Well Done James "Britcar" Tucker

[The Fat Clerk]

Just got home after a brilliant day @ Silverstone, I only went today owing to "Clerking" duties elsewhere yesterday, I went with bad vibes after all the stuff on this site, but was very plesantly surprised. Well done to everyone & here's to next year which I know is going to be on the same weekend.
The highlight for me, was the slowing down lap after the Chequered Flag, with all the drivers waving to the Marshals as they did a full lap of the circuit, unlike The Ring & La Sarthe where they get pulled off early.

[DALY]

On behalf of the BRSCC (Midland centre) a big thank you to all of the officials, marshalls, HQ staff and competitors for putting together a great weekend package. Of course we owe this to James Tucker's vision and energy in setting up such an event and asking the BRSCC to run it.

The Midlands Centre is to have a debrief on the event enabling us to take all of the great bits and make them even better and work on any parts that need some other attention. Constructive comments are always welcome.

Peter Daly
Chairman, Midlands Centre

[Gridlock]

Yes it was a good meeting and I am pleased that I went for the whole time to at least give it a try. I dont however believe a fleeting visit is sufficient to judge the whole weekend. I do not intend to make any comments on the organisation as these will no doubt be made elsewhere as requested by the organisers?
I do believe the organisers owe dept of gratitude to the IO's who had the job of organising shifts thrust upon them on Saturday. The Observers who found themselves as Flag Marshals and finally all the marshals who co-operated with each other providing cover and good team work to get the organisers off the hook.
There was some long hours worked and some great snatches in very difficult situations. Its this attitude that make me proud of what we do and why I continue to turn up. Thanks to all those marshals that I worked with and met during the weekend.
Sorry almost forgot the drivers.Thanks for the understanding when you were under pressure and the waves at the end.

[Don Truman]

Sunday 20.00
I have been asked by JAMES TUCKER to thank all marshals and officials who played a part in this weekend's 24 HOUR RACE.
He said that you had all done a fantastic job.
Also on behalf of the BRSCC my personal thanks to you all.
It was good to see JAMES' personal dream assume reality.
Again many thanks to everybody
Don Truman

[Shelagh]

To all those who were there - hope you enjoyed it as much as I did (especially as I was out flagging on Friday). I think you all did a fantastic job and the fact that the whole thing went off so well is testament to how good you all are (whatever your discipline).

To those who were not there - your loss, because it was a wonderful weekend and how good to be in there for an inaugural event. Come along next year and see what you missed.

Good points: The cameraderie in race control during the graveyard shift (12 midnight - 7.00 am), co-operation between ES and others out on the bank, the racing.......to name a few. Watching car 63 make it to the finish - started as a joke until I realised what their set-up was like - this was true endurance racing spirit.

Bad points: The lack of marshals, the inability to radio anything in as a flag marshal (especially when you knew that the IO was otherwise occupied but you had seen the dangerous driving, etc), the 2 full days of racing before the start of the 24Hrs, not allocating teams to cover all disciplines per post prior to the event (and don't necessarily blame the BRSCC for that one, folks).

Congratulations to James Tucker and his crew but, please, no laser display show on the Friday night next year!!!!

I'll be back,
Shelagh

[Redracer77]

sounds like a great event. Well done to James. I listened to a bit off the race on the webcast from the EERC website as I am in Dubai and couldnt make it. I would love to race in a 24 hour race in the future.

Well done James

[snetmarshal]

Really great weekend, very tired now, but on post with a great bunch of people oh and BC from leicester (enjoy ur raffle prize!!). When i had the chance to walk round the paddock, the teams and drivers very friendly. In fact Mr Lockie, thanked us before the race for marshalling. James put on a brilliant show. Altho the light show for night qualifying was shall we say "interesting"! When they give a radio message saying take shelter where you can and you are on a post of scaffolding poles, metal fence behind you and a big metal structure near by..... (to be fair they did say we could sit in car, but as that was my bed for night, was trying to keep it dry! )

[Asp]

Well, I've now had a good sleep in a comfortable bed, the tent is drying out on the washing line, and the car is waiting to be cleared from mud - and the best word to describe it to me is "Fantastic".

There were certainly moments when I was stuck out on post and wondering what I was doing there, but the grin on my face on the slowing down lap after being part of such a successful event was probably as big as that on the team in the Rollcentre garage - well done to them! Certainly an event I will be at next year.

