I have read some post where guys on here that crew for speevision cars and one guy was lucky enough to help out an ALMS team recently.

How does one volunteer for a crew? I mean do you call a team up and offer your services?

I am pretty good with the wrenches, and I crew for a friend's SCCA club rally Integra Type R. Being on a rally service crew is fun, and the drives between services in Canada are awesome.

I would like to get more involved in road racing now. Any hints, tips, whatever are welcome.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CW_97_ITR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How does one volunteer for a crew? I mean do you call a team up and offer your services? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Pretty much. They probably won't let you do much to start and probably can't pay either, but asking is the usual way into crewing for semi-pro teams.

 

My advice is to research what teams will enter the 24 hours of daytona etc... And call some of the teams in the GT3 class. If you don't want that high of a profile to start then find some teams doing the 12 hour races on the east coast.

 

I worked at one of the most popular road circuits in the world a few years ago and when ALMS came to town, they needed volunteers to do pit reporting...you wear a nomex suit and headset and are assigned to 4 or 5 cars to report on during the race. Luckily, I was assigned to Saleen/Allen Speedlab when Tommy Kendall drove for them and it was a lot of fun. I got to spend the day in the pits, literally right next to the cars as they came in. As drivers changed, I interviewed them and reported up to the media center with any news. I know they look for volunteers like that at each track, so call them or go there as soon as they pull into town and offer your services.



I'll be volunteering at Sears point and Laguna this season for a crew of a DC5 pilot. Just call the teams you want to work with and ask! It's easier than you think.

 

Thanks for your suggestions guys. Endurance racing would be a blast I think. Time to start looking up GT3 teams.

I think it might help that I am 4 months from graduating with my Mechanical Engineering degree, but starting off with small tasks is ok with me.

Thanks again

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CW_97_ITR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks for your suggestions guys. Endurance racing would be a blast I think. Time to start looking up GT3 teams.

I think it might help that I am 4 months from graduating with my Mechanical Engineering degree, but starting off with small tasks is ok with me.

Thanks again </TD></TR></TABLE>

Are you looking to become a professional tech? Or just as a hobby? Not that I can give you advice about going pro, just curious.

Endurance racing is a lot of fun - I've crewed for amateur teams at 12 hour events and it's always a blast. At the larger events, particularly the semi-pro and pro events, the teams will usually pay your room/board (albeit the board part may be a spot in the team camper, but the food is usually good).

Don't overlook the amateur events - you are more likely to be able to get your hands dirty fixing busted stuff. I've assisted with rear end swaps, fuel tank swaps, brake changes, tire changes, tracking electrical gremlins, suspension adjustments (some with tools, others with BFHers).

 

Watch their message boards, see who needs someone, and contact them.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Crack Monkey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Endurance racing is a lot of fun </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, if you are crewing for a spec miata.

If you're crewing for a car that has never been on track before, expect a very, ver, very long 24 hrs.

 

I'm not really looking to go pro, I just want to see what it is all about and get behind the scenes. I mean, I love to go spectate at rallies, but crewing you see alot of stuff and it can be more exciting.

I would like to be a team engineer someday and I have heard crewing can be a fun place to start. I have some quams about being a team engineer just because I have heard that it can be hard to do anything else (your personal time dissappears). I have been busting my *** in school for to long, and I want to try my hand at road racing at some point, so the time commitment might be an issue. But those are life decisions for later.

JMU1337 any idea which boards to watch?

 

I met Roger Foo at a NASA race weekend at VIR last year, and we stayed in touch. When he races anywhere in the area (DC, Lime Rock, etc) I head out to help him out. Actually, I think earlier this year he posted to this board that he needed some help, and asked for some honda-tech volunteers. I also have been asked to help a friend crew at an upcoming Grand Am race. Should be fun.

Matt

 

As has already been said, I also imagine that the best thing to do is to ask a team nicely to help one time and then remain in contact with them. Usually they can use the most help on endurance races (the longer the race, the better). Unfortunately I can't really contribute anymore than this with personal experience since the three world challenge teams that I've had the chance to crew for in the past I knew one or more people associated with them prior to the event. One of the drivers of the wc team I was with last weekend I knew from when he raced in IT. As for the alms lmp 900 team I was also with last weekend, I have to thank Roger Foo for bringing over to us and introducing one of their team members who was looking for help. But definitely try to get in contact with some teams (especially those with multiple cars) for the longer endurance races. Good luck and have fun.

 

i answered roger's post about crewing a while back and have helped him and robert out ever since.. awesome learning experience and a great bunch of guys.

i see guys offering to crew on theracesite.com... you might have some luck there.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Yeah, if you are crewing for a spec miata.

If you're crewing for a car that has never been on track before, expect a very, ver, very long 24 hrs.</TD></TR></TABLE>

haha, is that a reference to robs car

oh wait...that was 12 hours right?