Marshalling

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10th January 2010

8 intrepid Club adventurers, commonly known as marshals, ventured out on the Xmas stages at Croft on 2nd January and where stationed in the most exposed location on the circuit, in the middle of the Rallycross ‘rough’ covering chicanes at the old and new start lines. The wind howled, the kettle boiled, the pan produced bacon butties and the cars slid past on the first 2 stages. Not quite demolition derby on ice but certainly entertaining. The marshalling team consisted of 3 old ( well reasonably old) experienced ‘people’, 3 ‘first time on a rally to marshal’ members, a master chef and good egg with the pan and kettle and an old fool doing some radio work from inside a dam cold car!
It became warmer during stages 3 and 4 and sliding on slush became a new pastime.
Lunch break … 40 minutes to chisel off ice cubes!
Stage 5 started in a blizzard and was back to skating on ice as the temperature dropped. Stage 6 saw a Subaru Forester complete the stage some 15 seconds faster than the leader … “What’s his name with Brother in Law from a coach Co”. .. The Forester was sold on Ebay later that night … ‘no careful owners, rallied once’.
The organizers, with safety in mind only ran stage 7 and cancelled stage 8. The newcomers to marshalling all expressed delight at being involved, most are available and looking forward to 17th, the training day in February and the track season starting in April. For those that missed the day, you missed several master classes in how to drive on ice along with even more master classes of ‘How not to drive on ice’

Training day on 21st of February is only 25% full at this time and there are lots who do need a refresher day … apply now .. PLEASE.