Club Arnage

Let's have a thread to record our collective stories, experiences and links to pics etc.

Club Arnage was well represented this year. At risk of omitting someone, the following were there:

UK - me, Chris24, JPChenet, Rick Cutler, Andy Zarse, Steve Brown
US - Pidge, Matt & Dave Harper, Fax, John Evans, Amazing Randy
Canada - Phil
Germany - gab

Apologies if I have missed anyone - I blame jet lag.

There were many others who travelled with the above and with whom we camped, and even more who we met and who I hope will become regulars here. Welcome to them!

Our banner was cunningly positioned along the main strip and which gave us good exposure... gab - did you take it down or was it nicked???  ???

Despite the weather I thoroughly enjoyed the experience - some of you know that Phil and I started in Bike Week (which became Spring Break) in Daytona on 11th, moving to Sebring on Wed 16th. The liver is now going to get a well earned rest for at least 24 hours...  ;D

There were many highlights which no doubt will be related here.

My own highlight (or maybe it was a lowlight) was the hire car - a convertible Sebring. First problem was someone damaging the rear fender in the car park at Daytona. Some rubbing compound reduced but didn't completely fix the damage. Then on Friday I locked the key in the boot. Frantic calls to Dollar then a locksmith were unproductive, but Chris24 found a wreck truck guy who broke into the car in no time, then it was simply down to his and Rick's ability to access the boot from the inside of the car, only wrecking the interior trim in the process :) . I managed to get it back together such that with the top down, the Returns people wouldn't notice (especially as I left half a pack of cookies in the car...). And the final thing was the engine management light being on for the whole of yesterday. It ran OK, but I've probably knackered something on it - there were funny smells at times...

Lots more anecdotes spring to mind, but I'll leave it to others to relate them. My own thanks to Pidge for the breakfasts, to Phil for taking me camping equipment and to gab's bro Glenn for forcing me to drink way too much on my first night there... :) Also the welcome and hospitality offered by Turn 10 on many occasions.

I'll post something a bit more substantial as soon as, but just to say we all had the trip of a lifetime. On returning home I opened the post to a massive tax bill (it is to be assumed the Revenue are taking the piss?) and yet I'm still sitting here with a grin like a cheshire cat.

And this was on top of him losing his wallet on Sunday morning!!!  :(

In no particular order, my thanks to :

Matt Harper for meeting us at Orlando airport, escorting us to some high class hostelries as "mine host", and acting as courier for some heavy metal in a cardboard box.

Pidge for cooking up a mean breakfast.

All at Turn Ten, including the Amazing Randy etc for their tremendous show of hospitality and generosity.

Andy Z, JPC and Rick C for putting up with my driving, farting, snoring and general uncouth behaviour.

Samuel Adams for brewing a mean bottle of ale.

<turns to the left, receives Academy Award and faces back to audience>

Also, thanks to all the CA crowd plus various brothers, doctors and lawyers for coping with monsoon rain and tropical sun.

And finally <wipes away a tear> thanks to Aston Martin for kicking some bottom.

Hey chaps,

I'm one of the Turn 10 guys you met, Tad's the name and I'm the one from Birmingham, Alabama.

Just wanted to say it was great to meet everyone, I just wish I could of stayed up for the finish. Too much rum took me down with about an hour left in the race. :'(

I hope everyone had a safe journey home and look forward to seeing y'all next year.

Now I need to come over to Le Mans and visit y'all.

Tad

I'll try and post a photo or two in the next couple days. I think and got a good shot or two of y'all.

I know most of you guys are fast asleep since it's about midnight there in Jolly Old England,  Old farts need there sleep you know.
 
I just rolled into Tyler and checked the mail to see if you chaps made it back OK.  I had a great time being with you guys.  

Pidge, you are king of the kitchen and did a great job.  Thanks so much.  

I got some pictures to post later this week, just got a ton on stuff to do now, such as dry the tent.  

