GEORGE Chroback knows where he'll be on the second weekend of October each year.
Mount Panorama at Bathurst.
It's the venue of motor sport's pinnacle event — the Bathurst 1000.
The Kingsgrove man makes the pilgrimage to Mount Panorama at Bathurst at the same time each year.
Since 1981, he's been the chief flag marshal for the 1000-kilometre race.
"It's our grand final," he said.
A major sport event such as the Bathurst 1000 relies on hundreds of officials - paid and volunteers - to ensure the race goes smoothly.
Chroback, 52, still gets a buzz as chief flag marshal. His vantage point is the envy of spectators.
"Yeah, I'm at the finish line!
"I always had an interest in motor sport since I started watching Bathurst on television at a young age."
It was a trip to Oran Park with friends to watch the car races that got him involved as a race official.
A sign on a building at the track said they needed race officials.
"I became a member of the Australian Racing Driver's Club while I was at school."
For the last 34 years as the chief marshal at Bathurst he only got the chance to watch the race live once.
"I did go to the race in 1979 to watch it and the late Peter Brock won it."
He said he's a Ford fan and that there were 200 marshals who officiate at Bathurst. They work closely with the race controller and the official starter to make things run smoothly.
"There's an extensive licensing and accreditation program to be a race marshal with the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport.
"My role at the finish line is to manage the 200 marshals who are placed at various spots around the track. We're in constant radio communications with the race controller.
"I also work as a chief flag marshal at all rounds of the V8 Supercars in NSW."
Chroback has also volunteered as race official at the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix since 1990.
He's heading back to Bathurst today for his race duties.
There are four days of racing in many classes and practice rounds before the V8 Supercars event on Sunday.
Apart from pursuing his abiding passion for motor sport and being a racetrack official, Chroback also works as a sales manager for the video-security manufacturing company Pelco.
