GLEN DIX – THE FLAG BEARER
Who was Glen Dix, the man who made the waving of a chequered flag an event in its own right?
In the latest edition of AUTO ACTION Bob Jennings spoke to the man himself to find out.
The pair go way back to the beginning, following Dix’s journey from the start of his life in motorsport at the Adelaide suburban Rowley Park Speedway in 1954 right up to the present day.
Dix was ever-present at race weekends throughout six decades of involvement, taking on a vast array of roles at speedway, karting, motocross and circuit car and bike racing events.
He officiated at speedway at Hamley Bridge, Mt Gambier, Bordertown, Murray Bridge, Crystal Brook and Whyalla and helped write the regulations when karting began in SA.
He was scrupulous as an official, despite appearing to those on the outside as a showy finishing flag waver. It was as a circuit-racing starter that he won the confidence of countless drivers. His procedure on the starter’s rostrum was metronomic.
However, things did not always go to plan – in this feature Dix recalls the time when he almost lost his position as flag waver, as well as the occasion when he was struck by a TQ midget on track.
As well as stealing the show in his golden jacket, Dix was a mighty contributor behind the scenes. It’s no surprise he was awarded an OAM for services to motorsport in 2009.
To read more about Glen Dix’s career, life and reflections, make sure to grab a copy of AUTO ACTION before it leaves the shelves!
