HSCC Donington Sunday 11th April

[johngee]

This is a message for all those coming to the HSCC meeting at Donington on Sunday.
I'm hoping to meet some, if not all of you, during the course of the day but, in case I don't, I'd like to take this opportunity, firstly to say 'thank you' in advance and secondly to let you know briefly, what I shall be telling the drivers regarding safety and what steps we'll be taking to RUN TO TIME! We have a tight (but achievable) timetable and I'm determined that we will stick to it as far as possible.
SAFETY. We no longer have the Black & Yellow Quartered flag but, obviously, we need to avoid race stops if at all possible. The ability to clear an incident safely, without a red flag, will depend on drivers SLOWING DOWN under yellow flags - and that doesn't mean a 'quick lift off the thottle' Drivers who don't obey the 'Blue Book' definitions of slowing down under 'yellows' WILL be dealt with! However, we need clear unambiguous reports from observers and flags to 'make it stick'. We'll always try and give you feedback on actions taken on your reports but if we get distracted, please feel free to ask what has happened. If we have to red flag a race because an incident could not cleared due to general 'not slowing down' we shall look for ways not to offer a restart for that particular race!
RUNNING TO TIME. Drivers will be told, in no uncertain terms, that they must be at the right place at the right time - we're not going to compromise the timetable for individuals who don't read their 'finals' or get their act together. We will start practice sessions and races up to 10 mins early if we can. We will not send out recovery vehicles, course cars etc. between sessions/races unless neccessary. We will try and grid up races while the previous race is being 'cleared'. We may leave damaged/broken cars out on circuit, IN A PLACE OF SAFETY, rather than screw the timetable with a long, complex recovery.
BAD WEATHER. The last 2 meetings at Donington have had particularly bad weather. We will stop, if the weather gets 'silly' and give everyone outside the opportunity to get some shelter.
FINALLY - If there's anything that you think we can do better, from your point of view, TELL US. We don't know all the answers - I don't even know some of the questions!
Keep safe, have fun & see you all Sunday. Pleas pass this on to those not on Ten Tenths.

[Mark Mitchell]

Wow!
Hope other clubs get to read this and take note!

Just a shame that I can't do this meeting, as they're always a great day of racing with full grids.

[Fay]

The gridding up and count down for all but three races will be done in the assembly area and the cars will then proceed to the grid, be shown the 5 seconds board, then red lights. This should save time, providing the drivers manage to stop on more or less the right spot on the grid.

Three races will have green flag laps as they are on slicks.

Hopefully we will not have a situation of dry practice sessions and then wet races, which would force us to give everyone green flag laps.

I look forward to seeing some of you at Donington at sign-on. If anyone has not yet volunteered but would now like to do so, please either PM me or contact the HSCC office.

[Alan Crook]

We still require marshals for this meeting to help with assembly, pits & startline so if you have friends,wives etc who could help in these areas please bring them along,even if they they have not marshalled before, any help would be welcomed,look forward to meeting you all at sign on.

[tangoed sparky]

Hi Fay I plan on coming on sunday but I did not know that I could get untill wednesday evening I have rang Di Hardy to ask for some passes. The problem is that it is a bank holiday as you know I may not get them in time. Do you know if I will be able to get in ok with out passes? if so I will need to know the sign on time? Also is sign on still under the crainer suits? as I have not been yet this year? Thanks.
PS pm me if you need to.

[Stone-kicker]

BAD WEATHER. The last 2 meetings at Donington have had particularly bad weather. We will stop, if the weather gets 'silly' and give everyone outside the opportunity to get some shelter.

C'mon! We can't start blaming Donington for the weather now!
I'm going to have my shades on and sun cream at the ready!

[Micky.H]

tangoed sparky, don't know about getting in without tickets, but the sign on is between 07.45 and 08.15, same old place, but access to the infield is now via Coppice Tunnel only

Mick

[tangoed sparky]

Thanks for that Micky I have spoke to Di Hardy today and sorted out about getting in to the circuit. So maybe see you there.

[Garry Holmes]

HSCC - fantastic meeting, superb racing. Thank you to the Jags who slowed down uder yellows & allowed us to shift the one at the chicaine - boy are they heavy. On the down side why don't people pull off when their engine goes bang?? the number of races / sessions spoit by oil being dropped from somwhere round McLeans all the way to the pits.

[johngee]

Big thanks to everybody who made the meeting such a success. Good to hear from Garry that, at least the Jaguars, listened AND acted on what I told them at the driver's briefing about slowing under yellows. Those drivers in other races who didn't WERE dealt with, mainly fines and formal reprimands (points on licence!). If the message doesn't get through, we'll start excluding people!
I'm very proud of the fact that the last race was 4 minutes late after having started the afternoon 11 minutes late (because some of the drivers weren't ready!). A terrific effort by everyone including Diane and the team in Race Control. Thanks again.

[Ian Lewis]

Originally posted by Garry Holmes
HSCC - fantastic meeting, superb racing.

I thought so too!!

But why so few Marshals for a fantastic meeting?
Full grids, Great battles throughout the field.
What more could you ask for??

Ian

[johngee]

Ian
Actually, considering it was Easter Sunday, I thought that we did pretty well for marshals.
Let's keep spreading the word about how good HSCC meetings are. I know that I'm very lucky to be their C of C.

[tangoed sparky]

It was the first time that my missis had given me a pass out to go marshaling this year and I really enjoyed it. I was on the post before Gary and we spoke about the fact that cars never seem to pull off the track when they have oil leaks. I would have thought that most of the cars must have a oil pressure gauge or light and coolant temp gauge. So there is no excuse for dropping oil unless it transmission or drive axle related and no its not because I am a marshal and want more cars to pull off but it really does ruin it for other drivers. What made it worse was the fact that Donington has been resurfaced over the winter and the track is very black and shinny. This made it very hard to see where to dress oil as it could not be seeen very well. I know that a few drivers must have had a fright when coming into the esses after other cars had expired but it made it entertaining to watch. Thanks to HSCC for a very well run meeting and whats more we got a fiver and a lunch break to boot. The racing was very good and some real cars were racing too. It is always nice to see a ford Angler beating V8 mustangs and E type jags.

[neilwaynesmith]

It was a great days racing and, regrettably, made the grids for the BRSCC meeting the following day look a bit pathetic.

Being on Post 39, I have to agree with Garry, why do people try and wring the last few metres out of their dead cars? Is it because of the proximity of the pit lane? The amount of oil that we had to clear up between Posts 38 and 39 was ridiculous and could easily have been reduced...

I thought the airborne F3 car was EXTREMELY lucky that the foam barrier was in front of the tyre wall, I dread to think what would have happened otherwise.

[Alan Crook]

A good days racing, nice cars, full grids. Have spoken to many people who were at Donington all seemed to enjoy the day. A big thanks to the people around the pits/startline area for all there help.

[jminsh]

Thanks to guys at macleans for the chat after i parked my car in the HFF race.
Jason.