Day 9 - Race begins, Saturday
Mad Friday took a lot from some of us.
It took our dignity.
Unfortunately it also took the last hopes from under John's MR2.
After a night of heavy, heavy rain it wasn't looking good, firing on one cylinder, dousing fuel, the whole lot.
We spent a good while on it in the morning, swapping components from other MR2s and brainstorming.
Ultimately, we didn't really get anywhere, and Mark and I set off to watch the start of the race as we were no longer being useful.
By this point the cars had already tested and qualified for positions, so a shock was already afoot
- Porsche were leading the field, the first time Audi have not led the field since 2003
(barring one year in 2009)!
The race would start at 3pm.
The cars had to warm up the tyres and so on, so a
'parade' lap of sorts occurs, carefully timed, and before that a general warmup wiggly lap.
First thing, straight out of the pits, one of the Rebellion cars spins and goes right into the gravel! It's hilarious because they were travelling so slowly.
Unfortunately it's a pretty accurate display of how well they will do this year though!!
The laps get underway though, barring the gravel trap now spread across the tarmac.
Eventually they call time and get it swept up
-
And the cars are back out for the parade lap, timed to perfection, such that the first car crosses the start line at a rolling start at 15:00 exactly.
The crowd in our Dunlop grandstand cheer loudly as, even for many regulars, this must be the first time they've ever seen the race NOT lead by Audi into the first turn!
The cars still spin out though!
After a few hours, it all gets too much for the oldies and they catch some flies together.
By this point, we've watched 5 hours or racing or so.
We get out to stretch the legs and explore the other car park
/ camping fields we haven't been to.
RSOLE
-
And back to our own for dinner
Before
- you guessed it
- evening racing!
As the light fades, it gets really atmospheric.
After a long while, we head back to camp for some more rest.
The plan is to set off to a spot Peter knows late at night, to watch the cars as they complete the Mulsanne straight.
We get there around 2, and leave around 3am, having spent an hour or more in the forest right next to the circuit.
The noise and atmosphere here is incredible.
Unlike anything I've ever heard, and totally different to the atmosphere in the circuit.
It's very chilled out, not too many people, all just sitting on the grass revelling in the machinery flying past.
You can feel that everyone on that mound is a real petrolhead right into their gut.
Day 10 - Race ends, Sunday
Despite not being asleep before 4, you wake up at 9 when the day gets bright.
But the downside to being groggy and not well-rested is that you do stupid things.
.
.
Like lock your only set of car keys inside the boot of your car.
.
.
With the doors closed.
.
.
And the windows up.
.
.
On race day.
.
.
Only a matter of hours before the race finishes.
.
.
We sit around at camp in the morning, me cursing myself, everyone else offering their best suggestions at how to deal with the scenario.
I resolve that I am prepared to break my driver's side window if I must and drive home with no glass.
But, seeing as I paid
£80 or so for euro breakdown cover, I might as well at least phone the RAC.
If it's going to be a broken window, better that they do it with the right tool than me with my foot.
Mark and I set off for the circuit again and await a phone call.
Eventually, about 2 hours before the race is due to finish
(NERVES!) I get a call
- the guys are outside the campsite.
They are of course masters of their trade and solve the problem very simply and with no damage to my car
- just my ego.
I thank them profusely, and highlight to them that now that they're in our campsite, they're technically circuit-side.
.
.
Go watch the end of the race lads
Unfortunately, John's car's on-going symptoms are too much to deal with with no tools and no spares.
It joins the Aston and is repatriated on a flat-bed trailer.
As Dave and Craig did not come to the race
- only the drive
- we are now down to only 3 of our original 7 cars in the convoy home.
Still
- the Corvette won its class, Porsche won Le Mans, and we had an amazing weekend.
I absolutely cannot wait to do the trip again some day.
Thank you to everyone who came with us
