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Old 29 Jul 2013, 11:25 (Ref:3283268)   #1
icorper
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icorper should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Drivers & Marshals

Just as a discussion point, do you think drivers at all levels should make themselves more available to marshals for meet & greet type appearances.

I know that drivers have pretty heavy schedules during race weekends but a few minutes at sign-on or in the bar after racing surely cant be too much to ask.

Judging by the popularity of the Plato appearance at the BTCC sign-on at the end of last year it is something a lot of marshals would appreciate.

Normally we are on duty and already trackside while grid walks are going on or you would have to battle your way past hordes of punters queuing for autographs during what ever short break you get.

Any thoughts.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 11:31 (Ref:3283269)   #2
The Fat Clerk
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The Fat Clerk should be qualifying in the top 10 on the gridThe Fat Clerk should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Why?

Or are you just talking about Touring Cars?
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 11:42 (Ref:3283274)   #3
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I too would say 'Why?'
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 11:55 (Ref:3283281)   #4
Richard Duvall
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The best way for drivers to make themselves available to marshals would be to take a turn on the bank. That will give them the opportunity to see what we do to facilitate their racing and also learn the importance of obeying flag signals!
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 12:04 (Ref:3283287)   #5
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As a chief marshal I do get drivers volunteering to come and marshal at events (caterham academy drivers are encouraged to do so) and welcome them to come along.. however if #john smith from AN Other championship# turns up at sign on to meet the marshals no one would know who he was.. MORAL.. let's try to encourage drivers to step into the dark side and spend a day on the bank..
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 12:14 (Ref:3283296)   #6
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When I started marshalling (and before anyone says anything, yes it was a long time ago) it was common for drivers and marshals to mingle in the bar after a meeting. Sadly, with the longer days we seem to have now most driverds have long gone by the time we are off post.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 12:21 (Ref:3283299)   #7
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The Fat Clerk should be qualifying in the top 10 on the gridThe Fat Clerk should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
If you're in the area the Silverstone (White Horse) Clubnights are highly reccomended.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 12:23 (Ref:3283301)   #8
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My opinion is that drivers should spend a day on the bank as part of their ARDS test, or maybe as part of a licence upgrade which could (for example) be part of their novice cross removal? Having said that - nobody should pay attention to me as I think that all road car drivers should ride a bike to work for a week as part of an rta test....
Anyway, Back to the point. I am guessing that the OP is referring to touring car drivers as most of the others will (usually) be keen (or very keen) to talk to Marshals in the paddock first thing before signing on, in fact I would recommend having a good look round the paddock as a great way of preparing for your day.

Am I mistaken in thinking that whole Plato thing was a reaction to the Neal family mouth/foot error and not out of any great wish to meet the Marshals? * Or am I beating around the bush with the wrong end of the stick?



*not my thing.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 12:28 (Ref:3283303)   #9
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icorper should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
No not just BTCC but F1, DTM, GP2, Sports Cars.

I am a racing fan and I have some items that I would love to get signed, and lots of drivers I would like to meet but I would hate to impose when they are in the middle of something, and finding an appropriate time is difficult.

We attend untold numbers of events and other than a quick walk around the paddock (if you are even allowed that) we are normally confined to the bank during the hours between sign-on and the finish of racing.

You never get to see a driver unless they end up at your post. Usually not a good time to have any more than a quick chat unless they stand with you for the rest of the race.

Occasionally you bump into a driver and share a quick hello, but those times it is usually in appropriate or impossible do anything more than say hello.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 12:44 (Ref:3283306)   #10
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[QUOTE=Steve Fox;3283301]Am I mistaken in thinking that whole Plato thing was a reaction to the Neal family mouth/foot error and not out of any great wish to meet the Marshals? * Or am I beating around the bush with the wrong end of the stick?



