For the first time this year……..it’s Race Week – writes marshal Gordon Melville! After a long winter with no car racing, it’s the count down to the SMRC season opener, this Sunday, the 7th April. Whilst it may have been a quiet down season for some, there has been lots of work going on behind the scenes.
A new C1 championship has been born and the BMW Compact Cup is making a long awaited return and joining SLS! However, it’s on the marshalling side of things that have really made progress and taken shape as looking after the volunteer work force was our main focus. Over the winter a new marshals working group has been formed, giving marshals a platform to voice concerns, ideas and improvements and will be a great forum to keep the route of communication going. Not only that but there is a new affiliate group called the “SMRC Marshals Group” that members can benefit from an array of discounts and promotions.
Other work secured will see SMRC marshal’s benefit from a half day’s Mental Health awareness course and 12 senior marshals will be attending a two day Suicide Prevention course over the course of this forth coming year, a topic we hold close to our hearts. Most noticeably though, is the stepping down of Chief Marshal Jim Redpath with Richard Burrell taking over. Everyone in the sport thanks Jim for his long and valuable contribution to marshalling in Scotland and beyond.
Other marshals have been traveling to sunnier climes to marshal at the final round of the F1 in Abu Dhabi in November and one is currently marshalling at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. So the opportunities that are involved in becoming a marshal really are endless!
With more plans in the pipe line for a marshals Fun Day, a summer BBQ, the BTCC and the Rallycross making a comeback this year in October, we have a lot to look forward to! If it is something you would like to become involved in, please get in touch via jackie.spencer@smrc.co.uk
If you are interested in becoming a bike marshal, then contact gemma@knockhill.co.uk of the KMSC and she will forward your details on.