BTCC Brands - a massive well done

[Claire]

I was playing spectator yesterday up at Druids and I would like to say a huge well done to all the marshals and medics that were involved the first race crash fest. The speed that you got to all the drivers, helped them out and then got all the debris cleared up was brilliant. The weather was at it's worst and you just got on and did what was needed (as we do).
I don't expect that either Matt or his father will be as quick to say thanks as they were to critise earlier in the season but I thought you all did a magnificent job.
With the TV schedule and various other cars being pitched at the woodwork that menat no lunch and the Clio race added on the end of the day, I did feel for you all and hope you and all the other marshals that were there didn't get too wet, hungry or tired!
I am very proud to be part of such a great and hard working group of volunteers (even though I escaped all the hard work yesterday )

[Mark Mitchell]

Here's the footage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unUHPSw2qlY

[JimW]

Originally Posted by Claire

I was playing spectator yesterday up at Druids and I would like to say a huge well done to all the marshals and medics that were involved the first race crash fest. The speed that you got to all the drivers, helped them out and then got all the debris cleared up was brilliant. The weather was at it's worst and you just got on and did what was needed (as we do).
I don't expect that either Matt or his father will be as quick to say thanks as they were to critise earlier in the season but I thought you all did a magnificent job.
. . .

Actually Matt's father said hello as we (crew from one of the units) walked through the back of the pits a few races later and expressed his thanks for everyone's efforts.

Regards

Jim

[White flag man]

Thanks Claire,
I too would like to say well done to all marshals, especially those between posts 3 and 7, who had a particularly busy day, although were there any post who didn't have an incident, maybe 25. Post 22/23 had their fare share, but when you have mini1400, the Cookes and John Bryant on post, what do you expect? After the carnage at the weekend, I'm quite shocked to learn that we have as many incident marshals at Knockhill, in 2 weeks (15, including course marshals) as were rumoured to be on post 7 yesterday!!!
BTCC driver of the day has to be........Mr Stringfellow. He completed as many laps as anybody, he led for as many laps as anybody, he didn't punt anybody off and he was the only one not to damage his car, well done Sir
Many thanks to all the guys, and Mandy, on post 24, for all the humour, despite the delays, especially Alan for trying to keep us all in control, and we even had our own incident as Mr Jones tried to enter the pits with his left front wheel facing the other way to the rest, and I won't mention Mr Jordan hitting the pit wall on Saturday
Thanks Mark for the video link, as I was wondering how some of the guys, in the middle of the pack, managed to get through. Maybe in future the music they should play, as they are coming round to the grid, is Pete Burns singing "You spin me round"

[racerm5]

HI ALL
As a driver id like to thank the marshalls for all their efforts at getting us all out of the cars and clearing the mess.
The most heart warming part of the day was all the marshalls clapping and cheering when our patched up diesel made it out for race 3.
The team done a great job to get me out but seeing that made it worth while for me.
Thanks again Rick Kerry

[White flag man]

Thanks Rick,
Sorry you were caught up in the chaos. I hear you won't be at Knockhill, is that true?

[racerm5]

yeah sorry not enough in the budget for knock hill but will be at thruxton.

[CombeMarshal]

Good work to you and your team at getting up and running again, and good luck for Thruxton, see you there, but hopefully only in the pits!!!

[Mad Mattie]

Thanks to Claire and Rick for their kind comments. It was my first time in Brands at the weekend and I was on post 25. I had a great time. I would also like to say very well done to the marshal's on paddock hill and druids for all their work throughout the weekend.

[Tangoman]

Despite the weather I had a great weekend on post 22, we saw a few incidents but thankfully nothing too serious. It was my first visit to Brands and a very memorable one. I look forward to going again.
It's very heartwarming to see a forum post by a BTCC driver, thanks Rick, and great work by you and your team to get the car back out. There were quite a few cars in the last race that looked like they were held together with tape and chewing gum but still put on a great show.

[jonbryant]

Originally Posted by White flag man

Post 22/23 had their fare share, but when you have mini1400, the Cookes and John Bryant on post, what do you expect?

<looks innocent>

It wasn't my fault that Shedden came in at my feet within 2 minutes of me turning up...

