[DeTomaso] Le Mans Classic morning laps on Youtube

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

Hey guys,

On Saturday morning, the event organizers allowed people to take two 
pace-car-controlled laps of the full Le Mans circuit, charging a healthy 110 Euros for 
the privilege.   The cars went out in various groups; the GT40 replicas and 
Panteras were lumped together in the same group.   Here's a pair of Youtube 
videos shot from a GT40 replica, one for each lap:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsyRhI4yGSA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi0zJP2lb0A

At 4:40 in the first video, Geoff Peters and I can be seen parked on the side 
of the road, waiting for traffic to clear.   Near the end of the second 
video, the camera car catches up with a bunch of the other Panteras that were 
running together.

As you can see, it was uncontrolled chaos, with cars knifing through traffic 
at triple-digit speeds while other cars toured around at 50 mph.   Nobody was 
wearing a helmet, nobody had signed a waiver, nothing.   Just pay your money 
(in advance, tickets sold out quickly) and then go for it.

Charlie--this gives an excellent idea of what you missed.   Whether you have 
not-buyer's remorse or not is up to you.   I found it rather entertaining but 
would have difficulty justifying spending 110 Euros to take just two laps of 
the circuit, particularly as much of it was in heavy traffic.   But then I have 
the opportunity to drive on other tracks all the time.   If somebody does 
not, then perhaps this represents a good deal?

BTW, after most people had gone home on Sunday, Jim Oddie and I had dinner 
with Kjetil Finne and Lisa, and then we took them on a tour of the circuit.   
Much of it is comprised of public roads, and the roads were opened almost 
immediately after the conclusion of the racing, so after dinner we drove the route 
backwards to Tetre Route (where the public road portion ends), then we turned 
around and drove it in the proper direction.

Last I saw of Kjetil, his supercharged 4.6 motor was wheezing and chuffing 
through the wastegate as he streaked down the road in front of me, quickly 
disappearing into the distance, Gendarmes be damned. :>)

Mike


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