Thank you

[Track Mom]

A great big thank you to all the VARAC members who organized this years VARAC Festival. It was a wonderful weekend, lots of cars and excitment can't wait for next year.

The Grid Crew:)

[abrracing]

I was only there on Sunday but a big thanks to all the marshalls and tech people etc. You alway make it easy to go race! I sure dont envy the marshalls that had to deal with the backstraight in Sunday mornings G70 race! It was scary from in my car driving by I cant imagine what it was like for the marshalls! Glad everyone was safe!

[gravlguts]

What happened? I was not able to start shooting until after lunch.

[manotickmike]

That WAS scary.
I had a front row seat, what appeared to be a grenaded engine, flames, a spin, a bounce off the wall, and a (FG) car engulfed in flames, driver took a while to get out, finally emerged from the totally engulfed car, snagged by what I assume was a belt. He managed to get free, the cloud of BLACK smoke was noxious from 50', must have been pretty bad to be at the source. Happily someone on that side of the track jumped, and got in there with an extinguisher. At least 2x, I was sure the driver was a goner.

[66 Cooper]

Who was the driver?

[Fastone60]

I was the driver that had the incident at #8 on Sunday. I'm home and I'm fine. I have a lot of folks to thanks and some lessons to share.
First let me thank Mr. Kevin Shaubel. Kevin was a spectator who jumped the fence, grabbed an extinguisher and got to me quite a bit before anyone else. He's the one that put out a fire on my suit (explanation to follow). Now I'm sure CASC and Mosport will comment BUT Kevin saved me from more serious injuries and I'm sure glad he defied everything to get at me.

Next, I need to thank the Marshals and race medical. I was given only the best, most comprehensive care and treatment - ladies and gentlemen in white and yellow - thank you.

Lessons for drivers and recommendations both to VARAC and CASC:
1. practice speedy car exit
2. window safety nets may not be fireproof . In my case, on exit I had to sit on the door edge: the net was on fire and melted onto my suit. That was most of the fire that Kevin put out (I think).
3. Cool Shirt plumbing can hang you up and keep you close to the flames. I'm not completely sure how I managed to get loose but it took a couple of hard yanks to disengage and get clear.
4. Gateway has mentioned the existence of a simple battery shut off that reacts to impact automatically and can be reset as required from a dash mount button. In my case, I forgot the cut off switch and the electric fuel pumps continued to pump fuel from a ruptured gas line. You can be sure that this will be part of the re-build.
5. Make sure the pin is out of the fire extinguisher button. Mine was or it would have been much worse.

I'm sure there's more to learn and bits of the incident are still coming back.

Meanwhile, thanks as well to all my racing colleagues for their best wishes.
Race safe and I'll be back as soon as $$ and my wife allow!

Regards - Steve Clark Car #79, Trans-am Corvette

[Doug P]

So very glad to hear that you are ok Steve. Cars can be replaced.

[abrracing]

Steve when I drove by I saw what looked like a driver standing looking at his burning car, I had no idea about the drama that had ensued moments before. I am so glad that you are okay it sure was a wake up call to all of us on the track.

[racecartech]

As I was leaving Sunday, There where fans on the outside of turn 8 who had pictures of the incident unfolding.

Steve, Seeing those shots I am very happy to hear you are OK. I can't imagine your thoughts being hung up on your cool suit at those moments.

Driver egress is something to be done for sure. Each of us should practice it on our own even if it is never required.

Kill Sw, net, belts, get out!

Steve, good luck getting all the repairs done and getting back out.

[Fastone60]

I'd really like to see the videos and/or pics to clarify what I remember and what really happened. If you find anything please post for me and others.
Regards

[manotickmike]

I'm SO glad you're OK, Steve, sure had us worried.
I have no video, but the mental images are forever burned into my memory.
Thanks, Mr. Shaubel for being in the right place, and doing the right thing.

[timewarp9]

Yes Steve, we are glad you are ok, very scary. My wife and I were standing on the outside of 8 and your car was directly across from us. We and other fans were yelling at the Marshall to grab the fire extinguisher, which she finally did but she could not cross the track due to the field of cars. At that point you were half-way out of the car with flames surrounding you, then the spectator on the inside went into action and used the extinguisher on the inside of the track. Very frustrating to see you trapped in the car only 30 feet away and not being able to do anything as I counted past 20 seconds in my head.

Jon

[Cdnstunts]

Damn, I missed all the action AGAIN...............:eek:
I was out of town working and had to withdraw from the vintage festival
G70.

Very Glad to hear Steve was alright....:)

[Cdnstunts]

Found the video of the incident.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZtuGdy4k_A

[Rich]

........ but she could not cross the track due to the field of cars.


