Motorsport Australia has selected 15 individuals to take part in its 2022 Senior Official Development Program.
  
Created to provide volunteer officials with a progressive pathway in motorsport, the program will grow Motorsport Australia’s official’s pool with better trained and more knowledgeable senior officials. 
  
With 92 volunteer officials from around the country applying for a position in the new program, the 15 chosen candidates will now be divided into three sections and spend time learning that area of officiating.  
  
The training involves a mixture of theoretical and practical exercises, with the latter part taking place at national race meetings around the country, where participants will get real experience at events and put their learnings into practice. 
  
The three roles the participants will receive training in will be as Race Director, Technical Delegate and Steward.  
  
While the program is slated for 2022, 21-year-old Liam Tame, who was selected to train as a Race Director, got the chance to attend the Repco Bathurst 1000 and sit in Race Control during a Super2 race. 
  
“I am honestly stoked to have been chosen for the program,” Tame said. 

“It’s an opportunity I wasn’t expecting to have this early on in my officialling career so to be doing this program with so many other talented people is a privilege. 

“Bathurst was different. I was working in the pit lane for that weekend, but to sit in Race Control for that one Super2 race and get a tast for it was great. It was a real eye opener.

“There are so many decisions that go on during a race so to get that one experience will help me at the race track and has helped with the drive to progress through the future.” 
  
Another official selected in the Development Program for the Race Director role is Kaye Callander from New South Wales. 
  
Having been involved in motorsport since the early 1990s, Callander has had multiple roles during that time including Emergency Coordinator and Deputy Clerk of Course and volunteering at almost every Australian Grand Prix since she became an offiical – the majority of those years spent as Chief of Communications.  
  
“I am pretty excited and looking forward to the opportunity to broaden my horizons and learn more about this sport,” Callander said. 
  
“I wanted more challenges in this sport and I think this program will help me expand my knowledge in different areas and help me get more involved in multiple capacities. 
  
“I think the program is a great incentive for people and helps them become more experienced as officials in general.” 
  
Another highly experienced official accepted in the program for the Technical Delegate role is Tasmanian Steve Caplice, who is a long-time contributor to the sport, having been involved with Club Motori Italia for 30 years, as well as spending many years as a chief scrutineer. 
  
“I am actually very excited about it,” Caplice said. 
  
“I am not too familiar with it all but I can see where there is scope for this requirement and I think it’s a great opportunity for me overall as I will be learning about many parts of the sport. 
  
“I run our club level events and have acted as a steward at many of the club’s events but I think being able to understand all areas where there are particular requirements.” 
  
Motorsport Australia Director of Motorsport and Commercial Operations Michael Smith congratulated all the successful applicants.
  
“We have a good mix of officials accepted into this program and they should be very proud of being part of it because it’s a great opportunity,” Smith said. 
  
‘It’s not just beneficial for them though, it’s just as important for us because having more officials progress through a Motorsport Australia pathway where they are enhancing their repertoire means we will have more highly skilled officials at events.  
  
“We’re hopeful this program will make a difference and the 15 participants will get a lot out of it.” 
  

2022 Senior Official Development Program Successful Applicants 

Race Director 
Matthew McNicol -ACT 
Robert Thiry - SA 
Liam Tame - NSW 
Kaye Callander - NSW 
Danielle Meyn - WA 
  
Technical Delegate 
Dean Bryant - VIC 
Felicity Wood - SA 
Geoff Riddle - VIC 
Campbell Smith - QLD 
Steve Caplice - TAS 
  
Steward 
Merrilyn Tinsley - NSW 
Aaron Blanchard - VIC 
Christopher Platt - SA 
Ian Bigg - NSW 
Wayne Richards - TAS