myke
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Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
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left at 6am friday, crossed to calais at 8.15.
the journey down is amazing. fantastic roads, pretty open. such a good laugh with all the exotics travelling down aswell. literally queues of english sports cars and supercars all passing the slower road traffic like a freight train on single carriageway roads.
we were in a hyundai coupe which did us proud. i know it's not all that amazing, but it was nice to get a bit of banter in with much faster cars.
the weather was pretty poor on the journey down, but it was scorching as soon as we got near le mans.
we did as much of a lap as was open to the public on the friday which was cool, then went to setup camp.
people were stopping all the traffic right outsite our campsite getting them to do burnouts and fast launches, while literallly hundreds of people were spraying water guns at the cars, and out of the cars. even the gendarmerie got wet!
we hit the beers soon as we were setup, and went for a wander to Arnage village. It was like a cruise down there. crowds packed the streets and spilled out into the roads making them single lane.
more outrageous driving was encouraged by all and tyres got smoking. the main roundabout was well policed, but they seemed to have no power over the thousands of race fans. one gendarm was getting very wound up at a few pissed up english blokes constantly cycling around the roundabout playing to the crowd and getting more and more naked.
the only arrest we saw was of some dill who chucked a big fire cracker at a gendarms feet. he jumped out of his skin and didn't know where it came from, but one of the others saw the culprit and dragged him off to a van.
we started walking back and decided to try and thumb for a lift. we didn't think for a minute that anyone would stop as there were loads of people all walking.
we were very surprised when someone stopped, and even more surprised when we saw it was a porsche 911. the driver stepped out and ensured us the three of us would fit in the back, before declaring that he was a bit pissed and that someone else should drive.
i naturally volunteered and i took the wheel while he got in the back  shocked that this guy would let a complete stranger drive his 911 about, we carried on regardless.
it was a bit busy to really rag it, but i gave it a bit of stick for the 5mins drive back to camp, and even 5up it moved vcery nicely. 
i don't expect anyone to believe that as i wouldn't have believed it myself if it had happened to someone else, but it's almost as if a completely different set of rules apply down there.
next day we got up had cold showers and made way to the circuit. it was unbelieveably hot and very uncomfortable waiting at the start finish straight for a few hours before the race in the exctreme heat. saturady was 32degrees, with no wind to cool you and no shade to grab.
the start is amazing with all of the cars hammering away from the straight at full chat. it's quite a sight to see, and quite a noise to hear; especially as it was the first time i'd witnessed LM and GT cars in person.
we weren't hardcore enough to stay up for the whole race, but moved about to see it from a few different locations between going back to grab a couple of hours sleep here and there.
the finish was a bit of a let downas we were just after the start/finish straight and they pulled straight into the exit of the pit lane after they'd done their last lap.
Audi R8's won from Pescarolo's in LMP1 class, while Corvette's just took GT1 from the quicker Aston DB9R's after problems in the last couple of hours of the race. one aston had fuel starvation problems, while the other needed a radiator swap right near the end allowing the C6R's to win.
best sounding cars for me were the Corvette's, a pair of Panoz', and a single Spyker spider. the R8's were the quietest in the field , which was odd as they were the fastest.
sunday was even hotter, and registered 38degrees while we were getting a bite to eat in Arnage. there were a lot of burnt bodies about, but we did well to escpape with healthy tans.
journey home was not as good as the way up, but still very cool being amidst such nice machinary. over the weekend we saw pretty much every car you can think of apart from zonda, konigsegg (sp), and bugatti's.
mad rush back to calais when we realised at a food stop 205kms away that we had just70mins to get to port. we made a sterling effort, but missed the boat by about 5mins and had to wait 1hour 20 for the next one.  Think we saw Steve Smith in the ferry terminal, although was too knackered by then to investigate further :waves:
all in all was a truly amazing weekend, and i recommend anyone that likes cars and doesn't mind roughing it for a weekend (most of you at a guess) should do it at least once. I will certainly be going again. 
i didn't take my cam, but will upload the other guys pics as soon as i get hold of them. 
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antscorsa
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Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: london
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ive got to go next year. sounds like sucha good laugh. how much did it cost u
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Paul_J
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: London
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Sounds cool mate.
Good essay... Guess it'd be ace to do this and then continue on to Nurburgring after
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Phil321
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Registered: 10th Mar 01
Location: Manchester
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Really wanted to go to this. Next year for sure
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
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Essay 
Porka Driver
I loved the comment about not expectiing anyone to believe it, i was just about to call you a big far liar   
Sounds ace matey
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myke
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Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
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going onto the ring would have been ace, but we would have been sooo knackered by the time we got back.
ferry was £72 for three of us and the car
entry was 60 euros
we spent about 100 euros each on food and drink
10ish euros on tolls
£30 for campsite ticket
fuel, not sure yet, we filled three times, so prolly a ton between us.
roughly £170 each providing you've got the tent and cyhairs etc in the first place.