I can only speak as I find,
Both Neals (Senior & Junior) could not have been more friendly at Silverstones Formula Student event a couple of weeks ago.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 12:57 (Ref:3283316)   #11
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As a Post Chief I am often asked to welcome a driver onto my post to spend the day with us. When this happens I do all I can to integrate the driver as part of the team introducing them to all members of the team and explaining what each person is responsible for. I fully agree with Roy Salisbury's comment that this is something that needs to be encouraged. This will only happen for club formula because corporate and other distractions take up most of a drivers spare time in all major catorgories of racing. it is also highly discouraged to ask drivers for autographs when they visit us on post for any other reasons.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 12:59 (Ref:3283318)   #12
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Slipstick should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
If your interest is only in professional drivers/races then surely they already have (often fairly onerous) contractual "meet the public/sponsors" arrangements. I'm not sure that taking extra time out of their days to meet the relatively small group which is race marshals would offer any real value to them.

Of course I marshal mainly clubbies and the drivers at those are generally happy to chat to any marshals as we wander round the the paddock in the early morning or at lunch time (if any ). After racing is trickier because they're generally busy packing up and driving themselves home ready to go to work the next morning.

Steve
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 13:24 (Ref:3283326)   #13
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If your interest is only in professional drivers/races then surely they already have (often fairly onerous) contractual "meet the public/sponsors" arrangements. I'm not sure that taking extra time out of their days to meet the relatively small group which is race marshals would offer any real value to them.

Of course I marshal mainly clubbies and the drivers at those are generally happy to chat to any marshals as we wander round the the paddock in the early morning or at lunch time (if any ). After racing is trickier because they're generally busy packing up and driving themselves home ready to go to work the next morning.

Steve
Exactly my point, public/official meet and greets are usually so crammed with public and VIPs there is no way to get close.

Clubbies are great because you can have a chat with the drivers & mechanics get a look at a car etc. and they are usually very nice people and seem to appreciate us being there.

Not so with pro drivers and bigger meetings, all you get there is restricted access and never a sign of a driver.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 14:11 (Ref:3283333)   #14
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It depends and im going to throw something in there now, i would also ask the question why, because marshals are there to do a job not to meet drivers.

I feel that a few people would take advantage of maybe some touring car drivers come on post and then not concentrate on the job at hand.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 14:24 (Ref:3283335)   #15
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icorper should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Why?

Because unless I am mistaken we (most of us) are primarily race fans (if not then why do you do it).

And I completely agree that 'on the bank' is not the place to meet drivers.

Nor frankly is it the proper or fitting thing to be nipping off post during a support race to grab an autograph.

We are there to do a 'professional' job, all be it voluntarily, and I am quite happy to do the job.

In my personal opinion doing a professional job means acting professionally between sign-on and home time. Not to be distracted and hunting for opportunities to get stuff signed.

So that said it would be nice during down-time to be able to do some of the race fan stuff.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 17:00 (Ref:3283386)   #16
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rbs should be qualifying in the top 5 on the gridrbs should be qualifying in the top 5 on the grid
You are all welcome to come along to South Midland regions club nights and enjoy the company of drivers.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 17:58 (Ref:3283409)   #17
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kipper should be qualifying in the top 10 on the gridkipper should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I'm not sure that such a thing is necessary - certainly at club meetings, the significant majority of drivers are quite happy to have a chat during the day (such as at lunch) that a 'meet and great' session before or after the meeting is a tad unnecessary. Whilst for the larger meetings, it would be quite nice to get the odd autograph, I'm not sure I'd relish a longer day - particularly if one needs to be getting home or pitching a tent, etc.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 18:08 (Ref:3283412)   #18
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Stick around long enough as a marshal and you will find you get to meet quite a few drivers, many of whom go to extraordinary efforts to meet you - though I have found that they are often not that keen on giving autographs, depending on how much damage they have just inflicted to their pride and joy.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 20:32 (Ref:3283453)   #19
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M Greenslade should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
In the 'good ole days' way way back in the seventies it was not unusual to go to the bar (no longer where it was) at Snetts after the race and have a pint (or two...) with Gerry Marshal, Skid Scarborough, Barrie Williams, Tony Lanfranchi etc etc, wonderful days that have long since long, nostalgia is not what it used to be......ahh

Even bumped into and said hello to James Hunt who was taking time off from the GP circus to compete in the 'Texaco Tour of Britain' before he threw the car at a tree on a stage in Thetford Forest, can't ever imagine any of todays F1 drivers even bothering to consider such a thing.

