SAXMAX - you cant slag us off now

[deccerz77]

The SAXMAX race yesterday was brilliant! There was no contact, no rubbing of door mirrors, nothing. And we were the first to race in the wet! So now SAXMAX should not be reffered as banger racing or anything like that because we have proved that we can race, even under the worse conditions. After just seeing the Clio race only have 1 lap I think the MSA should start clamping down on their driving standards not ours. Well done everyone in the SAXMAX race yesterday!!

[Abbie44]

well said.
& well done everyone!

[Startline Ed]

Originally Posted by deccerz77

The SAXMAX race yesterday was brilliant! There was no contact, no rubbing of door mirrors, nothing. And we were the first to race in the wet! So now SAXMAX should not be reffered as banger racing or anything like that because we have proved that we can race, even under the worse conditions. After just seeing the Clio race only have 1 lap I think the MSA should start clamping down on their driving standards not ours. Well done everyone in the SAXMAX race yesterday!!

Hear, hear. As one of the marshals I was impressed by the lack of incidents. Well done boys and girls!

[McKendrick]

Maybe youve all finally learned to drive!!

[Suze]

Yep but unfortunately Saxmax has a reputation now, and one race won't change that. I was told there was quite a lot of contact in qualifying and that every session during testing was red flagged, and this was by someone who was running a car - is this correct? I didn't watch it....

[chezza]

Well you obviously weren't watching the same race I was.

I was at Luffield Centre post and at one point we were setting up at creche, we had 4 cars we had to pull from the gravel and we had several more manage to get themselves out. I know the conditions were bad, but we had cars firing at us from all over the place and also there were certainly people out there not obeying flags.

One such incident we were going to try and push out car 23 who was on the edge of the gravel, but we had to abandon that idea as the other cars were still going flat chat, on the edge of control and only about 2 or 3 feet from us...and this was under waved yellows. We were very fortunate in that once we had towed 23 from the gravel he didn't want to restart as about 30 seconds after the JCB and car 23 rounded the end of the armco car 4 came skipping across the gravel and the grass right were we would have dropped car 23 so he could rejoin. This again would have been under yellow flags. Yellow flag regulations state:

Yellow flag – Stationary: Danger, slow down sufficiently to ensure that full control of the vehicle can be retained. No overtaking.

Yellow flag – Waved: Great danger. Slow down considerably. Be prepared to suddenly change from the projected racing line, or take other evasive action including stopping if necessary. No overtaking. (MSA bluebook J16.1 e and f)

I don't think many of you slowed, and also I know that some weren't in full control.

I thought most of you handled the conditions very well, but there is still a lot of room for improvement.

Was good to meet you Abbie - I was the marshal on the post that asked you if you wanted to drive you car back or if you wanted a tow.

[Chris Y]

The SAXMAX race yesterday was brilliant! There was no contact, no rubbing of door mirrors, nothing. And we were the first to race in the wet! So now SAXMAX should not be reffered as banger racing or anything like that because we have proved that we can race, even under the worse conditions

You had one 'clean' race (or not, see Chezza's comments) and you think that gets you all off the hook after so many previous crash-fests? Ha!

[MartinSmith]

Originally Posted by Chris Y

You had one 'clean' race (or not, see Chezza's comments) and you think that gets you all off the hook after so many previous crash-fests? Ha!

Erm sorry but I have to say

If a patient is sick in the hospital, and they respond well to treatment a doctor would encourage them, give them praise...be realistic but still look for the positives rather than the negatives and I think we should do that here.

Having sat in on the Drivers Briefing saturday morning it was very clear from the off about the rep that Saxmax has and that it was "being watched" and this was reported by the MSA Steward in that briefing in no uncertain terms BUT THAT SAME MSA STEWARD also at the end of that race, along with the Clerk of the Course and ALL in race control congratulated the Saxmax drivers for the way they performed and how they handled the wet weather coming in and a slippery track

I know there are always two sides to a story, hence the concern in the first place, but lets give the other side equal justice dont you think?

I always think encouragement is the best cure if something isnt right so I would hope that people would feel the same on here and if Saxmax feels a bit proud of itself so it should! Well done....keep up the good work....build on what you have achieved this weekend and who knows!!

[deccerz77]

Much appreciated!

[Abbie44]

Nice meeting you too Chezza!

And thanks for your encouragement claire it really does help to know that not everyone watching us thinks we're crap at driving..

I was going to mention the MSA Steward but you've already done the job so thanks!

The conditions out there were impossible, it was like a monsoon! I couldnt see furthur than 2 meters infront of me! So i think everyone did well to avoid a massive accident!

I think if the saxmax meetings go as smoothly as they did this weekend every time, there wont be a problem...

Roll on Oulton!

[chezza]

The conditions were far from ideal, but one good race won't change a lot of peoples opinions. Keep working at it guys and girls and you'll get there.

[McKendrick]

Originally Posted by Abbie44

Roll on Oulton!

Hopefully youll have a good weekend there or there will be lots of broken cars due to the proximity of the barriers!!

[gravel_monkey]

i dont think anyone thinks that saxmax guys and girls are crap at driving, obviously some people are better at that age and show more potential. the point that was trying to be made is just because most drivers behaved themselves for one race does not mean that the reputation will change, and as has been stated, there are always two sides to every story. the saxmax peeps were given a well done but it sounds like some guys were still up to usual tricks, just not as many or as bad as normal so in that case it would be well done.

to just make the point, i love saxmax and think it is a great series, iam not slagging it by any means

[Mark Mitchell]

Well done guys and girls but now you're going to a proper track next (Oulton).
It's very unforgiving if you get it wrong and it will hurt if you hit the barriers.

