losi motor man

The Basic Guide To RC Car Turnmarshaling

Many people who have never drove at a organized R/C Race track may have not heard this term before. So I am going to start off with the basic definition of a turn marshal.

" A Turn Marshal is driver that immediately returns to the track turns over cars after his or her race. Here are the responsibilities of the turn marshal: "

1) Help maintain a clear race course for competitors.

2) Assist vehicles that have become unable to move because of a crash or spin.

3) To remove from the track and disable vehicles that are unable to continue because of mechanical problems (By the shut off switch whenever possible or unplugging the battery with electric vehicles and the appropriate method to shut down a gas vehicle).

Provide an open race course for the rest of the racers as QUICKLY and SAFELY as possible.. Different tracks handle marshaling differently. Some tracks have numbered pylons corresponding with your starting position to indicate where you assignment is. Others just allow you to pick a corner or area of the track. In Either situation, after your race is over, disable your vehicle and return the transponder as quickly as possible and go to your Marshalling position. This will help the race day go smooth and as quickly as possible.

Here are the basics of turn marshaling:

1) When on the track be sure you are not standing in a driver’s line of sight or blocking a view of a portion of the race track.

2) Stay focused on your assigned portion of the racetrack. It is easy to get caught up in watching the race and miss getting someone on their way or clearing the track quickly in a crash.

3) First to crash is first to be flipped in multi vehicle pileups.

4) Be impartial- Every driver and car should be treated equally. Don't turn over a friend or family members vehicle first if they were on the tail end of a crash.

5) Never step into oncoming traffic to get a disabled car. These vehicles, Electric or Gas are traveling at a speed that could easily injure you if you are struck by one of them. Wait for a reasonably clear place to move to the disabled vehicle. MOVE QUICKLY.

6) Never put a vehicle in the path of oncoming traffic. The proper method is either wait until traffic is past and reset or lift the car off the track to keep other cars from hitting it and then place it back in the race when traffic is clear.

7) Set the vehicle, not throw it on the track going in the right direction. Don't just turn it over and let the driver to make a large turn to get going in the right direction. Set the vehicle in a position that the driver can quickly reenter the race on his own. Be
aware of vehicles that have jumped over barriers. Put them on the track where they left the track and not where they landed. On tracks with a lot of switch backs this could advance the vehicle unfairly ahead of competitors.

8) Attempt to repair minor damage if you can quickly, (Popped Rod ends, loose batteries, dislocated CVD’s, wedged in body parts, etc. Remember... The Cars still in the race have priority!!!! If you have to, hand the vehicle over to a friend of the driver or just shut it off and tend to the track.

9) If you are not able to Marshal the next race, it is your responsibility to inform the track officials or find a replacement marshal. At many tracks you are penalized a lap or disqualified for not Marshalling and not informing the officials.

10) Please remember when you are driving, Do not scream at the marshals. Abusive language is not acceptable. If they don't see your vehicle, then yes you can get there attention. Treat people like you want to be treated. Here are a few things to be aware of. Be conscience of areas of the vehicle that can harm you. Gas engines have exhaust systems that get hot and electric motors get very hot too. Be cautious of moving parts. Wheels, axles, and flywheels can all cause injuries. When on the drivers stand, please wait until the Marshal has released your vehicle for their safety, before hitting the throttle. Make sure you don't have things in your pockets that can fall out on the track as you are assisting vehicles.

* * * * In closing, there is a time and place for everything. When you are marshalling a race, it
is NOT the time for a smoke or to eat. Surely you can wait until the race is over for those
things. There is a saying that holds true, if you don't like being Marshaled don't crash.
The most important thing to remember is that we are all out there to have fun.
Happy Racing and Marshaling, * * * *

Hope this helps all you guys that have a problem with doing there part its part of the hobby DO YOUR PART and stop being selfcentered. Be the team player and we will all have lots more fun ! ! !

GeekyLotus

I'm thinking about getting involved in some relaxed m-03 racing locally, and I noticed that they seem to have trouble getting their last few spots filled for marshals as I have spectated.

When I do race, I would feel compelled to marshal, but to be honest, I can be a bit of a spaz at times, and I am a wee bit concerned that I would end up doing something stupid like putting a foot into the path of a racer. I'm going to watch the races a few more times and really watch the marshals and observe how they dance around the moving cars.

-T-

mkoresh12

I found at my track the ones that don't marshall are the first to yell at you if you don't fix their car first or fast enough. Like he said in the above post, you need to find the right place/time to fix the crash and not cause further crashes by jumping in too soon. My track is often very technical(lots of sharp turns overlapping) so its easy to get in the line of sight of the drivers. Most don't say much because with the track layout thats just the way it is sometimes.

losi motor man

Well Guys I am glad you guys agree with me and with one another. To tell you the truth Its never a bad thing to ( even as a spectator) volunteer yourself for marshaling duty . It will be well appreciated in your local venue . Trust in what i say . the more you marshal the better you get .

A few more tips :

1- Always look before entering the track to right a crashed car. ( i have seen a marshal run to the aid and have the next car in the line up fly up over te table top and smash him in the face and knock him clean out . Needless to say a ambulance ride and 21 stitches later he learned a great lesson always look before you LEAP ! ! !

2- Never marshal more for your friend than anyone onthe track . Be neutral Never favor a driver it never works out good .

3- Always listen to your inside judgement on resetting any track cars . Remember first into the crash is the first one out . ! ! !

Hope this helps out more . I love the sport and i have been i nit for 20 + years now I have seen it all. and done most of it . I am not Perfect but i try my hardest to be FAIR .

Keep on wheeling and have fun in doing so . . .

brushlessboy16

If you are one of those people who run a brushless vehicle in a nitro field, leave an indicator on the underside so its doesnt look like an overturned-stalled nitro.....

o just give a healthy trigger pull to let the marshal know that your still running....
[>:]

ColdCell

i have been going out to the local track (off-road) every weekend to watch the races. well this past weekend they ended up making the last race an open class so everyone runs whatever they had at the same time..... well they where short on marshalls.

so i eagerly Volunteered to marshal along with just one other guy who was not racing, (none of us two had marshalled before) i got to say that i had a blast doing it. i think the two of us did a good job for our first time. i even cleared two dissabled nitro's from the track in a short time. shortly after the run all the racers showed much appreciation accept for one guy!!

the only problem i had was the second i grabbed a t-maxx that ran out of Fuel to clear it from the lane, this one guy crashed his stadium truck and expected me to drop the t-maxx so i can flip his truck! im like... if you dont want to wait your turn to be put back on track........than DONT CRASH!!! otherwise it was a good time!

lol by the way i made the Classic mistake of grabbing the exhaust of one of the trucks.......OUCH!!!!

losi motor man

NOw that is a Bad Mistake You have a 2nd or a 3rd degree burn ? They suck . I have done it before. My advice to you is go to Sears or a place like that and invest in a pair of Mechanich gloves the heat does not penatrate them as fast as any other gloves on the market . I hope this helps you. Becareful and all in all do not lett hat discurage you from picking up the hobby .

HAppy Wheeling and good times await you .

losi motor man

\Careful withthe throttle blip you can seriously hurt a turn marshals fingers . but other than that the marshals on the feild should knwo whats running and what there picking up.

brushlessboy16

very good point

GeekyLotus

One minor irk I have with my local track is that electric racing seems to mean kids marshaling on their outdoor track. I guess I should contribute before complaining (which I do not complain there), but I just had to air that complaint about the local attitude regarding the offroad electrics.

I once saw this as an issue as one marshal slipped and fell down and was too busy crying to marshal his turn.

*sigh*

-T-