we should stop now John, very soon we will have enough coin to go and have a beer
we should stop now John, very soon we will have enough coin to go and have a beer
Nah, only when Ray says its his shout.....after all its his thread.
Also I am sure that on this topic there will be more 2c s
Last edited by John McKechnie; 02-04-2017 at 10:40 PM.
You raise an interesting point here. What's to stop me going through documentation etc for an event and then letting someone else drive my car?
In Australia when drivers complete their documentation they are issued with a wristband (similar to one put on you if you are admitted to hospital-one that is not easily removed and reattached). These wristbands are checked on the dummy grid.
Last edited by rf84; 02-05-2017 at 03:36 AM.
RF84-Nothing is stopping that from happening- and does ,only if you follow the rules.
When Adrian Dobbe fell over and cracked his rib, he offered his car to Foggy.
As coordinator , I had to approve it, go to Clerk of the course and inform her, before he can go out.
Once that was done he could drive.
My 2c worth! The dummy grid marshals have no idea who is going out for practice and basically, have no idea what cars belong in what group and may not know if permission has been granted for an additional car to do a couple of laps 'to bed in brakes'.
Once a grid sheet is printed, I agree, it can throw up problems and like John, I have been in the same situation where I have been strapped in and there are interlopers. Whilst this may well be an issue in scratch races, we do our own grid sheets for handicaps and usually have our own person checking and assisting on the dummy grid. If not on the sheet, no race (unless there has been an error, which has been known to happen, usually when a car has failed to turn up or broken on Saturday then appeared Sunday.) I don't think anyone has managed to get out in a handicap race when they shouldn't.
For our money, the young dummy grid marshals do a fantastic job, week after week, large and small meetings, in all weathers, without complaint. Yes, the system may need tightening, BUT, the regs normally state that entry to specific series races is restricted to series members and HRC and TACCOC keep convenors regularly informed as entries come in, so that they can confirm they are OK. If they are not, they generally get in touch with the drivers to tell them.
The Lotus Elan and the Ford GT40 replica were both allowed into the ERC races, even though they are not registered members, on the strict understanding that if there was no room on the grid, they would have to stand down. They accepted that, but the white Porsche had not been in touch prior to the event.
As mentioned before, if organisers are going to include series races, then they have an obligation to communicate with convenors, before accepting cars into their grids.
No doubt HD learned a lot, but whether or not they actually have respect for these groups remains to be seen. If the worst comes to the worst, and HMC/HSC, HSS and ERC elect to not support the 2018 event, (and there have been rumblings) it will be a sad day for local Classic motorsport and a lot of really good work getting ever growing grids to support these Festivals, won't be wasted, but may be redirected.
The onus is on drivers to actually READ the ASR's and even though they may tick a box to say they have, we all know only too well that they rarely do. We also know that many do not even know the safety car rules or even the warm up lap procedure!
I once seriously thought that if I added an extra line into the regs to say that every driver must bring the race secretary a small item (wrapped lolly for example) to documentation and failure to do so, would incur a $50 fine, but decided that maybe the area Steward who has to approve the regs, might not pass it!)
In the case of the above, even though John had given permission for a driver change, yes, without a wristband, the dummy grid marshals can only check the car numbers, not the drivers.
Consider also that most meetings are short of volunteers and with a turnaround time target of say 15 minutes at most meetings, getting up to 46 cars checked and in position, especially when some elect to run from pit garages, is a tough call. That is made even tougher when drivers elect to pull out of a grid without even telling the dummy grid marshals - and believe me, that happens a lot more than most drivers realise.
Track design doesn't help as rarely is the dummy grid area set up to cope with a three across grid for example (which we use for handicaps) and being a dummy grid marshal demands a lot of concentrated effort over a long day.
We are so lucky that Deb's young crew are so enthusiastic and I hope that all drivers treat them with the respect they deserve. As a series, we invite them to our annual awards dinner for free.
Back now to looking at today's Leadfoot photographs, to see what is worth keeping, publishing - or saving for the ERC dinner - which sadly, I'll miss for the first time ever.
Sorry, that was at least 4c worth...
Last edited by ERC; 02-05-2017 at 09:25 AM.
Leadfoot Sunday. Great event and congratulations to Rod Millen and his team. We left about 3pm before the top 10 runoffs, but had a great day.
Plenty of good viewing spots but throughout the day, occasionally, you tend to miss a favourite vehicle or the action as you are elsewhere
Steve Cox's F40.
