If you’ve spent some time on the track you are no doubt familiar with the colorful flags at every corner, their holders revered by some as guardian angels waving yellow, warning of hazards around the bend or for the less fortunate few, stern disciplinarians waving black, ushering you off the track and ending the fun. Whichever side of the spectrum you find yourself driving on, they are a necessary part of a safe track experience and I was curious to spend some time on the other side of the guardrail.
I volunteered for the afternoon session at Sebring during their annual 48 Hours of Sebring. It is a high octane version of a regional PCA DE/Club Race with participants coming in from all over the nation and all classes of cars coming out of the woodwork from a vintage Kremer 935 Turbo race car to a showroom stock 2014 Cayman and everything between. Racing will never be considered a “cheap” hobby but it was good to see a wide range of classes at different price points. The 944 Spec Racers built from donor 944 NAs that can now be had for a few thousand were apexing the same corners as 2014 911 RSR pros that were getting in practice laps before the “other” Sebring race (you know the 12 hour one in March they’ve been doing a while now)
But back to the corners, where the action is! At Turn 3 the gorgeous Porsches are just a few yards from you, the physics of the turn pushing them safely away from you before they apex and head left. I never felt unsafe, but it is also very important to be vigilant. There were some spins and some off-roading, but with the expert direction of the professional corner workers I was helping, everyone made it back onto the track or towed off the track safely. The first time a yellow flag condition occurred I caught myself mesmerized as though I was watching it unfold on TV and then I snap out of it and tell myself, “WAVE THE YELLOW FLAG! WAVE THE YELLOW FLAG!” In reality my delay to respond was probably only a fraction of a second or two but with the speed at which disaster strikes it feels longer, and as the day progressed it felt more and more like second nature and I became one with the flags. The pro corner workers I was helping were really great at explaining the duties and making me feel welcome to their little bend in the track. I beamed a little when at the end of the day one said with such genuine tone “Thanks for your help on the corner. Some people just volunteer to come and take pictures and hang out, but you REALLY worked and did a great job!” So don’t be “that guy or gal” just volunteering to get a cool picture and be in the way, be there to help learn how to keep the track safe and carry your weight.
So if you want to feel the race (and I do mean FEEL when you have 40 flat sixes roaring towards your corner on the first lap) experience it from the other side of the track and volunteer at your next PCA club race.
CORY ON CARS 