What is your favourite memory of the weekend?
Discussion
Having been every year since 1993, i have a fair few memories, a fair few i would rather forget, and no doubt, more that i cant remember at all.
My absolute favourite was being at the champers tent (before they changed its location) at the end of the race. We met a group of folk, got thoroughly pissed up with them on champers, a bloody good sing song, one had a huge ice cart on wheels, and continually wrung out a towel over people who were hot-it was 2005 (i think) and bloody scorching.
Anyway, a good few hours, in great company, and shortly after the end of the race, the number of great cars coming past was superb, including a beautiful blower bentley who we insisted stop and jion us for a glass of bubbly.
A truly great end to a great weekend
My absolute favourite was being at the champers tent (before they changed its location) at the end of the race. We met a group of folk, got thoroughly pissed up with them on champers, a bloody good sing song, one had a huge ice cart on wheels, and continually wrung out a towel over people who were hot-it was 2005 (i think) and bloody scorching.
Anyway, a good few hours, in great company, and shortly after the end of the race, the number of great cars coming past was superb, including a beautiful blower bentley who we insisted stop and jion us for a glass of bubbly.
A truly great end to a great weekend
1. 2007 race. Inside track at Indionapolis, 3am, about 30 meters away from the marshall post taking time exposure pics of the tail lights... awesome. Until that blimin white jap entry Lambo nearly blew my ear drums out on the over run. ouch.
2. Every year, saturday evening, sun setting, brits parading through arnage village in everything from Alfa to Zonda whilst we sit and enjoy a cold 1664 with steak and chips. [AND, a nice number two in the restaurant toilet.]
Bliss.
2. Every year, saturday evening, sun setting, brits parading through arnage village in everything from Alfa to Zonda whilst we sit and enjoy a cold 1664 with steak and chips. [AND, a nice number two in the restaurant toilet.]
Bliss.
The first year was probably one of the best for me.
Been going since 2003 and I think it gets better every year.
We went down with a camper van in the convoy which was used as are main base when we got there. We did'nt go down organised in those days. And the cars were parked all over the place same as the tents.
Anyway cut a long story short, I was given the keys to the camper van sometime in the evening. But couldnt remeber having them. Got back to the camper tried to wake someone to let us in but failed. So in my drunken wisdom I tried to break in to the van via the sky light on the roof but got stuck tring to get myself through the gap. Stayed there till it got light and one of them in the van woke up.
Cost me a new sky light and breakfast all round.
Been going since 2003 and I think it gets better every year.
We went down with a camper van in the convoy which was used as are main base when we got there. We did'nt go down organised in those days. And the cars were parked all over the place same as the tents.
Anyway cut a long story short, I was given the keys to the camper van sometime in the evening. But couldnt remeber having them. Got back to the camper tried to wake someone to let us in but failed. So in my drunken wisdom I tried to break in to the van via the sky light on the roof but got stuck tring to get myself through the gap. Stayed there till it got light and one of them in the van woke up.
Cost me a new sky light and breakfast all round.
probably 2005 when on a drunken sat morning at about 2oclock me and my brother crept onto the start finish straight and sat on the tarmac next to the point where the crash of 1955 happened and just sat and took a moment to reflect on the memory of those that died that fateful day 50 years earlier it was one of those drunk had to be there moments but to me those times are what le mans is all about
Half an hour into my first ever visit in 1988 getting pulled by Le Plod for doing 125 in a 60, being marched into the back of Le Plods van and being relieved of £100 for my troubles. It really set the agenda for the next twenty years.
The same year finding our way down to Mulsanne at midnight to watch the Jags and Mercs absolutely flat and of course watching Jaguar win.
The same year finding our way down to Mulsanne at midnight to watch the Jags and Mercs absolutely flat and of course watching Jaguar win.
There are a number for me...
Hearing the Panoz GTRs in '98 and being able to time their laps from the sound of them, rather than by watching them.
The horror of watching the big screen live when the Mercedes flipped and thinking "That looks bad", until they announced that Peter Dumbreck was OK.
