Marshalling WITH THE B.A.R.C.
Introduction
Without marshals, no BARC motorsport event could take place. It is as simple as that!
Every sporting event organised by the Club needs marshals, and all marshals, whatever they are doing, are serving a useful purpose and contributing to the success of the event and the smooth running of the organisation. Marshalling is of course one way in which the enthusiast can become actively involved, and contribute something to the sport.
The Headquarters of the BARC is based at Thruxton Circuit near Andover, and the Club also controls three other circuit; Croft Circuit (North Yorkshire) near Darlington, Mallory Park Circuit near Leicester, and Pembrey Circuit near Llanelli in South Wales. The Club also operates the Gurston Down Hillclimb near Salisbury and the Harewood Hillclimb near Leeds.
Location of the Circuits (Try clicking the Circuit name !)
In total, the Club organise's over 60 race meetings per year, using most race circuits nation-wide, added to which, the regional Centre's of the Club organise approximately 30 sprints and hill climbs.
The Club's Head Office maintains a national register of marshals from all disciplines of the sport, and although the regional Centre's actually organise their own meetings, Head Office is responsible for maintaining a record of attendance.
Marshals are part of a team, and enjoy benefits such as :-
- Free entry to the Venue, and a free programme
- Effective and hands-on training
- Opportunities to marshal at more high profile motor race events, e.g. the British Grand Prix
- The chance to make many new friends
- Close involvement with the acton, and great satisfaction from being part of a disciplined and closely knit team.
Volunteering and Attendance
At the beginning of each year, sets of availability forms are sent to all the marshals who have marshalled with the club in the previous season. These forms give details of all the sporting events organised by the Club for the coming season.
If you have not marshalled with the BARC before and would like to receive a set of availability forms, you simply need to request them from the Officials Secretary. (Phone Rebecca on 01264 882210 or email rharvey@barc.net)
You can now fill in availability forms online (Click Here). These details are sent directly to our Officials Secretary, and as with the paper forms, are entered straight into the BARC marshals database.
The information is then communicated as necessary to the various chief marshals and to the Regional Centre's by the HQ Staff on a "meeting by meeting" basis.
After the events have taken place, attendances and non-attendance's are recorded in the database. Marshals who fail to attend more than three meetings in any one year, without prior notification to the Officials Secretary at Thruxton, are taken off the computer, and no further passes or availability forms will be sent.
At the end of each season, by using the information in the database, Head Office is able to determine which marshals have qualified to receive a badge and year bar, a free invitation to the Annual Awards Dinner and possibly an invitation to marshal at the next British Grand Prix.
To be eligible for these benefits, the marshal must be a member of the BARC and have marshalled at least six days during the season at competitive events which have been organised by the BARC.
However, membership of the BARC is not necessary for marshalling with our team; we are happy to work with all of you!
What Equipment is Necessary?
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To begin with, waterproof outer clothing, a strong pair of boots or shoes (preferably with steel toe caps), a pair of leather faced gloves and a flask and a packed lunch. All of these will prove to be vital.
Later on, when you progress to duties around the circuit, a set of orange 'proban' fireproof overalls will be required, which are available for purchase from the Club at a discounted rate (See our WebShop).
The kit bag of an experienced marshal typically contains two flasks (one for milk, one for hot water), metal mug, plastic tub for tea bags or coffee, spoon, various plastic bags (some small, some large, good for keeping things dry, or storing rubbish), sandwiches, biscuits, bottle of water, fruit, two pairs of gloves, spare woolly hat and race cap, pens, small notepad, spare socks, and a woolly jumper/cardigan, marshals knife and small torch.
A really large plastic sack, big enough to put the kit bag in during wet weather is also jolly useful!
And don't forget the fold-up chair! After six hours of standing up, you really will be glad you took one!
Training
The BARC Headquarters organise annual marshals training days at both Pembrey and Thruxton Circuits, generally in February of each year. Other training days are held at various other circuits and venues around the country and are organised by other clubs.
