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Central
Florida Region - Sports Car Club of America We share the action! Auto Racing is the Pits! |
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I went to my first 12 hours of Sebring race in 1976. It was a 3 day event and we camped at the track in an area coined "The Zoo". I got hooked on racing. Jeanie and I were always fans of motor sports and Sundays were Racedays. NASCAR, IMSA, Drags, MotoX, any kind of racing. It was the TV, recliner, munchies, and surround sound racing. In the 90's my friend Brian Wade and I were fortunate to know professional drivers like Preston Henn and Rick Haberson as friends. We went to the 12 hour events with "Crew" credentials allowing us into hot areas we otherwise couldn't go. We took pictures. |
| Jeanie's sister Mandy
and her husband Sam Bass had been involved with the Central Florida Region of
the Sports Car Club America for a few years and in 1992 introduced us to the
grass roots of the sport. We were invited to attend a race called the Turkey
Trot at Sebring. An event is a whole weekend. We didn't really know what to
expect but we went as visitors and left as club members Sam and Mandy were Pit Marshals. Their responsibility was anything that happened in the Pits and on Pit Road. When the track is hot (cars on track) there's never a dull moment. |
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| It takes a lot of talented people to
run a race and there are a lot of different positions to work
(for
a list of specialties click here)! Jeanie and I decided on the Pits. We
started with a Regional (R) License. The R license allows you to learn to work
at a specialty position in that region and it's not a short learning curve. The
next license is a Divisional (D) license. When the chief of a specialty thinks
you are competent enough at your position you will be upgraded to a D license.
This shows you are qualified to work that position at any SCCA event
nationwide. |
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The Chief of any specialty holds a National license and is qualified to "chief" that position at any event sanctioned by SCCA. The Central Florida Region Chief of Pits was Mary Jean Wesche. Mary Jean trained pit workers for about 8 years and also worked as a Managing Editor for several magazines including Super Ford, Mustang Monthly, and 5.0 Mustang. Sam and Mandy Bass had each earned a National license so when Mary Jean retired, Sam became the Chief. |  |
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Two years later Mandy was elected to be Chief of Pits. Her main focus was to be sure that every worker in the pits was qualified to work in any position. Pit road is a dangerous place. Cars can come in too fast, without brakes, and sometimes on fire so training was very important. As a workers gained more skill their responsibilities grew. Under Mandy and Sam's guidance those with a Div license that were schooled in fire, communications, and emergency medical training learned to chief at regional events. It took Jeanie and I six years of training to earn our National license. We worked nearly every event including drivers schools and pro races and we took every class offered. We were really into it. |
| We stayed active in the club and in the Pits for 10 years. Trying to balance race dates with business obligations was tricky. Both of our careers required a lot of travel and usually in different cities. Often we would fly home, catch 5 hours of sleep and head to the track. Sometimes, we'd just fly to the track. | ||
| Jeanie owned her own corporate events company called Spectre
Management. She and her photographer Kevin Smith, also an SCCA Marshal,
traveled the U.S. on concert tours with the Cranberries, Collective Soul, and
others for Ford Motor Company and J. Walter Thompson. Ford and Rolling Stone
Magazine sponsored the concerts for the Susan G. Coleman Foundation Race for
the Cure. CFR hosts two national events during the year, the January race at Sebring and the May race at Daytona. The race at Daytona usually falls on my birthday and I usually chief that event. We stayed at the Holiday Inn down at the beach. We usually stay close to the track because we have to be there so early in the morning. |
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Jeanie and Kevin were in the middle of a tour for Ford and Rolling Stone magazine. They had just arrived the evening before the race and needed to relax before taking off again on Monday. She needed some down time at the beach so the next morning Kevin, Sam and I went to the track and Jeanie and Mandy stayed at the hotel on beach Patrol. | |
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The following pictures are from May 6-7 2000. There was a Lot of sun but it wasn't too hot. We met Sam and Mandy on Friday night for registration at the track. We usually hang out at registration for a while and visit because it's a good chance to visit with the "race family". Jeanie and I have made a lot of friends and of all the hobbies we've had this was the most exciting! |
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