Walter Hayes Trophy

[Steven Humphrey]

Originally Posted by Greem

I think putting in the same kerbing as on the exit of Becketts would be useful; cars running wide there this weekend were very definitely penalised by the ridge on the kerb centre.

I thought about that but think that Copse is too fast a corner for a big kerb-a car could get seriously airborne there!

[Guinness2702]

Originally Posted by Steven Humphrey

a car could get seriously airborne there!

I still think they'd get higher, if we put a minefield in

[Greem]

I once saw a picture of a brilliant deterrent; fence posts with wire strung between them all across the grass. Come to think of it, that was at Silverstone!

Yes, my tongue is in my cheek; that was one of the most awful car-catchers ever devised. But it would stop them running wide... "they'd only do it once".

[M Greenslade]

Yes cracking meeting and very well run, some excellent racing etc, spent the morning in the BRDC grandstand with Eddie V, saw Fay & Alan over a plate of chips lunchtime and the afternoon was spent in the company on Dave Vass back in the BRDC grandstand. Good way too finish the season off. Not forgetting seeing Fergus Whatling as well, too many names to remember - Winter well everyone.

Bladders......

[dave vass]

Bladders and myself were enthralled by the racing, watching from the BRDC grandstand. We witnessed the occasional tangle of ff's and the resulting flying off into the boondocks. Then we commented on just how far the marshals have to run to get to the stranded cars, and sprint they did! We looked at each other's protrusions and agreed that the race would probably be over by the time we got there, and then we would have been rendered too useless to do anything!
So good running boys and girls!
Bladders and I are thinking of starting up the British Motorised Buggy Marshals Club!!!

[Guinness2702]

Originally Posted by dave vass

Bladders and I are thinking of starting up the British Motorised Buggy Marshals Club!!!

Oh c'mon! This is the 21st century.....think jetpacks! Yes, I realise that 'jets' are probably not a good idea around bent cars which are full of fuel, but surely some sort of fan/propeller based system could work.

[alimcb]

Originally Posted by Greem

Oh, and it wouldn't be the same if I didn't mention Jeff Bloxham who spent the afternoon with us on Saturday, leaving with reputation intact

And for us at Luffield In on Sunday as well... FF into the barrier in the first semi-final, our old friend happily snapping away, captured the whole thing!

Overall though great day's racing, parents visiting from thoroughly enjoyed their day out too.

[Sticker Rub]

Originally Posted by Greem

...the rolling Leon in the all-comers closed wheel race today...

Good to see he'd perfected that particular move after his pathetic attempt in practice where he only managed a slight tilt & a change of underwear. Glad to see him emerge from the car apparently unscathed. Hope the car's not too badly damaged.

Good to meet you on Sunday, Graham.

Martin

[Power Bulge]

I happily watched it all from the sanctuary of Luffield Out, where barely a pebble of gravel was disturbed all weekend. Not even the great Mr Bloxham and a pork pie from Jason could coax anything in. I had to have a little chuckle of the (multiple) spinner on the inside of Luffield in the very first session after Jeff's arrival in the vicinity

Thanks to all on the post, but especially to the synchronised diving team of Jason, Helen and Phil - poor lad got stuck with me for the Britcar and again all this weekend. My gags must be getting thin, now that you've heard them for a fourth time - I promise to get some new material over the winter

Superb racing all weekend, must try it again next year

[Eddy V]

Well I enjoyed it as well from the sidelines for once.
Good to meet Greem for the first time and my old friend Martin again, missed a few people as well, but there were so many on post everywhere.

The 2 Belgian guys I brought along loved every minute of it and had tremendous fun at Brooklands.
I must thank Penny and Fay for the warm welcome, great job done.

But it seems if I'm not wearing orange, my magnet doesn't work (too well).
I'll be probably back next year, if I can drag myself away from Brands.

