Entry Fee surcharge to support Marshals

[ss_collins]

It was the above suggestion that made Rod Birley tell me about this place - circuit racing organisations could learn a hell of a lot from short ovals.

[Bob Pearson]

Has anyone ever done a calculation to work out how much entry fees would reduce if the events were organised by volunteers. We could then split the saving between marshalls and drivers. What a dream!!

[JNWRF01]

I would be v happy to contribute to a marshalls fund - but at the moment it costs - license £80, club subs £125, registration £50, 12 rounds @ £190, transponder £150 --- well over £2500 before I even think about starting the car or going testing!

I would happily put in £50 a season if the BRSCC would match this pound for pound (I am sure this could be deductable).

[ss_collins]

Events are organised by volunteers ain't they???

[Bob Pearson]

No, they are organised by clubs like the BRSCC and BARC, the people who work there are in full time employment some with company cars and the clubs are businesses that set out to make a profit.
When I refer to a volunteer I mean people like marshalls and drivers who give up their time and in some cases a lot of money to the cause.
I'm not sure how the 750Mc works, but their costs per mile to compete are no cheaper than the BARC.

[ascarracinguk]

as a marshal myself i do it because i enjoy the sport and i have no complaints wat so ever.... the main complaints though are late finishing times and the lack of lunch.... how about feed us at dinner and a free beer at the end.... that would suit me

[ss_collins]

I didn't know that.

[Mackmot]

Drivers will pay an extra £5 on their car and not be fussed and yet they get upset if the marshalls need a bit of money to pay for some waterproofs. Off course drivers should pay its their hobby. Although its a Marshalls hobby as well they are doing a lot more for drivers than drivers are doing for them.

[Stuart Hill]

Originally posted by Mackmot
Drivers will pay an extra £5 on their car and not be fussed and yet they get upset if the marshalls need a bit of money to pay for some waterproofs. Off course drivers should pay its their hobby. Although its a Marshalls hobby as well they are doing a lot more for drivers than drivers are doing for them.

Of course drivers should pay its their hobby.

THIS IS WRONG! Someone has missed the point here!

Picture an event as a 3 legged-stool............

one leg is the venue/organising club...
one leg is the drivers.....
one leg is the marshals.

Now......

take any leg away!!!!

what happens to the event???? it falls over.
it does not matter who is missing, there will still not be an event. All the elements are just as important.

============================================================

I started this thread to try and get a driver's opinion on the subject of contributing to marshals. I know that drivers pay a hell of a lot just to go racing but was wondering if they might be able to support the marshals that support them? What I mean is, not BARC,BRSCC,750 or BMMC asking for money but, the championship that you race in offering rewards to marshals that support your championship?
My example is the Midland Hillclimb Championship,
I'm trying to get together a scheme whereby any marshal that attends ALL 3 Hills, over a given period, could benefit from the driver's donations. This is meant to encourage more marshals to attend all of the hills rather than just their local one. It would be hard to employ a system like this nationwide which is why I'm just starting in the midlands.

my idea was a voluntary donation from any driver that wanted to, with a "Supporting Marshals" sticker for them to do with as they see fit, wth ALL monies going directly to providing the qualifying marshals with some personnal protective equipment.
I worked it out that, if every driver that "used" the midland hllls, contributed £10 per season, I would have in excess of £3000 to clothe and reward the marshals. Any extra monies could even go towards re-fitting the 2 Midland Hillclimb Rescue units.

With this in mind, do any of you drivers object to £10 per season if it might encourage more marshals?

[Stuart Hill]

Originally posted by ascarracinguk
as a marshal myself i do it because i enjoy the sport and i have no complaints wat so ever.... the main complaints though are late finishing times and the lack of lunch.... how about feed us at dinner and a free beer at the end.... that would suit me

Just come to Loton Park, free tea/coffee at sign-on, free lunch!!!!!

Shelsley Walsh.... free beer at end of each day

Prescott..... free tea/coffee, Free accommadation!! :confused:

[ss_collins]

in speed event sure fine I support it as they have reasonable enry fees but in racing - no not really, not at the moment

[Stephen Green]

Stu, I think your idea is admirable however, most marshals already have raingear etc. The idea of the money going to support a rescue unit is the best, in my view at least. It's worth remembering that drivers/teams do support the marshals by often donating to the marshals raffle.

