cosmicspd3
New Member
This Saturday!!! out at afton alps. I already volunteered, Jeff (Red cobalt SS) is half volunteering and then filming all day. We need more people.
Email from Tom below. let me know if you can help out so I can let him know. Volunteers get free food/snack all day and free lunch.
Dear Hillclimb Corner Worker,
First of all, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! This event simply could not happen without your help, and I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for your assistance. Please accept the goody bag treats (in white plastic bags at your station) and free lunch (for the all-day workers) as a small token of my appreciation.
We still need at least TWO MORE corner workers, so please ask your friends to contact me if they’re interested!
As I'm sure you've noticed, the date of this year's hillclimb has consistently been announced as "Saturday, May 9th (rain date Sunday, May 10th)" This event will happen on Saturday, May 9th, UNLESS the forecast for Saturday looks a whole lot wetter than Sunday. The hillclimb is dangerous enough on dry pavement. We cannot run in the rain. I will gather huge amounts of weather forecast data, enough to choke a supercomputer, in the days leading up to the event. CHECK YOUR EMAIL or call my cell (612-237-1883) after 5:00pm on Friday, May 8th for the "Saturday or Sunday" decision announcement. We have been lucky at the seven prior hillclimbs that Saturday has been relatively dry, but if on Friday afternoon the Saturday forecast looks wet and Sunday looks dry, we will postpone until Sunday, so KEEP BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OPEN at this point. Sunday is Mother’s Day. Sorry but that weekend was the only one I could get from Afton this year. They have wedding receptions scheduled for every other weekend.
RollerGirls working the entry gate, please arrive by 7:00am. All other corner workers please get there by 8:00am and check in with me to get your walkie-talkie, name tag, whistle, and “Healey Bucks” for your free lunch. We will need lots of help sweeping the course (please bring a big broom if you have one) and chalking cones. All corner workers except the entry gate people need to report to the drivers meeting in the chalet at 8:40 (I will be giving 10 minutes of “courtesy time” - DON’T tell the drivers in advance). We will have a brief corner worker meeting just after the drivers meeting, before walking the course. I will work with you to adjust assignments at our meeting if needed. Most of you (except the finish line timers) will be switching to a different corner after lunch.
I'm still working on corner assignments (I still need at least two more corner workers). Let me know if you have any preferences after reading these descriptions:
A map of the course showing the corner numbers can be found here:
We will have two cars on the course at the same time. I will start the second car when the first has cleared the autocross area. I will NOT be waiting for an “all clear” from the finish line. Reset cones quickly and be ready to wave the red flag that will be posted at your station. If you need me to hold cars at the start, get on the radio and say “HOLD THE START”.
Corners 1 and 2: You will be mainly responsible for calling cone penalties: If the driver knocks the cone over, it’s a penalty. If the cone is still standing but moved out of the chalk box, it’s a penalty. But, if the cone is still standing and any part of the base is still touching the chalk, it’s not a penalty. If they drive around a cone on the wrong side, it’s a DNF (did not finish). If they drive OFF the pavement they are done for the day. This is a huge penalty with serious consequences, so let’s be fair about it. One wheel that just nips the grass while they are maintaining control can be forgiven. Overshooting a corner and putting a wheel off the pavement while going sideways means they’re done for the day. Wave red flags to get them stopped immediately. Drivers that go off the pavement at the bottom of the hill are NOT allowed to continue up the hill. They are DONE then and there and must drive slowly back to the paddock. Call out their car number and “black flag” on the radio. Aaron at Corner 2 will be running a stopwatch and recording times for the autocross section.
Corners 3 and 5 at the chicanes up on the hill: It’s your responsibility to call “double secret probation” and black flag cones (explained at the drivers meeting). Be firm but fair. I’ll back you up. Also please move the tall chicane cones off the road as soon as the last car in each run group goes by. I’ll let you know when that is.
Corner 4: You get to sit in the back of a pick-up truck and watch cars go by on the fastest part of the course. Also watch for deer and hikers coming out of the woods and be ready to wave the red flag if you see them.