The works MG-Lola cars going very fast and at one point leading the race (shame they didn't last)
Seeing the Bentley Speed 8 for the first time.
Dressing for dinner (like Gentlemen) and serving a 5 course meal in Parking Blanc in 2002.
The 2008 stag do smurfs.
Hearing the Panoz GTRs in '98 and being able to time their laps from the sound of them, rather than by watching them.
The horror of watching the big screen live when the Mercedes flipped and thinking "That looks bad", until they announced that Peter Dumbreck was OK.
The works MG-Lola cars going very fast and at one point leading the race (shame they didn't last)
Seeing the Bentley Speed 8 for the first time.
Dressing for dinner (like Gentlemen) and serving a 5 course meal in Parking Blanc in 2002.
The 2008 stag do smurfs.
not sure any of this is favourite, but...
What I remember of '90 seemed to consist of arriving late Thursday night and the three of us sleeping in the gutter next to the bikes in Pl. de la Republique; locking the bikes together at Houx on Friday to let the drinking commence only to hear engines being thrashed and then riding up and down the first three corners of the Bugatti circuit pissed-up and in shorts until Rob hit a barrier and dumped all the oil from his Gixer's sump onto the racing line; going to town and cracking on to loads of Mme's (I was lots younger and better looking then); me and Clive getting beaten up by French (yeah, I know) outside a nightclub (told ya I was younger then) being picked up from the gutter (again) and dusted down by a giant African look-looky man then going off with him to score some whiz (bearing in mind that he knew I had the money and I was rubbish at fighting); walking back to Houx in the early hours (thanks to Frenchie in the 2CV who gave me a lift); watching the very start of the race; going to the fair and meeting, out of the blue, two girls we had done a runner from in a bar the previous evening (turns out they were only 16, had no money to pay the bill and their parents had to spring them from the cells) and they were still pleased to see us (I really was younger and better looking...); having a bad reaction to the speed; waking up Sunday afternoon next to a huge pool of something that used to be inside of me; feeling shiit and being really miserable the rest of the weekend after having seen about 20 mins of the whole race and then towing Rob's Bike behind my bike (scary and horrible) most of the way back to Le Havre (thanks to Frenchies in a glaziers van who helped the last 50 miles when my clutch was shagged).
Oh yeah; and then I found out that apparently the Jags had won...
Having only been only 6 times I already have too many, but springing to mind...
1. Last year, standing at Tetre Rouge at 4 AM and listening to the Murcielago blasting off into the darkness
2. (at the classic) standing at Arnage 2 and hearing the old Ferraris blasting off into the woods
3. My burnout in the jag at Houx Annexe in 2005
4. My mate doing the trip on an out of date passport in 2006
5. Everything else
1. Last year, standing at Tetre Rouge at 4 AM and listening to the Murcielago blasting off into the darkness
2. (at the classic) standing at Arnage 2 and hearing the old Ferraris blasting off into the woods
3. My burnout in the jag at Houx Annexe in 2005
4. My mate doing the trip on an out of date passport in 2006
5. Everything else
Most of my 'favourite' memories are ones where you look back and laugh afterwards
But in no particular order:- sleeping on a garage forecourt somewhere in Le Mans having run out of petrol in the very early hours of Friday morning
- driving like a loon on Mad Friday between Mulsanne and Indianapolis in rapid company with a Lancia Delta Integrale
- Being totally soaked to the skin, literally, in 2002 when sitting in a Westfield and trying to get back to Ecommoy
- A certain overtaking situation on the N138 involving 2 Westfields, a truck and a La Post van....
- The first time I stood at Indianapolis in the dark, before they spoiled it with floodlights
- Standing in the bushes by the bar on the Mulsanne, inches behind the armco, before they put up the stupid green netting. Feeling my eardrums being knackered by the Panoz LMP cars
- the company of a great group of people
- the e-mails flying around last year on the Thursday before the race, updating us on the 'progress' of the main group who headed down that day. Trying to figure out why you might go to the Eurotunnel via Gatwick when you began your journey in Essex....
Only been the last 2 years but some of the best memories are....
Seeing Alan McNish win in 2008, after a fantastic fight with the Peugeots.
