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First time at the track ?

Here are some of the things that we get asked most often by new team members.

Where do I go ?
For club meetings at Pukekohe or Hampton Downs come straight to the track and make your way to pit lane. For big meetings at Pukekohe we meet at the Bombay Motorway Services in front of Subway to hand out the tickets.

What should I wear ?
From the bottom up ... Closed footwear (boots or shoes), long pants (black if you can), a black shirt, and a hat to keep the weather out.

Anything I shouldn't wear ?
Yes. If you're going to be working on the start line don't wear anything red (hiviz orange is ok). If you're in the pits remember you're supposed to be neutral so don't wear anything that would suggest a bias towards any team or manufacturer - in other words, no ford/holden gear, and no racing team gear.

What should I bring ?

• a raincoat and sunblock
• a bottle of water
• a whistle is always useful
• a PRS (40 channel) radio with earpiece if you have one
• a pen
• a watch for the big meetings where we observe pitstops - it must be digital, and you must be able to synch the seconds to whatever Race Control says is the official time.

You're also watching for people smoking in pit lane and in the garages, for people wearing open footwear in pit lane (in the garages it's ok), for kids in pit lane (in the garages is ok), for public who have leaked into pit lane, and for things to do with refuelling which will be explained on the day as it changes from meeting to meeting.

At most meetings the top billed cars (e.g. the NZV8s) will have the pit lane garages, and when other classes are on the track their service teams will come into pit lane in a convoy and set up in front of the garages. Part of your job will be to encourage them to leave promptly when their race is over.

For big meetings you may also be observing pitstops. This is a lot easier than it sounds. Basically you fill out a form that records the car number, when it came in and out of the pit bay, how many tyres were changed, and anything else that was done (something like "crew worked under front of car" is good enough).

Can I take photos ?
At the club meets not while you're working, and at the big meets not at all once the day gets properly going - you will be removed from pit lane by the security guards if they see you with a camera. If you want to take photos at a club meeting that's normally fine, just check with whichever of us is in charge of pit lane at the start of the day to work out where and when you can disappear - and take your hi-viz off so it's obvious you're not working.