And from someone who could watch the clear up from close quarters, I thought you did an excellent job as ever. Now all I need is to be able to turn up on a post without a chorus of abuse!

We can but dream...

[Kitten Kat]

I was on post 25, the quietest post at Brands this weekend! Just wanted to say a huge well done to all the other posts throughout the weekend - you had it tough, but did a great job!

[sputnik421]

I was also on post 25 both days, on Saturday was quite peacefully. Sunday there were two observers reports, only 1 was race related the first one was due to one of our marshals felling ill. We did not get a report back from the med center as to her status. She did not return, if she or her friends who were also on 25, could post here to tell us if she is ok.

We were doing grid fire cover, so the lack of a lunch break was a bind, as we could not eat while others were clearing there bit of track. I did manage to eat one of my sarnies, and an apple pie in the short gaps between races. I only had 1 sarnie left to eat by the time I had taken my wet tent down. The TV guys need to be a bit more flexible, as they only show 1 race live, and most of the races they show 2 months or so after the event.

[Kitten Kat]

I'm glad Saturday was quiet on post 25, having been voted by the rest of the post to be observer!

The other Cat was feeling better than she had been when she left Brands on Sunday afternoon; disappointed that her marshalling day had finished so early and the fact she missed the drivers in the med centre!

[sputnik421]

I'm very glad to hear Cat is felling better now, it would have been nice to have got a message from the med center though. As I recall it you were the only one to volenter for the obbs job on Saturday. I thought you did a good job of it to, we had a relaxed and friendly day. I had only worked with one of the marshals on post before, but it was as if we were all well known to each other. I look forward to working with you and Doug again, and am hoping to work with the other Cat for longer than 1 race. I enjoyed my weekend apart from the rain, but most of the meetings I have gone to this year have been wet. The one dry weekend I do remember this year was BSB at thruxton, I was far to hot and that was in April.

[Nighthawk]

I Was Obs on post 6 I would like to thank all on post for a good weekend.
The 3 trainees we had did a first class job on sunday helping down on post 4/5. and for the end of day antics of the clio;s
see you all at thruxton F3 this weekend.
Oh.. and thanks to the course marshal who pushed a broom into my hands and told me to sweep......

[JLD]

A big thankyou to all those on post 22 for making my first trip to brands enjoyable. I will certainly be back sometime.

[Kitten Kat]

Originally Posted by sputnik421

I look forward to working with you and Doug again, and am hoping to work with the other Cat for longer than 1 race.

We look forward to marshalling with you again in the future

Originally Posted by sputnik421

I enjoyed my weekend apart from the rain, but most of the meetings I have gone to this year have been wet. The one dry weekend I do remember this year was BSB at thruxton, I was far to hot and that was in April.

I would like to do one meeting this season without having to wear full waterproofs!

[ALANGRUMPY]

I know this is going to be hard to believe, but during the clear up after BTCC race 1 incident, members of the rescue crews were seen to be pushing brooms about! And what's even more amazing, some of them had the brooms the right way round. More by luck than judgement i suspect

[Kitten Kat]

Post 25 saw rescue using brooms the right way up too! We were impressed

[Teletubby]

Originally Posted by ALANGRUMPY

I know this is going to be hard to believe, but during the clear up after BTCC race 1 incident, members of the rescue crews were seen to be pushing brooms about! And what's even more amazing, some of them had the brooms the right way round. More by luck than judgement i suspect

I'll have you know that we seem to do more sweeping and pushing than anything else these days!

Oh, and having the broom the right way round was no thanks to you, you told us that we should sit on the bristley end!

[sss]

Originally Posted by Teletubby

you told us that we should sit on the bristley end!

did it fit?

[Teletubby]

I'll have you know it's the overalls that make my bum look big!

[blackx]

I was only watching on the tv but I have to say I was impressed with how quickly all the days incidents were cleared..

Well done guys and girls...

[Norbert]

Originally Posted by Teletubby

I'll have you know that we seem to do more sweeping and pushing than anything else these days!

Oh, and having the broom the right way round was no thanks to you, you told us that we should sit on the bristley end!

I can confirm this! Martin did more than his fair share of sweeping following my 2 clio 'car bombs' at Thruxton testing a couple of weeks back too!