10:35 p.m., 18.02.06
Dutchy the Pit Bitch

I've been very excited over the last few days. I've been telling all the guys at work how I volunteered to be part of the 'pit crew' for a team at the Vic Superbike races this weekend. Well, by 'team' I really mean 'racer dude' and the 'pit crew' is basically just me.

Not to worry, surely on a small team there'd be much more to learn, more responsibility and a better feeling of being a part of the action.

Well, today was day 1 of 2 and I can list my day's achievements rather succinctly:

- I placed one (1) tyre warmer on the front tyre of the race bike.
- I passed a spanner to the racer guy at one stage.
- I placed my foot quite firmly at the foot of a ramp while the race bike was being wheeled toward the track.

Aaaaaand, that's about it.

I did attempt to help bolt the tank back on after an airbox adjustment, but the guy is "used to working alone." I found his helmet on its side and turned it right way up. He turned it back over and told me he was airing it out.

I think one of my other duties as a pit crew member was to tell the guy how fast he was and pump him up for the next race and all that sort of thing, but I buggered that up too, by telling him how amazed I was that this up-and-coming legend kid, all of 15 years old, was beating my guy even though he had a 125cc bike and my guy had an 1100cc bike. I don't think he liked that.

I'm going back again tomorrow, becase I promised him I'd be there both days - but I don't really know why he asked for help in the first place, or what use I can really be beyond sitting there and gasbagging between races - and even then, he's got his other racer mates to gasbag with.

Still, fuck it. I get free tickets, a close up view of the odd sponsor girl's arse, front row seats to the macho and very human pit-lane theatre and the smell of two-stroke and AVGAS all day.

And I do like a day at the races.

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