Racers often stand in the limelight during SCCA Road Racing events, but these events don’t happen without volunteer workers – and each year, hundreds of those volunteers flock to the Runoffs to help host the massive winner-take-all National Championship event. From Flagging to Tech, Registration, Timing, and more (way more), without these skilled volunteers the Runoffs simply couldn’t happen.
In that vein, Wednesday was “Men in Black” day at Road America in the Tech garage. The team of Tech scrutineers out of SCCA’s South Jersey Region was celebrating its 10th consecutive year helping at the Runoffs, with six members in Wisconsin all decked out in black shirts, pants, and jackets.
Over the years, the Men in Black squad has developed a set of useful tools to help with scrutineering. They’ve got a laser-equipped setup to gauge car dimensions, deployed a set of small video cameras this year capable of precisely measuring ride height, and more.
Matt Wojtkowiak, who heads up the Men in Black, believes the job of Tech scrutineers is not to seek ways to keep competitors from getting on track. In fact, they’re goal is to keep people in the game. In general, their mantra is to assist drivers and aid in their #funwithcars.
The Men in Black is also working to develop the next generation of Tech volunteers. Currently, they have some young recruits in their late teens or early 20s who come out to help at Region events throughout the year.
Thankfully, coaching the next generation of SCCA volunteers is a common practice throughout many of SCCA’s 115 Regions. When we asked several Runoffs workers where their skills came from, we discovered they’re excelling thanks to other volunteers who took them under their wings.
“Mom and Dad, Uncle Bob Cowie, Bill Armitage, Todd Cholmondelay, Tom Phillips, Joe Hennies, Don Drennon, and many, many others,” Cincinnati Region member Ben Tyler said when asked who has played a mentor’s role for him. In Tyler’s case, that has led to him working Flagging & Communications, Grid, Pit, Tech, and Scrutineering. At the 2024 Runoffs – which is at least his 10th to work – he’ll be staffing a corner while working F&C.
“I've had multiple mentors, but my first and most influential was Sandy Byrnes,” said Nikki Prevenas. “She brought me up to race control to train me as a communicator and started me on the path I'm on now.”
Like Tyler, Prevenas can be found working F&C at this year’s Runoffs, with this also being at least her 10th showing at the event.
For Milwaukee Region’s Anne Kumor, 2024 marks her 30th Runoffs, and this year she’ll be working Timing & Scoring. Who are some of the SCCA members who helped her along in her journey?
“Mark Waggoner and Scott Meland were instrumental in getting me up to speed on jobs beyond the basics, well before transponders,” she said. “I gladly returned the effort to Mark, teaching him about ChronX and Orbits.”
Hailing from South Bend Region, Lynnette Markowicz is part of the Runoffs Grid crew, ensuring all racers are where they need to be – Grid also offers a final safety check for all drivers. She’s been coming to the Runoffs since 1991 and really knows what she’s doing, but who taught her the job?
“Paula Spencer was my mentor when beginning in Grid,” Markowicz said. “She taught me the ropes.”
The next time you see someone who’s interested in motorsports, take them under your wing – you never know what it will inspire them to do.
Photo by Andy Howe