Finish line timers (Jim and Byron): No showing time results to anybody. If a driver says “I’m leaving and I just want to know how I did” sorry, no, we’ll send you an email later. You should alternate taking cars, because we will have two cars on the course at any given time. When I announce the car that is about to run, make a dot in the corner of the little box where you will enter their time. Then when they cross the finish, just enter the time in the only box that has a dot but no time next to it. That will help you keep your place as the cars run out of order and we get distracted talking on the radio. Okay to allow one photographer at a time on the ravine side of the course at the top of the hill, ten minute limit when others are waiting.
Entry gate: You are responsible for keeping vehicles from entering the property while the course is hot. Absolutely no vehicles can enter while we are running cars up the hill. Use the orange cones to block the road. You are also responsible for getting all drivers and spectators to sign the waiver when they arrive. We will have at least one person at the entry gate at all times, even during the lunch break, so that nobody gets in without signing the waiver. Lastly, you should listen to the radio for cone penalties so you can tell drivers if their runs were clean. It’s okay to stop drivers briefly near the ticket booths to tell them if they had a clean run, but keep an eye out for the next car to cross the finish line.
All corners: We’re surrounded by a state park here. Watch for deer, mountain bikers, and hikers coming out of the woods unexpectedly.
Just before we start each run session, I will ask for a “sound off”. Beginning with Corner One, each worker station will report that the course is clear of pedestrians and vehicles, and that they and the cones are ready. Go in order so it sounds like this over the radio: “Corner One ready...Corner Two ready...Corner Three ready...Corner Four ready...Corner Five ready...Finish Line ready...Entry Gate ready” Then blow one long whistle when I announce “COURSE IS HOT”
Blow two short chirps at the end of the run group when I announce “Two-way traffic”
Radios - press PTT (Push To Talk) then wait one-half second before you start talking because the transmitter needs time to power up. Talk on the radio only when you need to. Identify yourself by position. Be brief and succinct. When someone says something meant for you, give them an acknowledgement back. Example: Corner One says, “This is Corner One. Car 32 hit one cone.” So since the finish line is noting cones hit, finish line would say “Roger Corner One.” A good time to talk on the radio is just after I’ve started a car, because I won’t be on the radio to start another one for about 45 seconds. Try to stay off the radio when I’m about to start a car.
“RED FLAG RED FLAG” is how we announce any problem that requires both cars on the course to stop. Some examples would be a pedestrian or deer on the course, or a car that has stalled or gone off course when another car has been started behind it. You can explain the problem later. First priority is to get the “RED FLAG” alert over the radio. Upon hearing “RED FLAG” all corner workers are to grab their red flags and start waving them up and down until both cars on course have come to a complete stop.
“HOLD THE START” means cars on course can continue, but don’t start another one. This would be used, for example, if a car stalls in the autocross section before I have started another car. The car on the hill can continue, but I must not start another car until the autocross section has been cleared.
Things to bring:
- Helmets, helmets, HELMETS. We will have some to share, but a lack of helmets will do the most to slow us down. The more helmets (Snell 90 or newer) that people bring, the more runs drivers will get! Label yours with your name and helmet size (S, M, L, XL) if you are willing to loan them out. We will have sanitary hairnets for all drivers who borrow helmets.
- large wide push brooms
- parasols, sunscreen (please let it be sunny) chapstick, and a hat
- folding camp-style chairs so you don’t have to stand at your corner all day.
- gas powered leaf blower
Healey Club members, please wear your red “STAFF” shirt from Conclave 2001 if you have one, or you can wear white like they do at the real race tracks.
Complimentary soft drinks will be provided.
Directions to Afton Alps: I 94 East past St. Paul, take exit 253 and turn right onto Manning Ave/Hwy 95. After 6.8 miles turn left onto 70th Street. After 3.5 miles turn left into the Afton Alps complex. Mapquest/GPS: 6600 Peller Ave S., Hastings, MN.
Below I have included a copy of the email I sent out to drivers, for your information. I know it’s long, but please read it so you know what the drivers are doing.
