The Ridge September 28-29

And you're are so right, Steve.

Most of the new volunteers in my neck of the woods jumped in, knowing that some aspects of racing were very expensive for them to accomodate in the present, so they have found the second best seats in the house to feed their desires to be a part of the action, the operation, the whole racing "thing" until they might progress into other areas of the world of motorsports.

We've had some great successes adding to our numbers in the last 5 years. Many new and returning faces at ORP and PIR with SCCA, ICSCC, Chumpcar and even NASA (we don't fear competition). Many of whom have taken the 'hike' to the Ridge and Pacific Raceways, some even Spokane for those experiences. Not just for Conference, but it's pretty well known that ICSCC events usually have a good turn out of fast cars and talented drivers for lots of great racing on these great and traditional circuits. It really has little to do with which club is buying lunch. But that lunch may have a lot to do with whether they feel like returning.

Drivers are control freaks. It's in their nature. That's part of why they are drivers, enjoying the fact that they are the primary, if not exclusive influence towards fashioning the make up of the sanction, but the facts are that they can't all be chiefs. The facts are that most clubs fill those 'important' volunteer positions in the upper echelons and just hope for the best as the ground forces trickle in on Saturday morning. Again, many accolades for those that do trickle in, even if for a day or one weekend a season. They are the marshals. They may drive on Saturday and stand on station on Sunday, but THAT's racing.

TC now has a territory with a great racing circuit, and IRDC has another track to support their events. A serious challenge that seriously challenges those clubs to perform.

Will a 'professional' track worker service be required to read the ICSCC Regulations? Will they be required to attend any other events for orientation and training? Will those workers be mixed in with existing volunteering' marshals to provide training through the weekend? Kinda hard to swallow a situation where you might be teaching the people that will later meet you at the gate and tell you that your services are no longer required.

It is truly each individual club's responsibility to provide the resources and services necessary to run a 'by the book event'. And I don't need to belabor this fact, but were it not for the race marshals from the Oregon and BC areas supplementing race operations of, IRDC for these many decades, it would only be a Drivers Club and this forum would have a different lilt. I don't mean that to be offensive, but it's a fact.

"We tried that once and it didn't work." never does. You have to keep at it. The Conference clubs don't seem to have any problem recruiting drivers for training. What techniques are used there that haven't been utilized to lure race operations volunteers to help make the training train run. Once you get them there, it's up to the 'old salts' like us to give them a reason to come back. But you have to get them there first.

Bonnie and I have lives too. We're no different than any other participant in the racing world. We race for the enjoyment that we get out of it. We share that with our colleagues. We don't owe anyone anything for our participation, and we appreciate that there are events like these to provide us with more experiences and skills each time we show up for the show. Sometimes we see issues in safety due to manning and watch what clubs take responbility for those issues. If the club does nothing, what then would motivate the existing forces to continue their support season in and season out. It's frustrating. This whole game is about using our talents and skill sets to go fast, be safe and learn how the other guy does it so we might do it better. Get better, sez I.

In the last decade or so, I've watched the clubs put more and more off on the Conference to provide the services that the individual clubs have not been able to muster. Rationalizing with the fact that all the clubs use Sound judge, so now it'll be more consistent. Tech people don't want to get into a battle of wits with a driver that read the book different, or at all. There's a Tech (Asst.) Steward. How about a Black Flag judge? Impound control? Look at all the Stewardship that has become necessary. So that the regulations are administered consistently from track (club) to track.

Thank you, we've moved a little bit closer to SCCA operations with that trend. Continue and the perceptions will be that ICSCC owns the clubs like SCCA owns their regions.

But maybe that's just how I see it.

Bonnie, I'll be at the Ridge because I might find a way to have some fun. I hope you are too, but if not, I understand. <Hugs>
 
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When the former IRDC RD was looking for someone to assume his position, or at a minimum become an asst RD, I have to admit to being very surprised that the club did not provide an incentive to him for all the work involved in putting on the clubs 3 races. Provide incentives which help with the cost of racing, and I bet the "volunteerism" numbers increase. Does that make the volunteer less desirable because he or she may be volunteering out of financial gain. In my mind, any racer assuming huge responsibility should receive free race entry...and I would pay a bit more in entry fees if it helped fill the volunteer ranks. As to what positions get race entry assistance, either full or partial, that can be hashed out by each club as they see fit. But I would think it is a much better solution than trying to "mandate" volunteering as a requirement of maintaining a senior license. There are, after all, other licenses available which will get you into a Conference event.