Colin Buckley & Robbie Shorter. You have to be mad to ride the sidecar, but Robbie really amused the crowd by doing headstands on the downhill runs! Not the best pic but had I known in advance, I would have picked a better background.
I had to laugh later in the day as at the beginning of a group run, before the commentator kicked in, the Nissan Nismo supporters were chatting with their backs to the track - and the car had whistled past before they realized the group had even started!
Just a demo run with David Brock-Jest and the Lagonda.
The drifters put on a fantastic show on the often narrow driveway. Shane Allen's Mustang
Probably the luckiest pic of the day for me. Uncropped shot through a narrow gap between the trees, of Al Unser Jr in the Southward Museum's 1915 Stutz - arrived NZ 1923.
Last edited by ERC; 02-05-2017 at 10:03 AM.
Ray, that is a spectacular shot of the Stutz, 20/10
We are the "Wild West" of motorsport here in NZ, having raced in Australia I've seen how strict, take no shit and organized they are, you have a wrist ban(as rf48 says) when you go to drivers briefing they mark the ban, when you grid up for practice/qualifying the grid marshal checks that your wrist ban has been marked as he then knows you have attended drivers briefing, not marked you don't go out, they do a double loop ban so it sticks out from under your race glove. In NZ if you skip driver briefing, who cares....... In so many areas of Australian motorsport they are so much more organized, the detail in their drivers briefing is amazing. At Queensland AASA events we even had one way ear communication pieces so the COC can talk while racing(everyone can hear) hence as I rounded turn two at QR a call came though "caution, caution car on fire turn 3" so I instantly knew what I was coming up on, a fantastic system, but there is so much more other detailed they do to make sure everyone is safe and the event flows, and I haven't even got into Vehicle eligibility yet(another day).Originally Posted by rf84
When I had the Aussies Trans Am guys over recently, the new additions were stunned at how laxed it all was and how unprofessional the organizing was in general, they couldn't believe what we got away with, and situations such as yours John is part of the a overall problem, but alas nothing will change so we just gotta make the most of what we have before we've all had enough.
The upside Dale is that NZ is seen as a relaxed and friendly place for drivers and spectators.
Even with a Formula Junior Mechanic's armband at Goodwood and able to wander around, I wasn't allowed on the grid with the camera before the Formula Junior race. 'I had a mechanic's armband, not a photographer's...'
Many of the pics posted here from my flagging days that so many enjoy, would not have been possible in the UK, as even if on stand down, flaggies were not allowed to take photographs. When I emigrated from the UK, even for work, it was so much less stressful working in NZ. Classic motorsport particularly, is not F1, is not Aussie V8s and everyone who comes here enjoys it, because it IS low key.
There may be several area's where NZ is a bit more relaxed, but let's not go to the other extreme. Ear pieces for all drivers is brilliant - but yet another cost that organisers will have to bear, on top of a $1500+ hire for officials' radios, which has to be passed on to drivers.
Nothing is for free and putting up entry fees to UK levels with NZ's incomes will only have one outcome. Don't destroy NZ's uniqueness as you may find that resolving one perceived problem the wrong way may well create others. If there is one thing I learned very early on with both meeting and series organisation is that for ultimate success, you may have ignore some well meaning, well thought out suggestions, and look at the overall situation. Choosing the issues that really do need addressing is the trick.
Totally off topic, but we lose more time at Auckland meetings for slow vehicle recovery, race change overs etc., leading to races being cut short, where everyone loses out and I'd put that way higher up the priority list, as it has been going on for years. Manfeild, Taupo and Teretongo knock spots off Auckland for recovery times and recovery systems. (Not sure about other tracks.) Cutting races back to 5 laps from six because of running late?
Again, the European and British race meetings run to the clock, but there is far too much hanging about with nothing happening and the Goodwood drivers got just one practice and 1 race - over three days - but the meeting did run to time!
In simple terms, you have to look at the overall pie and not just a thin slice - and try to grow the pie.
Last edited by ERC; 02-06-2017 at 12:51 AM.
Back to Leadfoot.
John D was struggling with the rare Aston Vantage (the only other one that ever competed was Rowan Atkinson's) as he could only get 2nd gear. Great to still him giving it a go.
Another TRS contributor who initially made it into the Top 10. What a great sounding car.
And another TRS contributor who earlier finished in the Top 10. Tremendous effort Paul.
An EX ERC car, the Tony Lynch built Vauxhall Chevette
Now if you are of a sensitive disposition, it may pay to skip the next but one, pre-cropped photograph. This is what takes a lot of time. Checking each photograph and applying a bit of adjustment, where it is considered essential.
