VIR Flagging Update

A Letter to Our Flaggers Many of you may be aware of the ongoing discussions between NCR SCCA and VIR regarding flagging at our events in 2024. For those who may not be, here is a brief recap of all that has been going on between the region leadership and the track. Last year, we…

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Pete Romanowski is retiring from marshaling

Pete Romanowski, one of NCR’s and SCCA’s best known flaggers is retiring from marshaling after 41 years of dedication to our sport. But that doesn’t mean he’s going away! I received the following email from him the other day: Hi folks in the racing community, It is with sadness that I’m giving up marshaling at…

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Heather Clark Awarded National F&C Worker of the Year at VIR Runoffs

Heather Clark, NCR Co-Flag Chief, and BoD Member-at-Large has been awarded the National Flagging & Communication Worker of the Year at the VIR Runoffs. The SCCA press release stated, “The Flagging and Communications Worker of the Year is North Carolina Region’s Heather Clark. During her service to the SCCA Clark has served on the Region…

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Goblins Go cancelled…again!

cancelled

Fellow Competitors and Volunteers: As I write this, it’s mid-50’s at VIR with cars on track, but unfortunately, depending on which forecast you choose to believe, for next weekend it looks like a high of 38 to 41 with a strong possibility of wintry mix, to straight out snow with accumulation. Therefore, both NC Region…

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My 1000th Facebook Friend

by Eric Danielsen I don’t know whether to file this under “It’s a Small Racing World After All” or “Le Mans Magic,” maybe you can help me. Tuesday, June 19th, Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris France – While waiting to board American Airlines flight 0787 which was delayed 45 minutes, a man approached me inquiring…

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Working Out of Region

For years I have preached about going out of region to work races. In my SCCA Worker Career I have worked events at tracks in New England, Canada, the MidWest (Road America, IRP, Mid-O) and in the South, I have had a good time at each location and was well received at all. This year…

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A Few New Things

ncr scca

by Heather Clark

This year held quite a few firsts for me as an NCR-SCCA member. I became a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors, attended the Runoffs held at Mid-Ohio and decided to become one of the three “wise guys” of F&C for the 2017 race season, which also means I’ll be a member of the Competition (Comp) Board.

I must have bumped my head or I am just a glutton for punishment, right?

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Pete Romanowski Steps up to Chief Starter

by: Eric Danielsen

The NCR Board of Directors happily accepted Pete Romanowski’s offer to step into the position of Chief Starter. After James Buckberry passed away last month, his position needed to be filled. Pete is already Chief Starter for South Carolina Region and the Petit Le Mans. As a member of the North Carolina Region, it’s fitting that he volunteers to play Chief Starter at VIR.

He plays Chief so well. “I do it for the love of the sport” says Pete, “someone has to do it (Chief Starter), I’m the logical choice. I’ve stepped in for James before. Ten years ago at Kershaw, James asked me to be Chief for the first time, when he couldn’t make it,” Pete recalls.

He’s going to miss James Buckberry. “James and I were like brothers. We’d take care of each other. We’d talk after the races back at the hotel. James used to get up early and leave a cup of coffee for me outside my door. I’m going to miss the little things like that” Pete reminisces.

“I’m not going to do this forever. Hopefully by the end of next Spring I’ll have someone to take my place as Chief Starter” dreams Pete.

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James Arthur Buckberry: July 3, 1950 – July 7, 2016

James Buckberry

James Buckberry

by Bruce Dover

James Buckberry was many things to many people. He was a caring and loving father…”hard on the outside, but good on the inside”, to his son Justin. He was a proud grandfather to Owen and had just been told, about a week before he died, that there was another grandchild on the way. To his co-workers at Dell and elsewhere, he went by the nickname of “London”. In conversation, he was always ready with a witty comeback, followed by a big smile and laugh.

To those of us who worked with him through SCCA, he was a conscientious Starter with a penchant for enforcing pit out blend line violations. He even had custom shirts printed with “Don’t Violate Me” on the front, along with a diagram of the Blend line at pit out. He had one for Carolina Motorsports Park, in Kershaw, SC and one for VIR and loved to attend the morning Driver’s meeting at both tracks to show them off to the drivers and warn them of the consequences for the violation. He served as Chief Starter at both of those tracks. And, drivers knew when they saw him in the Start stand as they rolled down the straightaway looking for a green flag to start their race, that if they weren’t lined up properly, all they’d see was that big cowboy hat shaking back and forth, telling them to go around and try again. To Jamie D., he was a mentor, who helped usher Jamie from raw rookie (and I do mean raw!) all the way to his National license. There were lots of bumps along the way, but James was always there for Jamie. He was a unique individual and he will be sorely missed.

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Looking for something to do for the next 20 weeks?

If you’ve never worked or driven at a race somewhere other than VIR, you should know that traveling to new tracks can be a great way to meet new friends, build on existing friendships, and learn more about what we do! Anyone who has traveled around will agree. So, how about visiting one of these wonderful facilities:

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