A Flag Marshal's Journey

Tuesday, 14 October 2014

Bathurst 1000 race days Thusday to Sunday 2014

Well up early 5.30am sign on and Briefing at 6.30am Today is all Practice With Support Categories which included Touring Car Masters,V8 Utes, Aussie Racing Cars, Dunlop Series V8s, Porsche Carrera Cup and of cause V8 Super Cars. I have been Assigned post 19.2 Chief at point for all four days which is near the top of Conrod straight and also a black flag relay point.
Today we have three on point myself, Paul G and Tania with Stewart our Sector Marshal looking after 19.0, 19.2 and 19.5.
The next three days up at 5am with Briefing at 6am we have Kate and Aaron Join us so a lot easier to do flags, coms and black flag relay. All I can say is What a great team we had lots of fun and worked well together shared the radio between myself, Paul G and Aaron the girls were happy just to do flags. Not a lot of action at this point but still can get busy with flags V8s going past in 5th gear great to watch. Also Tania done a Great Job of running a 100 yards down an hot track during Safety Car to retrieve the light bar that fell off the Medical car well done.
Friday consisted of Qualifying and Practice, Saturday all races and Sunday we had three smaller races before the 1000 kicked off.
Some of the entertainment on track included Hot Wheels Utes and Bikes, Minardi F1and in the sky RAAF Roulettes display, F18 fly over, Sea Hawk Helicopter and a 737 Passenger Jet low Flyover. The Drivers Parade on Sunday before race Start was great to watch with plenty of fans coming out of their homes to give them a wave.

Muster Shed

Looking back to 19.0

Looking down conrod to 19.5

Minardi

Post 19.2 Lunch Break

Pan view of point

The Team Thanks To Stewart for taking the photo

At Work Thanks Tania for Photo

Fans coming down from Top of Mountain

Views from bus on the way to Points

Well Thats all Folks Phillip Island 400 V8s Next Event for Me until then stay safe and have fun. Thanks for reading my posts.

Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercars Pre race Tuesday and Wednesday

Well the long wait is over and the trip begins to Bathurst from Melbourne Camper Trailer packed, bags packed and make sure I have my Credentials letter for Camping at the Track.
Left Home Monday after work to head up to my Daughters house about 3 1/2 hours from Melbourne stop over for the night and continued on Tuesday morning leaving about 8am takes about 5 1/2 to 6 hours from her place. With a quick stop at Gundagai for some lunch and top up on fuel I arrived at Bathurst about 1.30pm stopped at the Credentials hut to pick up my passes and uniform plus my car sticker to allow access inside of Track to the Marshals camp Ground. Camp site 260 set up camp and met a few people than into town to get supplies. A good night sitting down talking and drinking with fellow VFT marshals.

Wednesday all planned with a track walk with Friends Graeme,Steve and Julio then into town for the Transporter parade what a great atmosphere in town plenty of support from the locals and visitors a few freebies and back to camp for an easy afternoon check out pit lane and some drinks.

A walk around the Pits is always a good way to spend some time and meet People.

Monday, 15 September 2014

Sandown 500 2014 W/end Post 13.0

Well the w/end has started up early and at the track by 6.45am Briefing at 7.15 both days sign on pick up lunch and go down and get an Egg and Bacon roll Yum make a coffee a bit of chit chat and it all starts post 13.0 for both days Drivers Left opposite Pit Entry. Saturday continues with Qualifying and races for all categories. We covered Flags and Comms on Saturday with Four Flaggies and A Sector, Myself, Jamie, Julio and Rebbeca. Sunday same Team But we had Suz has A Sector and Robert Replaced Jamie we also got a comms Person sorry cant remember name.
Not so much action at this point a few spinners coming out of Turn 12 and on Sunday a couple of the V8s came together coming into pits. This is a good point to see all the action in the pit lane close to the Nissan Pits where we got a good look when the fuel filler got stuck the fire crews and pit crew done well to keep it under control could have been a big fire in pit lane other wise.
Now to Sit back and watch some replays and get ready for Bathurst 1000.
Stay safe Everyone.

Pit Lane Action

View from 13.0 over to Pit Lane

On Track Action

Some Rubber to Burn

Vic Fire Crews

Team Medical

Flag Point 13.0

Sandown 500 12.9.14 Friday Post 6.0

Well another round done and dusted, great weather, great teams. Support Categories were great for this V8 round with Porsche Carrera Cup, Touring Car Masters, Australian GT and V8 Utes. Friday I was on Flag Point 6.0 Drivers Right looking down to 9.0 Dandy CNR so a good point to see all the action at 9.0. Two flaggies Me and Colleen and a Sector Marshall Friday was mainly practice with Touring Car Masters and Aust GT having Qualifying rounds as well.
Plenty of cars going wide through 7 and 8 we had two big smashes between our point and 9.0 in the V8 utes we had one lose control going through 7 spinning and hitting Armco fence facing WD stopping just before gravel trap at Dandy cnr bring out red flag and the end of Practice for them. Last event of the day Aust GT Qualifying a very similar accident but a lot faster we had the Mclaren spin off hitting Armco and ripping off front wheels and going all the way through the gravel trap at 9.0 into tyre wall WOW awesome but no more Mclaren for w/end both drivers ok cars not so good.