Fri, 9th October, 2015 Mt Panorama Volunteer Campground, Bathurst (Other races and Qualifying)

Up at 4.20 so Steve can start at 5am. I rested till 6 then got up for a nice hot shower as it is only 8 degrees in the van. Rick, Leanne & I started at 7. Couldn’t find our supervisor as he said to meet at the room. Headed over to the gate and he was there – not the most organised!! Got another two helpers and one more scanner today. Found out how to change from Exit to Entry so we can swap the scanner over depending on where all the people are coming from – much better idea.

It got colder as the sun came up – we were doing steamy breaths till 9am!

The patrons are getting the hang of holding out their cards ready to be scanned though there are some that just like to whinge. Leanne is on the In gate so we got to chat with a couple of drivers though she didn’t realise who they were till after they left – she did recognise Dick Johnston and chatted with his wife.

Back to the van to change and have lunch then down through the pits. Holden has a Star Wars theme so there are storm troopers everywhere.

Won two more mugs at Super Cheap. The boys had been watching some races before so we used the chairs and watched the Touring Car Masters. Glen Seaton got turned around in front of us. The big screen behind us is great for the replays though we have another to watch further back along Pit Straight.

Then there was a big crash up the end of Mountain Straight.

My ‘bible’ we received as volunteers with a minute by minute program said that V8 Supercars Qualifying was on shortly so we headed down to catch the $5 bus up to the top of the mountain. The line was long but it moved along quickly.

The usual camps were along the front. These guys are well ahead on the pole decoration!!

Started off at one end and worked our way along as the Porsches roared past. Great view.

A few ‘drink’ trains along the way.

The Australian Army Band (Sydney) were entertaining everyone with We Will Rock You – everyone had joined in with the singing.

Looks like we need Doctor Who.

The guys we saw the other day have finished their billy cart.

My ‘bible’ was wrong as the Dunlop Series were having their qualifying first. Watched them disappear over Skyline.

Rooster’s Restaurant was doing well – we have seen a few groups in their themed costumes.

Sadly one car crashed in the Esses. There is only one big screen up here.

These guys were here last year in the same position.

They even have their own TVs.

Headed down to the Esses where they were still removing the crashed car. Rick decided to wait there and rest rather than come down the mountain side to the Elbow.

Great view over the campgrounds.

Got down to Forrest’s Elbow ready for the V8 Supercars Qualifying session. Heimgartner coming through.

Next minute there was a loud bang and screaming engine as Chaz Mostert’s car came hurtling down the track then the back of his car went up the air and hid the protection barrier around the officials taking off the roof. Then the car kept heading down to finally stop in front of us in the corner of Forrest’s Elbow. The doors had flung open and one wheel had ripped off and the others were not going in the right direction. It looked like the marshalls had jumped away.

The other cars luckily got by with no-one else crashing.

The fire marshalls and medical crew were there in a flash attending the Chaz.

Eventually they got him out and onto a stretcher as we all cheered. He gave us a wave. Found out later he broke his left wrist and left femur and they airlifted him to Orange Hospital for surgery. 5 days after he had further surgery on the tendons around his left knee too.

Then another ambulance arrived as one of the marshalls had been injured and they took along time attending to him. We had walked back up the hill by the time they put him in the ambulance. Found out later he was ok – no-one said what actually happened to him.

As we walked back up the track we could see all the marks where Chaz had hit the walls. It looked like he was a pin ball bouncing off each side of the track. So glad he is ok.

Because all racing is under Police control in NSW and a bystander was hurt the Police had to take photos and do measurements like a normal road accident. Qualifying was then cancelled. They will have to run it tomorrow instead.

This is the next marshall spot up the track – just to compare what the crashed into one should have looked like.

Along the way we found a plaque for a chap who died there in 1979 in a motor cycle race.

Found Rick and headed back to the bus stop with the hundreds of others to head back down the mountain.

Eventually we made it down then grabbed dinner and went up to join the boys for dinner. They didn’t join us up the hill as they had a pit tour through Prodrive which was Chaz’s garage. Lou rang the chap and said due to the circumstances they wouldn’t go. He said he will try and organise it for another time.

After tea we walked along Pit Straight to check on the garages – Prodrive was all shut up but some of the others were doing work.

Back to the van as Steve is 5am and I am 6am tomorrow.