A year in the life of a Series Representative.

Group 2 drivers representative one year in – What an eye opener!

I thought I (Ian Everett) would give you all a picture of my experience this year taking over the reigns from the sterling work Chris Blewett has done in looking after the Adams & Page Swinging Sixties groups for the last few years.

With help from Hugo, David and Malcolm, our Group 1 Swinging 60’S driver representative, I have been picking up the role of the Group 2 Drivers rep and sometimes deputised for Malcolm for Group 1, when he has been on the track, at the awards.

Sometimes It’s been a bit difficult watching you guys and girls race, standing on the side lines while I have not been able to race with the group. Hopefully I too will be behind the wheel again at some point next year.

Well – what have I learnt this past year?

There is a great CSCC committee – all with a wealth of racing and scrutineering experience and a will to do what they can to provide a first class club for you the club members.

Basically as a driver – you turn up scrutineer the car if instructed to and get the car to qualifying – attend the drivers briefing and race – possibly attend the awards go home and probably tell tails of daring do on the track. That is as I remember it anyway.

What is amazing is what else goes on behind the scenes at the circuit to enable us all to race.

There are a lot of great people involved on the race day, I have been lucky to work with these behind the main stage hero’s all year.

The CSCC staff who process the paperwork to enable you to race when you have not signed on, the start line marshals & marshal cadets proudly wearing their CSCC embroidered badges on their uniforms who organise you for the holding area.

The safety car team who do their utmost to keep the crocodile in tow to aid the restart of racing at the earliest opportunity.

The media team who capture you on video and in stills to post on social media to keep family and friends up to date with what is going on while you are on the track.

CSCC: For those of you who have yet had the pleasure of meeting the always smiling Ian, he is pictured in the above photo, bottom left in the pale blue CSCC shirt.

The Clerks and driver liaison’s who assist with your occasional on track ‘misdemeanour’s’

The circuit staff who keep the facilities in check during our tenure.

There is an absolute army of people required to enable us as drivers to race – many of these people are volunteers, most of them are at the circuit before we arrive and are still there when we leave – they also spend a fair amount of time in poor weather.

Having time to wander the paddock to talk with you competitors I have learned more about some of you folks in the last year than I have in the best part of 2 decades of racing with some of you.

I have also really enjoyed getting to know some of your extended team members who are another set of behind the scenes hero’s who are cheering you drivers on from the side lines, making those welcomed cups of tea and providing homemade delights or anxiously waiting for information when you are stranded if broken down or have not appeared past the pit wall when you should have.

I think it’s great to see club members who are not competing at the race coming to support fellow club members who are racing.

The awards….. I have really enjoyed handing out awards to the group with my various glamourous assistants Jo , Hannah and David – it takes a lot of effort for you to get the car to the track – pass scrutineering – get through qualifying – prepare for the race and win an award be it 1st overall or a class award. The driver of the day award is a great achievement because it has been noted by someone that the winner has performed particularly well during the race and with the series sponsorship from Adams and Page Tyres there is a monetary value to the award too.

If you can – please come and support your race chums at the awards. Even if you have not won anything please try and come to the awards, it is 30 minutes after the race and takes about 8 to 10 minutes – you might learn something different about the race or about the next race meeting and those that do collect an award will appreciate your applause.

If you can, it would be helpful if you can park in the general area of the paddock plan for our series, I know it is not always possible but it does make it a bit easier to pass on information or find you if someone needs to speak to you.

The club dinner this year at Chesford Grange Hotel saw a third of the tables taken up by Swinging Sixties drivers and their families.

CSCC: As we've mentioned in the current Classic Lines, we don't run championships, therefore have no overall winners. Instead, awards are given based on a whole variety of reasons, other than success on track; they are very well deserved.

The Group 1 trophy this year has been awarded to Charles Tippet and his daughter Claire Norman in their BMW 2002. They are the first shared driver winners to appear on the Trophy cup and Claire the first lady driver.

The Group 2 trophy was awarded to Dean Halsey in the Datsun 240 Z, great to see Dean's parents and wife, Anne, at the dinner and to spend time with them all at the meetings this year. Dean's 240Z is always well presented and he rarely, if ever misses a CSCC round.

Ian Everett Driver Representative Adams & Page Swinging Sixties

Thank you Ian, for your hard work, humour and boundless energy! The CSCC Office.

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