Training days are open to both members and non-members and marshals can let us know that they wish to attend when they send back their annual availability forms. We do recommend that all Marshals attend at least one training day every year.
Please click here to see a Web page containing more information and images of a Marshals Training Day.
Allocation of duties
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In time, Incident or Track Marshals will be given the opportunity to do flag marshalling and then move on to being Assistant Observer, and finally, Observers.
Alternatively, the probationary marshal may decide that duties off the track are more to their liking and they may decide to make a race marshalling career out of being what is then called a 'specialist' marshal.
The Senior Officials of the meeting are usually those who have been marshalling for the Club for a good number of years, who have gained considerable experience and have demonstrated that they are capable of assuming greater responsibility.
Instructions and passes
Approximately two to three weeks before each meeting, marshals will receive a set of "Final instructions and Supplementary Instructions" and entrance tickets for thrmselves and a guest to attend the meeting in question.
If at any time after the tickets and instructions have been issued, marshals find they cannot attend the meeting, they should return the instructions and tickets, and notify the Marshals Secretary, if at all possible, before the race meeting!
For meetings being organised by the BARC's headquarters at Thruxton, they will need to be returned to Rebecca Harvey, Marshals Secretary, Thruxton Circuit, Andover. SP11 8PN
Rebecca can be phoned on 01264 882210
Failure to tell Rebecca will be noted and acted upon!
Race Days
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Signing-on is normally between 7 am and 8 am, depending on the time that practice is due to start. All marshals must sign-on for insurance purposes.
Marshals are normally listed on the sign-on sheets in groups according to their duty and then alphabetically by surname. The sign-on sheets are then used by the Club as proof of attendance.
At signing-on all marshals are given a race day programme. At all BARC race meetings, the signed-on marshals will automatically be entered into the marshals prize draw, which usually consists of eight monetary prizes amounting to a total of £100.00 per day. Additional prizes are often donated by race-day sponsors, championship sponsors or race teams.
Marshals are on duty from the time that they sign-on until the end of racing or to when they are stood down. However, there is usually a break for lunch, but this depends on the timetable, and how many incidents there may have been during the morning session.
Marshal stamps
As soon as a marshal is given a record on our computer database, a BARC marshals stamp card is issued. This should be brought to signing-on, where it will be endorsed by a rubber stamp to prove attendance at the various meetings attended.
At the end of the season the stamps have different values depending on how many stamps you collect in total.
The cards are produced in two different colour's representing members and non-members, and contain the marshals name and address.
At the end of the season the marshal will be able to cash in the card in the following manner provided that it is used by the end of the year after issue (i.e. stamps obtained in 2006 must be used by the end of 2007).
- BARC MEMBERS may encash their cards against their BARC membership fee, BARC insignia or the cost of Annual Awards Dinner Tickets. Any value left on the card will be paid to the marshal by cheque. BARC club members who pay their membership by direct debit may have a cash refund for the full value if they so wish.
- NON MEMBERS may only use their stamps against the cost of club membership or the purchase of BARC insignia. No cash refunds are allowed to non-members.
MSA Marshals Record Cards and Upgrading Scheme
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The Motor Sports Association (MSA) is the Governing Body of Motorsport in the UK.
From the beginning of 2007, the MSA, working with the Volunteers In Mototsport (VIM) initiative, have re-worked the national record and grading card scheme. The new scheme provides a framework to bring greater consistency across all disciplines and reflect the practices that we see more and more at motor sport events.
Please click here to see a chart of the new MSA Marshals Upgrading Scheme (Adobe pdf format)
Each marshal that registers with the MSA will be issued with a marshal's record card which will be used to indicate the marshals current grade. As from the beginning of 2007, trainee marshals will now be registered with the MSA, and will be issued with an MSA record card.