BTW, not discounting that the "Asstuns" came to play and did a great job, but they should have lost if bad luck hadn't bitten the 'vettes.  It is the making of a good rivalry for this season and I'm looking forward to Le Mans for a little revenge, hey???

Hi Guys,
Back home in Cincy tired, liver pulverized and as you said Andy, grinning like a fool.  Outstanding effort by all.  Big thanks to Matt, Dave and Graham (Hazeleggs) for all the hospitality and laughs, love you guys like brothers.  To the CA gang, Smokie, Phil, Andy, Steve, JP, Rick, John, etc, etc.  You guys were huge fun to hangout, chat and knock back cold brews with. I expected you to be a good bunch of guys and I was right.  The trip out to turn 10 and the finish on the pit terrace overlooking the Aston crew are memories that I'll cherish forever. I won't be at the Sarthe this year but I'll see you all at the old bomber base again next March (and hopefully at the Petit this October).  Also a big thanks to the turn 10 crew for feeding us, looking after us and for just being terrific racing fans to watch the action with.  Whew! What a race!
Fax

Home , Home on the range .................
Yippee Y OH KY AAAA ............
GAB has the banner ......... I dropped him off at 2 PM Monday Miami time. I'm fortunate that I can say I don't remember when I had such a good time. A couple of the guys don't remember nuthin'.
Damned Aston's ..... first time out ain't supposed to do that.
And didn't it rain children !!!!! >:(   However we all dried out just in time to freeze our butts off. :-\

The Moose has landed. Just arrived home after an uneventful drive home all went well. Left Sebring 12:30pm Sunday arrived  home 12:05amTuesday includes one nights sleep in South Carolina as planned
($29 Smokie ;D) 2 meal stops and a leg stretch plus fuel stops of course 2,186Km
Ready for Bed  :o
Great to see you all. Congrats to Aston on a superb first effort and well done Corvette for overcoming some racing problems and getting 2 cars on the podium.
Canada Phil

OK, hopefully that's the jet lag sorted so now I can think straight again and start to say a few thank you's!!

Pidge: Great breakfasts!! Don't forget to try the bananas again! Add some brown sugar too, or flaked chocolate!

johnevans3: Great to see you again and glad you'll be at Le Mans again too. Oh, and for bringing Larry of course!

Larry: Probably the best sausages I've ever tasted!!! (Larry shot a deer just before heading down and had it made into "Bambi Sausages" as they were lovingly called as we tucked into them.

Canada Phil: That first cup of coffee in the morning is always so important. And for getting us on La Bamba!!

Smokie: For telling me I had to go for the last two years  ;)  and of course the added entertainment from the "key" incident  :-[

Gab: Great to meet you and your brother. I don't believe a word Pidge says about your hollow legs.

Fax, Dave and Hazzelegs: Great to meet you guys at last. Thanks for taking us under your wing and for getting us into the Pits Grandstand. Great to watch the race with you guys, and proud to be classed as "JLU" Dave, have you got any jobs going in Indi? Linda could probably get a transfer no problem and the rat race here sucks!

Everyone at Turn 10: What can I say about you guys! Unbelievable generosity and hospitality, and what a wedding!!!! Randy, great to meet you. Jupiter John, how many years have you been going now? Lee, great slide show, what's the SKU of your book and when's the next one out? Looking forward to recipricating when you guys come to Le Mans in 2006.

Matt: Thank you so much for all your help and organising the hotels, collecting us from the airport and lifts. Next year we'll choose the nightclub though!  ;D

And finally Andy, Steve and Rick for being such good travelling companions and always being up for a laugh (and a beer of course)

Sorry if I've missed anyone!

It was nice to introduce some of the guys to "Breakfast Cider" as well. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it everyone as I'm sure the guys will testify.