Bill
 
Increasing the cost of race entries to pay for volunteering looks a lot like "hiring workers" which harkens back to post #1 of this thread. Some positions are already compensated to a degree. Hiring paid workers, just like mandatory work requirements are options sure but now that we're 4 pages deep I think all parties involved would like to see ideas that could solve our logistics problems (or ease them) without moving forward with anything controversial. And maybe there's incentives that do work and perhaps with a little creativity it doesn't have to hit our bottom line, much.

Personally: I give a little because a little is all I have to give. I don't need a single dollar of motivation to help either, I just need more personal free time which is very thin right now (job and school). But for me to work a half day or tow some equipment down to the track or stay late on Sunday to help with track tear down... I don't need any compensation for that and I'm willing if time allows and often it does not. My G/F worked Timing and Scoring with Debbie and she didn't want anything in return (although she got a bottle of champagne!). At ORP last year, they were short corner workers so my dad and I got the track early to fix the car so he could go out and work turn 2. I volunteer at the IRDC driver schools even though it scares the hell out of me. Also in my videos and online interactions I'm promoting ICSCC above all else.

And in my mind... I don't give enough but it's all I got, for now.

I liked Ken's ideas and had the same thought earlier but didn't hit submit. The idea about how we have different avenues to promote growth in driver membership (Schools, track days, TnT, Novice program etc) and it's an interesting thought to have a similar program to grow the volunteer base and volunteerism.

I'd like to see a marketing campaign around volunteerism. Corny I know, but the message isn't getting out.

Simple things to increase the messaging like:
  • Club T-Shirts that are given out to people who volunteer a day or half day with a something on the back like: "We win when we volunteer." Or maybe just put that message on all our shirts?
  • The front page of the Newsletter to list and thank any drivers, workers or officials that went above and beyond regarding helping out. It should also have a specific list of tasks needed for upcoming events.
  • Mentioning what is needed and who to contact to help in the race announcements.
  • Having a section in the Novice book and Novice test about why volunteering matters and stressing the importance and value.
  • Alcohol.. I don't know the best method of utilizing it as an incentive.. but I've found that folks like alcohol so there's that.
  • If volunteering for a whole weekend, we could give the driver a 1/2 price voucher for a driver school that they could giveaway to promote Conference.*
  • Streamline the Club websites to make it easy for anyone with an interest to volunteer to find out how. Front page easy.
  • The club hosting the following weekend should have a list of items in the packet of the occuring weekend paperwork of what they need regarding help. Example: If an IRDC weekend follows a CSCC weekend then at the CSCC race, in the packet of paperwork when I register would be a list for tasks for the upcoming IRDC weekend that they need help with. This way the request for help isn't going out only days before the event.

*It's an incentive that doesn't directly benefit the driver but allows the driver to easily promote a Driver School. That is good. Maybe the number of these handed out is limited to 10 or something.

Finally, we could solicit to non-members, non-racers to come volunteer. Imagine at the ground school we make the announcement that anyone willing to come to a race weekend and volunteer to work for a day will be able to attend future driver school (lapping group) for half price. It would require that person to join a club but if I were in that crowd, I'd do it. It does two things, it get's someone volunteering at a racing event who may not have otherwise EVER desired to do so and it gets them BACK to us for another lapping day (and maybe they bring a friend).


Jen just asked me if I was done with my "thesis" so I suppose it's time for bed. TTFN.
 
colin_koehler said:
Imagine at the ground school we make the announcement that anyone willing to come to a race weekend and volunteer to work for a day will be able to attend future driver school (lapping group) for half price. It would require that person to join a club but if I were in that crowd, I'd do it. It does two things, it get's someone volunteering at a racing event who may not have otherwise EVER desired to do so and it gets them BACK to us for another lapping day (and maybe they bring a friend).
Click to expand...

Aside from any issues relating to getting more volunteers, I really like this idea, a lot.
 
Ok - time for the current President of IRDC to chime in.
I have volunteered several times when I couldn't race, was a License Director for 2 years but had NO IDEA how many people it takes to make "light work" of a race weekend until this year!
I have tried several methods to get volunteers to help administer a race. We had a booth at a Sovren race and got some outside names. I have posted a plea for volunteers on our website and by direct email to our members. I have broken down the tasks required into easy to commit to - even while racing - tasks. I most recently used Volunteer Spot .com to list the tasks, post dates and times needed, and still there are positions open that take a few hours during the registration rush, or a couple hours in the AM for coffee, ice, donuts or at Lunch or at the Saturday get-together. I posted with BMW Puget Sound to try to attract some of their folks too. http://www.bmwpugetsound.com/vbb/sh...llenge-IRDC-race-at-The-Ridge-Sept-(27)-28-29
It couldn't be easier to commit to a few hours - that works with your race schedule - and help support our local racing program. Many of us have friends and family come along and they too could help. If the proposed "time volunteering for license renewal" rule goes through I would sign off your time if your son, daughter, friend or Uncle Fred worked in your place. You helped our organization put on a successful event by finding us the needed help.
Bottom line folks - we can't race without admin volunteers, skilled turn marshals, safety crew, pregrid, control, radios and so many other positions, all non paid. We can buy tee shirts, badges, meals and "social beverages" but they don't usually result in new blood to keep the racing happening.
 