[dj choc ice]

Originally Posted by Mark Mitchell

Well done guys and girls but now you're going to a proper track next (Oulton).
It's very unforgiving if you get it wrong and it will hurt if you hit the barriers.

even more if you took a dip in the lake as well like someone did years ago in pickup racing at oulton.

[anarchist123]

I have never felt the need to put pen to paper or indeed fingers to keyboard, and to be honest lived by the motto “whatever” but guy’s please, I have just been drawn to Race Official “Chezza” comments on the recent Saxmax race at Silverstone in the worst race conditions the drivers have endured this year. It’s bad enough that the drivers were subject to a patronising official who quite frankly thought that puffing his chest out and waving his finger was a way of gaining respect, clearly not a parent. “In one ear and out the other I would suggest.” But then by a Marshal who I quote “obviously weren’t watching the same race I was”, well actually I believe you! You weren’t watching the same race, maybe you were at Brands with the BTCC. I for one have felt that all year these young drivers have flown the flag for the future of British racing drivers. They deserve the same respect as they show to you Marshal’s. They know they need you there, they know you do a stirling job, you are indeed their eyes on the track and for all this they respect you and your flags.

“Chezza please keep in context the conditions they were driving in”, most of the car’s window screens were steamed up and comments from around the pits were such and I quote “God that was bad I could only see the rear lights of the car in front”.

Along the start finish line the cars were aquaplaning and yet still these young drivers remained focussed and stayed in their commitment to race, and as with all true racing drivers, win! If there is any criticism to be done it should remain firmly with Mr. finger pointing, chest puffing, race official whose leather waistcoat was clearly a fashion icon from the sixties, now that’s criticism.

With all this in mind, Saxmax drivers, keep doing what you’re doing. The racing is close and competitive, and brilliant to watch!

[graham bahr]

my two penith worth for whats its worth,

one contact free race bad conditions or not will hardly do anything to change the opinions of a race championship, and the origonal poster is deluded if they think that will happen, in anycase its impossible for one person to declare a race incident free who ever they are, and i merely think that cheeza was responding to this point, chezza is a well known to many drivers and well respected marshall, i doubt any of the DMN drivers including myself would have any issues with chezza or her comments.

as far as mr finger pointing offical goes, well sorry but sometimes it has to be done, the softly softly approach only works to a point and once a championship, a series or certain drivers reach the point of having a bad reputation its the only thing left to do, just like almost every parent under the sun, you can get to a point when only direct threats achive anything

[chezza]

Thanks for that Graham.

Anarchist123...I have said serveral times that they handled the conditions very well and I have to say they were a lot better than I was expecting and also some of the more experienced drivers racing in those conditions faired a lot worse...BUT...that race was in no way perfect, contact free or incident free and I saw with my own eyes yellow flag infringments so I was disagreeing with the opening post and having been there am entitled to have my opinion. Also knowing somebody who was in the pit lane for that meeting he said some of the cars were in a right state with bits hanging off all over the place.

Also as Graham said, one good race isn't going to change the reputation of the series.

Also there are time for kid gloves and there are times when a stern word is needed.

Also I think you'll find that "race official" refers to my status on tenths rather than anything else...just like yours says "rookie". I don't claim to be anything other than a marshal, secretary of the meeting and occassional series co-ordinator.

[NJF]

Originally Posted by chezza

Thanks for that Graham.

Also knowing somebody who was in the pit lane for that meeting he said some of the cars were in a right state with bits hanging off all over the place.

That is so not true, the word exageration springs to mind!

[NJF]

Anarchist123 - thankyou for your support of our Championship

[chezza]

I dont want to get into an argument over whos right and whos wrong with this, but we are all entitled to our opinions and hopefully as someone who is not attached in any way shape or form to the series I can offer an unbiased opinion.

Saxmax is in no way perfect, but then I don't think I can name any championship that is. Even the DMN that I help to co-ordinate (and so very biased towards) has its problems (including bad drivers), but if we have a good race where there is no contact or anything I don't go round screaming from the roof-tops at how wonderful and brilliant we are.

I will again re-itterate what I have said previously, that they were a lot better than I was expecting, and in fact on sunday we were wishing that they had had another race as they would have been a bit more lively than what we had, BUT there is still a lot for them to learn.

[terence]

Unfortunatly SaxMax has a [deserved ]reputation now,It will take an awfully long while for it to lose it .Look at FF in the 70s/80s,Red Flags were and still are compusory in those races.I agree that one race will not counter the ones before it.

[R59]

What was it Don Truman always finished his briefings with... "And Formula Ford - Don't Do it Today".

[Adam43]

This is a little off topic, but I don't feel it warrants a new thread (although if it develops I'll do the honours). I was at Donington a few weeks back for a track day and there was a SAXMAX car there. During the day I ended up followed it through Coppice a couple of times and it seemed like the front wheels were independent of the direction of travel; I could see down the side of the car as we cornered through the right hander and there was a lot of steering input, but the car seemed to be immune to the changing direction of the front wheels. Could have been that day, that driver, or that car, but I distinctly remember it. The only time I've ever come across a car like that was a Dodge Caliber.

Not really important/relevant, but I keep thinking about it as I read this thread.

[JimW]

I suspect that the recent 750MC at Brands, HSCC at Oulton and some others proves that plenty of racers other than SaxMax are capable of bringing out the red flags. Give them a break.

Jim