Each marshal on the MSA database will receive a personal attendance booklet, which replaces the old-style upgrading cards. These booklets are used for collection of Meeting Attendance Signatures, Training Day and Fire Training signatures, and will include comments from the Post Chief or other Senior Marshals who are signing the booklets. Your MSA record card and personal attendance booklet are both necessary if you wish to upgrade through the marshalling ranks.
If you have any questions about this new scheme please visit the VIM website www.volunteersinmotorsport.co.uk/grading.php or contact our Officials Secretary, Rebecca Harvey on 01264 882210.
Annual awards dinner and regional marshals suppers
The National Annual-Awards Dinner or 'Big Night Out' as it is called, is the occasion when all the BARC Champions are honoured for winning their race championships.
The Big Night Out is held in February of each year. Each marshal who is a current member of the BARC AND has officiated at six or more events in the previous year is offered a free ticket to attend.
Alternatively, the marshal can opt to go to one of six other regional marshals suppers instead.
Information about the Big Night Out and the regional marshals suppers is distributed with the availability forms early in each season.
Junior marshals
Junior marshals may begin with the BARC at the age of 13 and may assist at race meetings as Junior Race Assistants, with duties in the 'public' areas only.
At the age of 16, the marshal may assist in the Paddock, Assembly, or Startline areas.
At the age of 18 the marshal may be given a duty anywhere within the race meeting including on the trackside bank as a trainee marshal.
All junior marshals must have the prior written consent of a parent or guardian, which is usually given by the parent or guardian countersigning the annual availability forms.
Rescue Crews
The BARC run a fleet of Rescue Vehicles that are present at many of the motorsport events around the country, in order to provide medical and extrication (assisting in removing a trapped or injured driver from their vehicle) facilities in particular, and also to enhance the overall safety of motorsport in general.
These Rescue Units are manned entirely by volunteer crews. Unlike other marshals, all rescue crew members are required are required to holscurrent MSA Rescue Licences, and sometimes add to their qualifications by taking other recognised emergency first aid courses.
If you are interested in joining the BARC Rescue Crews, you should first contact Martin Hunt, our Rescue Crew Co-Ordinator.
Please click here to send Martin an eMail.
For more detailed information about our Rescue Vehicles, click here.
Scrutineers, Timekeepers and Commentators
Volunteer marshals are not the only people that are needed to make a race meeting run smoothly. There are officials working behind the scenes at all our race meetings who help to keep the organisation of the event running smoothly, in addition to our administration staff. These officials are often paid for their services, as most of them are hired in from outside companies, and brought into the meetings as the need arises.
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Scrutineers are fully licensed MSA officials who attend all of our events and assist with the technical side of running the race meetings.
Every competing car is examined for general safety by the scrutineers at each race meeting, and also to make sure that the car complies with all the technical regulations of the race in which it will compete, and all the other technical requirements of the MSA's "Blue Book".
The drivers personal equipment (helmet and overalls etc.) are also examined to ensure that they are in good condition, and comply with the latest standards as set down in the "Blue Book".
Scrutineering has to be completed at every race track before the competing car is allowed to commence practice.
If you are interested in becoming a member of our scrutineering team, click here to send us an eMail, which we will forward to our Chief Scrutineer on your behalf.
Please be sure to tell us your full name, address and phone numbers etc.
Timekeepers do exactly what their name suggests; they are fully licensed MSA officials who are required to keep full records of all the times achieved by the competitors during practice sessions, qualification sessions, heats and races. They use sophisticated electronic equipment to measure the times, including light beams, transponders and powerful computers. The times are compiled into results sheets, which are used to determine grid positions, or race results.
If you are interested in becoming a member of a timekeeping team, click here to send us an eMail, which we will forward to a senior timekeeper on your behalf. Please be sure to tell us your full name, address and phone numbers etc.
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Commentators are brought in purely to inform and entertain the public at race meetings. They commentate on all of the races, and sometimes will issue commentary during high profile qualification sessions etc.
