For anyone who's ever been dragged to a car race by a significant other and thought, "This isn't for me." Buckle up because I'm here to tell you it might surprise you!

Let's be honest, attending my first motorsport event was nerve-wracking. My partner, Martin, loved it, but for me, the noise, the speed, the whole "unknown" factor felt far from fun. I pictured crashes and chaos, but what I witnessed was a world of controlled adrenaline and a surprising focus on safety.

Seeing these incidents firsthand, rather than just imagining them, was a turning point. Witnessing the measures in place – the briefings, instructor presence, and organized track groups – calmed my nerves. It was clear this wasn't just a bunch of daredevils; it was a well-oiled machine focused on safe enjoyment.

This shift was a revelation.  Instead of fretting on the sidelines, I wanted to be part of the action – part of the village that keeps these events running smoothly.  So, I undertook Motorsport Australia’s online flagging course and volunteered at my first event; a come and try day with BMWDCM. As a motorsports novice this gave me a behind the scenes look at the considerable planning effort that went into these events. It was comforting to understand that the groupings for track sessions considered driver experience and car ability. Every consideration with safety first, which maximised track time and therefore the driving fun.

My first flagging the experience was exhilarating!  Being closer to the action not only gave me a deeper appreciation for the sport's complexities, but also put my concerns for my  partner's safety at ease. I was posted to a flagging point for half the day and then start/finish, with a different buddy to train me at each. They were fantastic in sharing their vast experience, their guidance rapidly building my confidence in key observations and standard radio-calls. The day literally raced by! When once I’d have thought being closer to the action would be scary and noisy, I found it engaging and fun. Needless to say, I’ve since flagged several events, refreshing my flagging knowledge before each event and finding each event offers something different to observe.

I have seen many cars spin off the track or miss the turn and mow the grass. All of them came with comfort of quick responses by the track team and drivers all ok. Cars bumping other cars, cars losing parts on the track, bonnets flying up, vehicles catching fire. All with faster responses than I’d encounter on any of my drives and all with safety gear and training in place. One race, I saw Martin "tap" a wall. My heart lurched, but thankfully, it was a minor incident. He emerged unharmed, and a strange sense of relief washed over me. This wasn't some reckless activity; it was a calculated risk with safety protocols in place.

My journey didn't stop there.  Flagging, timing, secretary, track-day support and other BMWDCM club volunteering items like navigator on club drives, I’ve been part of it all in only a year!

I would always see our club Vice President, Jo, busy at events, especially at the driver sign-on. So, I offered to help there, I don’t think Jo could have said “yes” any faster. The next event I joined Jo and Sam in driver registration where they doubled-up with fast paced registering and guiding me as I learnt on the go. It was fascinating to see the array of preparedness by the drivers, from perfectly filled and ordered forms, to not knowing where to start. The one thing the drivers had in common was a keenness to get registered and back to their vehicles. Jo, Sam and I matched our attention to detail with pace and the three of us nailed it super efficiently. It was great fun with Jo and Sam, some banter in between jobs it was more a sociable event then an admin chore. It was also enjoyable to see the array of drivers, all ages and genders, from all walks of life, sharing the same passion for a fun weekend.

With the sign-on experience under my belt, I was able to give similar help at more club events; more sign-ons, logging, general gopher, traffic marshal. It was completely different to flagging, where I was close to the action all day, this area of the volunteering gave me interaction with so many people, drivers, crew and other officials and offered time to be able to watch a whole race – often from great vantage points! Sometimes it was just those first few hours that made all the difference and then I could spend time elsewhere. It was one of these occasions I discovered timing.

Timing was another online course I’d undertaken from Motorsport Australia, mostly out of curiosity when I was brushing up on my flagging. When Jo heard this, she sought an opportunity to introduce me to Darren from MUCC who was leading the timing at the event we were at and I was given the opportunity to observe and learn. Darren, like all my tutor buddies thus far was more than happy to share his knowledge. I learnt all about the timing system and how it had transformed from the days of multiple spotters to being an easy 2-person job. The timing system was written in the 80s, perfect for me having grown up in an IT family during that era. The old-fashioned display seemed familiar and I picked up the functionality pretty quickly, enough to be given a trial at helping the next day. Darren was a patient tutor, helping me remember little things and their rationale to keep the accuracy of the results streaming live to race control and you-tube.

Darren was also great at explaining anything cars and racing. Car models are still mostly a mystery to me, I couldn’t tell an E30 from a Range Rover and certainly not an Improved Production from a Toyota Corolla (my first car). I’ve always used “red hatch” or “black wagon” to describe cars and now I’m quite proud when I can identify cars that fly past the timing booth, even if it’s only a few of them. From our vantage point we could see most of the track and hear the control tower radio calls. I started piecing together my flagging role and how this fitted with those calls, with any gaps filled in by answers from Darren to all my novice questions. It’s safe to say he answered happily, as I was invited to help with timing on more weekends where my learning of both timing and motorsport continued.

One of my favourite times was the Motorkana day with BMWDCM. If you’d have seen me you’d have thought I was miserable; it was pouring rain and I was standing out in it in my wet weather gear. I was having a fantastic time! I had no idea what Motorkana was or what I’d be doing in volunteering but it was brilliant. Mini car obstacle courses set up, cars divided into groups to tackle one obstacle for a few tries and then two timed goes before moving onto the next. We had two volunteers at each course, we had to brief the drivers, fix the cones when they got knocked over, time them and keep it all moving. It was surprising how much fun it was and it was a bonus to see each driver improve each time they tackled the obstacles. The more one-to-one driver contact allowed some great banter and cheering on. There was also a lot of appreciation, which I’d had at flagging with waves and lights flashing, but up close to hear the thanks was extra nice and certainly outshone the dark clouds throughout the day.

Over time, familiar faces became friends, and I realized I wasn't just attending events as my partner's plus one.  I had become a fixture in the motorsport community, an asset to the club, and someone who genuinely enjoyed being there. The opportunities to volunteer in different roles had not only given me different experiences, but different perspectives of motorsport and an appreciation of how all the volunteering fitted together in this well-oiled machine. I am Inspired by the camaraderie. The term ‘petrol-head’ is not one I can associate with anyone I’ve met through motorsport, people filled with warm welcomes and a genuine passion for all things automotive. 

This journey has been about more than just cars and races.  It's about embracing new experiences, discovering hidden passions, and finding a community that welcomes you with open arms, regardless of whether you can tell a BMW from a Subaru.

So, the next time you find yourself at a motorsport event, take a closer look.  You might just discover a hidden world waiting to be explored, and a place where you, too, can belong.

Behind every car is a driver. Behind every good driver are volunteers: ambos, scrutineers, flaggies, timing, secretary, marshals, officials, spectators. Behind all the volunteers is a club with a structure, organisation and support.

Jennifer Rose #887