[MartynD]

Just want to say a big thank you to everyone at Woodcote on Sunday for making me extremely welcome at only my second event marshaling at Silverstone - (maybe it had something to do with the packets of biscuits i took laong...), it's always a bit weird and daunting doing a different circuit as you suddenly feel a bit lost and don't know anybody but I had a great time. even though we only had one car to push down the pit lane I had a great time, especially watching everything else go off at Brooklands!

[PabloTeK]

Great fun at Becketts outside, plenty of us meant incidents were quickly dealth with and Chris' patented advanced lap counting system (stones) worked well, just not so well when we had to deal with something and no-one updated it

[HairyDJ]

Becketts, and it's neighbours, did get quite entertaining at times.

Eddy - you should have wandered up to our patch - some of the RallyCross was as good as Lydden

You can tell it's a good crew and lots of energy being burnt when we get through 2 boxes of gingerbread men and chocolate brownies in a day .....

Two very good meetings to finish the Silverstone season with - look forward to seeing the work that will carry on over the winter, not that the grass will grow too much over the next few months.

[Gerryc]

Originally Posted by MartynD

Just want to say a big thank you to everyone at Woodcote on Sunday for making me extremely welcome at only my second event marshaling at Silverstone - (maybe it had something to do with the packets of biscuits i took laong...), it's always a bit weird and daunting doing a different circuit as you suddenly feel a bit lost and don't know anybody but I had a great time. even though we only had one car to push down the pit lane I had a great time, especially watching everything else go off at Brooklands!

As I said to you on Sunday, biscuits are always welcome - but putting them in the Observers hut was just too tempting. I am blaming you for any weight put on over the whole winter!!

Thanks to the whole crew at Woodcote on Sunday, and Copse Out on Saturday afternoon. A great meeting to end my season.

Happy Christmas.

Gerry

[Guinness2702]

Originally Posted by Gerryc

Thanks to the whole crew at Woodcote on Sunday, and Copse Out on Saturday afternoon. A great meeting to end my season.

Big thanks for your help at Copse Out - was struggling with all those numbers and reports

[Ian Lewis]

What can I say? Just returned from one of the best meetings of the year. Nadine and I had a whale of a time. Thanks to all the crew on Becketts who did a splendid job all weekend. Our I.O. Mark was one of the best I have ever worked with and it was good to meet Hairy DJ and Greem from this forum. Thanks to John Button for hauling the caravan on and off the campsite. We will return for more next year.

[Eddy V]

Originally Posted by HairyDJ

Eddy - you should have wandered up to our patch - some of the RallyCross was as good as Lydden

I did and shortly after there was the huge oil spillage and following spins.
So I decided to head off again before the marshals realised I was in their area.
I can't run that fast you know.

[MartynD]

Originally Posted by Gerryc

As I said to you on Sunday, biscuits are always welcome - but putting them in the Observers hut was just too tempting.
Gerry

A bit more welcome than pork pies i'm told........

[Gerryc]

Originally Posted by Guinness2702

Big thanks for your help at Copse Out - was struggling with all those numbers and reports

Did it calm down any on the Sunday or were they just as bad?

[Guinness2702]

Originally Posted by Gerryc

Did it calm down any on the Sunday or were they just as bad?

Mostly seemed a bit calmer not least because there were more of the support races and they were better behaved (but got 4 overtakes under waved yellow for them - 3 of them were over the slow white mini). The the first semi was crazy - 7, 8, 9, 10 cars most times round - I was still trying to tally up the numbers leaning into the course car

[theracegypsy]

A belated thanks to all my crew at Copse, it was a great club weekend, with some awesome racing. I think we all had fun despite the weather - even I was out the box doing assessments!

Reading through the thread, yes a lot of drivers were running wide, often to avoid others or because they misjudged the corner. The observer (driving standards) at Copse exit was kept busy writing them all up, and clerks took appropriate action when advantage was gained.

Changing kerbing or moving gravel trap closer may stop some deliberate 4 wheels off, but makes the inevitable error of judgement into a much more dangerous scenario. Yes, I also remember the chestnut posts and catch fencing of the '70s, when we regularly got single seaters wrapped up and the driver trapped until we came along with wire cutters. The restore time and cost was also prohibitive.