# Just clearing something up



## tom750 (Mar 6, 2007)

Hey guys

new to slotcars, or at least real racing and just wondering if you could answer something for me. What is a marsheller and what do they do

Thanks

Tom


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## martybauer31 (Jan 27, 2004)

A slot car marshal is simply a fellow racer that is not racing in the heat you are racing in and placed at a strategic point on the track where a car is likely to come off. So if you are running in the white lane and you come off in a corner, the marshal for that corner will pick up your car, place it back in the white lane so you can continue racing without having to scramble to the other side of the track to put your car back on yourself.


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## mking (Apr 25, 2000)

*or in marty's (or my case) case.....*

pick up a car from the white lane and put in back on in the BLUE lane, causing you to go red in the face and start screaming TURN MARSHALL!!! TURN MARSHALL!! PUT MY $#%&!!! CAR BACK ON THE TRACK!


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## martybauer31 (Jan 27, 2004)

You aren't bitter though are you Mike?  

There nothing like marshaling a guy into the wrong lane due to some slight color blindness is there? :wave:


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

Here's what the conversation sound slike down here;

blue Blue BLUE!!!followed by the banging of the controller on the side of the track. Afterward the driver will approach the marshall, remove their glasses (if they wear any) and clean them before handing them back. We've had only one incident go to blows, and it was two 15 year olds who both crashed on the last turn of the last lap by themselves, and the marshall let passing traffic by before he replaced the cars on the track. They both jumped him after the race.


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## martybauer31 (Jan 27, 2004)

My advice as a marshal to someone who may not like the speed or ability to get them back in the slot in under a second is to please, please, please not deslot where I am standing. That way all is good....


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Hey Marty! You neglegted the "seeing eye marshall" for the occasions when D. Rock is manning a corner. He ain't color blind! Just ask 'im.  

As I was marshalling my own area, and calling out colors for Dave; I had the line from the Moody Blues in my head, "When red is blue and yellow white-but we decide which is right and which is the illusion". :freak: 

Let's all remember that in the real world if you rear end or pile on you are liable for the consequences. Same applies on the scale track. Whipping up on the marshall(s) cuz you cant be bothered to look ahead for traffic/obstacles is the responsibility of the nut behind the wheel. Unless of course your Randy Chin who was running so far out in front he might as well have been on a different track.  Yawn....

After all that's why they callem' variable controllers.


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## Ragnar (Aug 22, 2006)

Here's some tips on turn marshaling from the Pendle Slot page:



*7. Marshalling*

Just a couple of points on marshalling:

*Marshalls:*

With the increasing competitiveness at DSCC, races are being won and lost on a single 'off', so it is critical to the race result that the marshall does his job quickly and fairly: 

Marshalls should look only at their corner, and should not follow cars round the track. Have both hands ready, and don't chat with bystanders. - The first priority is to clear the track -- pick up car A that has fallen off, to allow approaching car B to get past. 

If car A nerfs car B and both fall off, put 'innocent' car B on first. 

If car B is knocked off in the process of marshalling car A, put 'innocent' car B on first. 

Do not put car A back on where it could be hit by approaching car B (e.g. on the outside of a corner), either put car A back on in a safe place or wait until car B has got past safely. 


*Drivers:*

Do not shout or criticise the marshalls, whatever the rights or wrongs of the incident -- just remember that the marshall will do a faster job than you having to go and marshall yourself! 

The onus is on you to stay out of trouble and to not fall off. - Poor marshalling will affect everyone at some point, so by the law of averages it will all even out over time. 

If you shout at a marshall and make him nervous, he is more likely to fumble the next time! 

And if you do get over-excited with a marshall, go and apologise to him after the race. 

I have seen many times that a driver keeps the power on when he's fallen off. The marshall puts the car back in the slot, only for the car to speed off immediately, catch the marshall's hand and come out again. Or the marshall puts the car back into the slot extremely quickly whilst the driver is still mentally kicking himself for falling off, the car speeds off and falls off at the next corner, losing more time! It is far better to come off the power straight away, wait for the marshall to put the car back in the slot and get his hand out of the way, then start going and build up your rhythm again. 

Finally, a nice sporting gesture I have seen a couple of times: if you fall off and take someone else off with you, and the marshall (incorrectly) puts you on first, wait for the other car to be put on before you get going again.


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## carl72 (Feb 13, 2007)

I race 1/32 in Ocala and if I was new to slot car racing and read some of your answers about marshelling I dont think I would want to race you would scare me away.

B.A.R.F (basement auto racing fla)
Carl


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## Ragnar (Aug 22, 2006)

carl72 said:


> I race 1/32 in Ocala and if I was new to slot car racing and read some of your answers about marshelling I dont think I would want to race you would scare me away.
> 
> B.A.R.F (basement auto racing fla)
> Carl


Just some joking around by some of the racers. 
If you ever make it up to Jax, we have some great racing going on. :wave:


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

This is why I installed "kill" switches on each side of the platform. If you fall off, kill the power, only drawback is, if you fall off, no matter where you where in the race, you got put approx. 18" behind whoever is running in last place. Slows the races down a bit.
We ran 5 lap races and awarded points for 1st,2nd,3rd and 4th place, BUT, we also gave out points for number of times off. 
This was a small group of about 7-8 guys, friends/family stuff. And the individual car got points, and all cars where in divisions. pretty cool huh...

Later into our racing fun, we added video taping, which lead to trash talking (silly crap) and goofy nick names........then a talk show and commercials, LOL. We where all WWF wrestling fans to, so every talk show ended with someone belting someone in the mouth..........which lead to my other past time jollies, (Halloween/ Haunted Houses) Fake blood, friday the 13th commercials, complete with blood, axes and under our breath giggles on every punch to the head. OMFG, I swear, we were retarded.


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## f1nutz (Mar 26, 2007)

Our group races all the time with kill switches. But you are only allowed 7 crashes before being dq'ed in a 10 lap heat. Keeps the racing close and encourages everyone to stay on. It gets pretty tense in a close race when you've got 6 hits built up. Another benefit is we only need 1 marshall to run the race and everyone else can be chit chatting and catching up on what's new. Also good for small groups of racers.


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## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

Crash and Burns,ya fall off,you're done,teaches you to stay on.
No yelling at corner marshals,as they're not needed.
It's a hobby and feelings do get hurt,so if you use corner marshals,remember it's not their fault you crashed,it's your fault the driver,as long as you remember that basic fact,you'll be welcomed back :wave:


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