BQuicksilver

A friend and I were talking today and wondered how close to the action you could get as weekend help for a race team. We thought it might be something fun to do for the experience of getting up close and likely learning something along the way. I'm curious if anyone here has experience doing the same...

- Do teams take weekend help, and if so what sort of duty could you be expected to help with and how high up the racing ladder do you see teams needing weekend help? I'm sure the C6R team wouln't want an extra body around, but what about less known a GT2 team? We're not as interested in something at the NASA level where you could probably just walk up and help anyone on any weekend. The thought is to help out in a place you otherwise couldn't get as just a spectator.

- What sort of compensation would you get for helping out? I'm sure unless you have a background as a pit crew member (we don't...just HPDE/racing enthusiasts) it wouldn't pay, but what about travel/shirts/food/admission/etc?

It's a pretty open ended question i know. I'm just curious if anyone here has done the same, and if it was a good experience.

spazegun2213

I jumped over the wall at the Rolex Series Watkins Glen 6 hour, race in 2006 for TPC racing (had 2 911 gt3's one placed 2nd with pobst at the wheel). I got into it because I had a friend that used to work for TPC as part of the crew. It was an AMAZING time, and I'd recommend it to ANYONE. Its a great way to really see racing, and it was "free" admission to the race, and the "seats" could not have been better. At one point when randy was coming in i got to be the jack man for the crew... it was amazing and VERY scary, lol!!




Onto your questions, do teams want help? YOU BET! While they may not let you set the cars up, someone has to change brake rotors, and assemble 3 piece wheels.

Which teams? I dont really know about ALMS, but really I'd just start emailing teams and ask. I know rolex teams always welcome people to help out.

Compensation? A pat on the back, or a good job, maybe a t-shirt and all the memories. Really, you may even get a free place to stay, free admission, etc, but you will not get "paid" for your time. Trust me, even if you have to pay for everything, I'd rather be behind the pit wall than sitting in the stands.

Axelrod

Serious teams employ serious highly technical people on a full time basis. Routines are learned and the execution of a race is a well rehearsed project.

From reading here, it seems as though there are a couple grassroots teams that need some help. Not sure if LG is looking for a hand or not.

gkmccready

Find a friend that does NASA or SCCA events and try that first. I always enjoyed crewing for friends, but it's not a stress free deal. You are closer, but you really can't see much of the race from the pit stall...

BQuicksilver

It's not so much about spectating as it is about the experience of something different/learning. I'm not as interested in helping out with NASA/lower SCCA level stuff just b/c it's not all that different than just HPDE from a support POV, and my weekends aren't THAT free. I'm looking for something somewhat organized with pit stops just to be around mid-level racing. Stress is fine.

gkmccready

I think you'd be very surprised at the difference between racing and HPDE in terms of preparation and support, even at the lowest levels.

Like everybody else says, starting writing email/letters, I'm sure somebody will bite.

parkerracing

You may have some luck with a small privateer team. Duties would include running for fuel/tires and cleaning stuff. Over the wall would be out of the question with all but the smallest/most desperate of teams (no one wants their driver killed or only key crew person hurt by a well intentioned but unskilled/untrained stranger).
I have guys wanting to help at the track all the time, but unless their willing to put in time at the shop and learn the car they'll only be in the way.

Bill Hetzel

With all due respect, your opinion above "ain't even close".

If you want to learn something, find a serious "lower level" team and experience the huge amount of hours it takes to get a racecar ready for an event. You have a better chance of learning something this way. At least there would be time to explain things to you. At the track people are focused on winning the race, not teaching.

Most new crew member (with as you stated, no experience) would be bascially a gofer. You would have to know what you're doing to work on the car. I had a younger guy volunteer 2 years ago. After unloading, the first thing he did was break a stud thet took 1 1/2 hours to replace and we almost missed the practice session.

Are you saying that you want to participate in a pit stop?

If you really want to crew in a race with pitstops, find one of these "lower level" teams you seem to distain that does endurance racing. Come out and work the 25 Hours of ThunderHill, get 6 hours sleep in 48 hours and find out what it's really like. All this fun for 0 compensation.
Maybe than you'll see that racing and HPDE's "ain't even close".

BQuicksilver

Sorry Bill, I know enough NASA racers to feel comfortable taking most of your post with a nice big grain of salt. I'll agree if we're talking about the NASA enduro stuff popping up, or other enduro racing for that matter since pitting requires organization you wouldn't see with HPDE.

I'm not saying we *need* to do XYZ, just that we wouldn't mind being behind the scenes in whatever capacity with an effort that includes pit stops/organization. I'm asking to gauge what response a volunteer would get. Per your post it sounds like nobody above NASA would be much interested in volunteer help? Is that correct?

I'm not trying to be a snob Bill, but time is limited and we have some specific feelings as to what would be worth volunteering a weekend. I'm just trying to assess if our time would be appreciated with a team. We can think of a lot of places to put a weekend worth of unpaid time, just as I'm sure you can.

The sleep/long days stuff is no issue. I'm used to 30 hour shifts (medical school) and we're both training for a 24hr mountain bike race right now...try that for true sleep deprivation.

