A new twist on an old predicament.

[Dave Brand]

I'm sure we've all seen the phenomenon where, when cars are paraded to the grid behind the course car round the short circuit on a multi-format circuit prior to their green flag, one or two still go round the full circuit, thus negating the benefits of going "short circuit".

At Oulton on Saturday we saw a new twist on this; they all followed the course car "short circuit" through the Fosters Loop on their parade lap & then all went "short circuit" again on their green flag lap! First we knew about this at Water Tower was a somewhat exasperated Race Control asking on the radio "did any of them them go full circuit?".

Motor sport is never boring!

[Justin Moran]

I had the biggest grin on my face as I informed them that no, no-one went the full circuit!

[JimW]

There are times when we all love drivers.

Jim

[chrisjt1985]

That must have been fun considering the barriers in place! Wish I'd been there to see that one!!!

Thankfully no-one got it wrong Monday, in either format...

[tonyC]

Left to their own devices – Drivers can be a bit of a handful. When we used to use the far side of the Melbourne loop at Donington for the assembly area and let them onto the circuit at the chicane by the railway carriage, the number I’ve seen try and turn right up the Circuit thewrong way !


(hence the use in the past of using someone from the Rescue Unit to act as policeman/nanny to point the right direction)

[numbersix]

I wouldn't call you an old predicament, Dave ...

[SteveR]

Originally Posted by tonyC

Left to their own devices – Drivers can be a bit of a handful. When we used to use the far side of the Melbourne loop at Donington for the assembly area and let them onto the circuit at the chicane by the railway carriage, the number I’ve seen try and turn right up the Circuit thewrong way !


(hence the use in the past of using someone from the Rescue Unit to act as policeman/nanny to point the right direction)

Including the day one turned right out of the middle of a line of cars, convinced that the preceding 10 drivers were wrong and he was right! Fortunately, it was a VSCC meeting, so we had enough time to throw the reds, get him turned round and heading in the right direction, before the pack got to him.

[JimW]

Originally Posted by tonyC

Left to their own devices – Drivers can be a bit of a handful. When we used to use the far side of the Melbourne loop at Donington for the assembly area and let them onto the circuit at the chicane by the railway carriage, the number I’ve seen try and turn right up the Circuit thewrong way !


(hence the use in the past of using someone from the Rescue Unit to act as policeman/nanny to point the right direction)

Been there, done that, missed one. Red flag.

Jim

[Sticker Rub]

Originally Posted by tonyC

Left to their own devices – Drivers can be a bit of a handful. When we used to use the far side of the Melbourne loop at Donington for the assembly area and let them onto the circuit at the chicane by the railway carriage, the number I’ve seen try and turn right up the Circuit thewrong way !


(hence the use in the past of using someone from the Rescue Unit to act as policeman/nanny to point the right direction)

Fastest & most panicked red flag I've ever seen was at the ill-fated GPLive when a Benetton, late out of assembly, turned right with other cars already approaching Coppice

[Nadine J Lewis]

I did "nanny" the other races on Saturday just to be sure!

[Shelagh]

Originally Posted by MarshalGirl

I did "nanny" the other races on Saturday just to be sure!

Nadine: what colour badge do you get for being a "nanny"? Can I have one?

[Terrible-Tones]

Lead cars.....

Now here's a funny thing. Never seen them used at Rockingham before until this Sat. In the past we have never had a problem without them. First time we use a lead car the first two drivers of the first race go the wrong way! Result - a bit of chaos.

Other noteworthy issue was that the lead car effectively bunched up the field, making it much much harder for Nina and I to grid them as they came at us in a big mass and arrived at S/L at the same time (not ideal when there are only 2 or 3 S/L marshals). It is much easier to grid a set of cars that are more spread out as it enables you to keep ahead of them and reach their grid spot before they do. Essential to grid them accurately and move stuff quickly if it is wrong order.

We noted that the lead car went high at Rock - which is non pole side, but pole man would automatically follow him, so we ended up having to cross the cars at the last moment. Also not ideal

In all, a lead car proved to be a right PITA for us. In the end I asked the lead car driver to get the cars on to the straight then boot it, and stay low side, so the cars would spread out and hopefully the pole guy would be correct side. That seemed to work better.

So please can I ask the CoC's and clubs considering using lead cars also to take into account the ramifications that it may have elsewhere.

Just a two penny worth really..

[thepits!]

Originally Posted by Terrible-Tones

Lead cars..... Now here's a funny thing. Never seen them used at Rockingham before until this Sat.

