DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - During the week, Birmingham, Ala., native Phil Clements is a video production technician at Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. On the weekends, however, Clements is a race official with GRAND-AM Road Racing, which will visit Barber Motorsports Park with two races on Saturday, April 10.
The GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series will compete at noon CT with its Daytona Prototype and GT class running simultaneously, while GRAND-AM's Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, the series' street stock division, begins at 4 p.m. CT.
Clements is a field official and his weekend responsibilities are numerous. His weekend usually begins with parking race rigs and giving teams the go-ahead signal to begin unloading their cars and equipment. He is assigned to technical inspection, where he and other officials conduct thorough examinations of each car's specifications with measurements and analysis.
When it comes to the race itself, Clements helps with pre- and post-race procedures. He helps set up the starting grid, making sure each car is in its correct starting position. Once the cars begin their parade and pace laps - leading up to the green flag - Clements hops over the wall and works as a pit road official. There, he is responsible for specific cars, and enforces GRAND-AM rules.
It was at Barber Motorsports Park that Clements first developed a relationship with GRAND-AM. He was working as the starter for the World Karting Association, which had races running in conjunction with the GRAND-AM races at Barber. He became a GRAND-AM official beginning in 2005.
While some days start as early as 6 a.m. and last deep into the evening, Clements maintains his passion for the sport is what keeps him involved.
"I've been involved in karting since the early ‘90s, and then into this, and if you didn't have the passion for it, if you didn't like what you were doing, you wouldn't do it," Clements said. "I have a real job, and there are some weird hours you are awake, either working or driving, but in the end, it's great."
Working multiple events a season may be tedious, especially with his fulltime job, but being home in Birmingham provides a little incentive.
"You get to sleep in your own bed," Clements said. "Although I do love to travel, it's nice after a long day at the track to be able to come home. And you don't have to pack and make sure everything you need is in your suitcase. Also, I'm very proud that Birmingham has a facility with the ability to attract and host an event like this."
The third round of the 2010 Rolex Sports Car Series season, the Porsche 250, will begin around noon CT on Saturday, April 10. Following will be the two-and-a-half hour Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race, featuring high-performance Camaros, Mustangs, Porsches and BMWs in the Grand Sport class, and compact models such as Honda Civics, Chevrolet Cobalts, Mazda MX-5s and Mini Coopers will run in the Street Tuner class.
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