Event date: 1 September 2020
The September meeting agenda item was ‘Preparing for a Motorsport Event’, something we would all probably love to be doing right now but can’t due to the COVID-19 situation here in Victoria.
Nevertheless, it is important for all club motorsport participants to be aware of what is required to get our cars onto race tracks, when we are able to. So this meeting was a good opportunity to get to know what will be required, and how to avoid omissions and possible disappointment in getting our cars on track.
Jo presented a comprehensive presentation that defined the event entry process, the actual vehicle and driver requirements, and how the club level track days actually run.
Like everything in modern life, there is a need to complete a number of forms and processes to obtain entry into a BMWDCM track event. The Supplementary Regulations set out the timing, rules, classification of vehicles and which officials will be running the event. It is very important that this document is read and understood by all attendees. In our case, this document is usually attached to the e-mail notification from BMWDCM that advertises the particular event. That e-mail will also provide a link to register your entry for the event. This entry form document requires accurate, up to date information about both the car being entered and the details of the driver/s. It is important to understand that a lot of the information being sort in these documents is to satisfy the demands of external organisations who have input into the running of our events – e.g. Motorsport Australia (who are the controlling body for all motor sport events), the State government (Covid-19 control and contact tracing) and the venue managers who have compliance reporting of their own to deal with.
The paperwork also requires competitors to acknowledge and sign indemnity forms, and currently a COVID-19 contact and tracing form which must include details of all persons attending the event with you – not just the competitors and officials.
Paperwork done, we then need to prepare our cars and ensure we have a current licence to compete. The Supplementary Regulations will tell you what is required by way of vehicle needs – e.g tyres, race wear, helmet, car markings etc and BMWDCM also issue us with a scrutineering checklist which details all the necessary items to check on your car before the event. It is also prudent to check the currency of your competition licence. If you don’t have one, it can be arranged either through the club, or directly to Motorsport Australia.
Jo then described how the day will run – starting with check-in through to getting into pre-grid and then onto the track. The key here is for everyone to pay attention to session groupings and being punctual around session times. Track flagging was explained and also how the officials manage the day.
Jo then covered off the role of track officials and how to get involved in this very important aspect of motor sport – both at club level and beyond into higher level events.
It was an informative and timely meeting agenda, as we all hope to be able to get on track in the not too distant future. We have successfully run motorsport events during COVID-19 restrictions before (not during stage 4) so we will see how things pan out.
For those members who have not previously participated in club motorsport events, I urge you to consider it. They are timed lap events only – they are not serious door to door racing seen in higher level competition. The track days are intended as a fun event where we can test our car’s capabilities (and our own) a bit and just enjoy driving at speed on real race tracks. The track days are inclusive, really well organised and managed and provide us with an opportunity to fine tune our driving skills in an alcohol free environment with likeminded people. I thoroughly recommend it. There will be plenty of people present who will be interested in you and your car, and will be happy to offer advice and assistance if you want it.
Jim Tucker | Member #26
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
It was great to see a different type of event like this being considered by BMWDCM especially during lockdown, it was a good topic to cover while we are all remote, and will hopefully make future events go a little smoother once we are back in action. Event preparation and procedure is an area where new drivers/racers always have a lot of questions and sometimes don't know where to ask, I know I found it quite daunting on my first few events and really appreciated where extra guidance and support was provided by the Bell Motorsport team.
Even now more seasoned drivers also likely cut a few corners in proper preparation, and a refresher to make sure we are following best practices is beneficial to us all. I look forward to more events like this, and to even hear more from some of the experienced drivers or support staff about what works well for them and where they have seen sucess or had positive experiences.
Alex Jory | Member #8
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
