Your highlights of the decade.

[PULSERACING]

What was your highlight of the noughties. For me ,joining the orange army and getting to experience motorsport from a new persperctive, and meeting some great people. Maybe yours was a particular car or a race. Or an incident you attended.Thanks to all. Bring on the next decade ,and lots more racing.

[White flag man]

I'm with you.
Joining the barmy Orange Army is one of the best things I've ever done.
Been to many great meetings, at great circuits and met many great people.
Long may it continue for the next decade.

[Steven Humphrey]

Well getting married was pretty special! Apart from that, rediscovering motorsport, 2 trips to Le Mans, 2 British GPs then finally taking the plunge and joining the orange army 18 months ago-been a rollercoaster ride ever since & I'm loving it!

[aland]

moving those 3mm from the spectator area onto the bank and becoming a marshal. being part of the team that makes motorsport happen and enjoying the highs and lows that goes with it. cheers to the knockhill guys for beiong such a great team to work with

[The Fat Clerk]

Can't pick out any particular racing in all the days I've marshelled during the decade far too many good days & only a few (mainly involving late finishes @ Donny) bad ones, mind you I have done 556 days mashalling during the decade, add to that the 100's of days Testing etc @ Mallory and you can see my problem, add to that my age and you can see I haven't got a hope!
Favourite overseas trip during the decade has to be China, the country, the circuit, the food, WOW.
Here's hoping that the next decade is as good. Happy New Year to you all.

[mini1400]

Crossing that thin line from the spectator banks to become a member of the orange brigade seems to be the most popular highlight - never expected it to be as addictive though! Also meeting the many great people that are involved

[garybirch]

Lots to choose from but getting the VIP trip to the F1 paddock and drinks with Nico Rosberg was pretty special this year!
Racing wise, too many to mention but lots of fun and good times at A1GP this year with crew on post at top of Dingle Dell.

[Barman1963]

Highlights include my Great Nephew joining us on the bank, the 1st Superleague meeting at Donington, Brooklands Double Twelve and my wife driving a Formula Renault.

Other than that - every meeting, despite weather, incidents, lousy Steak & Kidney pies, dreadful jokes and long drives home.

[Matthews Dad]

Originally Posted by PULSERACING

What was your highlight of the noughties. For me ,joining the orange army and getting to experience motorsport from a new persperctive, and meeting some great people. Bring on the next decade ,and lots more racing.

Have to agree, having joined the orange army, in nid 2000s after many years as a rally marshal and having had Matthew join as a cadet in 2008

made some friends and feel I have out back into motorsport something after being a spectator for many a year, just putting on the probans and turning up at sign on changes the outlook on life

[Stuart H]

Geting the stock hatches on as a supporting race with the trucks at Thruxton.

[dave vass]

The highlight for me was being invited (with my wife) by the BARC to a special luncheon at Thruxton to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the F2 Easter Monday Race Meeting.
All those that could still be contacted and were involved at that first meeting were invited. It was great to meet up with Murray Walker and a few of the drivers and marshals to reminisce about the good old days!

[Dan Friel]

All 750MC meetings at Cadwell and Goodwood Revivals. All brilliant events.

[FRENCHIE44T]

Well I thought I had done some good meetings and enjoyed myself in the last 21yrs, but I dont think anything can top the trip to the Abu Dhabi G.P. It was just something else in itself.

[Dunc]

The main highlite has to be joining the orange brigade followed by my trips to Silverstone the last 2 years for the britcar, what an experience that is doing the 24Hr. Even last years short version was fantastic.

[Bodysnatcher]

saw me complete 21 years at this crazy wonderful game.

I did a full response to this yesterday while at work, but lost it (nothing unusual there), before I was able to post so here's a rehash..

The noughties were the years I really started to see the world thanks to marshalling.

After a good few years of F1 at Silverstone and Donington, only ever travelling abroad to Le Mans (which for me is much closer than Knockhill) it was time to try other things further away.

So, 2000, the first (modern era) GP at Indy, with me (possibly) being the first marshal to hook up a car out a gravel trap there. Disliked some things about the town, but loved the Brickyard and the spectacle.

Then 2001, first visit to Montreal, a really great town that knows how to party when F1 hits town. Just had to go back.

In 2002, did Montreal and Le Mans back to back weekends. Bloody hectic, but possibly, just possibly the most fun I've had in 2 weeks. Still makes me chuckle to think about how W-W and I nearly did'nt get there, get home, grab a few hours kip before setting off again in that crazy turbo 911 of his crammed to the roof with marshalling gear, then setting a very illegal speed record on an autoroute. Those fuel bills were something else.