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Chumpcar has a nice deal. In Portland, if you have a team member put in a day at a station (turns, pit marshal, tech... so on) they would earn 'bucks' toward the teams next entry. It adds up. Our team captain got us $200 off our entry for the Ridge race. And would have done it again, but was unable to take advantage, as Chumpcar had acquired the services of Lost Mines, LLC for Flagging and Communications on the turns (one body at certain stations for 10 & 6hrs ... really.)

The Monkeys found themselves a truck to provide a qualified Safety/Response Team, and with others that took shifts in pit/paddock tech, so forth had a chance to earn a good discount towards their next race.

Watch for The Barrel of Monkeys team to be in good position for their racing debut.

My point is that a reasonably simple rewards program can motivate positivity.
 
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Another perspective.
It takes 700 man hours of volunteer's work to put on a race.
If there are 200 entries: each driver entry is accountable for 3.5 man hours of free labor per race weekend. ( 2 DAY event)
Or figuring on track time 18.5 person hours of volunteer work for 1.5 hours of track time.
 
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Sucked me back in....

Chump car makes a handsome profit on each event, for some well attended events in strong markets, in excess of $100K. Hard to believe but true. Chump can can afford the cost of incentives.

I don't know about the other clubs, but IRDC barely breaks even at the end of the year. We, like Conference, aren't set up as a for-profit enterprise.

IRDC has in the past provided vouchers for driver training instructors, but ironically the majority of the volunteers were typically from the same small group of volunteers that show up for the meetings and understood that the club really couldn't afford the revenue losses, so the vouchers were rarely redeemed. The same core group at some point in time voted to discontinue the voucher for the same reason.

All of the brainstorming here is great positive stuff. But, nearly all of it has been proposed before, much of it has been tried in various forms, and not had the desired results.
 
OMG, It was merely an example, not a comparison. Something to take and spin a bit and perhaps adapt to another purpose.

Quit making it about the money all the time. It is not about the money. It's about the sport. And as soon as people remember that we are involved in a sport not a freakin' empire building business, then the sooner some attitudes will be changed at all levels, and people will remember what the real reasons that we began participating in the first place.

When we get that part right, the economics will follow naturally without forcing anything. Geez, I get so tired of the attitudes hinging on budget and expenses ALL the time. It's off-putting.

That kind of thinking is so subjectively narrow that it's no wonder people won't consider going beyond their very own personal applications and expand their experiences. The sport was here before the clubs and the sport will be here after the clubs. Because that's racing.

I apologize, Randy. I really don't mean to attack you personally. I know that you have given much of yourself to the sport. But you have just emulated that same kind of attitude that I've seen to often for too many years.
 
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Thanks Ken, I will try to take you at face value that you don't mean it as a personal attack. I won't pretend however that this isn't a challenge for me as your closing supposes much and assigns some profound negativity to what you think you know of my attitude.

If my reading comprehension has any utility whatsoever, the topic of this thread seemed to have distilled to incentive. Which naturally drives all human behavior, whether it's positive or negative incentive.

There has been lots of discussion about ways to provide incentive to promote the stated objective. Ironically, more time spent by most debating the proposed time than the actual proposed time itself. Most of these propositions rely on the premise that membership in and of itself isn't sufficient incentive. That we should examine strategies to give something extra in exchange for doing that which some already do or many have already done, without the need for a "perk". Those you refer to.

Curiously, I believe we share a common outlook, or perhaps a better way to state it would be a common vision.

My perspective is simply different than yours. I don't see getting someone's attention in this day and age, using a utility that is viewed positively in a different setting, as being such a massive threat to a chosen way of life.

Doesn't really matter, nothing is going to get solved here anyway. It's at the meetings, if anybody shows up.
 
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Just curious, has anyone considered rearranging the weekend schedule/race groups to allow people more time to volunteer or help out?

