Kart marshalling

[Mark Baines]

Have you marshalled at a karting event? If not, why not? I have now I am a clerk of the course for karting because I enjoyed it that much and my son Jordan whom some of you will know is now racing karts. You get to see some great close contact racing with drivers starting from the age of 8 years and at most circuits you can see the whole circuit, better still some circuits like South Yorkshire Kart Club give you a little something to cover expenses.
I know most kart circuits are struggling to find marshals and appriciate help from us, so if you fancy it give it a try.

[devon kev]

Used to marshal karts in Guernsey, spent most of the time running away from the blighters

Must admit those youngsters had great enthusiasm

[ScottDay]

Used to work at a kart circuit as a mechanic and used to marshal a lot of the meetings there, including all the super one stuff. Was good. No regrets at all.

[JimW]

I don't think I would marshal short circuit karts unless it could be guaranteed that all drivers were orphans.

(Hi Mark.)

Regards

Jim

[blueoval]

Spent 2 years marshalling for a local kart club great fun, no spending all weekend standing around evey marshal should try it.

[Kidzer]

It's all the marshalling I do justnow, but it's brilliant, I always make sure I get Post 3 at my local track, it's fantastic to Marshal from, good view!

[blueoval]

It's also good to see the young kids come through and i found it more friendly.

[blueoval]

If anybody is interested i got a letter from hoddesdon kart club who need marshals, It's hoddesdon kart club hoddesdon hertfordshire for info email wayne@hoddesdonkartclub.co.uk if it wasn't to far i would do it.

[Nick Kirby]

Forest Edge near Thruxton on the A303 at Barton Stacy are always looking for marshals, plan to have ago at some point when time permits. Anyone interested thier web site has the chief marshals details

[JLD]

Never done a kart event, but I would be interested in doing one sometime (don't know if you will enjoy it unless you try it).
South Yorkshire is pretty local for me.

[Mark Baines]

If you could spare a weekend the next meeting is 8th-9th Setember then 13th-14th October, website www.sykc.fsnet.co.uk.

[gachjoel]

would love to do some kart marshalling,
but not sure if there is any local to me

[Davie-c]

Originally Posted by gachjoel

would love to do some kart marshalling,
but not sure if there is any local to me

Go to www.karting.co.uk/Tracks
It has a list of all indoor and outdoor tracks in the UK on it.
It's well worth giving it a go I enjoyed it for about 6 years and had to give it up to do other motorsport commitments.

[Rockmunky]

Yep, i marshal at Hoddesdon Kart Club meetings. My very first time was the last meeting in August. Excellent stuff, I intend to come back next month too.

[paulnjulie]

hi we do the karts at the 3 sisters near wigan anyone wants to come let me know and i will sort you out.yes we are always sort of marshals its the place to learn how to flag
reply to pdmccmarshalsclub@ntlworld.com

[PVDA]

Why don't I marshal at Kart events??

Ugly Parent Syndrome, that's why.

The group I belong to here in Aus used to do Kart events when a new track started up but after several members copped abuse from parents on the sideline we gave up.

It's a shame but naturally you have to put your own well being before others so the group politely declined any further invitations it received.

[Mark Baines]

yes wigan is very good i clerk there as well

[Dean Watson]

I have marshaled Karts in the past at Cadwell and really enjoyed the days, however I marshaled the Sunday of this years British Kart Grand Prix at Cadwell and heard stories of marshals and recovery being subject to verbal abuse from drivers and teams I also was on the receiving end of abuse on two occasions. Those that know me are well aware that I am a big bloke with fairly thick skin (some would say it matches my head). But I am not going to give up my time and money getting to meetings where I am not appreciated by ALL concerned. So very sorry, I realise that not all meets are the same, but no not for me.

[sf2001]

hey, i have about 6 years experience marshalling karts both on closed circuit and street racing... the 6 years includes about 1 1/2 years experience at the startline..

its hectic, laptimes are usually under a minute for short circuits...

karts are a bit like bikes though, that if the driver flips the kart, he will usually be thrown one way, whilst it rugby ball bounces to a halt somewhere else..

at the startline i've experienced some problems where by there are two or three karts across the track thundering toward the chequered flag, very hairy, and some incidents, nuff said..

i have some long circuit experience, doing starter for the uk cup race at kirkistown last summer.. great fun..

id recommend it to any, but you really have to keep your eye on everything, as anything usually happens

[welshgal_2006]

I love watching the Karts at hill climbs in Guernsey and also the track there is good. May have to come and have a go soon.