SEE YOU ON THE HILL !!
- Tom
Email from Tom below. let me know if you can help out so I can let him know. Volunteers get free food/snack all day and free lunch.
Dear Hillclimb Corner Worker,
First of all, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! This event simply could not happen without your help, and I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for your assistance. Please accept the goody bag treats (in white plastic bags at your station) and free lunch (for the all-day workers) as a small token of my appreciation.
We still need at least TWO MORE corner workers, so please ask your friends to contact me if they’re interested!
As I'm sure you've noticed, the date of this year's hillclimb has consistently been announced as "Saturday, May 9th (rain date Sunday, May 10th)" This event will happen on Saturday, May 9th, UNLESS the forecast for Saturday looks a whole lot wetter than Sunday. The hillclimb is dangerous enough on dry pavement. We cannot run in the rain. I will gather huge amounts of weather forecast data, enough to choke a supercomputer, in the days leading up to the event. CHECK YOUR EMAIL or call my cell (612-237-1883) after 5:00pm on Friday, May 8th for the "Saturday or Sunday" decision announcement. We have been lucky at the seven prior hillclimbs that Saturday has been relatively dry, but if on Friday afternoon the Saturday forecast looks wet and Sunday looks dry, we will postpone until Sunday, so KEEP BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OPEN at this point. Sunday is Mother’s Day. Sorry but that weekend was the only one I could get from Afton this year. They have wedding receptions scheduled for every other weekend.
RollerGirls working the entry gate, please arrive by 7:00am. All other corner workers please get there by 8:00am and check in with me to get your walkie-talkie, name tag, whistle, and “Healey Bucks” for your free lunch. We will need lots of help sweeping the course (please bring a big broom if you have one) and chalking cones. All corner workers except the entry gate people need to report to the drivers meeting in the chalet at 8:40 (I will be giving 10 minutes of “courtesy time” - DON’T tell the drivers in advance). We will have a brief corner worker meeting just after the drivers meeting, before walking the course. I will work with you to adjust assignments at our meeting if needed. Most of you (except the finish line timers) will be switching to a different corner after lunch.
I'm still working on corner assignments (I still need at least two more corner workers). Let me know if you have any preferences after reading these descriptions:
A map of the course showing the corner numbers can be found here:
We will have two cars on the course at the same time. I will start the second car when the first has cleared the autocross area. I will NOT be waiting for an “all clear” from the finish line. Reset cones quickly and be ready to wave the red flag that will be posted at your station. If you need me to hold cars at the start, get on the radio and say “HOLD THE START”.
Corners 1 and 2: You will be mainly responsible for calling cone penalties: If the driver knocks the cone over, it’s a penalty. If the cone is still standing but moved out of the chalk box, it’s a penalty. But, if the cone is still standing and any part of the base is still touching the chalk, it’s not a penalty. If they drive around a cone on the wrong side, it’s a DNF (did not finish). If they drive OFF the pavement they are done for the day. This is a huge penalty with serious consequences, so let’s be fair about it. One wheel that just nips the grass while they are maintaining control can be forgiven. Overshooting a corner and putting a wheel off the pavement while going sideways means they’re done for the day. Wave red flags to get them stopped immediately. Drivers that go off the pavement at the bottom of the hill are NOT allowed to continue up the hill. They are DONE then and there and must drive slowly back to the paddock. Call out their car number and “black flag” on the radio. Aaron at Corner 2 will be running a stopwatch and recording times for the autocross section.
Corners 3 and 5 at the chicanes up on the hill: It’s your responsibility to call “double secret probation” and black flag cones (explained at the drivers meeting). Be firm but fair. I’ll back you up. Also please move the tall chicane cones off the road as soon as the last car in each run group goes by. I’ll let you know when that is.
Corner 4: You get to sit in the back of a pick-up truck and watch cars go by on the fastest part of the course. Also watch for deer and hikers coming out of the woods and be ready to wave the red flag if you see them.
