After being a spectator for years I finally became old enough (21) to get involved. I wanted to race but not enough money. So I decided to marshal. It was also the year Mosport opened. CRCA, the first organized marshaling group had been organized just a couple of years earlier. With Mosport opening membership jumped from around a 100 to close to 300. I was one of the newbies.
Big and I mean big Harry Johnson was the President and he and his crew managed to deal with the influx and somehow conducted training, both classroom and at the track. My track training was under the guidance of Al Robinson and he was great. I earlier told about my first race as a marshal. Everybody was learning to a large extent as a real road course was far different than the airfields. But what a deal. For a club membership and CRCA membership you got to see the races free and close up. Real up close back then! One or two weekends and you were ahead financially.
Originally the marshal area was more or less behind where the restaurant now is and not far from the current marshal area. CRCA had a large tent where the one and only Muriel Knap presided over the issue of coveralls. CRCA issue was mandatory. I soon learned to arrive early. Have you ever seen some 6 foot 2 guy trying to get into a small? Or a 5 foot nothing into an extra large. Early and you got something that more or less fitted. You were also shown how to fold them at races end and you had better do it right or Muriel would tear a strip off you.
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