Lasting memories have got to be seeing the Aston's win from directly above their pit, celebrating with Dave Richards, being invited into the Aston paddock by Dave Richards wife to photograph the trophy, the turn 10 wedding (more to follow on that one.......even Big H couldn't have made it up), joining in the open mike session at Reilley's (they're sending me a copy fo the DVD) and the 14th hole at the Congo River Mini Golf.

Looking forward to seeing some of you in June, and the rest of you next March!!! (just don't tell the missus yet!!!!  ;))

Hey Tad, welcome to Club Arnage. Looking forward to seeing you guys at Le Mans in June 2006!!

I forgot the Margarita machine   :o

Steve has extensive photos so one may be in attendance at Le Mans!  :D

Well I’m finally back on planet earth after one of the best weekends I can remember in a long time. In fact, I’m still not sure it really happened and have to pinch myself from time to time. The whole thing was just an amazing experience, but at the end of the day, what made it so special for me was all the fine people I met and who’s generosity, helpfulness and sense of goodwill was humbling. No doubt there’s folks who’s names I can’t even remember, so if I’ve missed anyone or anything out, sorry, it’s not intentional. So, in no particular order:

Matt thanks for, well, just everything really. No need to say any more, I know a kindred spirit when I meet one. It was great to meet Dave H and Haslegs too. I was pleased to discover Dave that you are not the fat, elderly man with a huge ginger-beard that I remember meeting at the Poo bar last year (such was my state of sobriety at that point). In your honour guys, I watched a few episodes of League of Gents last night. How many times did we shout out “Get it right Brian!” and “We didn’t burn him”? People must have thought we were idiots, which of course we are.

Fax, we must have spent ages shooting the sh*t about autosports, if only I could remember some of it. Oh, and people, in real life Fax is a genuinely lovely and funny bloke, not the curmugeonly old grumper he sometimes comes across as on the forum.

Pidge, thanks for the hospitality and for creating our base camp. My regards to all the guys like Les etc too. Mate, your breakfasts are a thing of legend. A warmer and more welcoming man I have yet to meet and look forward to seeing you again. Hope Chris24 paid you for wrecking your tent!

GAB and Bro, thanks for the string, tent stakes and being great neighbours.

Canada Phil, I have only one thing to say: “Helicoil”! It was a pleasure to spend some quality time with you at last. Where the hell do you get that enthusiasm from first thing in the morning?

Turn 10 guys, I’m not going to mention any names cos I’d be here all day! So to all of you, you folk are quality individuals. Thanks so much for your total generosity in terms of fine dining and cold beverages. I know the Americans like to do things bigger and better, but I think I’ve just about seen everything now I’ve seen a four-stroke weedwhacker-powered marguerite machine! And who the hell decided to try deep frying those turkeys? Pure genius! Anyway, it was a pleasure to meet you and look forward to providing some reciprocal hospitality to any of you who get over to Le Mans.

John Evans, always a pleasure. Oh and thanks for the tent, hope it’s dried out now. You saved me and Rick from having to share with JPC and Steve, something I think we will be forever grateful for. Larry the Mississippi Sausage Maestro, send us that recipe and happy hunting!

The UK contingent, Smokie, JP, Stevie B, Little Ricky Cutler, thanks guys. I couldn’t have hoped for better companions. Drinking, laughing, farting, karting, golfing (And hey people, yours truly scored a memorable hole in one on the 13th. They’d never seen anything like it at the Congo River Mini Golf Course.) Anyway, nuff said, thanks guys.

Just mention a couple of slight downsides. To the MoFo who stole my fanny pack and wallet, hope you choke. To the weirdo Preacherman and Billy Bob with the double-ended dildo, better luck next time, you were scary people.

Finally, to all at Aston Martin Racing, ultimately you made our race.

Yup, I’m still pinching myself…..

Here's a group photo including the amazing Randy and someone else that looks out of place.

Here's the Turn 10 viewing tower...

Since y'all are a little biased when it comes to the make of car you wanted to win, here's one I caught on the grid. Now this is a race car!

