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Who fancies a nice trip to French campsite where you can sit down with a warm beer and watch some diesel cars drive round very fast?
Before you click the BACK button perhaps I should explain: The club has put together a package for the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2010 on the weekend 12th and 13th June.
For those who've not been before the Le Mans experience is pretty special. The race itself obviously lasts for 24 hours which, if you've not experienced endurance racing, is pretty staggering. You will eat, drink (more on this later) and sleep all the while with a race going on around you. As you try to tuck up for the night full of beer and Grand Marnier Crepes they just keep going. I had always assumed that they'd slow up a bit over night, little realising that the fastest laps are often set around 4:00 in the morning. If you can drag yourself out of your slumber and wonder over the the circuit near the start of the Mulsanne straight the slight of a prototype car swooping round the outside of a GT2 911 then leaving for dead up the straight, headlights and electro-luminescent number-board shining is stunning.
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Likewise the side on view of one of the cars, brake discs glowing a brightly as the lights as they scrub off speed for the Porsche Curves makes me think that me efforts on the local ring road aren't quite as heroic as I thought.
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If you're not familiar with the cars then I won't say too much beyond that to main classes of cars run: Prototypes and GTs. Prototypes are what they say of the tin, purpose built racers, whereas the GT cars are road-going GT cars. There's a very good chance that the Nissan GT-RS will be running in this class as we know Nismo are in talks with several teams - Autoblog — We Obsessively Cover The Auto Industry
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Of course there's more to Le Mans than just the race. The campsites have probably the largest collection of interesting cars ever brought together.
YouTube - GTR hit
They range from the absurd...
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...to the stunningly absurd.
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The best bit being that the owner is usually seated a few feet away enjoying a cold beer and will be more than happy for you to tell him how much you like his motorised settee or whatever. The atmosphere in the campsites is all part of the fun with informal competitions to see who can build the biggest beer wall...
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...and who has the most extravagant paddling pool.
The race week is very much that with events slowly picking up pace through-out the week. Practise and qualifying leads to the Drivers Parade, also know as Mad Friday.
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If you manage to get up to town to watch the parade the ACO usually lays on a load of classic cars mixed in with various supecars in the town square...
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...Of course you can just sit in one of the lovely square-side cafes enjoying some 'grande biers' if you don't want to get involved in the hustle and bustle of actually having to stand up...
![]()
![]()
...Ahem.
Of course as you wonder about you might stumble upon the odd motoring 'celeb'.
![]()
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Enough of my flannel onto at the club is actually doing. We have a deal with a tour operator to provide a camping pitch in the 'GTROC Enclave' and a pair of entry tickets to EACH OF those interested. The entry tickets can be upgraded to include grandstand tickets. Finally a channel crossing can be added to the package.
Costs are approximately £130 per person for the basic package (minimum two places). Plus approximately £90 per person for the grandstand option
For the journey over the advance party will be travelling out on Tuesday on the Ferry. Your more than welcome to come along estimated costs are £45 for a car and two people. The main party will be following on Thursday via the Chunnel, cost if estimated to be £100 a car and two people.
Expressions of interest at this stage would be helpful so that we can get a handle on numbers.
If you have any questions or would just like to regale us with tails of your Le Mans antics just shout!
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The Le Mans Tour 2010 Organiser Team
Before you click the BACK button perhaps I should explain: The club has put together a package for the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2010 on the weekend 12th and 13th June.
For those who've not been before the Le Mans experience is pretty special. The race itself obviously lasts for 24 hours which, if you've not experienced endurance racing, is pretty staggering. You will eat, drink (more on this later) and sleep all the while with a race going on around you. As you try to tuck up for the night full of beer and Grand Marnier Crepes they just keep going. I had always assumed that they'd slow up a bit over night, little realising that the fastest laps are often set around 4:00 in the morning. If you can drag yourself out of your slumber and wonder over the the circuit near the start of the Mulsanne straight the slight of a prototype car swooping round the outside of a GT2 911 then leaving for dead up the straight, headlights and electro-luminescent number-board shining is stunning.
Likewise the side on view of one of the cars, brake discs glowing a brightly as the lights as they scrub off speed for the Porsche Curves makes me think that me efforts on the local ring road aren't quite as heroic as I thought.
If you're not familiar with the cars then I won't say too much beyond that to main classes of cars run: Prototypes and GTs. Prototypes are what they say of the tin, purpose built racers, whereas the GT cars are road-going GT cars. There's a very good chance that the Nissan GT-RS will be running in this class as we know Nismo are in talks with several teams - Autoblog — We Obsessively Cover The Auto Industry
Of course there's more to Le Mans than just the race. The campsites have probably the largest collection of interesting cars ever brought together.
YouTube - GTR hit
They range from the absurd...
...to the stunningly absurd.
The best bit being that the owner is usually seated a few feet away enjoying a cold beer and will be more than happy for you to tell him how much you like his motorised settee or whatever. The atmosphere in the campsites is all part of the fun with informal competitions to see who can build the biggest beer wall...
...and who has the most extravagant paddling pool.
The race week is very much that with events slowly picking up pace through-out the week. Practise and qualifying leads to the Drivers Parade, also know as Mad Friday.
If you manage to get up to town to watch the parade the ACO usually lays on a load of classic cars mixed in with various supecars in the town square...
...Of course you can just sit in one of the lovely square-side cafes enjoying some 'grande biers' if you don't want to get involved in the hustle and bustle of actually having to stand up...
...Ahem.
Of course as you wonder about you might stumble upon the odd motoring 'celeb'.
Enough of my flannel onto at the club is actually doing. We have a deal with a tour operator to provide a camping pitch in the 'GTROC Enclave' and a pair of entry tickets to EACH OF those interested. The entry tickets can be upgraded to include grandstand tickets. Finally a channel crossing can be added to the package.
Costs are approximately £130 per person for the basic package (minimum two places). Plus approximately £90 per person for the grandstand option
For the journey over the advance party will be travelling out on Tuesday on the Ferry. Your more than welcome to come along estimated costs are £45 for a car and two people. The main party will be following on Thursday via the Chunnel, cost if estimated to be £100 a car and two people.
Expressions of interest at this stage would be helpful so that we can get a handle on numbers.
If you have any questions or would just like to regale us with tails of your Le Mans antics just shout!
The Le Mans Tour 2010 Organiser Team
?
