Leadership, Racing & Riding
I went to the races and a professional development and leadership session broke out…
It’s true.
I was at Pocono Raceway for the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) Northeast Region’s Grand Slam Weekend racing with my motorized friends last weekend. It’s the biggest event of our region’s season. There are no ride leaders per se, but there are racers that are respected and some that are not. The first day of Grand Slam Weekend is Friday, which is used for competition school for NASA. If you demonstrate that you are both fast enough and safe enough to be allowed on track with the established racers then you are allowed to race on Saturday and Sunday. New racers get a big R on the front and back of their car so they are easy to identify. Rookies need to race safely, as in not have contact with other racers or anything else like walls, tire barriers, etc., that line the typical race course, and complete several races to get their national level racing license.
Inevitably there are novice racers who are timid and novice racers that are overly aggressive. Rookies aren’t abused; competence is the bottom line. We are not professionals. We’re amateur club racers so we pay to play and get plastic trophies for our efforts, but a good race, let alone a win is extremely satisfying since we work on our own cars and our crew is usually family and/or friends. Our cars are generally stripped down regular cars – Mazdas (like mine), Hondas, Minis, and other small engine compact cars or the beefier Mustangs and Camaros, or the somewhat more exotic BMWs, Corvettes and Porches. We have full safety gear including fire resistant race suits, full face helmets, head and neck restraint systems, roll cages that form an internal steel cage to reinforce and protect us and either fire extinguishers or fire suppression systems. We go as fast as we can and although it is dangerous to drive at 100+ mph with other cars all around you we are all going the same direction and no one is on the phone or texting, eating, drinking, or reading. There are observers placed strategically around the track who are all connected to each other and race control by radio and they communicate with us by flag if there is an issue – a car off, or oil on the track, etc. Generally speaking, it is much safer racing on the track than driving on the highway (to get to the track) where the rules are more lax and more apt to be ignored.
What does this have to do with a C+ or any other level ride? More than it would appear. There is a structure to an organized led bike ride. Leadership is really important, but not wholly dependent on the designated ride leader. Everyone on the ride is responsible for they’re self of course, but everyone on the ride also shares in the responsibility of creating a safe and comfortable environment for everyone else on the ride too.
At the track last Saturday a buddy who has been racing for several years and is recognized as a leader off the track as well as a safe, fast racer on the track was parked next to me. Folks stopped in to say hi, borrow a tool and ask for advice all day. He is always willing to help and offer an opinion or proffer the asked for advice without making anyone feel like they are foolish, or anything but welcome. Just like any club there are core people like my friend that have been doing what they do for quite a while. At the end of the day getting together over a grill and most likely a beer with them to talk and tease about the day’s racing is pretty much the norm, and as much why people come out to race as the racing itself.
At Pocono, we were joined by a rookie driver who did a great job racing. What I mean is that we knew he was out there with us, but there wasn’t any drama when he passed slower cars or when he was passed by faster ones. He and his wife who shares the car and goes out on track to drive in one of the training groups were great. At the end of our race though we heard him yelling inside his trailer. We couldn’t tell what the trouble was, but he was really wound up. The race went off at 4:30 in the afternoon and after the barbecue and trophy presentations, the second round of grilling and drinking got going the new driver came by which was unexpected, but really nice. It only took about half a beer before my friend’s wife turned to him and said, “You sounded pretty upset after the race today. What happened?” Apparently he was accused of running in to the back of another car and putting it out of the race, which made friends of that racer mad. It turned out that a suspension part had broken and caused the subsequent spin, but that was only learned later.
Sitting around the grill, my friend’s wife followed up by saying to our new friend, “You know there are always going to be hot heads and yahoos out there. It’s ok to be competitive – really competitive, that’s what makes you guys’ racers (we all were nodding in agreement), but there’s more to being a good racer than being fast and aggressive all the time. You don’t have to be a jerk. Being consistent, being predictable is what makes you earn these’ guys’ respect and trust. Being fast is great, but not the only important thing.”
There was really nothing to argue about there. There is always a bigger fish. We all agreed and I thought, “Wow, I have been coming out here racing for the last five or six years and while my little car is not the fastest I always race clean and hard. When I win a trophy these guys are genuinely happy for me.” I didn’t realize that I am respected the same way that I respect the racers I know work hard and race clean too. When I think of learning something at the track it is in the realm of how to take a corner better or do my braking better so my lap times improve. I didn’t expect to learn anything about leadership at Pocono, especially while having a brew after a long hot day.
Leadership does not have to come only from the top. Leadership is something we can all practice and use to make our experience on the road, the track or anywhere else better. To be a good leader on a ride you don’t even have to speak up. Being mindful of your fellow riders, keeping an eye out for things that could be dangerous and lending a hand are all things that we should do. Practice these and help your designated ride leader. He or she will really appreciate it, as will your fellow riders.