Huge thanks need to go out to a number of people and groups of people:
The BRDC and Silverstone for the facilities - in particular finding a room for us to dry out in at the last minute on Friday night whilst they were also busy checking the damage to the circuit infastructure.
BRSCC for the Friday meal voucher and exemplary organisation in difficult circumstances and exploring uncharter waters.
EERC and James Tucker for ensuring we had good grids; the meal vouchers for the rest of the weekend; the T-Shirt and badge; and everything else they did for us.
Everyone who was with me up at Club over the weekend and keeping me sane/awake - Pam, Matt, John and Keith on Friday; John on Saturday and Sunday; Lou over all the weekend - and especially Mike as IO who made things as easy as possible for us to work things. I also hope that Steve on his first day on post and Hugo venturing off the track for an appearance on the bank really enjoyed and will be back soon.
The commentary team for excellent work in keeping us updated, and of course the numerous marshalling plugs - we had 2 people come up to us and ask about marshalling, quite probably as a direct result of hearing a mention on the PA/Radio Silverstone.
And last but not least the drivers for putting on such a great show for us.

It was a memorable weekend for many reasons, and the storm on Friday will certainly not be forgettable for all of us that was out in it. But the cameraderie got us through it, and made me really proud to be there. As I said, fantastic!

[Alan Green]

Fantastic weekend flagging at Copse In, thanks to everyone involved and very well done to the IOs in dealing with the reporting and the recovering.

Bad points: No raffle prize and getting drenched on Friday night, even though I had the grandstand to hide under

Good points: Everything else

An absolute must for next year, with the promise of the full 80-car grid.

Al.

[Paul Newns]

I'm absolutely cream crackered but what a great weekend. I must say thanks to the crew at Priory for putting up with me for 30odd hours.

EERC did an excellant job for us and anyone who missed going this year MUST go next year. You missed an excellant meeting.

Also, can I just say that I've never been more happy to see anyone than when Dave Brice arrived on Sunday morning. I was starting to flag (both literally and physically!).

[scorch]

I would also like to add my support and thanks. It was an execellent event. there were marshalls from all over the country there, especally the scots that came down.

I think everybody enjoyed a great weekend..

oh by the way the team that embodied all the things that britcar and endurance racing is about and without question my team of the weekend were the 63 car. They came they drove and they finished....

[Nighthawk]

Had a great weekend enjoyed it..But!!!!!! What happened to the raffle prizes ? Noticed some where missing of the list...
That aside i will be there next year

[PapaJuliet]

I haven't much more to add to the previous comments. This was my first 24 hour race and I am soooooo glad I went.

There was a lot on the grid to make the race interesting and it was good watching individual stories unfold. In addition to car 63 (mentioned above) the prize for shear dogged determination must go to the number 12 Mazda. By my first break they had done 23 pit-stops but they were still there at the end.

I had such a feeling of exhilaration watching the final lap with the cars coming round in formation - the two Falcons side by side, the 4 Mazdas nose to tail... and every single driver acknowledging the marshals. I'll be there next year... you have been warned.

I hope a few more people join us!

PJ

[Gerryc]

What a great meeting! My first 24 hour race but not my last. Congratulations to all the organisers for putting together an excellent, professional, meeting faced with almost no prior information on the logistical problems they would have to face.

The only negative was the shortage of marshals, which led to very long periods on-post, but those who missed this one missed out big-time. I will certainly be there next year and would encourage everyone else to be there too. My thanks to Bob Miller for covering the flags for me for a while overnight, and for the very welcome cups of tea that helped to keep me awake (or at least as awake as I ever get).

Were there problems - of course there were, but none serious and none that can't be easily overcome. Will I return - of course; I firmly believe that next year the grid will be even bigger and sufficient marshals will be persuaded that James Tucker and the EERC do put on a great show and all the parties involved in the meeting do care for the marshals welfare. I reckon that within the 5-year contract this meeting will be attracting more marshals than the GP.

Roll on the 2006 24-hour Britcar meeting.

[Startline Ed]

I agree with the previous comments. It was also my first 24 hours and had a great time. Got drafted for flagging at woodcote gap rather than working in the pits after the start. Had a great time doing it. Many thanks to everyone on that post especially for helping with the SC board, need more hands .

I managed to have time off post, 4 hours on, 4 off. How was it for everyone else?

True we were short of marshals but apart from that I thought the meeting ran well.