It seems there has been this big push to get everyone an opportunity to race in at least two run groups. OK, so if you are running at opposite ends of the rotation, there doesn't seem to be much time in between other then to run out the flag station for one or maybe two run groups, then run back to get ready for your second run group.

Maybe the schedule could be looked at as a way to increase available bodies? I am not exactly sure how this could be pulled off, but if you looked at possibly grouping run groups in the day, then that may open it up perhaps?

Like say for instance in the AM session running the two qualifying sessions for groups 1/2/5 leap frogging each session. Then in the afternoon 3/4/6. So that would allow a huge block of the morning session drivers to volunteer in the PM, and the Afternoon drivers could help in the AM.. Kinda similar to how most of the Autocross clubs do their rotation (but on a larger scale?)

Just an idea that had not heard mentioned yet..
 
Or just run 123 on Saturday and 456 on Sunday ......the day you do not run you work....... It is just an idea so far from happening there is no need to blow it full of obvious hole folks......I'm going to bed
 
Per my daughter, who has been volunteering for a number of years:
--Keep helping the volunteers with gas money

--pay for the hotel rooms for those who are out of town (or at least give a chunk of change toward it)
For a person to cough up $140 per night to go up to Seattle to volunteer to stand in the rain all weekend... why do they want to do this? Help them out. (Other places are a little cheaper but still a serious dent in most people's pockets.)
And yes, I think that upping the race entry fee a few bucks to help the workers be able to budget is probably going to be fine with most all of the racers.

--Have good lunches and dinners--go with what the workers want. It really makes it easier to have good food available at the track. I really like how ORP has good vendors on site available for breakfast and lunch.
(For those of us who stay at the track, having breakfast available is really cool.)

--Pay for the volunteers to go to the end of year banquets so they can be recognized and receive a "gift". I know that is done to some degree but the amount of race attendance required is higher than some people can put in. That doesn't mean that their contribution is not important. Maybe we should have a "if you work only a few races, then the club/Conference covers half of your banquet cost; and if you work more, then the whole cost is covered."
(Per Karen)--I have heard grumbles in the past that "I was only able to work "x" races and/or "I missed Mission, ... and now I can't afford to go to the banquet". These people spend the year giving of themselves, we should make sure they are able to get the appreciation they deserve.
 
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Yes, incentives are a really good thing. Recognition for work that people do is a really good thing. People like to be appreciated. Especially when they are busting the backside to get a tough job done right and safely. Given the potential for danger and tragedy in our sport, it is a big responsibility to take on some of these job positions. It's also frequently a thankless job, and, in come cases, the job comes with built-in abuse (like stewarding...)

When you are physically tired and mentally drained, and you have to keep pushing to make sure the job gets done, some incentive or appreciation can make you feel like it's all worth it.

--Put wind-screens around the turn stations. Turn 8 at PIR is awful...
Maybe blankets would be a good end of year award.
--Also, maybe the clubs could cover costs for rain gear for the outdoor volunteers. E.G. work 4 events and get your rainproof jacket?
 
Karen

Thank you for re-visiting the subject of being more generous with respect to our volunteers. When I suggested being more generous with our wallets I got showered with either subjective statements about how generous we already are, or statements to the effect that it is not about money..........

Well in 2012 the Worker Fund was about 12k (roughly a 6 dollar donation per entry, or the day rate to have a Laotion villager carry you backpack),and there was a 6k shortfall........

More important I realized that donations are made on a per race weekend basis. This seems perfectly logical. Unfortunately it means that races at ORP and Spokane, where the distribution of funds to the workers is the highest, collect about 1/3 of the donations that IRDC and CSCC races collect.

So I will be sending checks to TC and NWMS to make up for what I see as my personal donation deficit over the past several years.

How did your daughter do at the Fair?
 
Thanks for asking--The kids did really well at State this last week. Ryan got blue in showmanship and a Reserve Champion in Obedience. Lauren got Champion in both classes!
They will both be doing the Judging competition tomorrow and Lauren will go back for both champion run-off days next weekend.
 
Mr. Coffin, your generousity is truly overwheming. As was the generousity of the clubs that contributed to Team Continental so that there might even be an event at ORP in 2013. I'm sure the Pres. sent letters too.

And you are correct. It's not the money so much as the spirit in which it is given. Because of that, the chances are much better that there will be another GP at ORP next year if the winds blow right (usually from the west @ ~20mph).

I salute you (with my TC ROD Rep hat on) and thank you for your support.

