[mattJT]

Having recently taken part in my first ever raceday at Eden Park Raceway, I thought it may be useful for other race virgins to have a little guide as to how race day works and what to expect and what you may need.

I hope that others will add to this, as am sure I'll forget something - or indeed that other clubs may do things a little differently - either way, there'll hopefully be a good thread that you'll be to have a gander at to have have a good idea as to what goes on.

So you arrive at the track what happens first.

Park your car and grab a space/set up your gear etc

Then you'll have to book in, this will just be a case of confirming your name, the class your going to race in and if you have your own transponder and of course paying your race fee and giving over your BRCA number if you have one (can do three racedays without one).

If your club does handout transponders then you'll need a body reamer - I didn't have one but a fellow club member leant me theirs - you'll have to make a hole in your shell to mount it, and you will need an extra body clip (large kind) to hold it in place (worth having a couple in case the blighters pop out). Some transponders will be self powering, so you won't need to plug this into your receiver.

So that's your hole made for the transponder, what next - check the race listings to see what your car number is and what heat you'll be racing in, then go and get your car number sticker and stick it in your car.

If your needing a handout transponder then you'll collect this at the start of each heat and return at the end of each heat - again check the heat listings to make sure you pick up the right transponder number.

Raceday itself will consist of a number of heats and then culminate with A,B and maybe C finals at the end.

In your first heat your car number will signify where you start in the staggered start. Your times for this heat will directly affect where you start in the next heat. When you reach the finals, your overall times will affect if your in the A (top half) or B (bottom half) final.

(make sure to check the print outs after your heats, so you can see where you finished in the last heat and also where you'll start in the next heat)

At the start of the staggered start (you should be able to get a lap around the track in before your heat actually starts) you go when the automatic computer voice calls out your car number - likewise at the end of the race (5 minutes) they'll be two electronic beeps, the first beep telling you the race is nearly over and the 2nd beep signifying the end.

After all your heats have finished, you've made it to the final, the start for this is not staggered, and is a standing start for all, your overall position in the previous heats dictating where you start on the grid. This time, they'll be a series of beeps - at the end of which the signal to go - then your off.........

In between heats you may need to undertake the marshalling role. Whilst I'm sure all clubs will have their own way of doing this the way it worked at EPR was that you marshalled the race after yours, this basically involves a number of people sitting at various locations on the track (normally the parts where everyone crashed) and all you have to do is put cars back on track if they get stuck or turn over, of course whilst trying to avoid getting hit in the feet at speed.

Thats pretty much it
　
So what do you need with you?

power supply (car battery etc if no mains power),
battery charger,
batteries. (I had two lipo's, but to be honest only really needed one, was able to borrow someones charger to top the battery up between heats),
tools,
spares,(including tyres for wet/dry conditions)
paint brush - to clean up car between heats,
sarnies,
table and chairs for pitting if no facilities (or the boot of your car in my case),
　
Hope this proves useful, and please add to all

I had a really really good day and highly recommend all of you reading this thinking about starting racing......to start racing
Cheers
matt