Glad to have been there.

Just don't mention the Marshal's party from that era when 'Big Marina from Attleborough' used to come along and do a turn.....when I say a turn, it was more of a complete circle....

Bladders....

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Old 29 Jul 2013, 20:35 (Ref:3283454)   #20
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Several meetings have barbecues, something I feel ought to be encouraged, where marshals, drivers and guests all attend and mingle. We're all doing it for the same reasons, really, so why not get together?

Posher meetings have masses of catering. They also depend on us to enable them to run their business. It seems very fair and reasonable to put the two together...

I also think it's very beneficial for drivers and marshals to meet in a social setting, and for drivers to understand race meetings and the marshals' job from the other side of the fence.

Of course, it does happen. How many of you have tried HillClimbing? Pretty much standard at most meetings.
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 20:44 (Ref:3283457)   #21
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Stick around long enough as a marshal and you will find you get to meet quite a few drivers, many of whom go to extraordinary efforts to meet you
Just about what I was going to type! I have many great memories of chatting to the great and good of racing - team managers, owners, drivers, etc etc - I can't show you full autograph books (I have a few treasured signatures), but I have the memories (till the dementia finally gets me completely).

Having a driver catch up to you in the paddock after you've sorted them out (maybe just offering a bottle of water and a quiet place to hide) after they've come visit you on post for the wrong reasons and return the drink (alcoholic or not) or just say thanks!
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Old 29 Jul 2013, 22:03 (Ref:3283476)   #22
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The best place I found to meet drivers was at the Revival. While most marshals would be packing up on the Sunday evening I would always go to the presentation. I met more drivers & other motorsport legends there than I could wave a flag at. Sir Jack Brabham, Alan Jones, Bobby Rahal, Carroll Shelby....

Even just a few years ago in Touring Cars you could always chat with the likes of Derek Warwick. Will Hoy & Tim Harvey. And yes good ole Gerry was always very approachable. He even invited all the marshals for a drink at the bar when he won his 600th race at Snet.
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Old 30 Jul 2013, 07:39 (Ref:3283663)   #23
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My opinion is that drivers should spend a day on the bank as part of their ARDS test.
Absolutely
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Old 30 Jul 2013, 07:43 (Ref:3283666)   #24
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Now, I am wondering why such nice, decent marshals would want to spend time with mere drivers at all.

There is a much nicer crowd on the banking.
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Old 30 Jul 2013, 07:48 (Ref:3283667)   #25
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Why?

Because unless I am mistaken we (most of us) are primarily race fans (if not then why do you do it).

And I completely agree that 'on the bank' is not the place to meet drivers.

Nor frankly is it the proper or fitting thing to be nipping off post during a support race to grab an autograph.

We are there to do a 'professional' job, all be it voluntarily, and I am quite happy to do the job.

In my personal opinion doing a professional job means acting professionally between sign-on and home time. Not to be distracted and hunting for opportunities to get stuff signed.

So that said it would be nice during down-time to be able to do some of the race fan stuff.
Interesting, what Nina and I do is not to try and combine the two. If we marshal, we consider it "working" and try and do the best job that we can. Luckily neither of us are "distracted" by "fame" - after all we are all human beings at the end of the day, including the famous ones, so meeting well known people isn't really a big deal for us.

If we want to do the race fan stuff, we'll go to the meetings as a spectator, then we are free to wander around and do what ever we want to do without worrying about being "professional". Sometimes we'll mention we are marshals and that helps, or sometimes even we are recognised by drivers/teams which also helps.
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