event secretaries ready for action...
11 May 2018
As we are now days away from the online entry system going live for the 2018 Carryduff Forklift Down Rally, we thought we would find out more about the roles of our Event Secretary Tom Brown, and Entry Secretary David Meeke in advance of the 2018 Carryduff Forklift Down Rally; and where else would we find them but infront of the laptops.
We have also asked them to weigh in on the age old argument of whether it is the navigator or the driver that has the careful duty of completing the entry and reading the regulations.
Tom, as Secretary of the event, what are your main responsibilities?
"We have the responsibility of ensuring that all of the paperwork is prepared for the event and that the event is ran in line with the guidelines from the governing body, the MSA. We apply for a permit to allow the event to run, we construct regulations and we work though all other paperwork required to run and take part in the event."
With the Down Rally being a counting round of 2 championships, the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Championship and Protyre MSA Asphalt Championship, does that add to your workload?
"Not much of a difference, you do pretty much the same regulations for any event being ran at the same complexity and to the same guidelines."
Can we assume that the drawing up of the regulations have taken up a considerable length of your time recently?
"Constructing the regulations has actually been a team effort, we have had the Clerk of the Course, Deputy Clerk of the Course and the Entry Secretary all working to construct the event regulations. We have them all done and they are going out on Monday 14th of May!"
Have you had much sleep recently?
"It hasn’t been too bad recently, but I suspect I will get less and less as the event draws closer."
To close this interview, in your opinion Tom, does the responsibility to read the regulations lie with the driver or the navigator?
"In most cases, it is the navigator that reads the regulations and does all of the paperwork. I have always believed that a proper Rally car should include a two drawer filing cabinet to hold all of the paperwork generated."
Thanks Tom!
Next up, we put some important questions to David Meeke.
David, once the regulations are written, is this when the buck pass to you?
"Yes, once the regulations are finalised, we then arrange to have the entry form put online and once the entries start coming in, I deal with the entries for the event."
What takes up the most time in preparation for the event?
"It is probably the preparation of the regulations and the online system. From a secretary’s point of view, it is probably the paperwork from start to finish."
What advice can you give to crews before they get to ‘sign on’ on the day?
"Make sure you come prepared, make sure you double check that you have all your paperwork with you, especially licences. A personal bugbearer is incomplete entry forms, fill as much detail as possible out on the entry form on the entry system because by doing that you minimise your time in the que on the day. A lot of time can be wasted on people having to fill in the gaps on their entry forms on the day."
David, how did you end up in this role?
"Our competition secretary for Ballynahinch and District Motor Club unfortunately had taken ill before one of our events about 12 or 15 years ago and unfortunately nobody else stepped up so I had to step up and take the ‘bull by the horns’ and started helping to organise the event."
We know there is a role for everyone in Motorsport, what advice would you give to someone with an interest in Rallying but is unsure of how to get involved?
"Join a local Motorclub, see how you can get involved, from Marshals to organisers to secretaries and to drivers and navigators. That’s how you start, you get involved in a local Motorclub where there will always be a role for somebody who is interested in Motorsport."
So finally David, can you settle the age old argument of whether it is the Driver or the Navigator who should fill the entry form in?
"I’m a Navigator, I’ve never trusted a Driver to fill an entry form in!"
Thank you David!
So there you have it, get ready to read the regulations and ensure you have decided who is putting that entry in at 8PM on Monday 14th of May 2018.
Competitors will be able to enter the Down Rally using the on-line entry system. This can be accessed through the competitors page at www.downrally.com
Anyone interested in volunteering on the event should get in touch via;
downrally.com
facebook.com/DownRally
twitter.com/DownRally
As we are now days away from the online entry system going live for the 2018 Carryduff Forklift Down Rally, we thought we would find out more about the roles of our Event Secretary Tom Brown, and Entry Secretary David Meeke in advance of the 2018 Carryduff Forklift Down Rally; and where else would we find them but infront of the laptops.
We have also asked them to weigh in on the age old argument of whether it is the navigator or the driver that has the careful duty of completing the entry and reading the regulations.
Tom, as Secretary of the event, what are your main responsibilities?
"We have the responsibility of ensuring that all of the paperwork is prepared for the event and that the event is ran in line with the guidelines from the governing body, the MSA. We apply for a permit to allow the event to run, we construct regulations and we work though all other paperwork required to run and take part in the event."
With the Down Rally being a counting round of 2 championships, the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Championship and Protyre MSA Asphalt Championship, does that add to your workload?
"Not much of a difference, you do pretty much the same regulations for any event being ran at the same complexity and to the same guidelines."
Can we assume that the drawing up of the regulations have taken up a considerable length of your time recently?
"Constructing the regulations has actually been a team effort, we have had the Clerk of the Course, Deputy Clerk of the Course and the Entry Secretary all working to construct the event regulations. We have them all done and they are going out on Monday 14th of May!"
Have you had much sleep recently?
"It hasn’t been too bad recently, but I suspect I will get less and less as the event draws closer."
To close this interview, in your opinion Tom, does the responsibility to read the regulations lie with the driver or the navigator?
"In most cases, it is the navigator that reads the regulations and does all of the paperwork. I have always believed that a proper Rally car should include a two drawer filing cabinet to hold all of the paperwork generated."
Thanks Tom!
Next up, we put some important questions to David Meeke.
David, once the regulations are written, is this when the buck pass to you?
"Yes, once the regulations are finalised, we then arrange to have the entry form put online and once the entries start coming in, I deal with the entries for the event."
What takes up the most time in preparation for the event?
"It is probably the preparation of the regulations and the online system. From a secretary’s point of view, it is probably the paperwork from start to finish."
What advice can you give to crews before they get to ‘sign on’ on the day?
"Make sure you come prepared, make sure you double check that you have all your paperwork with you, especially licences. A personal bugbearer is incomplete entry forms, fill as much detail as possible out on the entry form on the entry system because by doing that you minimise your time in the que on the day. A lot of time can be wasted on people having to fill in the gaps on their entry forms on the day."
David, how did you end up in this role?
"Our competition secretary for Ballynahinch and District Motor Club unfortunately had taken ill before one of our events about 12 or 15 years ago and unfortunately nobody else stepped up so I had to step up and take the ‘bull by the horns’ and started helping to organise the event."
We know there is a role for everyone in Motorsport, what advice would you give to someone with an interest in Rallying but is unsure of how to get involved?
"Join a local Motorclub, see how you can get involved, from Marshals to organisers to secretaries and to drivers and navigators. That’s how you start, you get involved in a local Motorclub where there will always be a role for somebody who is interested in Motorsport."
So finally David, can you settle the age old argument of whether it is the Driver or the Navigator who should fill the entry form in?
"I’m a Navigator, I’ve never trusted a Driver to fill an entry form in!"
Thank you David!
So there you have it, get ready to read the regulations and ensure you have decided who is putting that entry in at 8PM on Monday 14th of May 2018.
Competitors will be able to enter the Down Rally using the on-line entry system. This can be accessed through the competitors page at www.downrally.com
Anyone interested in volunteering on the event should get in touch via;
downrally.com
facebook.com/DownRally
twitter.com/DownRally