It is not easy to "join" a commentary team, as the job requires a extensive knowledge of the cars and drivers which can only be acquired over several seasons of racing. Consequently we tend to use a small team of regular commentators who are very knowledgable about our Championships.
However, if you are interested in becoming a member of a commentary team, click here to send us an eMail, which we will forward to one of our existing commentators. Please be sure to tell us your full name, address and phone numbers etc.
Insurance
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Officials and marshals by their very nature of their duties, are often exposed to risk or danger when officiating at a race meeting or other sporting event, and we are required by the MSA to print a statement on all entrance tickets that 'Motor Sport is Dangerous'.
However, all reasonable steps are taken to minimise the possibility of personal injury. Yet by accepting duties allocated by the Club, the official is deemed to be aware of, and accept any risk involved, and to waive all right of any claim against the organisers.
The Club is however, associated with a master personal accident insurance policy administered by the MSA, which provides benefits for all injured officials, so long as they have properly signed-on before commencing their duties.
Details about this policy are held by the BARC Chief Marshal at each venue, who is responsible for overseeing the application of this policy.
Please click here to see more details of this important insurance cover.
Protection and Guidance
None of us likes the thought of being involved in a major accident at a motorsport event, but we all realise that this may happen. Since the start of the 2001 season, the BARC have contracted with a professional trauma counselling service which is available to any marshal or official involved in a major incident at any BARC event.
Details of this service are held by all of the BARC Chief Marshals, who are the nominated officials at each venue charged with overseeing the application of this service.
Although this is an excellent service, let us hope that none of us ever need to use it!
For more details, please click here.
Senior Officials and Chief Marshals
The following tables detail the names of the BARC's Directors, Senior Officials and Chief Marshals, all of whom are involved in the development and training of our magnificent marshalling team.
If you need to contact any of them, you may do so via our Headquarters at Thruxton Circuit. We will forward letters onwards, or re-direct any received e-mails if necessary.
BARC Marshals Contacts - Directors and Officials :
| Position | Name | Contact via | e-Mail address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Dennis Harris | BARC HQ at Thruxton | via dwells@barc.net |
| Director | John Felix | BARC HQ at Thruxton | johnfelix3@aol.com |
| Competitions Manager | Dale Wells | BARC HQ at Thruxton | dwells@barc.net |
| BARC Chief Marshal | Trevor Jackson | Phone/Fax 02392 587343 | trevor.jackson@barc.net |
| Marshals and Officials Secretary | Rebecca Harvey | BARC HQ at Thruxton | rharvey@barc.net |
BARC Chief Marshals at Circuits :
| Circuit / Venue | Circuit Chief Marshal | e-Mail address |
|---|---|---|
| Thruxton & Goodwood | Trevor Jackson | trevor.jackson@barc.net |
| Brands Hatch | Roger Allnutt | via rharvey@barc.net |
| Cadwell Park | David Lea | via rharvey@barc.net |
| Croft | David Lea | via rharvey@barc.net |
| Donington Park | Joyce Swan | via rharvey@barc.net |
| Lydden Hill | Chris Bird | via rharvey@barc.net |
| Mallory Park | Fred Bromley | barcfb@juniperclose.demon.co.uk |
| Oulton Park | Margaret Simpson | via rharvey@barc.net |
| Pembrey | Ernie Preece | erniepreece@hotmail.com |
| Snetterton | Mike Whitney | via rharvey@barc.net |
| Gurston Down Hillclimb | Alan Osgood | via rharvey@barc.net |
| Harewood Hillclimb | Mike Shorley | via rharvey@barc.net |
Conclusion
We do hope that you have found this information to be of interest and look forward to seeing you around the circuits and hillclimbs soon.
REBECCA HARVEY
BARC HQ Marshals and Officials Secretary
Phone 01264 882210 (+44 1264 882210 if calling from Overseas)
eMail rharvey@barc.net