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