April 2010

Mondello Park Track Team – Have you got what it takes

For many observers Motor Racing is seen as a glamorous multi million dollar business and at Grand Prix level this is certainly the case. Motor Racing is also a grass roots sport enjoyed on a variety of levels by the well off and less well heeled but the one thing which all levels and types of motor sport have in common is the necessity for safety Marshals. Whatever level the sport operates at Marshals remain predominantley voluntary and there are a huge number of men and women world-wide who use Marshalling as a way to get involved in a sport, which would otherwise be off limits to them, while providing a very important and rewarding service.

These days, with more and more demands on peoples time the task of attracting volunteers for any cause is more difficult than ever and Marshaling is no exception. The job of the Marshal has changed with the times. With the help of modern technologies circuits can generally manage with lower numbers than they could in the past, but still efforts must be made to continually attract new blood as others progress up through the ranks. With this in mind Mondello Park took the unprecedented step in 2008 of setting up its own Marshaling organisation under the title of the 'Mondello Park Track Team'. Taking control of this part of race meeting organisation has allowed the circuit put in place a number of initiatives to attract more people into the sport and the new structures have been very sucessful in a very short space of time.

The Mondello Park Track Team consists of male and female volunteers who assist with the key aspects of race event organisation, in both on-track and off-track positions. Members are trained 'on-the-job', and through specific training sessions outside of events. Team members provide flag and incident marshal cover, operate fast intervention vehicles, assist with race administration and run the timing and results services. The use of personnell from the one organisation for track and administration duties is unique to Mondello Park and has proved highly important in attracting new members. The structures in place provide a better 'Team' atmosphere and a greater variety of tasks for volunteers, as well as giving an outlet to anyone who could not committ to the more physical trakside duties.

In a short space of time The Mondello Park Track Team has become a key part of the organisational structure of car race events in Ireland. In addition, the Track Team are integral part of the organising team at both the Top Gear Live show and the Phoenix Park Motor Races. The rewards for those who give up their time in this way have been greatly increased by Mondello Park's direct involvement. Regular attendees are rewarded with exclusive Track Team merchandise and complimentary social events such as the annual Motor Racing School day where they can get behind the wheel of a real race car. Other rewards such as trips to A1 Grand Prix and MotoGP events are also up for grabs at the end of each season and participants are also well looked after at events with complimentary refreshments at the end of each day.

The sucess of the realtively young organisation was recently underlined by a Track Team member being appointed to a position within Formula One on the basis of his involvement with Mondello Park. Having started with on-track duties, team member Paul Burns tried his hand at timing and this sparked a keen interest which led to him answering an advertisement for a position within FOM the promoters of Grand Prix racing. Having sucessfully passed an interview and a number of practical tests Paul will now travel the world as part of the Formula One circus having sucesfully transformed his hobby into a career.

The track team is always looking for new members and while they cant promise world travel and a job in Formula One to everyone they can offer plenty of fun, camoradorie and training in a variety of challenging positions. If you are interested in getting involved full details and membership application forms are available at www.mondellopark.ie or on the Mondello Park Track Team Facebook Page.

January 2010 - From Track Team to Formula One

Mondello Park Track Team Member Joins Formula One Timing Team

Not many people will be aware that alongside such high profile names as Jordan and Irvine, Irish Motorsport has a long history of providing backroom staff to Formula One Teams and the organisation of Grand Prix races, and this season another name will be added to the list as Mondello Park track team member Paul Burns joins the F1 World Championship timing crew. Having cut his teeth as a volunteer in the Mondello Park timing room, Burns will now be part of the Timing Team at all of this seasons Formula One Grand Prix's as well as a number of GP2 events having been appointed by Formula One Management (FOM) to a permanent position within its organisation.