[autoavia]

I used to be grid/paddock marshall for a kart club.
I tried to be firm but fair and operate the same rules all the time.
I called all races to the dummy grid at a specific time to make sure everyone knew when to be on the grid. I closed the grid at a consistent time and latecomers went to the back - even those that threatened and abused me. I cleared the dummy grid of spectators and hangers on before each start so that no one got run over and even managed to get them to take notice of the green flag at the head of the dummy grid instead of trying to run me over as I took the ropes away.
In return I got endless abuse mostly from the fathers of younger racers. At one meeting there was a mix up over a grid position which wasn't my doing resulting in yet another threat of violence and an attempt to throw a punch in my direction by a disgruntled father. This was the final straw and I threw in the towel there and then in the middle of a meeting and have never been back.
I stayed until the end of the meeting to allow my other half to complete her marshalling duty and was approached by several competitors who wanted me to stay as they reckoned I was the only paddock marshall who had tried to do things in a proper orderly manner and they preferred to know that everything worked the same way each meeting. It was nice to hear their comments but I just didn't feel I wanted the hassle again.
I also remember one incident where a young but experienced karter lying 2nd managed to ram the back of the leader every lap at a hairpin and sometimes even managed to lift the leaders rear whells off the ground. I reported this to the Clerk of the Course who called over the young lad. He said it was an accident and didn't look too impressed when I replied that once was an accident, a second time was perhaps forgiveable but almost every lap was rather more than downright careless. As far as I remember I must have impressed the lads father as well because he never spoke to me again.
I got the impression that many expected others misdemeanours to be punished but at the same time weren't prepared to take the consequences of their own actions.
In contrast I have marshalled at many motocross, grasstrack and motorcycle trials over the years and found that incidents of abuse in the motorcycle world are extremely rare. I have also ridden trials occassionally during the last 35 years and can honestly say that I have never felt the need to abuse or threaten any official along the way.

[Clive]

Sadly these examples are prevalent around many kart circuits. I have had the priviledge to marshal at a variety of kart circuits around the country over several years and increasingly it is not only the dads but the young drivers too, including sometimes emulating the bad habits of older more experienced drivers (from F1 downwards - eg two hands off the steering wheel having won a race). Better and more forceful decisions from the Clerks against the perpetrators would help, and i too have nearly walked away from more than one meeting (I havent actually done it, yet!) due to abuse

[autoavia]

Sadly I got the impression that the Clerks and the organising club were reluctant to be firm with those who abused and threatened marshalls and other officials. They seemed worried that the abusive competitors might throw their toys out of the pram and go race elsewhere if they were disciiplined and this may result in insufficient entries to run some classes at meetings.
I could understand their concerns but why should those who either won't or don't know how to behave be allowed to bring everyone else down to their level. It needs all organisers to stick together and make abusive behaviour and unfair driving unacceptable.
What also amazed me was that these people actually felt that they were entitled to complain to the RAC steward if they felt you had been abusive to them but they themselves should be untouchable.
One day I had a 'gent' who was well known to me from his previous abusive and threatening behaviour who insisted on standing in a prohibited area at the front of the dummy grid where I was trying to flag (as well as marshall the next grid). I asked him politely 3 times to move and explained that he was obstructing my flag post but he ignored me. When I finally lost my cool and told him to f--- off out the way and let me do my job he marched off and reported me to the RAC steward for being abusive! Unfortunately the clerk of the course spoke to the RAC steward and actually apologised on my behalf.
I would have far preferred to be called in front of the steward to explain my actions face to face as strangely enough I didn't believe that I was the one at fault in that particular incident and would gladly have suggested that the son of the father concerned should be banned until his father learnt some common sense and some manners.

[brian_bury]

that is why i do not do karts there is no discipline on the track and when you try to inform them that they are doing wrong it is the marshal that gets the abuse

[Ian Briggs]

Done a couple of meetings at the old Anglsey, very entertaining, but i have to say, its the only time I have been caught out by being on the track with competitors going by me on both sides, the little bu66ers didnt lift either even though I was digging one of thier brethren out from an upside-down one.
However, that was my fault for going out there, if you have not done it before then give it a go......