Special group of Speedway volunteers work to keep fans happy

Checkered Flag committee members Richard Fulton, left, and Neil Samuels, right, talk with Lisa Farrah-Fulton and Charlene Boyles and Scott Boyles on Saturday in the Daytona 500 Club at Daytona International Speedway. (N-J | David Tucker)

DAYTONA BEACH -- When confusion mounted over whether fans were allowed to take coolers into the Pit Row Patios on Saturday, Checkered Flag Committee member Jimmy Foster was there to clarify and smooth things over.

Like many of the 50 volunteers of the Daytona International Speedway's Checkered Flag Committee, Foster doesn't always know what to expect during his shift as an ambassador for the Speedway. On Saturday, Foster was sweating it out in the Pit Row Patios as he did everything from helping crews set up to assisting lost ticket holders with directions.

And the fans were allowed to take their coolers into the Pit Row Patios.

"We want to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves," said Foster, whose grandfather, Jim Foster, started the committee in 1973. "This is a great group of men and women and a great way to give back to the community."

The Checkered Flag Committee represents a small portion of the hundreds of volunteers who arrived at the Speedway over the weekend to keep fans happy by working concession stands or keeping the grounds in pristine condition. More than 100 volunteers wearing yellow hats were called on to guard the painted logos on the tri-oval grass by pit road.

Although they don't get paid, the small army of men and women clad in red shirts (or red jackets in the cooler month of February), take their roles seriously. President Joe Cameron refers to the Checkered Flag Committee as an insiders club where the Volusia County professionals take time off work or sacrifice their weekends to serve as ambassadors. The perks of the job include getting the chance to rub elbows with dignitaries like President George H.W. Bush and son President George W. Bush or rock star Lenny Kravitz.

For fans who pay up to $5,000 to watch the races from the esteemed Daytona 500 Club, committee member Ned Harper, director of Daytona State College's Business Development Center, was there to escort them on tours and engage in friendly chatter.

"It's so exciting to take people who have never been inside the Daytona 500 Club before," Harper said. "It's a whole different side of the track."

But the responsibilities go beyond finesse. During medical emergencies, committee members are often the first to act by making the first call for help. Fans who lose tickets or wallets will likely find a friend in a red shirt.

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Special group of Speedway volunteers work to keep fans happy