Child racers at bury
 

We need to address the subject of young kids racing at bury metro in particular marshalling I believe they shouldn't Marshall and think they should have their own heat separate from the adult drivers. I didn't like being marshalled by them or to race with them for fear of hitting them with my car or breaking theirs and mine when approaching them at speed.
But I don't want to see the kids excluded as I think the club ethos should be to entice the kids to race because they will be the future of bury metro so as I've said I propose there own heat with volunteer marshals so the kids would be exempt from marshalling for their own safety.

Best intensions

Buds

Going to post here even though Bury is miles from home :blush:.

You have a very valid point, speaking from racer with a novice child.

Adam is racing with men who have been racing for a while, irrespective of their standard. I personally think this is unfair on him AND the other drivers.... however this is due to small turnout mainly and no otherr kids

A heat for kids or a heat labelled 'novice' is good for any club. The people in this heat would expect a lower level of driving and therefore not as heated if a car comes and hits you or moves off line. If everyone in there knows, then no bad.

However, Adam loves marshalling and also volunteers a lot, but I know he is ok at it. If he wasnt I would not let him. He marshalled top heats and A final at Taplow with no complaints.

IMHO its all about looking after the kids at a local level and helping them with calm words and guidence, rather than shouting.

Neil

How old is Adam??
I'm refering to children as young as 6 with very low ability and they are very small indeed. When the kids ability is better then move them up but I think they should be at least 10 before joining the adults

Buds

im going to get my 6 year old son racing when we go out doors and i wont be letting him marshall on his own if at all, ill do it for him for some of the reasons dave has pointed out.

Its true that a lot of the kids like marshaling, some even marshal when they aren't racing! But its also true that they aren't that good at it, and I've voiced concerns before when people were running big 1/8ths and 4x4 SC's about a collision with a young marshal.

I like the idea of a novice heat. Roundabout and Stockport have them with smaller turnouts than most Bury meetings so its certainly possible. It will help to encourage new drivers etc. Clearly it should be heat 1 and marshaled by the top heat, but rather than have all the top heat drivers marshaling 4-5 kids, have about 1/3rd of them marshal heat 2 instead, alongside the kids. That way heat 2 gets some competent marshals and the novices are shown how it should be done.
Yes I know it means marshaling the heat after next instead, but it really shouldn't be a problem.
Of course all this depends on getting a bare minimum of 3 good sized heats going. An easy enough job on a nice sunny day on our new track, but when its cold and damp and only a few turn up we'll all be mixed together again.

In any case, drivers under lets say 11 (ie still at primary school) shouldn't be at the track unaccompanied. Which means in theory there is a parent present to marshal. The problem is that Dad has to prep his car and his sons, and marshal for both which is a tall order. Older lads can marshal themselves, but a novice heat and some supervision is still advisable.

Its a difficult one really if you had enough kids to do it. there own heat would be best. The problem is the kids get just as much enjoyment out of marshalling . I try and make vaughn marshall the easy spots but the more I tell him the more he wants to marshall the middle of the track. On sunday I made vaughn marshall next to me in the middle only because I knew I could cover all the areas of the track myself in that was needed in the middle and he was sat behind a cone so he was pretty safe. he marshalled the first couple of races at the beginning of the straight which was better but because I was on his number in the middle thats were he wanted to be. The best way it works for us is when vaughn is in heat one and I am heat three or four then I normally marshall after my heat and the heat he has raced in but due to numbers this is not always going to be the case. I raced in the kids heat on sunday and I have to agree It makes it difficult to race well.

I don't care if there is only 2 children give them a separate heat and let there fathers Marshall for them or volunteers do it yesterday it totally ruined my day by the young kids inability to Marshall which it is not their fault. When I brought the subject up with woody he said don't crash then which I thought was a totally pig ignorant answer how I didn't deal him some special buds justice there and then I don't know!! That's why I'm playing with solutions to the issue

Buds

As much as anything else, anyone who can drive round a track would rather not be in a stock car race, so a separate heat makes sense there.

Marshaling - well yes, the official line is don't crash, but clearly its a bit unfair if some heats have better marshaling so crashing costs less. But then thats kinda the same point as the previous one about getting put in a heat of mobile chicanes.