A couple of other instances. Last year the Sports 2000 guys had their 'festival' at Brands and the organisrs collected over £300 which was donated to the marshals raffle. The MG Car Club sent all the marshals who did both days at their event a stainless steel thermos as a thank you.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally posted by crazystu
Just come to Loton Park, free tea/coffee at sign-on, free lunch!!!!!

Shelsley Walsh.... free beer at end of each day

Prescott..... free tea/coffee, Free accommadation!! :confused:

Right im there !!!!

yeh gotta start speed this year.... i know i should keep off the grass but....

[Bob Pearson]

Your right Stu, and the stool is a good analogy. But to me the question that I asked some days ago still remains unanswered, why isn't anyone waving the begging bowl around the other leg, after all is said and done it is the only profit making leg on the stool and so, potentially has more to offer!

[DarrellB]

So if this money is raised from the drivers then how would it be distributed? Few marshals attend every round of a championship or all events at a circuit and most will do meetings for a wide variety of clubs and some do not even belong to a club. It seems to be a difficult question to answer. The clubs work full time for the benefit of drivers and marshals to organise the events. How could they operate otherwise and how many do actually make much profit and as for the circuits how much profit did Octagon make from the circuits it owns!!!
There seems to be less money all round!!
Stu's idea is a good one and woill probably work as the hills are in a close proximity of each other so encouraging marshals to attend all events but may not work quite so well with circuits which ar far more widespread and also require a much larger amount of marshals to run the meeting.

[Jim Lamb]

Originally posted by crazystu
I worked it out that, if every driver that "used" the midland hllls, contributed £10 per season, I would have in excess of £3000 to clothe and reward the marshals. Any extra monies could even go towards re-fitting the 2 Midland Hillclimb Rescue units.

Stu,
I think you will find that the Mid's Championship drivers already pay some kind of levy (Per event, included in the entry fee).
I believe this was originally to fund new Kit for the Rescue vehicles?
Wether they are aware of this, I know not!

Rgrds Jim L

Stay safe, Marshal from your Armchair!!!!

[DSM]

The BRSCC has an 'accumulated fund carried forward' as of December 2002 of 495,602 pounds. I would have thought they alone could easily tend to the Marshals' needs?

[mark ch]

Drivers shouldn't pay.. And I'll give you one Answer why The MSA Blue book says marshals should safe walkways and cover for protection from the elements .. I challenge people to name circuit that meet those requirements for all posts few do..

Marshalling is a expensive, very dangerous hobby.. if costs are too high you do fewer meetings simple.. Treat us with Basic facilities ie the MSA minimal and for most of us thats enough..
And yes I marshal.. as many weekends as I can afford

[Stuart Hill]

Originally posted by mark ch


Marshalling is a expensive, very dangerous hobby.. if costs are too high you do fewer meetings simple.. Treat us with Basic facilities ie the MSA minimal and for most of us thats enough..

And you wonder why meetings are being cancelled due to lack of marshals????
The whole idea of this scheme is to try and encourage more marshals to do more days and thus enable the clubs to actually offer you the MSA minimum!!
It may come down to a straight choice, £10 per year more or two or three less rounds.

[Dan Friel]

As a marshal, I can't see the benefit of demanding that drivers pay more. I think the level of entry fees are too high at present anyway.

As a marshal who loves motor sport, I'd like to see entry fees kept as low as possible to encourage more drivers onto the circuit..

A fiver here or there wouldn't maker me do any more events, packed grids and good racing might.

I get the feeling that all money pots are pretty empty at present..

[ss_collins]

Marshalling aint that expensive, not if you stay local. I marshal at venues in my area but being in north kent - I'm quite spoilt for choice with, 2 race circuits at least 3 speed venues, a bunch of rallies all within a short drive.

And cos I compete as well as marshal (as all competitors should IMHO) I get my marshalling fix on local events.

[Dave Brand]

Originally posted by mark ch
[BMarshalling is a expensive, very dangerous hobby.. [/B]

There are many more expensive hobbies!

Very dangerous? If I thought so, I wouldn't do it! Yes, there are risks, but training & experience teach us to recognise those risks & to reduce them to an acceptable level. In my opinion you're exposed to more danger driving to the circuit than you are working trackside.