We've always used Lead cars for BARC meetings at The Rock, out of the assembly area behind Pit 1, WD up the pit-lane and onto Turn 4 where the drivers are told to go 2 x 2 behind him and he goes through the centre of the grid, generally works okay - except when there only 2 of you for a full grid

[Terrible-Tones]

Originally Posted by thepits!

We've always used Lead cars for BARC meetings at The Rock, out of the assembly area behind Pit 1, WD up the pit-lane and onto Turn 4 where the drivers are told to go 2 x 2 behind him and he goes through the centre of the grid, generally works okay - except when there only 2 of you for a full grid

Yeah - we generally do BRSCC at the Rock which is why we hadn't seen it before. Same route taken as you point out.

It is the last sentence which causes the problem. Not enough people to split the grid at the back, which also makes a difference we find.

In fact only 4 of us to cover Pits, S/L and Assembly. Went OK though! Grids mostly 25 to 30 region, a couple at 34, and two races of 7. Lots of walking/running! I am knackered LOL.

Was a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

[thepits!]

Originally Posted by Terrible-Tones

Lots of walking/running! I am knackered LOL.

Never mind, you can have a nice rest at Silverstone this weekend

[The Fat Clerk]

Had a pole sitter at Donnington yesterday who threw his MG onto the grass at Starkeys Bridge whilst tyre warming behind the parade car, boy did we laugh

[Terrible-Tones]

Originally Posted by The Fat Clerk

Had a pole sitter at Donnington yesterday who threw his MG onto the grass at Starkeys Bridge whilst tyre warming behind the parade car, boy did we laugh

I bet LOL

Is he allowed to still take his grid position? Or does this depend on whether the whole field has gone thru and passed him?

[Terrible-Tones]

Originally Posted by thepits!

Never mind, you can have a nice rest at Silverstone this weekend

Hopefully, but somehow I think it will a bit manic with the split startlines LOL

Guessing you are there? (but not sure who you are in "real life?)

[Pitsmarion]

I was running the startline for the MGCC yesterday and wondered the same thing when I heard he had taken his unexpected detour. He was back in the correct position when they came over the hill to us, and I got nothing from Race Control, so I just pointed at the pole spot and got on with running up the hill to sort out the rest of them. He had the good grace to look a bit sheepish......! After a cracking race he was in the group of three who all crossed the line within less than a second - hope it looked as good round the circuit as it did from the pits.

[Bryan Degerlund]

Originally Posted by Terrible-Tones

Hopefully, but somehow I think it will a bit manic with the split startlines LOL

Guessing you are there? (but not sure who you are in "real life?)

Not me but PM sent.

[thepits!]

Originally Posted by Bryan Degerlund

Not me but PM sent.

Spoil-sport

[Terrible-Tones]

Originally Posted by Pitsmarion

I was running the startline for the MGCC yesterday and wondered the same thing when I heard he had taken his unexpected detour. He was back in the correct position when they came over the hill to us, and I got nothing from Race Control, so I just pointed at the pole spot and got on with running up the hill to sort out the rest of them. He had the good grace to look a bit sheepish......! After a cracking race he was in the group of three who all crossed the line within less than a second - hope it looked as good round the circuit as it did from the pits.

Can't find specific BB regs for this eventuality, so is probably down to series specific regs. I stand to be corrected of course!

[thepits!]

Originally Posted by Terrible-Tones

Can't find specific BB regs for this eventuality, so is probably down to series specific regs. I stand to be corrected of course!

I suggest this may come under the 'unable to maintain grid position' rule - i.e. if all the grid has passed you then you should start at the back, but if they haven't then you can retake your original position. Not our call, down to RC, they have the cameras

[Terrible-Tones]

Originally Posted by thepits!

I suggest this may come under the 'unable to maintain grid position' rule - i.e. if all the grid has passed you then you should start at the back, but if they haven't then you can retake your original position. Not our call, down to RC, they have the cameras

Can't find that specific rule in BB though - but I may be looking in wrong place. At mo looking under racing specific, starting regs. However i have heard it mentioned a few times.

Yeah, on the grid we have no way of knowing what they have done as we cannot see circuit - so absolutely CoC decision.

Once when I was in the SC (ob) at Doni we were leading Euro Saloons around on the GF lap and 2nd place spun badly at MacLeans, holding up the whole pack (doh!). They eventually filtered past him, and we did another lap to reform the grid. He was allowed to retake grid slot behind us. I am pretty sure not everyone overtook him after spin though.

[thepits!]

Originally Posted by Terrible-Tones

Can't find that specific rule in BB though - but I may be looking in wrong place.

probably it's not the most logical of manuals