Hi Tad, I'm the one who originally comes from Birmingham England. If you want to be a true Brummie, just remember it's not "Y'all", it's "Yow"!

Hey Andy, we spent alot of time talking over cold Buds about (in particular order) the British GP at Brands, Gilles Villeneuve, Superwede in firebreathing Bimmers, the pros & cons of Senna and all that good stuff.....Yep, your definitely as we say over here "Old School"  It always a pleasure to hang with a kindred spirit.
JPC, I'm giggling about you, Hazeleggs and I going t-shirt shopping.  By that point I was so sh*t-faced I had to have the woman at the counter read the sizes back to me so I was certain I purchased the correct sizes.  f**k*ng hell, what a great time.  The pasta and sausages dinner out at turn 10 (Cunningham Corner) hit the spot, thanks turn 10 guys again.  My only regret is that I'm still stuck in the 20th century in terms of camera technology and will have to wait until the film's processed to get any pics on here.
Fax

I'm currently sorting / resizing / editing my photos prior to uploading them to www.webshots.com (http://www.webshots.com) so that you can view and download whatever you all like.

I'll post the link when I'm done.

However, to whet your appetite, to follow are a few:

Campsite Group -

Souveniers  -

and again -

On the Turn 10 scaffold -
Andy Z, Matt H (red cap), Fax, Dave H (right hand side)

Spyker -

Ferrari 550 -

Historic racing MGA (for mgmark) -

The winning no. 57 Aston Martin and a bit of SILVERWARE -

The happy couple (Chris24, me, Dave Richards, JPC, Andy Z) -

No. 58 Aston Martin at Turn 1 -

Turn 1 again -

Turn 3 -

Turn 6 -

TVR at Turn 7 -

Aston at Turn 7 -

Turn 9 -

C5 Corvette at Turn 10 -

Audi at Turn 10 -

The Turn 10 crew wedding -

and finally - the Turn 10 petrol operated blender with the delightful Sandy, the Margerita attendant -

Just returned to Munich a few hours ago, tired, sunburned and also got some kind of fungus growing on me, but wouldn`t trade this past 11 days for nothin. Don`t want to get into a long list of names, gotta keep it short because I`m so tired I`m seeing about 200 keyboard keys. But thanks to all the people mentioned in the previous postings. I and my brother both had a lot of laughs. See most of you in June, gotta get some sleep now.

So that's what happened to the Viper hood (bonnet).

How did yow get it home?

This hood wasn't the one you had at Turn 10, this was another one the no.71 Viper gave us on Saturday night.

Over the years I've had various bits of me turn green, some have responded to treatment, and others have dropped off. But I have to admit to being green all over right now, looks like you chaps had a marvellous time, and I wish I'd been lucky enough to have been there.
Mind you, they say God moves in mysterious ways (and so does Dale Winton if you ask me), and I spent most of last week and the weekend flaked out in bed and woken at regular intervals for another round of anti-biotics (or fancy biotics, as my dear old mum, who's losing it a bit now, calls them), so I guess it's just as well I didn't make it. It's on my hit list for next year though, it looks like it's got a lot of the things that LM has lost over the years. Some very amusing photos there, guys.  - I know it's always dangerous to picture a correspondent in your minds eye, but Chris24! - after your self confessed visits to the pub with less than change for a packet of Swan Vestas I was expecting a waif, at least an Eddie Piaf, where did that splendid silhouette come from?
Ah well, next time. Next time. Sorry I called you a tw*t, Andy....
 

That looks like it was a seriously good trip!

Here are a few of my pics, When I get time they will be published on my website:-

BigH were you there??

This was taken turning off the Route27 into the circuit  ;D

Hi,
I will post my thoughts on the Sebring trip another day when I am not half a sleep !

But heres a picture for you in the mean time.