In the end though, its up to the more 'experienced' members to set the example, cover the marshaling etc. A couple of meetings ago I suggested to Rog we split the top heat drivers to marshal over the bottom 2 heats (heat 1 only had 5 in it, all young lads and didn't need 10 experienced marshals) but almost nobody did as instructed.

Maybe we should ask a few other clubs how they take care of the young ones. Back in the day it was never an issue due to there being so many racers.

I'm more than willing to police this side of things "compliance officer" sounds good to me

So volunteer marshalls for novice heat or fathers and the last heat marshalls the second and so on and so forth so we all get a fair crack of the whip heat 2 only had 3 adult marshalls yesterday let's flip it then and have kids run in the last heat or Marshall the top heat they crash less?? Thought not

As for my kid enjoys marshalling that's all very good but they don't have the reflexes or foresight to keep themselves safe a Durango full speed to the leg would snap a 6 year olds ankle it nearly did mine and I'm not a small build and weigh as much as a small cruise ship

Prevention is better than a cure the kids safety is paramount regardless of wether they enjoy it. Kids like to jump off cliffs into reservoirs in summer do you think it's a good idea to let them do it??

Buds

Definitely have a kiddies heat. Clubs like Stockport have been going for years as they support kiddies and give them a Novice race to enter.

It is a novice race though, and there may be adults in it but they soon move out (well most do) and it also humbles 'superstars' who turn up and haven't raced at the club before as hey have to race in the Novice heat.

The race after is marshalled by the kids and their dads.

If anyone gives the kiddies jip they get a telling straight away.

Personally I would love it, as it means I might be able race a buggy this summer with my lad.

I also think the novice/kids race should act as a wildcats race where monster trucks etc are also able to race. It let's all comers have a go with whatever electric car they have to experience the club. This is a policy that works brilliantly at stockport.

We already do the last part - in fact, as long as its electric and fits on our track, in theory you can race it......

I did get concerned after Rob KO'd a marshal at Keighley with a B4. The marshal was a full grown man, and B4's weigh very little, but he went down like a stone after being hit on the head. What really worried me was I had to cover his marshal spot whilst Johnny was driving his truck around - that wouldn't knock you out, it would squash you!

Anyway - we need to keep marshals safe, and I reckon the young lads prefer their own heat. Hell, why not have a junior championship?

But I'm afraid that somewhere along the line, some heat is going to have to get the less good marshals. Its just the way it is. Only solution is be more careful.

Been having a bit of a think on this and the answer could be quite simple what about the top heat splitting so that 4 or 5 marshall heat one and then the other 4 or 5 marshall heat two and then rotate so that then we can tell the kids that there not allowed to marshall and whatever other adults are in the first heat can marshall heat two as well I would be more than happy with that because I personaly dont like vaughn marshalling.

Carefull Martin that sounds like common sense and I don't think that's allowed!!!

I understand were your coming from!

It would be good to keep them separate. and to marshal with a "Marshal Buddy" because don't forget they need to learn.

Also last week a car hit my ankle and it was killing me all week. It could seriously hurt a youngster. so if they marshal for there own heat there is less chance of bad accidents.

ive voted for own heat and exempt marshalling, this should be a nationwide standard for their own safety.

:thumbsup:

I think a separate heat for the youngsters would work well. Like Budfish, I was racing in the lower heat on Sunday and despite trying to avoid the little ones, I always seemed to be overtaking the car I had just got round a few yards down the track, funny that (ha ha ha).

As for marshalling, I have raised my concern over the little ones not having real 'track sense' when rushing to retrieve a stranded car, plus their safety aswell.

Regarding marshalling, I think the more marshalls the merrier as unfortunately there will often be crashes in the lower heats, although a lot of their cars do have reverse.

not even I have track sense at times :lol:

My 8 year old wants to start racing in the summer so naturally I would want the safest option available.

This is a good idea buds!
Put the kids on after the top heat and the top lads at the meeting marshall twice, so kids dont have to. Its only an extra 5 minutes of there life :woot:

And with the new jumps outdoors!!!!!