cool new job (long beach grand prix)

[79TA]

As some of you may know, the Long Beach Grand Prix is this weekend. I am fortunate to live very near Long Beach and the Grand Prix is always a blast. This year, however, I went and got a job with race management instead of paying to get in. My job is to open and shut a gate. Most of the jobs are like that but mine is a bit better. I get to open a track gate for cars, the ALMS racecars. Me and about 5 other guys will be ordered to watch the gate during all ALMS practice, qualifying, and race sessions. When the ALMS isn't doing anything, I'm free to wander the premises with less restriction than most ticket holders. Free lunches and a free pass to give a friend are good perks as well.

:D :D :D

here are some pictures I took last year for your perusal

One of the Champ cars in a practice session:
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7631/im000143gf1.th.jpg (http://img153.imageshack.us/my.php?image=im000143gf1.jpg)

The 2005 Rolex series Daytona Prototype Chamption: the Suntrust Pontiac
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/203/needsorganizing2022ud3.th.jpg (http://img170.imageshack.us/my.php?image=needsorganizing2022ud3.jpg)

some of the Speed GT cars during their race
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7599/im000250ml7.th.jpg (http://img153.imageshack.us/my.php?image=im000250ml7.jpg)

one of the original cars used in the first LB pro-celebrity race (as driven by Dan Gurney of course)
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8039/needsorganizing2051cz6.th.jpg (http://img134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=needsorganizing2051cz6.jpg)

Alex Gurney on the other hand didn't have very good luck. This year the ALMS race will take the place of the Rolex Daytona Prototypes.
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9918/needsorganizing2142rx6.th.jpg (http://img153.imageshack.us/my.php?image=needsorganizing2142rx6.jpg)

nasty camera glare in the hairpin
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/9418/needsorganizing129gv3.th.jpg (http://img134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=needsorganizing129gv3.jpg)

I'll be working near that Bridgestone bridge this year
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/7379/needsorganizing2017ce8.th.jpg (http://img170.imageshack.us/my.php?image=needsorganizing2017ce8.jpg)

[HeilSvenska]

Wow. Can I be your friend so I can get that free pass?

I went last year and had to pay a lot for the 3 day pass. All worth it, though.

[79TA]

sure

[HeilSvenska]

Dude! Are you serious?!

[79TA]

200th post!





does an S7 run a 10 second quarter mile?





of course.

[ae86_16v]

Yup, yeah, does that mean you could open the gates for us? :)

[79TA]

if you were an ALMS car then I could. I won't be running any of the admission gates although my sector, alpha sector, is in charge of the front gates as well as the afforementioned ALMS garage. We're basically the cool sector. 8)

[ae86_16v]

^ Ah I see. :)

Yeha, might drop by on Sat. But we will see.

[79TA]

hmm, I wonder just how many JW-er's will attend the LBGP this year.

[novass]

I may go, still deciding. I have been before, both as a spectator and working (though working for someone else, not LBGP themselves). I would have worked gates or something this year but the thought didn't even cross my mind :x

Was it pretty easy to get the job? Is it volunteer-type work?

[79TA]

Yea, it's mostly volunteer in that you don't get paid any money. Basically things are done by referal. Everyone in my sector knows someone who knows someone who knows someone etc. This year my neighbor across the street hooked me up with the job. In this case, my neighbor is a long time friend of a fellow who is in charge of a good portion of the alpha sector.

[Erez]

8) :good:

[saadie]

sweet! 8)

[Mattk]

Nice job. Any good photo-taking opportunities?

[TopGearNL]

Good job!

Nice write-up and nice pics! :D

[dutchmasterflex]

Daaaaaaamn.. Congrats, but I wouldn't call that a job!

Definitely awesome to find some work that you really enjoy doing. 0X

[79TA]

Nice job. Any good photo-taking opportunities?

yea, there are a ton of good photo ops. I took about a hundred pictures a day and experimented with quite a bit of video (none of which turned out very good on my little 3 megapixel no zoom camera. Also, the noise was too loud for my camera so it doesn't ever sound right on video). This year I'll take more pictures and almost no video.

[silentm]

wow cool opportunity. looks like you'll be seeing a lot of cool cars.