Because she was following her training, which is never cross a hot track, especially with a Fire Bottle. Rule #1 of emergency response is don't become a second vicitm. If you want the reasoning behind this, google Tom Pryce...

[timewarp9]

Yes I realize that the marshall was following training, however the competitor had been in the car for over 15 seconds, the fire was building, there was a huge gap in the train of cars sufficient to allow someone to cross the track and save the competitor from burning to death. It is a risk and the training prohibits action, but what if the competitor had died and the window of opportunity that existed was not acted upon, then what?

I have been assisted a few times by marshalls and medical and truly appreciate their involvement. As I have stated before on these forums I would like to see a fund established by CASC from a portion of the entry fee dedicated to the MMS to train, equip and recruit marshalls. It is to the benefit of everyone.

Jon

[Rich]

Which is why we have rapid response rescue vehicles - which I think took around 30 seconds or so to arrive in this incident.

Remember the backstright, especially corner 7 is a dangerous place. I was at 6 on Saturday, and was timing the M1. From coming into sight at 5C, to being level with me at 6 was in the order of 8-10 seconds - so you go out on what appears to be a clear track then halfway across you are met by an M1. Corner 7 the signtline is much much shorter - I have no data but I would not be surprised at 2-3 seconds at most from a clear track to a car at Cr7.

Things can happen on track - especially with Oil/Debris around. Just look at the example from the Montreal F1 race last weekend - workers were crossing an apparently clear track, one slipped and fell, next moment there was an F1 car upon him.

How quickly can you get over a wall, with a 20lb fire bottle, and cross a track at a walking pace?

Remember our primary functions on track - Flagging and Communication. Flagging to warn all the other drivers who have not had an accident yet, communication to Race Control to get the rescuse vehicle there. Yes, we do first response but that is a secondary function to the first 2. In this case we only had 2 people assigned to turn 7 - 1 communicator, 1 flagger. Neither is allowed to abandon their post unless their personal safety is in jeapoardy. Both did their job well on Sunday.

I'm not trying to start an arugument, and I appreciate the kind words you said. I am just trying to outline the role we have and the conditions and rules we work under, as there have been a few threads on here in the past year or so where it appears that there is a misunderstanding of our role and function!

[66 Cooper]

100% agree that everybody did their jobs properly here. I'm not a marshall/flagger, but I'm very happy that nobody ran across a hot track with a fire extinguisher in this situation. Kudos to everyone including the good samaritan who broke very rule to help out.

[Doug Stark]

The other issue is the number of people we had for this weekend. I don't think we broke 50 at any point. This part of the season is crazy. I have four weekends in a row trackside -3 of them - 3 day events. Throw in family functions for people and they end up having to select which of these events they have to drop we find. We have a total number of marshals on avg of about 65 that 'could' come out for a less packed summer. Not blaming anyone - it is what it is.

We can always get 100 out for the bigger events such as ALMS or the Indy when we add a few guests from elsewhere. Out of the average number we get for a regional - reduce it say by 20% for those who can't do these many events in a row and we are right around the numbers we got for this weekend.

When you are dealing with 2 or 3 person crews - some of them rookies - captains have to make a call on how they staff a station. Station 7 is normally a pull off station at worst, boring 99% of the time or it's a 1% OMG station. If we have a rookie (we call them QE's) in a two or three person crew - we are never going to allow them to be across track alone. Never.

What Rich said about crossing a hot straight!!

So this is why we depend on the rescue vehicles and their crews. Most of the time with the exception of fire - this works great. Most of the time.

The solution is more people to cover the gaps in our coverage. We have tried very hard to bring in new people and I think our recrutiment people have done a fine job this year as we do have a new crop of people training (maybe 15) and working towards a logbook as you read this. But we loose perhaps the same number each year to retirement or other reasons. Break even isn't getting ahead - just treading water.

Too many events back to back - the four I listed and then a one weekend off and then the ALMS is a little much to expect that we will get everyone out all at the same time. Thats five events in six weeks (7 out of 7 if you went to the GP) and then there are two motocycle events right after that. I'm tired typing this let alone working them.

Years ago we used to get drivers out to corners who had sessions off or were not racing that weekend - or even their families. You don't need much training to flag if your a region driver. Wait... YOU should know which flag to use if your racing right? :) At one time drivers had to do a day trackside per season for their racing licence. But that idea went the way of the dodo bird I'm afraid. Somewhere along the way someone went to the Human Rights Commission or something - maybe cruel and unusual punishment... Maybe it was our lunch??

If we had 300 members it wouldn't be a problem - even if 25% were away it would be a great total.

I was joking on our forum... but anytime that driver who put out the fire at 7 wants to marshal - I'll personally pay for his membership, (not joking)!!

I noted he slipped and fell as he got to the car with the firebottle in the youtube video - he's totally qualified to be an F1 marshal!! :)