There are a great variety of other crucial activities and roles that need to be filled in order to make even the most humble racing team viable. Sometimes, by necessity, they are all filled, though not likely very well, by one person. The most successful racing efforts are those where the combined talents and efforts of a team contribute a whole effort greater than the sum of its parts.

Allred's Motorsport continues as a grassroots amateur racing activity, with occasional valuable and greatly appreciated contribution of time and efforts from individuals or organizations who made past seasons and events much more enjoyable and memorable.

Those who have an interest in becoming part of the team by contributing in one or more of the following general areas are invited to e-mail me to discuss the upcoming season.

The rewards for participation are humble, perhaps increasing with the frequency and depth of participation, but at minimum include identification with an activity beyond the reach of casual effort and ordinary means, and may extend to a drive in one of the team's solo cars in unlicensed competitive events.

A good deal of mechanical and set up work is involved in routine maintenance, preventative inspections, experimental configurations, and hopefully not too often, damage repair. The work is primarily done in advance, at the team shop at team headquarters, where most needed tools and supplies are available in a well lighted, air conditioned environment. However sometimes such work is necessary in the field, at or during a race or test day.

Skills required are basic mechanical repair and service experience, and a willingness to consider and learn the specialties of same as applied to a race car in a competitive environment. The emphasis must be on careful and accurate work done thouroughlyand completely. Reliability of the machinery and safety of the driver and crew are paramount!

Often overlooked, but of significant importance, especially when long distances must be traveled to and from events, is the need for planning, organizing, and transporting all the kit and caboodle of gear, parts, fuel, accessories, race car, personal baggage, food and drinks, documentation, and on and on, to and from the race track. Help is needed in gathering, packing, loading, and driving the transport rig. Related and part of logistics is arranging and providing for onsite transportation during the event as necessary to and from local destinations as may be needed.

Pit Crew services start upon arrival at the event, where a paddock space is selected and organized to provide for the set up of the race car and its supporting accessories as well as comfort items for the crew. Everything from shade awnings to jacks and jack stands, oil

absorbent, and lawn chairs! With an eye to security and weather, all must be able to be quickly secured against weather hazards and inappropriate "borrowing", yet still be readily available to support practice or racing efforts at short notice.

Tracking event schedules, including driver's meetings, tech inspections, practice and qualifying times, and race pre-grid times are also pit crew activities.

As practice commences, pit crew services include confirming chassis setup parameters, tire air pressures, fluid levels and general inspection and security checks before and after each track session. Changes to set up may be tried with results documented by comparative readings of tire temperatures, lap times, and other records.

Pit crew assists with qualifying by adjusting fuel to minimum qualifying level, restoring chassis settings to best performance configuration, and assisting bringing car and supporting accessories to the pre-grid, and assisting with engine start up at the proper signal.

A strong sense of safety procedures including but not limited to arranging the convenient location and proper use of fire extinguishers, location and operation of car's electrical cutoff switch, as well as assisting driver's rapid exit from the car, are included.

Recording activities include the documentation of the team's efforts and their comparative results, from the minutia of tire pressure changes to lap times from previous events, and just about everything in-between. Time and energy at the race track are limited, particularly if hundreds of miles must be travel to and from the event. There is never enough available time. To be able to refer to and make adjustments according to records of previous efforts and results provides a great increase in efficiency and economy.

Accordingly, skills required include ability to organize and consistently identify and record relevant descriptions of conditions, car settings, and results from event to event over the course of a season or seasons!

A race team needs a great variety of materials and services. Ranging from oil and coolant for the race car and transport vehicles, to tire mounting and balancing, all the way to hand cleaner and Band-Aids for the crew. Race and transport fuel, food for team meals, and a multitude of additional unnamed items which normally eat into the team's cash budget are welcomed from those who might wish to contribute to the team's fortunes.

Cash donations toward specific expenses such as entry fees or team lodging or meals is also welcomed and much appreciated.

The position of Official Team Scrounger is available, that is, being in charge of presenting sponsorship requests and opportunities for contributions to those in a position to consider making them, as well as collecting and organizing the results in a timely fashion, thus materially adding to the capabilities and fortunes of the team.