BBMMMMCC MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE BMMCM AGAZINE SSooouuuthtthhM MiMdlaiiddnldlaasnn Rddessg iRRoneeJgguiiloyo n2n0 14 JJuullyy 22001155 1 Contents Picture byAE-Photography.co.uk 3 – Chairman’s Chatter 15 – Kop Hillclimb 2015 5 – SMids 48th AGM Notice 17 – Kensworth Taster Car Trial 6 – Karting News 22 – Motorsport Rescue – Recruitment 8 – Formula Kart Stars 25 – BMMC Regalia Order Form 10 – 30th Carfax Stages Rally 28 – SMids Region Members 14 – Indy Cars – California 29 – National Directors 2 The Chairman’s Chatter…. Paul Harris – South Midlands Chairman.......... Welcome to the Newsletter for the South Midlands Region To start this month’s Chatter, I would like to extend a warm welcome to David Brice, who has agreed to be co-opted onto the committee to organise and run Taster Days at Silverstone. We will be running the days with the co-operation of, in the first instant, BRSCC at the meetings they run at the circuit. We hope that we will be able to do the same with other clubs in the future. Peter Lapthorne will be organising and running the Taster Days at Rockingham, so that for the first time we will be able to offer potential new members the choice of both circuits. Peter has already run 2 days at Rockingham this year. They were, I understand, extremely well received by the tastees and the co- operation we had from the management at Rockingham was excellent, in fact they bent over backwards to help us and even laid on transport to take people around the site to the different stop off points during the day. While on the subject of Rockingham, our regional training weekend will again be at the circuit and although the final date has to still be agreed, it will hopefully be in mid to late February. Your committee has been briefed on the possible content of the weekend and I can assure you it will be like no other that the region has organised before. Further details will be published at a later date. Chris Whitlock has, for personal reasons, decided not to seek re-election to the position of National Secretary at the National AGM in December. So the position will become vacant. If you have or know of anyone who has the ability to do the job of National Secretary and would like to apply for the position, then please, do get in touch with Chris at [email protected] and he will explain what is required. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Chris for all the work he has done over many years for both the club and the region and too wish him all the very best in whatever he decides to do in the future. I understand however, he does not intend to give up marshalling so thankfully we shall still see him on the bank. National Council has decided to create a National IT Officer for the club, to take over, and develop all the IT functions that are in use within the club. Again, if you feel you have the necessary experience to do this job then again please contact Chris Whitlock at [email protected] and he will give you all the details you need. You will see, in this newsletter the first notification of the Regional AGM which will be held on 24th October at The White Horse Silverstone. Please let us know if you wish to attend; as we have 10 places already booked. I am looking for people to help man the clubs recruiting stand at the BTCC meeting at Rockingham on 5th/6th September and also at the BTCC meeting at Silverstone on 26th/27th September. I know a lot of you don’t like to marshal BTCC meetings for various reasons, so if you are not doing anything on these weekends please consider helping to recruit new members. After all, you may yourself have been drawn to marshalling via a recruiting stand, and you don’t have to do both days. Like marshalling you do what you can. Please let me know if you can help out. 3 Finally I hope you are all enjoying your marshalling days this year and have not been hit by any extreme weather, or at least not too often. See you on the bank. Paul Harris Chairman South Mids Region British Motorsport Marshals’ Club 4 British Motorsports Marshals Club South Midlands Region 48th Annual General Meeting Will take place on Saturday 24th October, 2015 At the White Horse, Silverstone 7:30pm Followed by a 2 course dinner, £13 payable on the night Grand Raffle Guest Speaker Please contact Lesley Harris on 01525 382341 Or email [email protected] No later than 22rd October, 2015 Please advise if a vegetarian meal is required 5 Karting News SHENINGTON: As well as our normal Club meeting June saw the annual visit of the British Pedal Car Championship for their 24 hour race – the only 24 hour one in the calendar. The sun shone brilliantly for the first day of racing but the heavens opened for the Sunday morning but regardless they battled on. Here are a few photos of the event: Just under 40 cars entered meaning the shorter circuit of 595m was used (they need 40+ to justify using the full track). The winning team completed 1174 laps over the course of the 24 hour race. An amazing feat. There must have been some sore leg muscles the next day! Our July meeting (after the date of submission of this article!) will feature our renowned Superprix with the added bonus of displays and racing by the Historic Kart Club. As usual one highlight is the Saturday evening Pig Roast. This event used to be held in June but was moved to July this year due to clash in calendar dates with another championship meeting. I will write a brief report in the next edition. On a personal note, those of you who have attended the many Training Days I have organised over the years may remember my son David who was the brains behind the Powerpoint presentations – he has now become a dad! David’s wife Emily gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on 10 June – Peter Samuel. Once he is old enough he will be in a kart at Shenington!! 6 2015 dates from Aug onwards are as follows: Shening ton: 15 / 16 Aug 11 / 12 / 13 Sept (Super One) 19 / 20 Sept 17 / 18 Oct 14 / 15 Nov 28 / 29 Nov (replaces Dec meeting) Please contact me on the details below re marshalling at Shenington. If you do volunteer via the BMMC Marshalling website please also contact me as soon as possible as sometimes I cannot accommodate all requests (though I am always grateful for volunteers, it is just that we have a strict limit on numbers) Whilton Mill: Refer to Club website for details of meetings and contact details for marshalling Rissington: Refer to Club website for details of meetings and contact details for marshalling Pete Cox 01295 257674 / 07770 866006 / [email protected] 7 Formula Kart Stars Formula Kart Stars is a British based Karting Championship supported by Bernie Ecclestone and Formula One Management, current double Formula 1 World Champion and FKS ‘Old Boy’ Lewis Hamilton, and Lewis’ father Anthony Hamilton. The Championship was established back in 1995 when McLaren boss Ron Dennis, Mercedes boss Norbert Haug and Karting legend Martin Hines got together to create a Junior Karting Championship called the McLaren Mercedes Champions for the Future. The aim was to bring karting to a wider audience and most importantly provide a path for young drivers who wished to pursue a career in motorsport and in particular, Formula 1. Today FKA is committed to the road to Formula 1 through racing and education. FKA endeavours not only to provide a Championship that encourages competition with sportsmanship, but one that also encourages and educates youngsters in dealing with the press and media, which is an increasingly important part of motorsport today. Whilst not forgetting that the on track activity is of course of primary importance, a great deal of weight I placed on sportsmanship and family. The Championship has four classes for competitors aged 8 to 17. Each competitor signed up to Formula Kart Stars will receive all equipment, tyres, fuel, fees, storage, awning space and transport of their kart for the season. The Championship season will consist of 1 pre-season test day followed by 12 rounds taking place over 6 weekends. Each race weekend will be preceded by an Official test. Each competitor will receive a minimum of 80 minutes of track time per race day and Official test day. Each round will have practice, three heats and a final. There is an extensive prize list, with the super FKS champion winning a funded year in single seater racing. Great emphasis is being placed on the development of the drivers so the organisers are looking for experience marshals to man the circuits for each round, they have asked BMMC to become involved. We will be co-ordinating the volunteering for marshals, aiming, wherever possible to have a group who will marshal at as many of the rounds as possible. Each marshal will receive a contribution of £50 towards their expenses for each round of the competition, with a special arrangement being made to help those who can attend the ‘off shore’ round at Nutts Corner in Northern Ireland. Arrangements are also being made to provide food and shelter for all marshals at every round. Wendi Batteson, our South West Chairman, will be acting as the co-ordinator.