(July 30, 2015) When it comes to racing the drivers deservedly get most of the attention. They’re the ones putting on the show for our great race fans. But it’s important to have an incredible infield crew to be there when needed. Shane MacFarlane heads up our Fire & Rescue team at Speedway 660. 

A Conversation with Shane MacFarlane

 

Wade: Hello Shane, tell us a little bit about yourself and your connection with racing here at Speedway 660?

Shane: Hi Wade, I started with the track approximately ten years ago when Wayne Smith, a retired Fredericton Firefighter and current Speedway 660 Ministry official, came to our fire department out in Nashwaak Valley looking for firefighters to work at the track. He was shocked when he got four of us to sign up that day! We’ve had members from our department involved ever since.The safety and well-being of our drivers is our top priority. Max Roy, from Speedway 660’s ownership group,  has provided Shane MacFarlane and his team with the commitment and tools they need to be effective and efficient.

Wade: You’ve got a great team there in the infield. I’m always amazed when something happens, how quick you guys get out on the track and do your work?

Shane: Thanks, it’s something we take great pride in. We want our racers to feel secure out on the track and focus on what they came to do, which is race and have fun. All of our members are trained firefighters with various years of experience. At the end of the day everyone needs to be able to go home safely.Shane’s Fire & Rescue Team has to be ready to act quickly. In this case, it’s a fast response with a fire extinguisher to put out flames under the hood of one of our ENDURO cars! 

Wade: Tell us about your team. Who are the people who work with you each week at 660 and give us a little info about their backgrounds?

Shane: Our members are Nathan Donovan, a Lieutenant with our fire department, and Shaun Fellows, one of our firefighters. Both bring a lot of knowledge and safety from being firefighters. They are also both medical first responders and fully certified in auto extrication.

My wife, Alane is also working with us. She’s a paramedic with Ambulance NB and a Lieutenant with our fire department. She is also certified in auto extrication and has been a paramedic for six years. Our youngest member was our son Montana, who  recently was accepted into Royal Military College where he’s training to become an Engineering Officer. I know he misses being here and we all miss him too.

Our Fire & Rescue Team has a lot of experience and I’m proud of the people we have working with us. Two other gentlemen I’d like to mention are Wayne Smith and Bob Agnew. Both are retired Fredericton Firefighters and original members of this team. They brought a wealth of knowledge and experience and I’d like to thank them for the training they gave us when we started here ten years ago. Getting a driver out of the car safely is priority number one after a big wreck. We’re proud of the work that our Infield Emergency Response Team does and our drivers sure appreciate their efforts too!

Wade: The races start at 6:30 Saturday evenings, but practice begins earlier in the day. Tell us a little bit about your race day routine, what time do you get to the track, what do you do to get ready and that sort of thing.

Shane: Normally we show up when the gates open and make sure our Fire Rescue vehicle is fully equipped for the day. I try to talk with as many drivers as I can before practice starts. I ask them how their car is or find out how they are if they were involved in a wreck the previous week. I also keep my eyes open and check cars out to make sure safety items are up to par. It makes for a long day but it’s worth it.Our infield workers are the unsung heroes of racing. They are well trained, respond quickly and look after our drivers when there`s a wreck out on the track.

Wade: You work closely with Buddy Munn and his Emergency Medical Team. Together you guys do an awesome job protecting our drivers.

Shane: Thanks Wade, Buddy is a fantastic member of the Speedway 660 family and we’re lucky to have him there every week. Buddy and I have developed a protocol and system that works very well for us. We trust each other out there. He’s a very good paramedic and he’s a race fan. He understands these cars and what happens to the racers when they get involved in a wreck. Working together our two teams want to keep our drivers safe and when there are accidents we wants to respond quickly and effectively to get them out of their cars.Buddy Munn has been at Speedway 660 since before “day one”.  He’s been a member of the Paramedic Association of New Brunswick for over two decades.  Buddy and Shane work closely together and their focus is on protecting our drivers.

Wade: A driver’s worst fear is being trapped inside a race car when a fire breaks out. They count on you guys to get them out safely. That’s a big responsibility.

Shane: It’s an enormous responsibility and something we don’t take lightly. We know what can happen to our racers inside these cars and we want to get them out of that situation as quickly and as safely as possible. We have a well-qualified crew that will make sure we keep our racers safe. It’s our trust in each other’s abilities out there that allow us to work safely and efficiently. It definitely helps having our big red pumper out there.A former Natural Resources Forest Fire Truck is now an important piece of equipment for Shane’s Fire & Rescue Team. The “big red pumper” doesn’t get pressed into action too often, but it’s great to know it’s standing by just in case.

Wade: Our high level of safety at the track has evolved over the years and you must be happy to have the large pumper out on the track with you now?

Shane: Wade, I can’t say enough good things about how happy we are to have that pumper. Max, Shawna, Gary and Debbie have been tremendous since buying 660 and truly care about the safety and well being of our drivers. They have really put a lot of emphasis on safety and have provided us with everything we need to do our jobs. Now we have a retired pumper from DNR and a fully functional ambulance. Having the proper tools allows us to do the job we need to when things go bad out there.Short-track racing is fast and exciting. When cars collide and climb the bank, our awesome “inside the fence” crew races to the scene and keeps our drivers safe. 

Wade: A good night is when you guys take up your spot in the infield, after the parade lap, and stay there for the entire night. We don’t like to see you guys have to go to work, but when you do we’re confident that you will have a successful outcome.

Shane: Thanks, we’re race fans too so it’s a good night for us as well when we can sit back and take it all in from the infield. It’s a unique vantage point and a lot of fun watching the races from there.Shane is proud of his  Fire & Rescue team. As their team leader, Shane makes sure they are well prepared and ready to respond when needed during the evening`s races. 

Wade: On behalf of all the fans here at Speedway 660, the owners and staff and especially the drivers and race teams, we want to thank you for playing a big role in our sport.

Shane: Thanks Wade, for giving me the opportunity to tell fans about our Fire and Rescue Team and the work we do. I look forward to many more years at Speedway 660.