The Mondello Track Team was set up in 2008 to take over event marshalling and also assist with event organisation by providing trained administration personnel to assist in Race Control and elsewhere at events. The idea behind the team was not only to increase the number of track marshals available for events, but also to provide a framework for interested people to progress into other areas of motorsport through the provision of off-track services such as timing, grid marshalling and race control operation. Since its inception Track Team members have gone on to work in senior positions for a number of the clubs who organise car and motorcycle events at Mondello, as well as working with the circuit in other areas of its business. The appointment of Burns to an FOM position is however the biggest development yet for the new organisation as it is a fantastic endorsement of the training and opportunities that the Mondello Park Track Team can provide.

Burns has been a part of the Track Team for just two years, having begun as a circuit Marshal at Kirkistown in 2007. A knee injury led him to look at other aspects of event organisation while he recovered, and having tried grid marshaling, starter and judge of fact, amongst other duties, a day in the timing box at the Phoenix Park races convinced him that this was where his main interest lay. Having assisted with event timing on a number of occasions Burns was then promoted to chief timkeeper for the Leinster Trophy at Mondello Park in September 2009.

Speaking prior to jetting off for his first event, the GP2 Asia championship in Abu Dhabi in early February, Burns explained how he came to work with FOM. “I was offerred the opportunity to work in timing at the Phoenix Park and I jumped at the opportunity. If I'm honest I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but I couldn't have been more wrong. I found it both challenging and fascinating and after that weekend I knew that timekeeping was an avenue that I'd like to explore further. At the end of the season I was flicking through  Autosport magazine when I stumbled upon an advert for the job with FOM. With nothing to lose, I sent my CV off and I was delighted to be given an interview, over-the-moon to be invited back for a follow-up and then could hardly believe it when I was offered the position. My role is very much "hands-on" and will involve me travelling to all Formula One Grands Prix and also a couple of GP2 events. Three years ago when I picked up the telephone to see how I could become involved with motorsport as a volunteer marshal, I never could have imagined that I'd be saying that!”

While Paul will be a great loss to the Track Team as he jets around the world with the Formula One circus, Mondello Park wish him all the best in his new career and look forward to seeing him back in Mondello on his free weekends.

 

December 2008 - Top Gear Live

Mondello Park Track Team Impresses Top Gear Live Organisers

Mondello Park’s new Track Team, which was set up at the beginning of 2008 to look after safety and organisation at all Mondello Park Car Events, was recently asked to provide its services outside of the circuit for the first time, at Top Gear Live, and impressed the organisers with their efforts.

In recognition of the Track Team’s growing reputation the promoters of Top Gear Live requested the presence of team personnel at its inaugural Dublin event, to look after safety and other duties, at the sell out four day show. Members of the team were on hand for the entire week of preparations, rehearsals and the ten live action shows and received high praise for their efforts from the events back stage staff, organisers and presenters.

With Track Team members highly enthusiastic about working at the show places were at a premium and were allocated on a first come first served basis. Demonstrating their usual mix of professionalism and friendliness those lucky enough to secure a place made such a favourable impression on the Top Gear that they have already been provisionally invited back for next year’s event.

Speaking after the event Mondello Park MD John Morris said. “I was delighted we were approached to assist at Top Gear Live and our Track Team did a sterling job throughout the build up and the shows themselves. The crew were full of praise for our members and the job they did and there seems little doubt that we’ll be back again next year.”

With the 2008 Top Gear Live event having been so successful and enjoyable for the Mondello crew, possible places for next years show will be in even more demand and may have to be allocated as part of the Track Team’s year long incentive scheme.

As part of Mondello Park’s presence at the biggest motor show ever held in Ireland the circuit not only provided the organisers with voluntary safety staff, but also one of its Mazda BT50 fast intervention vehicles, logistics support, and professional drivers from its roster of qualified Race School Instructors.

The Kildare venue’s presence at Top Gear Live was rounded out by the presence of two Race Prepared Motor Racing School Mazda3 Hatchback’s outside one of the show’s main entrances and a Formula Sheane single seater race car on the Mondello stand inside the exhibition.