Le Mans Classic 2014

Hope to be able to meet up with you all this year, we have booked a pre-erected tent this year as the chateau was fully booked again.

Would be good to meet up again.

B1 RMA wrote:
Hope to be able to meet up with you all this year, we have booked a pre-erected tent this year as the chateau was fully booked again.


Would be good to meet up again.

That would be nice so perhaps meet up at the Renault stand.
Not very happy as my Boxster doesn't qualify for the mad parade lap neither does the Lexus LS600h luxo barge I may be buying either, although my mates travelling down can have a shiatsu massage from the rear relaxation pack (perverts)

[BIG_MVS]

Looks like I'm double booked for this now so I will have to duck out.

One day I'll get to France in an Alpine!

I'm going as a passenger in an mx5, will be cramped if we have to have the roof up...
Sorry you won't be there.
Lee

I am parking in the Renault Classic area on the infield. My ticket states that I have to use the Durant or Durand entrance, but there is no indication as to where that is! Any idea people? This is my first time at the Classic and my journey getting there is complex - I live in northern Germany (I am English!), so fly at 06:30 Thursday morning Hannover to Paris, train to Poitiers, hire car home in Charente. Early Friday morning I drive to Le Mans.

I had to book Bleu Nord camping as I couldn't find anywhere else and once car is parked I may not have transport, so being close was important. How do I find this elusive entrance?

BTW: How do I post pics on here direct from my laptop?

Racing close to starting, club parade laps close to over.
Looking forward to some exciting racing. Piston heads package in blue nord working well, in a compound, pre built tent, breakfast and dinner, lots of showers and toilets, bar and f1 on the telly...
Can see the rest of blue nord outside and why it's not top of people's lists....
Who else is here?
Lee

[stephendell]

I am parking in the Renault Classic area on the infield. My ticket states that I have to use the Durant or Durand entrance, but there is no indication as to where that is! Any idea people?

Presumably you will have worked this out now as you must be there! I read your travel plans but couldn't work out if you were taking the A310 or not? If not then I don't think they will allow you to park in the Renault Classic infield area. Sadly as you say blue north camping is all that was easily available this year which put a lot of people off. I hope you have a great time and manage to catch up with some of the English alpine guys. Andy holt will be helping out running a Lola so should be relatively easy to find in the paddock.

Please post up some pics for those of us that couldn't make it this year.

Racing close to starting, club parade laps close to over.
Looking forward to some exciting racing. Piston heads package in blue nord working well, in a compound, pre built tent, breakfast and dinner, lots of showers and toilets, bar and f1 on the telly...
Can see the rest of blue nord outside and why it's not top of people's lists....
Who else is here?
Lee

you gonna miss Tour de France right past your front door then Lee?

Yes mark missing the Tour de France, bad planning as it is past the end of my street.
Will try and find Andy, saw his French photographer friend in the distance today too....Lola t70s dominating their class...

just returned home, not many hours sleep..... thank god for Guinness , Champagne and adrenelin..... incredible weekend

will do a more detailed post later.... when I've caught up on my work, emails and maybe....sleep

I fortunately got the first chunnel train this morning before all the problems today. Was driving all night and took 14 hours in total as hit the M25 at rush hour and probs on the M6 etc. Shame I didn't see you Andy. All I can say is what a superb event this is.

just returned home, not many hours sleep..... thank god for Guinness , Champagne and adrenelin..... incredible weekend

will do a more detailed post later.... when I've caught up on my work, emails and maybe....sleep

I got stuck at the tunnel...could have been worse, only two hours delay but I was very lucky with being in the wrong queue at the right time...

Left home at 2100 Thursday evening, with plenty of dry clothes comfy bedding and a fridge packed with as much Guinness as I could lay my hands on.....
arrived at Camping Houx at 0240.....got my head down for a few hours before Antoine wakes me up for Petit Dej and pass allocation. Fridge installed in camp site leccy all hooked up,

so onto the car....the usual team Lacaud Lola T294 BMW

a few bits of prep to do before it set off for first practice qually session but plenty of hands available to help so no dramas,
1 session in the afternoon, 1 early evening and one in the night, session 1 ok both drivers qualified, session 2 master stroke decision, it had stopped raining.....but it was trying again and was a gamble to leave the car on wets from the afternoon session....
most cars went to pre grid with slicks, off they went 2 laps in it hoofed it down pleased with our decision as all other cars dived in to change rubber and we stayed out but there were a few offs and out came the safety cars..... just to give us some bad luck the car came in a lap early for driver change with a deflated left rear..... changed with a hammer..... no air guns here.... off he went and rejoined behind the safety car. which is how the session finished
session three run at drivers discretion if it was raining we were staying in.... it was dry..... but threatening to rain again and that place is no fun in a 40 od year old widow-maker in driving rain. Patrick at the helm went out did a couple of laps then had to return to the pits as the car had lost all rear lights, tried fixing in pitlane but no chance as it then started to rain again so abandoned session and went for a few beers....
after a couple of hours sleep we proceeded to fix the gremlins on the car, a new alternator pully was sourced locally as the one on the car was too large so it helped the alternator spin faster, rear light fault fixed, topped up fluids checked rubber and we were ready for the 3 races, 1 late at night one early morning and the final race of the weekend on sunday afternoon, all 3 races completed car and drivers ran well and we finished the weekend with a car still running.
returned home overnight arriving Monday morning at 0600, I think I had around 15 hours sleep between Thursday and Monday morning, a mad tiring but enjoyable weekend, pity the next one is in 2 years..... pity no one from the club was there I know it was a nightmare to book camping etc this year, maybe next time. Phil G was there with his MOG but after driving it from Calais to Le mans in the rain his better half had enough after the most severe exfoliation of the face she'd ever experienced and I was informed she returned to the UK in a friends car which was equipped with a roof and a windscreen. thanks to all those who came to help and support us , those who took loads of pics and videos and our Main sponsor Bayard-Homme, can't wait for the next one! more pics on facebook.

cool and car looks great in new livery

Below is our video of the event. I went down in the white Esprit this time but there is lots of Alpine content in the video. Great event and I hope the video manages to capture a little of the atmosphere. Sit back as it's 20 mins long but well worth a watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9LVb0n ... e=youtu.be