SCCA benefits from McLaren-Mercedes $100-million fine

Remember the $100-million fine the FIA imposed on the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team in 2007 for the team's involvement in the Ferrari spy scandal? Of that money, $50,000 will go to the Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing program, as part of a payout from the FIA's recently developed Motor Sport Safety Development Fund. The SCCA will use the grant money to improve its track approval process, and the organization now seeks candidates to take part in a new track safety program.

With the grant, SCCA plans to expand its pool of track reviewers, who are needed to approve circuit changes that go beyond the scope of a division's executive steward. The training program will include formal classroom training as well as field experience with SCCA track reviewers and inspectors. By increasing the number of qualified personnel, the track approval process will become quicker and more efficient, the SCCA said.

The SCCA Club Racing department requests applications from individuals interested in becoming a track reviewer and participating in the new training program. Applicants should be knowledgeable with blueprints and technical documents, possess strong communication skills, have motorsports operations and/or safety experience and be able to commit at least five years of participation. Once the training is completed, a track reviewer may be called upon to perform track reviews for new and/or significantly changed tracks. A description of the track reviewer role and a request for resumes will be posted on the SCCA website–www.scca.org–under the "About SCCA/Careers" section by the end of February.

Over the next five years, the FIA Motor Sport Safety Development Fund will disperse money collected from McLaren via three programs: the officials skills and safety training program, the facility safety improvement consultancy program and the young driver safety scholarship program. AutoWeek