Years back, as the CSCC ROD Rep, I was very proud to be a part of the brain-trust that helped to carve out and implement much of the policies that CSCC now have in place to minister the worker fund contributions. Then beyond that, at season's end, they pull together and provide a number of worthy volunteers with a meal and lodging at the ICSCC banquet. Not unique to CSCC, I'm sure, but the positive affect is felt throughout the core group and then instilled in those that follow. If you forget about the $$ and consider the value, it really is a bargain for the returns.
 
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Greetings all. Just home from another day at the track - Mission again so only about a 50 minute drive each way. We were extremely short corner-workers. Thankfully a driver’s wife went to one turn and his crew helpmate went to another turn. (The driver ended up coming out with his HANS device not hooked up correctly and was brought in to take care of that, but we were grateful for his sacrifice at giving up his crew!) Another driver’s daughter helped out at one of the corners; her flip flops wouldn’t work so she borrowed her dad’s [too big] boots (and ended up thoroughly enjoying herself). A novice driver helped out at yet another corner. And Rich from Seattle was here today to give us a hand, but has to go home tonight. The other extra helpers are also unable to come back tomorrow. So, we shall see what the morning brings. The drivers were told this morning that if we didn’t get help, they wouldn’t be racing, so I imagine the same thing will happen tomorrow, and we’ll probably manage with last minute additions.

To continue Rick’s analogy, I’m not Chicken Little running around saying the sky is falling, and I’m not the little boy crying “Wolf!” This is just the way things are going. The younger generation is NOT interested in getting up when it’s still dark, driving however long or far is necessary, then standing all day in whatever the weather. If Portland is managing to attract outside workers, that’s great, but they seem to be the only ones. All the various methods to attract new blood haven’t worked on this side of the border, and they don’t seem to have worked in Seattle or Spokane. So to my mind, it’s up to the drivers to provide the help. Not only the corners, but all the volunteer positions. Maybe for the corners you can use the paid workers, as the driving schools, NASA, Chumpcar, etc. are doing. Ken, I’m surprised you would feel comfortable racing in an endurance event with corners staffed by one worker per station who weren’t even given a bathroom break for however many hours they’re out there. I haven’t worked one of the Chumpcar or Lemons events because of safety concerns over the drivers’ abilities ... that’s reinforced now knowing that they’re prepared to run an event in that fashion.

On the drive out this morning on the freeway I saw a horrific accident with two cars that were demolished and both lying on the side of the road upside down. It was sobering. You’re coming up to the last Conference race of the season, and you’ll likely be fine, I heard from a lot of folks in Mission that they’re making the trek. (I’m back on the fence as I’ve been offered a ride down, so shall see.) But please spend some time over the off-season thinking hard about this. As Greg said, it wouldn’t matter if it was you, your spouse, your neighbour, your workmate ... there’s got to be SOMEBODY you could convince to lend a hand for half a day and do your part as a member of the Conference family in helping to keep it going. It can’t run on its own.
 
You're right Bonnie. I wasn't comfortable. Rusty's seat is way too big for me and the foam rubber padding was just a bit of help. I will say that a combination of skills and talent pulled the Dumpster Drivers through both of those races with just a couple small flesh wounds. Nothing a decal wouldn't cover... but I won't name any names... today. As I was in a drivers suit I can only comment on what I observed. And what I didn't observe is of no consequence (about 8.5min of no consequence actually). But that's racing.

I've got records of participation of ORSCCA F&C for most all of the years that I administrated it and I can look up some pretty low numbers for regionals one time or another (stewards taking turns on turns? eh?) multiple hats were worn as the show must go on. It's only PIR, 8-10 events a year. There's patterns. And accumulated human hours (HHr). <<Did I just make that up, or did I read it someplace.

Numbers don't tell the story though. Those people that can catch a ride are the ones that make the show go on.
 
Bonnie, I hope you make the trek to The Ridge. I did say earlier that I am not expecting a shortage of workers, but there is a SCCA race at PIR the same weekend. So there are probably fewer workers from the Portland area that will come to our race. I do expect to be a little tight for the weekend.

There are some good ideas being thrown out there, I do like Karens idea of paying for half the ICSCC banquet for those that couldn't work the required races to get a free ticket. Last year IRDC also helped pay for my room at the banquet. The incentives that we receive are greatly appreciated. Gas money makes things easier for me with all that distance travelled and the rooms in Spokane are a godsend on those 3 day weekends. Thank you.

Again I think Karen asked why.... For me one of the reasons I keep doing this, besides the fun it is to work the turns, is to show up at the track and see people like Randy Blaylock,, Gary Bockman, Rick Bostrom, Jeff Penneck ( too many to actually list ) that are genuinely glad to see me there. To be made welcome and wanted does more than the gas/room money does.
 
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