Where has the year gone? It is late June already and half the racing season is behind us. The MARRC Safety Crew hopes everyone is enjoying the summer and has a few great relaxing retreats planned.
The Championship Cup Series racers were joined by national competitors from the North American Sport Bike tour the weekend of May 22-23 at Summit Point. We all enjoyed some terrific racing from classes we don't usually see at our West Virginia home base. The big bore/big sound Harley-Davidson Twins Sports and Buell Lightning machines were real crowd pleaser. NASB's EBC Sport Bikes put on a real show during their qualifying races for Sunday's finals to everyone's delight. A full card of GT Lights, GTO and GTU 20-minute races rounded out a great race day for the motorcycles. The two-wheeled competition was followed by the four wheelers from Mid-Atlantic Legends. We just got the cars rolling when the sky opened up and dampened the track but not our spirits. With the cooperation of all involved, the afternoon schedule was rearranged to allow the cars to run their practices and heat races before the MARRC Road Race Schools students took to the track. As a result, the cars got in some wet weather practice and the bikes got a dry track to run their lapping practice and student race. The race day ended with a great Legends Final. The worker's day concluded with a great meal prepared by the weekends Chefs Connie and Michael Moscati and their team of culinary wizards.
Sunday dawned bright and clear although a little chilly. The practice rounds got underway exactly on time with a full contingent of MARRC Cornerworkers on duty. A great day of racing followed featuring the finals for the NASB tour competitors and a full slate of CCS Amateur and Expert races.
The MARRC Track Day on Friday, June 18 was a resounding success. Over 90 riders enjoyed terrific track conditions. To everyone's pleasure the BSR Ambulance Crew did not even have to start the engines of their rigs all day long. The MARRC organization thanks everyone who came out in support of this very special club activity. This is MARRC's day to shine as we provide all of the event specialties including registration, technical inspection, timing and scoring, grid, starter, and of course corner marshals. It was particularly gratifying to have several racers join the MARRC Safety Crew on corner stations for the day.
WERA Motorcycle Roadracing's 1999 Sportsman Series competitors can to town on June 19 and 20. A huge gathering of vintage motorcycles were featured on Saturday's racing program. Saturday and Sunday's meals were prepared beautifully by our Food Services Chairperson Sandy Powers with the able assistance of Chef William "Bar-b-cue Bill" Powers. Of special note is (dare
I say it) it did not rain on a weekend where George Mood was the WERA Race Director. George your spell has been broken. We had just locked away the last vehicle when a gentle mist fell on the few remaining folks. It did feel good on my hot tired body.
Sunday's race card featured 16 exceptional motorcycle sprint races. Everything went off like clockwork and we even finished a bit early. Special thanks to Art Sears who found the wiring bug in several of the club's scanners, executed a masterful repair, returning six units to full service.
Next on the calendar of events is a full race weekend featuring our third MARRC Road Race School and the return to Summit Point of the CCS Mid-Atlantic Motorcycle Roadracing Championship Series on July 10 and 11. Also take special note that the MARRC Safety Crew will provide full corner for corner marshaling coverage during the WERA Practice Day on Friday, July 30, and will continue their work throughout the WERA National at Summit Point July 31 and August 1, 1999.
I would like to take a moment to thank some very special people who took a weekend out of their already busy schedules to attend a very intense 16 hour training experience. MARRC, Bill Scott Racing and the West Virginia EMT Services Region 8/9 Critical Incident Stress Management Team sponsored training for several MARRC members on skills and procedures to assist fellow race workers in dealing with stress related critical incidents experienced at the raceway. Instructors Jeff Chelebnikow a Licenced Psychologist and Clinical Director of the West Virginia Region 8/9 CISM Team and NREMT-P Steve Hyatt also from the Region 8/9 CISM Team facilitated the June 26 and 27 sessions at Summit Point Raceway. MARRC representatives John Capen, Howard Weiss, Charles Fetz, and I were joined by Josh Cockey from the SCCA in receiving training dealing with the realities of stress management. We received instruction and practiced scenarios on how to offer assistance to fellow race officials who are experiencing difficulties in dealing with incidents encountered as part of their duties. We form the nucleus of a MARRC Critical Incident Stress Management peer support team that will be there for anyone who is involved with a critical incident and wishes to have someone to share their experiences with in a positive, supportive, confidential manner. While our training has clearly raised our awareness of the need for stress management interventions, we want every person who participates in this sport to clearly understand they are a valued member of the MARRC family. We will be there for you, any time day or night, when you need us. We truly want every MARRC volunteer to know that they are an asset to the racing community and are by their continued participation in our sport demonstrate that they are truly "dedicated to the advancement of motorcycle roadracing."
WERA's Weekend Race Results