Here comes the weekend..

I have been meaning to write my next blog all week so I could update the world on my latest adventures at Brands Hatch, but just haven't got around to it. So, the "classic" cars at the weekend..some of them were all but classic. I'm not quite sure an old ford escort or sierra counts as classic yet. They were boy racers, with big engines, big exhausts which made a lot of noise and then expired after the first lap. Its quite entertaining seeing a car crawl past at 10mph with the driver banging on the steering wheel and bouncing up and down on the seat to make the car go faster. Whats even more entertaining (and also a little scary) is how oblivious some drivers are. On the first lap of the first practice session, there was a small collision on the corner near my post. Both cars pulled off the track, one with a bashed in bumper and the other one...with flames coming from the bottom of the car. He was on fire, big time. I've never had to deal with a fire on the track before, so it was quite exciting to think I would get a good experience here. I grabbed the fire extinguisher, only to see the car pull back onto the track and carry on driving!! Now, I would think that things would be getting a little smoky inside the car, or a least there would be the odd smell of something burning. Thankfully the car pulled off at the next post, about 100 yards up the track. He stopped because the oil light came on. Whilst one marshal put out the blaze, the others pointed him in the direction of his missing oil...300 yards of track behind him covered in it. The driver sauntered back to the garage, presumably to find his mechanic and a few bottles of oil so he could race again in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, there were 3 of us trying to clear up this huge oil slick. I was given a first day trainee to look after, who was also quite thrilled at seeing a car on fire. Together we trawled the track with brooms and cement dust. And that was about as exciting as it got for the whole weekend. There was a white car that entered every race, and only lasted for one lap of each race. Everytime it went past us the car spat out something..drive chain, exhaust pipe, wheel nut, I could have built a car by the end of the weekend if we'd been able to keep the bits, but the driver wanted them back each time.
But it was good to see that not all of the drivers are there to win, its just not possible for them with the cars they drive. There was a little Austin A40, which probaably had a top speed of about 35mph. Everytime he pootled past he would wave, flash his lights, anything to keep from counting how many times he had been lapped, but he was enjoying himself, and he was fun to watch. It's nice to be acknowledged by the drivers (apart from by the ones you've got into trouble), makes you feel appreciated.
Overall it was a good weekend, with good company and nice weather.
Work has been a lot better for me this week too. I've had a lot of laughs with people and quite enjoyed it, and feel that I'm back to my usual happy quiet self. Plus, I have a place on the diploma course I've been applying for. It should take around 2 years to finish, and I start in 3 weeks. I really appreciate the support that I have been offered at work, it means a lot to me and hope they realise what they have let themselves in for!! This could be a very long two years...