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myke
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Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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i've not written so much for years
it was the classic shape 911, late 80's at a guess, not a nice shiney new one. the guy was trying to pursuade me to go for a blast, and then to spin it around in the road when we got to our destination. that was the first rwd car i've ever driven, so i would have probably ended up in a ditch.
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sassyminx
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Registered: 10th Jan 04
Location: Hartlepool Drives: Cossie
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did u spot corb pissed as feck off 2 cans?
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leeshez
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Registered: 3rd May 01
Location: Great Harwood, Lancashire
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Im going next year
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myke
Member
Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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nope. didn't spot corb.
only familiar vaux we saw apart from Steve if that was him was an astra gte: H 16V ??. looked quite nice.
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cargraphics4u.com
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Registered: 4th Feb 04
Location: Tonbridge, Kent Drives : J7 00RSA
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I was there, just got back last night. Le Mans is something else you really have to see it to believe it! I've been going for about 7 or 8 years now and I love it even more every time I go!
The drive down is quite surreal, imagine seeing a convoy of 10 ferraris fly past at about 100mph+! We had a nice little race with a Lamborghini at 130 on the way back too 
I agree with you myke Arnage village on Friday is like Southend but with Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches and TVRs!!
[Edited on 20-06-2005 by graficxpress]
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myke
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Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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what were you in mate?
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Tom
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Registered: 3rd Apr 02
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
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that sounds like some weekend and the porklie driver sounds like a loon, but good work driving your first rwd car (especially when it was a 911 and you didn't even know the owner )
My mates were talking about this but i wasn't convinced until I read that I might well have a go next time round
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cargraphics4u.com
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Registered: 4th Feb 04
Location: Tonbridge, Kent Drives : J7 00RSA
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Dark Blue TVR Tuscan (not mine)
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myke
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Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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might look into hiring a sportscar next time if it's financially viable.
well worth going though even if you take a banger.
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TNM
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: Nottingham Drives: VW Tiguan
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Sounds phat.
I wanted to go but some one pulled out so couldnt in the end
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1_Litre_Porsche_Beater
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Registered: 9th Apr 02
Location: Kent
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my neighbours went in their 450bhp+ chevrolet corvette, not back yet but they shud have some good pics. They been for the last 4 years and told me i shud definatly go next year.
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myke
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Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
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there were quite a lot of corvettes down there. not sure why but they did a parade lap after the legends race before the start.
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bradfincham
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Registered: 20th Sep 02
Location: East Of England Drives: Clio 172
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Amazing, ive never been daring enough to go,but when the kit car gets finished dad wants to take all 3 down me my brother and him.
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myke
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Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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the place was swarming with caterfield seven types.
you'd have loved it.
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bradfincham
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Registered: 20th Sep 02
Location: East Of England Drives: Clio 172
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yeh lots of dads mates go down,but we have never really looked into it.
The ring, Le mans are 2 definates for next year!!
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corb
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Registered: 24th Apr 02
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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I was gonna post up Myke, but like you, it wouldve been a HUGE essay, and i couldnt be arsed with that. Just gonna wait til my 492 pics are uploaded, they tell most of the stories i have to tell!
What campsite were you in? I got chatting to the owners of the Tussauds group who had their ferraris on the campsite, one 360 and one 550. The bloke in the 360 fired it up and gave it some stick revving up. The chap with the 550, I managed to convince him to start it so i could have a listen, but that wasnt enough for him, he then proceeded to bounce the fucker off the limit, car rocking from side to side!
Like you say, supercars everywhere, but I SAW A ZONDA but again, no konigsegg or bugatti(mightve, not sure, coulda seen an old one and not realised!)
Loasda totty but trying to get night time pics was a complete arse.
We didnt watch owt on sunday, packed up and left, we were all too burnt/exhausted to bother, bit disappointed bout that bit as i wanted some more pics of the cars, but i was, infact, still am, burnt to a crisp!
Lots of farting, beer(took 25 crates), shouting sausage at the crumpet walking about, lack of sleep and good bbq-ing
We didnt really take many fast cars, after Darren got a £550 fine in France last year, people couldnt see the point! So took economical cars instead!
We're taking a transit and generator next year and go peds. Projector + PS2 and a BIG inflatable swimming pool!
and there you go, a miniture essay and ive hardly mentioned any of it!
Deffo going next year
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myke
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Registered: 7th Feb 01
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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we were in blue sud.
good location. next to red site, and just a small road seperating the site from karting nord and then the circuit.
10 min walk from us to the track, just far enough so that the noise of the cars didn't keep us awake too much, although i can sleep through anything.
we only had a 2man tent between three of us, as we all came down in a coupe, but there was a mad pitch opposite us. two swimming pools, two outdoor showers, big mess tent, dining table, few of those square roof things (pergula?), two gas barbies, big stereo system run off a generator.......only thing they were missing was a tv.
taking a van would be the way forward for transporting kit, but would be a let down for the journey down there. that was one of the best bits.
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