Someone please check that the light thing was correct, I heard it 3rd hand, so lets not argue...just in case it was a vicious rumour!
But rulz are rulz, even if they are only sup regs!
Personal drinking water was also checked on the start line before leaving also....no water-no start.

I have heard form another person who was there and was told that is what happened.

If he was held up using the rule/note quoted by Maurie, then I think Mark may be have been hard done by.  Having just read the regulations for the event, and also the relevant section in the CAMS manual, so far as I can see, there is not a rule that states that you must have a forward facing light, it can quite easily be read as simply being a recommendation.

But, once again, this is just my opinion, which in the scheme of thing counts for nought.

-- Edited by Trekka273 at 19:46, 2007-09-10

apparantley mark was really teed of obout the light problem

Okay there is a fair bit of crap going on here in regards to what happened with Mark at Mildura. Some of you are misinformed or simply not capable of comphrehending the rules. 

Yes there are regulations in the CAMS Manual and also in the Supp Regs for the event that give detail about forward facing lights, but what is not being appreciated is that the Competitors Briefing also constitutes part of the process of informing competitors of the rules or amendments, additions, etc, to those rules.

Now this is the important part. At the Competitors Briefing the Event Director informed all competitors that due to safety concerns with the dust, that those vehicles that were fitted with forward facing lights (as per the recommendation in the Supp Regs) must present themselves to the start line with those lights on. This was clearly informed at the Briefing with the full approval of the Stewards, the Event Director did ask all competitors if they fully understood this and there was no objections raised. So every competitor went to the start line of each lap knowing this and subsequently was checked by the scrutineers as they moved into the starting area.

In Mark's case (and also Rob Cowie) he had forward facing lights fitted and they were not operational when he presented his car to the start. Subsequently they were removed from the starting line-up and requested to fix the lights before they could start.

Now just to also clear up something else. The vehicles were checked as they presented to the start line (as per the instruction in the Briefing) What happens after they left the start line, i.e. some competitors may have possibly turned their lights off to save battery power whilst they were in dust free conditions, wasn't a matter for the officials of the event to adjudicate on. There concern, as detailed at the Briefing was to ensure that all vehicles fitted with forward facing lights must have them turned on at the start.

Having detailed all this, i think we can all appreciate that the regulations as they were for that event and detailed at the competitors briefing were fairly enforced.

Further to that the competitor concerned Mark Burrows (and also Rob Cowie) fully accepted the decision made and has not taken any formal action protesting the decision. Doesn't mean he wasn't probably upset at the time, but Mark and all other competitors knew the rule as it was enforced on the day and i think the rest of us should just get over it and get back to talking about the positive things involved with off road racing and what was a very good event.

Russell,

I wasn't so much having a go at the officials at the event who enforced this, but more at the rule itself. In my opinion (and like I said earlier, my opinion counts for nothing) it is a silly rule that states if you have headlights, they must work and be turned on to begin a section, but if you don't have lights fitted to the vehicle then it isn't a problem, you can start without them. If lights are required, then they should be required for all cars, and their should be standards for them, such as certain power, etc.

As I said, just my opinion. I am certainly not having a go at the event or anything like that as I think it was and extremely well run and very enjoyable. This just seems to be a strange little rule, thats all.

Azteck wrote:

---

What a shocker!!
The weekend started off on the wrong foot when I found that the steering was not working while loading up on Thursday....Rule 1. After doing major changes to your car, test drive before leaving for a race.

Made some phone calls, and Buddy Crowe has a spare Howe powersteer pump which we could use...thanks Buddy.  Rule 2. when fitting a howe rack, use a Howe pump.    

After heading  down the Hume hwy for a few hours the we suddenly discovered from a work related telephone conversation that Adam(kmd-and pit crew for the weekend)  had to be at work on Monday morning....Rule 3. Make sure all people travelling with you have a time table.

Friday morning when stopping for fuel, thought we should check the oil in the tow vehicle, 4ltrs later.....Rule 4. service tow vehicle before leaving for a race.

...have to do some work now....will be back later with more helpful hints soon.

---

Rule 1 - sounds logical
Rule 2 - must look into that as we're running a howe rack, holden valve and toyota pump...
Rule 3 - sounds logical too
Rule 4 - was there any oil in it?  any damage?

I think all of this happened due to you ignoring rule 5 - no green underwear to be worn by any driver, nav or crew member!

Trekka273 wrote:

---

 if you have headlights, they must work and be turned on to begin a section, but if you don't have lights fitted to the vehicle then it isn't a problem, you can start without them.

---

That sounds a bit. Better not continue, i'll stop there.

Nissan Patrol.....toughest vehicle ever built, all ok

Arrived in Mildura at lunch time, ready for reconnassance, followed Werner for the 1st 15kms, saw lots of dust, no track.  Rule 5. Don't follow Werner in reconnassance...hehe!

After reconnassance, got onto fitting the new powersteer pump to car, which KMD had already started.   All ok, drove around pits felt good, had a nice hot shower in town and a good nights sleep.....Rule 6. stay in motel!

Saturday morning scruitineering all good, well....Rule 7. check fire extinguisher expiry date.

Prolouge Reconnassance, nearly spun off track 20 times trying to get used to new steering....Rule 8.   please refer to rule 1.

Prologue,  Never been so nervous in all my life, said to Jones we are going to have a big spin out there for sure old mate, "just one" was his reply.
We got around ok, didn't hit anything, stayed on track, but too slow.
Rule 9. Must drive faster!

Sunday morning, nice breeze, bit cooler 40 sec gap between cars, thought it may be a bit dangerous, but once we started it was not to bad.  Made it to  the 35/40km mark, threw a fan belt, a hissy fit then went home.
Rule 10. refer to all above.

On a more serious note, The Event was very well run, the track was a beauty,
and most of our mobb had a great weekend, just bad results.  Hope to get back there next year as part of the 3 round series!!
 
 

Arrr??? Are you a pirate?

Some weekends it just pays to stay in bed I guess!

I had a great weekend...I was even relatively relaxed with Az's driving (I did say relatively).
If Az classifies rolling on the ground, in the feotal position, crying for his mummy, a 'hissy fit'....then I'm unsure what the term 'mentally disturbed' refers to
Arrr, the joys of off-road!