WOW – Wot a Wonderful Weekend

Over 100 cars in 5 categories enjoying the perfect weather, happy officials and a lot of track time on a great race track.

Credit Bryce Carrier Photography

The 5 category GRRS format:
Being able to deliver 2 x practice sessions, 15 Minute qualifying AND 5 Races; all in bankers hours over two days; proves the excellence of the delivery team and the co-ordination for the customers. 1400 car starts in one weekend at Lakeside proves the value of the RACERS processes and speaking of value, where else can you get on the track 8 times in one weekend for $450? We will stick with the 5 category format for future meetings as it gives everybody the best value for money. More categories might mean more money for the track but we think what we have is better for everyone.

Crashes:
There were few incidents and once again the drivers’ radios and “clampdown” (FIA Mode 60 if you don’t know RACERS parlance) meant our medics and fire crews were at every one of them in well under a minute. If I was hanging upside down in a motorcar I’d be very glad I did not have to wait for a Safety Car to come out on track before they could arrive – especially if it was on fire!
The Drivers’ Radios also proved their worth when Race Control was able to call in a specific car which was spilling petrol after it had left the pits with a petrol cap that needed tightening, before it could cause an inferno. It is good to see that some of the categories from down south have taken matters into their own hands with regard to these radios and started using them on a category by category basis.
The efficacy of the Soft-R-Wall and CoTA barrier systems were proven again when we had a couple of high speed “offs” with a Mini going in backwards coming onto the straight, well up in 3 numbers, being dragged out on its wheels and running in the next race. These Injury Mitigation Structures have been in use in Queensland for 10 years now and have proven so effective at minimising injuries – saving lives – you can only wonder why other tracks in Australia do not deploy these for the benefit of their customers too. Maybe it is time for the customers to demand them as they have the most to lose.

One way traffic:
The new traffic pattern worked a treat. The pits were as busy and bustling as ever but now the traffic just kept moving in the same direction and there was no queuing back up the pit entry road. Customers coming off the track were able to go directly back to their carports and with greater convenience & safety than before.

The Mini category:
This category is growing apace and what a great presence they have on the track. The affordable and supported business model Jim Campbell is delivering deserves to succeed. Once again we are seeing that many more people will come to our sport if we can just make it affordable and accessible. Thanks Jim – you are really helping to grow the sport for the average wage earner and give us a main stream recreational presence

New Technology – LITEceivers:
Once again RACERS is showing the way forward by trialing the LITEceiver technology at Lakeside on Sunday with the Minis. Like the RACEceivers (Drivers’ Radios) many of the sanctioning bodies in the USA have been mandating the LITEceiver devices for some time now.
For the sake of safety through better communication with the drivers; RACERS will be mandating them for race meeting towards the end of this year and they will made available on the same basis as the RACEceivers.
This is a traffic light right there in your car where it is instantly visible. It simply zip ties to a roll cage (see the photo) or clips into a cradle for mounting on flat surfaces. It displays the usual Clampdown, Cancel and Caution – PLUS – last lap and checkered flag right in the driver’s peripheral vision EVERYWHERE around the track. Couldn’t miss it!

Every one of the 15 Mini drivers that trialed them for us on Sunday gave them a thumbs up and had positive comments about how much safer they felt because they had instant reinforcement of the warnings that came through on the Drivers’ Radio.

Finally – Thanks & welcome back:
Lakeside was ALIVE this weekend! We had nearly 500 spectators there and they were wandering around everywhere going Oooh & Ahhh. So many kids getting hooked on motorsport early has to be good for the future of what we love to do.
It was good to be able to welcome all the Tin Top racers back to Lakeside, especially Tony Rowe and Graham Mansey; who made up for his lost time by entering two categories – he had a busy weekend…
I had a great time – thanks;
yours in real motorsport – John Tetley