshal or a flipped vehicle. I stand by my decision that jumping the corner isn't the racing lane. Just curious what other racers, race directors and track owners thought.
Thanks.

Troubles Dad

iTrader: (204)

my opinion is that the driver is in the wrong as marshal safety should be job 1, it should not matter if he was leading or being lapped, that driver needs to be in control of his car, and if he is cutting the corner then he is not really in control, if it was my track, I would look at them options and take that type of a corner out, building a post or barrier on that corner would deter that type of racing as well, as granted marshals will jump out at the most worst time during a race, but they are doing what they are suppose to do, granted it gets frustrating, but if it was not for them, the driver would have to marshal themselves, hmmm their is a option

buster8787

Misunderstood. Ok, as long as the marshal isn't playing goalie (purposely blocking the track), they are part of the race just like a referee in hockey, umpire in baseball. Ball hits the umpire in baseball and rolls into centre field, do they redo the at bat? Don't think so. Tell him "Suck it up buttercup"

vivo quevas

iTrader: (19)

Safety is paramount if cutting the corner has a greater potential to cause injury above what any other corner on the track. Cutting a corner with a jump must be discouraged for safety reasons. Safety of your patrons is your highest priority. IMHO

racer1812

iTrader: (31)

Marshals get in the way from time to time, it's part of our hobby. Tell the guy to stop whining and get over it!

Sounds like the stereotypical "Millennial", boo hoo it's all about me..get over it, life sucks, the world doesn't owe you chit!

the rc guy

cutting corners is bad.. and yes marshalls get in the way.. enforce your rules..

TBSSJoe

Yep, dodge marshals is part of it. Search Youtube for "2017 CRCRC MidWinter Buggy A 1"

A real race here. Guy had the lead in a large race, catches a Marshall's foot and Dakota Phend passes him for the win. Sucks, but them's the breaks.

What does this guy expect you to do about it, anyway? Remove marshals from the track? Oh, another thing. Grown men playing with toy cars, people. It's not serious business.

Brian R

iTrader: (45)

I agree pretty much with everyone on this one.We have all had our fair share of shitty luck in races,but catching a q marshals leg is pretty f'ed up other than breaking or getting tooken out which we always think is intenionaly.But you know how it goes,if you bitch about it everyone thinks your a cry baby or even worse.The moral of the story is like stated earlier once we all calm down,and really think about it,We are all just playing with toy rc cars,no matter how much you spend on it whether it be time or money🤔

LiL CeeZ

iTrader: (23)

This is what I came to say as well. As the race director I wouldn't pay it too much mind and just blow him off. I also race direct and most everything I let go in one ear and out the other. You can please some of the people some of the time but you can't please all the people all the time.

I also let guys cut the track if it's in the air. It makes the races more fun to call and a lot more people gather around to watch the expert classes when they know it's going to happen because you get some good passing action in those spots. Just my personal preference

banshee1

iTrader: (5)

Sorry guy, laptop's been busy with family things and I don't get to my laptop often. I agree with all of you on most points, but Lil CeeZ seems to run things the way I do. I think the racer was looking for a fight/ reason to get away from the racing scene so that he could say it wasn't him but the atmosphere or some other crap. This guy has done similar things in other aspects of his life before. For example, we have a strict you must charge all lipos in a sack no matter how much of a pain it can be to remove from the vehicle. Everybody gets one warning, the next time you leave for the night and will not be allowed into the race facility until you bring a lipo sack with you. Between rounds I was out back talking to some of the racers including this driver and kind of looked around and made on offhand remark about who's charging a lipo in the vehicle (I knew it was his but wanted to see what he'd do). He for the most part ignored me and said he wouldn't leave until it was done. I reached over and pulled the leads out of the battery and walked away. He was all for the strict rules in the beginning, but he's one of the types that rules are great until they apply to him, then they don't mean anything. Well long story short the driver hasn't been back and probably wont be. He doesn't like to be known as a quitter (know him for a long time) so I think he used this as an excuse to get out. Ohh well.

Thanks for all the opinions guys.

Brian R

iTrader: (45)

No disrespect banshee 1,but it sounds to me like you had a little personal grudge towards that guy.best regards.