THE TIME HAS COME. Hopefully your cars are out of storage and you are running through your checklist to ensure that it’s track ready. There are a few other things that you need to prepare for the first event as well.
Over the past couple of years our supply of track event shirts has diminished, so we’re happy to let you know that everyone registered on time for the April 29 event will get one. The new shirts have the club’s new logo on the front and everyone who is signed up on time will have their names included on the back. They are a nice keepsake and I hope you like them. If you are anything like me your weight varies during the winter and summer so you owe it to yourself to check the shirt size you have entered in your Driver’s Profile. We use that list to order event shirts, so it’s a little late to tell the person giving them out, that you need a different size. It’s your profile, so go in and check it.
Speaking of your profile, if you are joining us for the first time at the April IDE you will find your assigned car number in your Driver’s Profile as well. You are responsible for having car numbers made with 6” contrasting numbers on the sides of the car and a single 4” contrasting number on the rear. That way the corner workers can identify you and your Instructor can find your car as well. A blank license plate cover with your number on it works really well for the rear of the car. If you plan on renting a helmet for your first event you should notify Brad at Braidan Tire immediately. He often has to bring your size to the track from the Markham facility. Again, once you are there it’s a little too late.
Registration closes promptly at midnight on Friday two weeks prior to the event. There are no refunds after registration closes and you are responsible for your own registration, not the registrar. We use that data to assign Instructors, order give-a-ways, give worker assignments and print tower and medical lists. One week before the event everyone receives an email event package that contains all the information that you will need for the event. It contains the daily schedules, work assignment, Instructor info and even has a handy map of the facility so you can find the washrooms. Learning the meaning of the flags in advance will be a great help to you as well. Please print the track pack, bring it with you and refer to it often.
The volunteers who show up early to operate the Tech Line would like to remind you to please have your car track ready and sign your Tech Form before you get in line. As our numbers grow to pre-COVID-2019 attendance, holding up the line to borrow a pen puts a strain on everyone.
Make sure your helmet is current (Snell 2015-2020), that your harnesses, if you have them, are less than five years old and you have a fire extinguisher securely mounted within reach of the driver. New drivers participating in the IDE are exempt from the extinguisher requirement for their first event.
Advanced preparation for track events is key to having a relaxing weekend. It’s best to get up early so you aren’t rushing around at the last minute. There is only a one hour window to get through registration because we are all drivers and have to do our own prep in the morning as well. Getting all your morning tasks out of the way in time to greet your fellow drivers is the best way to start the day. That also prevents the need for any last minute sprints up the county roads on the way to the track. The Durham Region Police want to remind us that everyone living on the roads leading to the track are not all race fans. We need to be respectful to the neighbors and drive to the track at reasonable speeds. If they get a bunch of complaints they will increase the patrols in that area.
Any Black run group driver who is interested in becoming an Instructor this season should ask Peter Carroll to arrange for a check-out ride at the April event. Our Instructor training day is Friday June 2 this year, so it’s important that you make your intentions known in April. All Black drivers are invited to participate at Instructor Day for some general coaching, but only those who have had successful check-out runs will be considered for the advanced training.
Just a reminder that the bulk food program that we ran for the past two years has ended, so everyone will be responsible for their own meals. It’s only mid-March when I’m writing this so I haven’t gotten a response from the track on how they will provide service. Hopefully we can get the restaurant open in the mornings so we can buy everyone a coffee before we start.
We are really looking forward to an amazing DE season, so I hope you sign up often and share it with us! </>
Photograph by Michael Coates
