Almost every weekend, Prescott Speed Hill Climb has motorsport events competing and running up the hill, but absolutely nothing can happen on track without marshals ensuring everyone stays safe.
Every post and the paddock is where you will find marshals; though the start line is exactly where Sophia McCall was placed during the last round of the Prescott Hill Climb Championship last weekend. Talking of the beauty of marshalling at Prescott, she said: “This is my second season marshalling, I’ve only ever done Hill Climb but I really want to get into circuit marshalling as well.
“Last year we had a rally event, which is actually happening next month as well, and that’s just awesome because we have one run in the day and one in the night. It’s obviously a little bit scary at night because they can’t see the track but it makes it more exciting for us. We usually try to keep an eye for things falling on track or liquids. So obviously when it’s dark it’s a bit more tricky to see that kind of stuff.”
There’s also something special about being a marshal at Prescott off track, McCall said: “For me it’s the social aspect, everyone is so ridiculously friendly here. I didn’t know anyone when I started marshalling last year and I was welcomed with open arms. Everyone wants to help, and it’s quite nice to just have a chat over lunch and stuff.
“The actual marshal community is absolutely amazing, we’ve got our own marshal’s club, we have an annual barbeque, we have a lot of social events outside of the actual racing events. The training you get as well, just signing up to the BMMC (British Motorsports Marshals Club), you get some free training and obviously you get trained on the job as well which is the best way for it, I find.”
However, not everything is about the social side, a marshal’s main role is to keep everyone around the track safe, sometimes in an extremely dangerous situation, McCall said: “I used to be quite panicked when things went wrong but actually the main thing is to try stay calm, take a deep breath, take it at your own pace, because at the end of the day we’re the ones controlling the situation and trying to mediate it so the drivers and the spectators are looking to us to help that situation.”
Did you know it only takes 20 minutes to register as a marshal?
— Motorsport UK (@ourmotorsportuk) June 8, 2024
Volunteering is perfect for you because…..
🚗 Open to All Ages and Backgrounds
🔍 Clear Pathways for Progression
🏁 Give back to the sport you love.
💡 Access to Training and Resources
🔗 https://t.co/vryHH1jl2Z
McCall, and the marshals of Prescott, want to encourage people of all ages and genders to come along and join them trackside: “I only try to commit to one meet a month when we’re in season, just because I work 9-5, Monday to Friday, so it’s nice just to have the weekend off. It’s really important to me, because it’s voluntary to at least get involved, especially with younger people, women in motorsport, we really try to encourage them to get into something like this. If you’re into motorsport, you get the best seat in the house being a marshal, and like I said, everyone is so lovely.”