(signed up at some crazy website too)

In the last couple of years, BARC have provided the opportunity to go racing in Dubai, and in some ways it's fitting that it is the way the next decade starts for me in 11 days time.

but without a doubt the absolute highlight was being picked by the BRSCC (thanks to Bernie Cottrel the late John Nicol and I guess) to do a couple of the F3 superprix races in Korea.
A strange and very different country I would never have seen without motor racing. Teaching students how to be marshals in that first hour by the power of mime and drawing stick men in the dust was one hell of an experience.

Who knows, I might yet get back there, I see Barry Bland is organising an F3 race to support the F1 later this year.

Many many thanks to all of you that have helped, encouraged and taught me what I know and also to those that have worked with me to provide safe racing for all.

Allons-y!

[Gnomex]

A visit to the Williams factory (organised by SEMSEC) was a real highlight. Also, the European and British rallycross rounds at Lydden televised live in 2009.

[PipSqueak111]

Getting into marshalling was the highlight back in 2002 - Castle Combe is a great place to start out.
2005 was a stellar year, doing Goodwood Revival, British GP and A1 GP for the first time, and getting a test to drive for a team in the Uniroyal 'Fun' Cup (yes, I know now...)! Trying to set competitive times round Rockingham in a BMW 330 in an inch of snow was fantastic fun!

[stevebrown]

For me had to be the two F1 test sessions with Arrows when the company I used to work for was testing some equipment for them. I was even allowed to look around the cars.
Marshalling the Revivals esp 2002, my last one as I was posted at St Marys. The BGP. Champcar at Brands and meeting so many drivers in particular Adrian Fernandez who came on post with us during one of the FFord races.
The Dan Eaves crash at Corum in the last night race at Snet but maybe that was a "lowlight". those who were there will know what I mean.

Happy new year
Steve B

[Woolley]

A few events stand out for me:

Shelsley Centenary meeting as Chief Marshal. Biggest event at the venue for many years, some great cars and well-known drivers. An amazing team of marshals and a superb British Championship meeting on the Saturday. It was stressful at the time, but an experience that will last me a life-time.

Surfers' Paradise 2005, flagging at the end of the pitlane. My only proper 'away' trip and I was made to feel very welcome by the locals. Getting up close to V8s as well as being in a spot where I met a number of drivers both Aussie and ChampCar. Again, a fantastic experience.

Champ Car at Rockingham, Black Flag board on the inside of Turn 3. Wow. So that's what 218mph looks like from about 15 feet away.

A couple of trips to Mondello and another great welcome from the locals with the best hospitality in the world, which leads me to the main highlight of this mad hobby of ours. Cameraderie. Making some great friendships and regularly meeting such a lovely bunch of people. Already looking forward to the next 10...

[ascarracinguk]

hmmm my highlights of the decade....on an international level going to long beach for champ cars, the spa 1000k were awesome, back on home turf the alms race at silverstone in 2000ish was awesome and the champ car races at rockingham and seeing the first 300mph run in top fuel in europe. on a club level...christ theres too many great club meetings to mention!!!!

on a personal level owning and racing my legend for 2 years was billiant and now racing and winning in my kart is great.

[Steve Tarrant]

This one is easy for me, as the whole decade has been coloured by the events of June 24th 2000.

Basically EVERY meeting I now attend is a highlight, as regaining marshalling normality has been the priority. I acknowledge I have been to some special locations, like Le Mans, Laguna Seca and Kyalami to do so, but what's made it for me is the people I have met along my journey, on all sides of the bank.

Except for a few who told me I should never have come back, the majority have supported me in everything I have undertaken.

[Russell Hunter]

Making so many new friends in the Orange Proban brigade!

[Oscar114]

1. Getting married in 2000
2. Birth of my Daughter in 2003
3. Joining the orange brigade in 2007

Definately in this order.

Happy New Year everyone

[Mark Mitchell]

My highlights have to be Montreal in 2001/2002 for the CGP.
Superb company and fantastic hospitality in a wonderful Country.

Being given some responsibility by the JCC and the BRSCC rank highly too!

[Shelagh]

Too many to mention but some that do stand out:

Marshalling at Lake Taupo and Pukekohe in New Zealand and being so well looked after by Steve and especially Charles - never having met the guys before.

Getting to crawl around an Aussie V8 Supercar in Bahrain courtesy of Jason Bright's dad - who we made contact with through this forum.

Getting lifts back to the hotel in Bahrain from James who I know from Oulton and who we bumped into in the Paddock while desperately trying to find out how to get a taxi. More proof of "the brotherhood".

Both times we did Le Mans - always great fun and a privilege.

Turning into "PieLady" and doing the Silverstone 24hrs.

The continuing fraternity with all the rest of you lot!