Finish line timers (Jim and Byron): No showing time results to anybody. If a driver says “I’m leaving and I just want to know how I did” sorry, no, we’ll send you an email later. You should alternate taking cars, because we will have two cars on the course at any given time. When I announce the car that is about to run, make a dot in the corner of the little box where you will enter their time. Then when they cross the finish, just enter the time in the only box that has a dot but no time next to it. That will help you keep your place as the cars run out of order and we get distracted talking on the radio. Okay to allow one photographer at a time on the ravine side of the course at the top of the hill, ten minute limit when others are waiting.
Entry gate: You are responsible for keeping vehicles from entering the property while the course is hot. Absolutely no vehicles can enter while we are running cars up the hill. Use the orange cones to block the road. You are also responsible for getting all drivers and spectators to sign the waiver when they arrive. We will have at least one person at the entry gate at all times, even during the lunch break, so that nobody gets in without signing the waiver. Lastly, you should listen to the radio for cone penalties so you can tell drivers if their runs were clean. It’s okay to stop drivers briefly near the ticket booths to tell them if they had a clean run, but keep an eye out for the next car to cross the finish line.
All corners: We’re surrounded by a state park here. Watch for deer, mountain bikers, and hikers coming out of the woods unexpectedly.
Just before we start each run session, I will ask for a “sound off”. Beginning with Corner One, each worker station will report that the course is clear of pedestrians and vehicles, and that they and the cones are ready. Go in order so it sounds like this over the radio: “Corner One ready...Corner Two ready...Corner Three ready...Corner Four ready...Corner Five ready...Finish Line ready...Entry Gate ready” Then blow one long whistle when I announce “COURSE IS HOT”
Blow two short chirps at the end of the run group when I announce “Two-way traffic”
Radios - press PTT (Push To Talk) then wait one-half second before you start talking because the transmitter needs time to power up. Talk on the radio only when you need to. Identify yourself by position. Be brief and succinct. When someone says something meant for you, give them an acknowledgement back. Example: Corner One says, “This is Corner One. Car 32 hit one cone.” So since the finish line is noting cones hit, finish line would say “Roger Corner One.” A good time to talk on the radio is just after I’ve started a car, because I won’t be on the radio to start another one for about 45 seconds. Try to stay off the radio when I’m about to start a car.
“RED FLAG RED FLAG” is how we announce any problem that requires both cars on the course to stop. Some examples would be a pedestrian or deer on the course, or a car that has stalled or gone off course when another car has been started behind it. You can explain the problem later. First priority is to get the “RED FLAG” alert over the radio. Upon hearing “RED FLAG” all corner workers are to grab their red flags and start waving them up and down until both cars on course have come to a complete stop.
“HOLD THE START” means cars on course can continue, but don’t start another one. This would be used, for example, if a car stalls in the autocross section before I have started another car. The car on the hill can continue, but I must not start another car until the autocross section has been cleared.
Things to bring:
- Helmets, helmets, HELMETS. We will have some to share, but a lack of helmets will do the most to slow us down. The more helmets (Snell 90 or newer) that people bring, the more runs drivers will get! Label yours with your name and helmet size (S, M, L, XL) if you are willing to loan them out. We will have sanitary hairnets for all drivers who borrow helmets.
- large wide push brooms
- parasols, sunscreen (please let it be sunny) chapstick, and a hat
- folding camp-style chairs so you don’t have to stand at your corner all day.
- gas powered leaf blower
Healey Club members, please wear your red “STAFF” shirt from Conclave 2001 if you have one, or you can wear white like they do at the real race tracks.
Complimentary soft drinks will be provided.
Directions to Afton Alps: I 94 East past St. Paul, take exit 253 and turn right onto Manning Ave/Hwy 95. After 6.8 miles turn left onto 70th Street. After 3.5 miles turn left into the Afton Alps complex. Mapquest/GPS: 6600 Peller Ave S., Hastings, MN.
Below I have included a copy of the email I sent out to drivers, for your information. I know it’s long, but please read it so you know what the drivers are doing.
SEE YOU ON THE HILL !!
- Tom
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