Tunnel blasting with an orange Ultima on the way back last year in Rouen, one of the few cars able to 'out noise' my (then) de-catted and sports exhausted Elise.
My first real taste of the LM experience, on the way there in 2007, again through the Rouen tunnels in my Lotus, this time with a couple of guys in afro wigs driving a Z3 M roadster.
Can't wait for '09
Seeing Alan McNish win in 2008, after a fantastic fight with the Peugeots.
Tunnel blasting with an orange Ultima on the way back last year in Rouen, one of the few cars able to 'out noise' my (then) de-catted and sports exhausted Elise.
My first real taste of the LM experience, on the way there in 2007, again through the Rouen tunnels in my Lotus, this time with a couple of guys in afro wigs driving a Z3 M roadster.
Can't wait for '09
In 2006 being in the right place at the right time and being invited to take part in the drivers parade. As we left the announcers podium I gave the Vette some beans and ripped up the red carpet, to which the late David Leslie said live on MotorsTV "oops, somebody's got a bit excited there". Also getting a thumbs up from Allan McNish who was walking by as I started the car before the parade.
Getting chased and stopped by the French police who then removed all our remaining Euros for not having a front number plate. The fact we'd been running with a Ketchup Sack Elise and 360 was obvious from the smoking engine and oil running off the chassis but the BIB just did us for a number plate.
The first year we went only two of us went out to watch the racing during the night. We went on the dodgems at about 7am after drinking all night and watched the sunrise at the Dunlop Bridge. At about 10am we started the walk back to BSJ which took about an hour. After that we just lay in the shade listening to the finish before hitting the BSJ bar again.
Getting chased and stopped by the French police who then removed all our remaining Euros for not having a front number plate. The fact we'd been running with a Ketchup Sack Elise and 360 was obvious from the smoking engine and oil running off the chassis but the BIB just did us for a number plate.
The first year we went only two of us went out to watch the racing during the night. We went on the dodgems at about 7am after drinking all night and watched the sunrise at the Dunlop Bridge. At about 10am we started the walk back to BSJ which took about an hour. After that we just lay in the shade listening to the finish before hitting the BSJ bar again.
Watching a scouse ex friend being a greedy tw*t in the Total garage next to the airport. Puts 2 cases of Krony in the front of his black Porcshe Boxter only to then decide to have a third case - no room left in the lower section of the boot so he puts the 3rd one in the top part and slams the lid..........hey presto - a row of beer bottle top shaped dents in the paintwork. He cried - so did we. B-)
cartart said:
Also same scouse mouse was talking "at" Hugh Chamberlain in the bar near the circuit entrance on the friday night and was offering to help out in the pits come race day - we had to remind him that you're supposed to put the wheels back on the car.........!!!
You really dont like him do you? 
as a relative newby to le mans i've been going since 2002 and have a few good moments:
2002
-i think just turning up for the first time ever, trying to visualise steve mcqueen driving his 911 round at the opening of "le mans" and watching the old coverage
-the sock incident!
2003
-seeing tom kristensen ditch the bentley in qualifying right where i was sitting in the grandstand JUST after i'd used the last shot on my SLR camera and my brother was just changing the film in his!
-my first lap of the circuit driving
2007
-listening to john hindhaugh on the radio le mans coverage after mike rockenfeller ditched his audi in the rain and was trying to rebuild it to get back to the pits - very funny!
-standing at mulsanne corner and listening to the cars belt down the straight - especially the corvettes.
2002
-i think just turning up for the first time ever, trying to visualise steve mcqueen driving his 911 round at the opening of "le mans" and watching the old coverage
-the sock incident!
2003
-seeing tom kristensen ditch the bentley in qualifying right where i was sitting in the grandstand JUST after i'd used the last shot on my SLR camera and my brother was just changing the film in his!
-my first lap of the circuit driving
2007
-listening to john hindhaugh on the radio le mans coverage after mike rockenfeller ditched his audi in the rain and was trying to rebuild it to get back to the pits - very funny!
-standing at mulsanne corner and listening to the cars belt down the straight - especially the corvettes.
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