BQuicksilver

That small/desperate team would likely be the ideal situation since they'd look toward new help with an eye of "how can we use you" rather than "how can we keep you away from anything important". Now, where is that team? Lower end Rolex GT?

We were talking about contacting local teams here in Indy so we could maybe swing by before the weekends if time allows and help out a bit/build some trust. The problem is that there aren't many small teams here in Indy I can find. Andretti-Green...those guys are small time right?

parkerracing

My ex crew chief hooked up with a Rolex MX-5 team in ST. On race weekends they hire out a couple college kids (football or engineering backgrounds only), to put together/take down the pit space (floor and awning) and hump tires/fuel.

Bill Hetzel

Not at all, a lot of teams use volunteer help. They would want to know what your experience level is, not your crew experience but what you've done in general with cars,HPDE's, etc. I'd have at least a mental list of what you've done when talking to teams.
"I like to watch races" wouldn't make me feel great about a volunteer but, "I've helped pull engines, do all my own mechanical work, drive HPDE's" would make me consider them.

The small teams around Indy are hard to find but, there's a boatload of raceshops and manufacturers. You'll have to do some leg work, talk to these shops and ask if they know of teams who would like help. Hit the websites, NASA, SCCA ProRacing,etc. They have lists of teams and drivers usually listed under "Entry Lists". Some of them have forums too.
A lot of raceteams have websites, send them an email.
Make sure you let them know what you want to do and what you can and cannot do.

My last post may have sounded miffed but when some compares HPDE to "lower level" racing, I have to open my mouth.
Yea, there's some who race NASA and SCCA who don't do a lot with their equipment but most of us put in hundreds of hours on the cars and work towards winning races.
Most guys running HPDE's don't.
There are a few exceptions and I could click off the names of guys on this forum who I highly respect but, the precentage is fairly low.

gkmccready

I honestly wish you luck. It's like applying for a job... you're not going to get the job you want walking out of school. You need to take a crap position and bust your butt and work your way up the ranks. Crewing is a job. Even if you're not getting paid in cash right now.

I started life crewing as a go-fer, car-washer, nut-and-bolt checker. Learned as much as I could watching, listening, simply being an extra set of hands when needed, and staying out of the way. I spent untold hours back at the shop working not only on the race cars but anything else that they would ask/tell me so I could gain experience and their trust.

Over the YEARS I worked with them I took on bigger and bigger tasks. And, ya know, only one season did we run a Pro series, and I enjoyed that season as much as any other. And that season was no more work than any other...

BQuicksilver

That sounds like about all I could honestly offer, outside of some enthusiasm.

It seems like this will be a tad tricky since I'm wanting the experience, not a career move.

I also agree there are surely smaller teams around here, I just need to dig more.

Thanks for calming down re: the last post. I'm one of those guys who puts a lot of time into having the car right with detailed lists of what to carry/spares/etc. I don't put in hundred of hours, but usually 10-20 before each event and wish that I could be a bit pickier yet. I think I have a pretty decent idea to what level of prep I'd go if I was W2W, hence my opinion. I'm just looking for a bigger change of pace/environment here, not working on a more meticulous level of prep.

rfn026

I've done a couple of Rolex 24 events and a few Sebring events. It's hot dirty and very very boring. Then in an instant everything goes to h*ll and the boredom is gone.

The best way to start is with a broom. Someone has to take down the awninngs and clean the workbenches. Every time I leave an event I swear I will never ever do it again. Then a year passes and I get the urge. Sometimes I just sit down and it goes away. Other times I need the fix.

The best way to start is with an enduro team in vintage racing. Keep in mind that some of the HSR guys are spending Grand Am and ALMS money to go vintage racing. There's nothing low key about an HSR enduro.

Richard Newton

Autocross Performance Handbook

Wheel and Tire Performance Handbook

0Louis @ LG Motorsports

I have a few guys who fly in on my dime, and I put them up in rooms with other "weekend warriors".

The thing is, like mentioned before, there are strict routines That professional race teams, us included, adhere to.

There is no margin for error, there are no excuses, you will be proud that you sweep the rubber off the ground, vacuum the car out, and wipe the car down.

No task is too menial, and everything matters on a pro team. No joke, the simplest things can have the largest impact. The guy doing the water bottle is just as important as the guy putting the fuel in. If the bottle comes loose after a pit stop, or the QD to the drink tube is not in correctly, those mistakes can have very large repercussions. A driver having water in a car that is 100+* during a 65-75 minute stint is critical.

So having said that, I usually bring a lot of "noobs" to sebring in addition to the regular crew. After sebring, we decide who we want to bring to the next event. We keep them as long we are both on the same page and they can come to the events, EVERY DAY of the events. None of my guys are allowed to come in half way through the weekend. Its too tough, and everyone has a set of tasks and a defined role. If you cant make it there for setup day, dont bother coming.

Other than that, the GT2 level is tough. Its hard for someone to just show up and help, but it has happened before.

Either way, in any series, show up, be PROactive, NEVER stand around, and ALWAYS clean the car, even if you have cleaned it 5 times already. You would be amazed at what failures have been prevented due to someone cleaning the car and finding a potential problem.

Louis