Most fans (and likely most racers) are a little naïve as to what it takes to put on a race. The average fan shows up about half an hour before race time, while many racers get to the track just in time to sign in, unpack the trailer and head out for practice. Few, if any, give any thought to the dedicated group that has been there hours—and in some cases even days—before them.
Whether it is at the smallest short track or the most beautiful half-mile, the amount of people behind the scenes to make a race happen is enormous. Of course, when fans are at a race they will notice the racers, while most will take notice of the referee; those fans that are very observant may even notice the marshals in each corner (sometimes as many as three in each depending on the size of the track).
There are, however, many other people that go unnoticed and yet certainly deserve some recognition. The person taking your money at the gate? Volunteer. The person signing you in to race? Volunteer. The person opening the gate to let the riders on or off the track? Volunteer. The person at staging, the person getting heat race results to the person in staging… you get the idea.
On top of all the tasks taking place on race days, there are many volunteers that may be at the track a few days a week to ensure that the weekend program goes off without a hitch. With the majority of our races taking place during the hottest days in the summer, track prep is always a struggle. Unknown to many is the fact that sometimes two or three days in advance, a dedicated volunteer will be watering and grooming the track in the hopes that it is pristine on race day. There are boards to repair and paint, grass to cut, garbage to empty and the list goes on.
Many of these volunteers are former racers, while some continue to race and try to help out however they can in between their own races. Some volunteers are just great fans that know that without their help the show can’t go on. Either way, they are needed and often underappreciated.
Certain clubs out there that host races have been known to have programs where, in order to race in their series, you have to sign up for a couple of ‘work days.’ The benefit of such a program is twofold. It will greatly reduce the scrambling needed to get the bodies needed to put on a race, and even more importantly it will give the ‘newbies’ a greater appreciation of what each volunteer contributes to the program. I’ve always thought that any parent with a kid involved in minor sports should have to referee at least one game to see what the refs go through. I have the same thoughts with volunteering at the track. Maybe you won’t be quite as quick to yell at the guy trying to stage a bunch of racers who won’t listen to him if you’ve spent a night doing it yourself.
Any fans out there that are interested in helping at the track are urged to talk to the people in charge. Getting to know your favourite rider and being real close to the action are just a couple of advantages to helping out. As for riders, if you are unable to help out, please take the time to thank everyone involved in the program each week. Without them there is no program, and that makes for one long, boring summer.