After cropping
Before cropping....
Probably ripe for a caption competition...
"Exhaust looks a bit dodgy from here..."
Last edited by ERC; 02-06-2017 at 07:21 AM.
And in relation to ear pieces and passing on info to the drivers........anyone remember Wincup at Bathurst being told repeatedly to pit for gas ??????
Good to see the Zephyr Corvette having a run here.
Where do you find the results.........not on google.
Found the top 10 results on someone's Facebook page, which might have referred to Saturday?
However, it doesn't tally up with the final results, so I might have to edit my earlier post!
https://www.facebook.com/leadfootfes...67468213305016
Earlier post edited.
Last edited by ERC; 02-06-2017 at 07:22 AM.
A Plumber Checking his pipe work, or as the " Smith and Smith Glass " or in Australia " Novus " guy would say, Show us your Cr**k ..Back to Leadfoot.
John D was struggling with the rare Aston Vantage (the only other one that ever competed was Rowan Atkinson's) as he could only get 2nd gear. Great to still him giving it a go.
Another TRS contributor who initially made it into the Top 10. What a great sounding car.
And another TRS contributor who earlier finished in the Top 10. Tremendous effort Paul.
An EX ERC car, the Tony Lynch built Vauxhall Chevette
Now if you are of a sensitive disposition, it may pay to skip the next but one, pre-cropped photograph. This is what takes a lot of time. Checking each photograph and applying a bit of adjustment, where it is considered essential.
After cropping
Before cropping....
Probably ripe for a caption competition...
"Exhaust looks a bit dodgy from here..."
Spgeti, my thoughts too!!, didn't see your comment, was too busy Cracking Up!!
I totally agree about competitors not reading the ASRs Ray. A few years ago I added an item into the ASRs for an Intermarque Sprint meeting along the lines of, "say 'lollipop' to the Secretary at Documentation and receive a small prize". One competitor out of about 70 said 'lollipop' to me...
Careful, there's a crack at the rear!!!Back to Leadfoot.
John D was struggling with the rare Aston Vantage (the only other one that ever competed was Rowan Atkinson's) as he could only get 2nd gear. Great to still him giving it a go.
Another TRS contributor who initially made it into the Top 10. What a great sounding car.
And another TRS contributor who earlier finished in the Top 10. Tremendous effort Paul.
An EX ERC car, the Tony Lynch built Vauxhall Chevette
Now if you are of a sensitive disposition, it may pay to skip the next but one, pre-cropped photograph. This is what takes a lot of time. Checking each photograph and applying a bit of adjustment, where it is considered essential.
After cropping
Before cropping....
Probably ripe for a caption competition...
"Exhaust looks a bit dodgy from here..."
Just a point when you use 'Reply With Quote'. Feel free to delete the attachments that are no longer relevant.
For those who never had to learn the 'HTML' language, a quick lesson on the very basics.
Where it says 'quote', or any other instruction, the word quote is in square brackets. [QUOT] - with an E of course.
When the quote ends, you'll notice that the word 'quote' is now preceded by a backslash. [/QUOT]
The same applies to any other instructions such as centre (but spelled the American way - CENTER!)
That instruction to centre the pics and text, therefore ends when it says [/CENTRE] - but spelled the other way.
That means that any pictures are ATTACHMENTS so if you don't need to show all 5 attachments, simply delete the other four and any accompanying text.
Add your comments then AFTER the [/QUOT] label.
Hope that helps. Remember, that you can go to your previous posts and tidy them up!
Example: But with deliberate incorrect spelling!
[QUOT=ERC;57587]Back to Leadfoot.
[CENTRE]
Before cropping....
[ATTACK=CONFIG]41558[/ATTACK]
[/CENTRE]
[/QUOT]
Last edited by ERC; 02-06-2017 at 09:55 PM.
Displayed in the car park. Jesser BSA hillclimb car.
This fearsome looking machine is a Pikes Peak car - 1989 Arnold-Kidwell.
Peter Jackson's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. One of several built for the film. There is another in the National Motor Museum in the UK.
Land Rover Tomcat. It took something like 14 frustrating months to get this machine through NZ's compliancing/LVVTA system after importation... He has my total sympathy. Been there, done that.
Freightliner Argosy truck - must have been a handful, but he did his best to do a bit of drifting!
Last pic taken as we left. I should have spent a bit of time wandering the car park - but my ankles were stuffed!
Last edited by ERC; 02-06-2017 at 10:07 PM.
Reply With Quote
