Marshal training day at Castle Combe on Sunday (it's in Wiltshire - anyone who has visited Flea recently has been there!)

http://www.ccracingclub.co.uk/news/gener...combe-marshals/

I did a day as a marshal for the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club at Cadwell Park last year and it was excellent. I'm tempted to go along.

do you not need a valid IMC certificate for all motorsport marshalling?

I'm a regular race marshal at the IOM Manx GP and IOM TT and need to revalidate my IMC training every 3 years

Based on my experience and the little research I've done, club racing requires a great deal less in the way of certification or skills. Some of the CRMC marshals are MotoGP and/or TT qualified, but most aren't.

Jim pm sedicivalvole (Nick) as he marshals at the Silverstone so should be able to help with info etc.

Cool, thanks, Joe.

I'm not sure I can make this weekend, but I really enjoyed my taste of marshaling and would love to do more.

We've also volunteered to steward at Goodwood for the FoS and Revival. You work a 7-hour shift each day in return for a full ticket including camping.

I remember you saying about marshalling at Goodwood, sounds awesome so I hope the weather is kind, not much fun when you have a damp tent

I might see if I can nick Gripped's Bongo...!

Probably can't make this one, but I would certainly be interested in another session?

You better come say hello again

Still don't know if we've been selected, but if we are - you bet!

Looks like school play rehearsals have put the kibosh on this Sunday. Damn you, Sunday bus service!

Marshalling motorsport is great, I did it for many years at Harewood Hillclimb, great community and you get close to the action! I would still do it but difficult to marshal and compete at the same time and I don't have enough spare weekends to get out in my orange overalls now. Marshals are the largely unrecognised heroes of motorsport.

Anyone in the North interested in marshalling can get involved at Harewood - http://www.harewoodhill.com/marshals/ (look how close to the action the handsome chap in the top photo is!)

Harewood is a great setting Andy - haven't been there for decades!

I'm hoping Sunday might be back on - seems as though there are some other budding actors heading for rehearsals on Sunday, so stepson might be able to get a lift...

Well, fortunately, stepson got a lift to his rehearsals and back. Unfortunately, on Saturday afternoon, MrsC dropped a paving slab on her foot and had to go to the Minor Injuries Unit. As the X-Ray department was shut, she had to go back on Sunday at 11.00. However, as she was determined that her foot wasn't broken (4th metatarsal, as it happens), she insisted that I attend the marshalling day...

So, I got up at quarter to six, made a thermos and wrapped up warm and arrived at Castle Combe to sign on at quarter to 8.

It was packed with over 100 blokes in orange suits (it's the new black, apparently), there to take one of their periodic, mandatory training courses - and 30 of us newbies.

We were issued with 2 vouchers for hot drinks from the canteen and one for a light lunch, which was a nice touch, considering that the course was entirely free.

The training began in earnest at 8.30, with a PowerPoint presentation delivered in the Wiltshire College building (the college offers a motorsport engineering course, so has a facility on the circuit).

Although there was a fair bit of "death by PowerPoint" as the trainers called it, the information was delivered with such professionalism and enthusiasm that I never found it dull.

After the first session (on marshalling generally, equipment, the various specialisations, hierarchy, etc.), we had a really informative 45 minutes with the Scrutineer (senior, MSA accredited), who walked and talked us round a couple of Formula Ford cars and a circuit-prepared Fiesta in the college garage. Lots of interesting and up-to-date info on helmets, newly-compulsory HANS devices, seats going "out-of-date" and not deploying fire extinguishers instead of electrical cut-offs.

We then broke for coffee before a presentation on fire theory and the medical centre.

The free light lunch was followed by a bit of practical first aid drill (recovery position, CPR) combined with the problems associated with casualties in helmets/trapped in cars/covered in fuel.

Next was a practical demonstration of how to roll a car from its roof to its wheels as gently as possible to avoid exacerbating neck injury (not sure what non-motor-racing Health and Safety would have made of 12 blokes with no PPE or training, grappling with a car on a steep grassy bank - broken windows, ripped bodywork and all...).



After that we were led on foot up the circuit to Marshal post 2, (between Folly and Avon Rise, for those that know the track) to see the aftermath of an accident from the previous day's track day. A chap in a fully race-prepped Audi R8 clipped the back of a Caterham at over 150mph and skidded, flew, cartwheeled and lost 3 wheels in the process of transforming his car into a bit of a state.


Pretty skid-mark patterns (compared with the ones in the driver's race suit, I imagine)

See how far the R8 moved 8 of these 8x8 Armco supports...

The marshals said it was one of the most dramatic smashes they've seen in over 30 years and that the driver was incredibly fortunate to have escaped with his life.
As it was, he was unconscious for over 5 minutes and needed some pretty extensive treatment at the medical centre, but apparently with no serious injuries. His proper race cage was credited with saving him.
A reminder that "Motorsport is Dangerous", though the marshal's post was entirely unscathed. Reassuringly.

The next part of the course was using powder and foam fire extinguishers to put out a fire on the test rig (again, we were able to get hands on), before a presentation on flags and flagging rounded off the day at around 4.30pm.



It was full-on, with a lot of information, but it was so well delivered that I never felt it dragging or becoming boring.

For a free day, provided by volunteers, it was absolutely outstanding - better than any training I've been given by so-called professionals in day jobs I've had.

It's certainly convinced me that I want to become more involved with marshalling. Other commitments mean I will never be able to devote every weekend to it, but it's a superb way to become involved in and get close to motorsport at minimal cost. With a bit of commitment, you can work your way up to becoming an experienced marshal, which can lead to working at F1 events (both in the UK and abroad - though competition is understandably high), Le Mans, the USA and many other opportunities.

I'd highly recommend anyone with any curiosity about marshalling attends one of these days - whether at Castle Combe or elsewhere; it's free and the amount you can learn is amazing. After that, the choice is yours.

Well done, Jim. As a racer, I'm very much indebted to the marshalls who look after us. They are always friendly and helpful.