Hope the BMW driver who hit the wall on the start/finish is ok, anyone know how he was after the crash?

Will definetly go next year, hope more marshals go next year as it is a very good meeting.

[TheFlyingHaggis]

FROM US THE THREE SCOTS. Just like to add to what has been said,The three of us had a great weekend ,well looked after,well feed,and WELL watered. A personal thanks to the Big Chef Flag and to all those at Woodcote Gap. And also to those who before this meet who put it Down ..well i feel sorry for you Boys because you missed the best meeting of the year....well worth the 450 mile 7 hour trip.....
LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR

PS WE will bring the GIMP with the WIG back ...... This time PLEASE DONOT BEER....
ALL THE BEST FROM THE SCOTS

[Alan Green]

Message was that the driver of the BMW was ok, but very shaken. Car was seriously shortened from what I saw as it was delivered into scrutineering.

To answer your other question, we had two flag marshals on Copse In (cheers John) and worked 4 on / 4 off from the start of the 24h race.

Al.

[DavidBritainUK]

What a fantastic weekend. Good grids, and some excellant racing.

Many thanks to my " small but perfectly formed" team at Pedestrian Bridge. You all did a super job and were great company.

Roll on next year. Someone tell me the dates, and it will be in the diary now.

[alankeer]

Cracking Meeting after all the negative comments on here before the meeting i wasn`t sure what to expect ! ,But[I] once on post we organised ourselves (EVERYONE got decent breaks on our post!) easy!! as for the racing it just sucked you in!!Brilliant, even the wheather couldnt ruin it
Thanks to everyone involved it felt like you really tried hard to look after the marshals
I`ll be back next year!!

[Graham Goodwin]

From The Man himself via dailysportscar.com

"Just to let you know I am now OK, very bruised with a damaged ego and severely questioning whether I can drive a car! – and in plaster for six weeks with broken ankle," says the battered Redhouse.

Well done to the guys who attended - very slick work

[Startline Ed]

Glad to hear he's OK, looked like a very hard hit as it cracked the concrete.

The racing did suck you in, was still wondering in the last hour who was going to win.

Bring on next year indeed, hopefully with a full capacity grid. Just give me a grid sheet, some flags and I'll do the startline/flags combo again.

[Pavaroti]

As another of the mad Scottish marshal's that was there I can also say that the whole weekend was BRILLIANT! Thank you all for letting us cross the border to England-shire for another visit, we will return next year(prior warning to let you prepare)! The races were fantastic as was the light show on friday. Thanks to the BIG CHIEF FLAGGIE for looking after Davie and Paul.
ps Sorry about the wig and the person in it!!!!!!

[Nighthawk]

I was Observer on Chapel in But as we had a snatch vehicle and no driver we stayed with that at the infield gap. The I/O was an excellent chap and 2 other marshals with us also many thanks to them for a good 24+ hours.
We did not get many breaks between us as we had to cover most of Hanger straight but had plenty of tea on tap to keep us going.
Yes it was my first 24 hour and will be back next year just hope weather is better.....

[Shelagh]

I hope all those "b*****rs" (to quote D Truman) are watching to see these comments. All those whingers on the "before thread" should look at this one post event!!!!!!

How excellent that we are getting so positive comments from all areas.

PS: More good points: the clerks doing shift changes without anyone realising it had happened, witnessing a Bernie Cotterill "master class" in how to deal with team managers, using the cameras to do the best to sort things out (but those yellow lights on post were necessary, in case anyone wonders).

More Bad Points: Living off PitStop /diner Food (and even I have to thank Bernie for Friday tea......!!!!!!!!!) - but Sunday breakfast was good.

More good points: that most of the chief flags (4) plus various others were out on the bank on Friday (to the bitter [flash] end) so don't assume that the "senior officials" never venture out onto the bank - believe me they do (and this blew my cunning plan for an easy life).

Thanks to Kevin(?) for sharing the box at Post 19 on the Friday - and for organising the escape route so rolling up my trouser legs was not completely necessary.

There is still more to come - but for now,

Shelagh

[Woolley]

Having suspected that this was going to be good (and being disappointed that I couldn't make it) I'm very pleased to see the remarks on this thread. We're going through a difficult period where we're not trusting the organisers (too often with good reason) and that's having an affect other events - probably affecting the numbers for this one. It's fantastic that an organiser has come through on the pre-event promises and hype, and congratulations to James and his colleagues for that.

Next year, pick a date I can make...?