One of the Aston heading for Turn 10

Here's one for our good buddy the Amazing Randy !
Team Impala taking the piss at the ALMS Autograph session. Top laugh lads. ;D

H, I probably was a ter-wat for phoning you when it was ten at night and there you were lying in your sick bed. I had no idea you were suffering from the vapours/ague/cold turkey, though I must say you did seem a little delerious. I recall you mentioned something, amongst the all the laughter and quacking noises, about a loaf of bread lying in the middle of the road and being chased by a giant clown driving a combine harvester. It didn't make much sense at the time. Sorry.

OK, time for my contribution.

Firstly a big thankyou to Smokie for picking me up from Kissimmee on route from Daytona to Sebring. Thanks for the lift and for actually finding me despite road works and diversions.

A big thanks to Pidge for providing the tents, rain cover and once again for his excellent breakfasts. Thanks for storing and bringing my airbed each year and for collecting and bringing the parcels for me. Once again, I wish to say sorry for the damaged tent pole, which i will pay for when you send me the bill for a new pole.

My only explanation is that I was abducted by "Southern Comfort" and still have no recollection of the incident.

Thanks to Canada Phil for all your help and the spare pork chop and potatoe salad on Saturday.

John Evans, real nice to meet you and Larry, and thanks for the chips and dip.

Glen and George, real nice to meet you, and a big thanks to Glen for the lift back to the hotel in Orlando on Sunday morning.

Andy, Steve , Mark and Rick, thanks for your company over the weekend and glad you could make it this year.

Finally a huge thank you to everyone at Turn 10 for their amazing hospitality once again.  So Lee Self, Jupiter John, Amazing Randy, Norm, Greg , Rick and everyone else at TURN 10, you guys are awesume.

Lee, the slide show was top entertainment as usual. I love the picture of the Dyson, captioned " The driver has just seen the sticker on the dash that reads, "Sorry, you're f**ked, only good for 6 hours". !"

Highlights -

Aston Martin winning and beating Corvette on their own turf ! Seeing Dave Richards after the race, probably the happiest man i have ever seen.

Thanks to the Aston boys for signing my hat and shirt.

Turn 10 hospitality all weekend.

Pidges breakfasts , always a welcome start to the day.
Pidges car port, couldn't have survived that rain and thunderstom without it.

My new camera, got lots ofgreat shot from it, the best yet from 4 years at Sebring.

The weather being real nice for race day.

Lows -

The weather, no thanks to whoever decided to throw that lot at us non stop from Wednesday 8pm until Thursday 4pm. The weather washed out Thursday and killed a day of the trip.

Coleman, for making a what appears to not be a rain proof tent.

Hot days and really cold nights, go figure !

Breaking a tent pole on Pidges tent whilst pissed from too much  Southern Comfort. Sorry again but i really don't remember doing it. I seem to have lost 20 minutes memory from that evening.

Aston losing 3rd place overall to the Dyson car with 30 mins to go in the race. But i guess that the class win is all that maters.

Still a great weekend overall though, roll on next year !

Apparently, each of my pictures are too large a file to send as an attachment.  So, I guess I will just enjoy them by myself.  I really wanted to send one of Mr. Cutler looking like a thief breaking into the trunk of Smokie's car.  Oh well....

John, e-mail them to me if you like and I will modify them.

My e-mail address is on the left under the dancing lady.

Hi,
   To say Thank you to all who made it to Sebring it was great to see old friends again and meet some of you for the first time. Chris 24 covered the details and all I would like to add is how nice it is that a bunch of race fans just want to get together and share the experience. While I did not dare say it earlier :My tent did not leak ::)
On a racing note: Thanks to Corvette for setting the
standard for Aston to beat. To Aston Martin team for an oustanding effort. Saleen for coming back and trying again. Johnny O'Connell for dealing with exploding rotors and minimizing the damage by his quick actions. the Corvette crew for putting #3 back together.
Smokie for carrying the beer to the Safety Pin.
Canada Phil

Hi all,I am glad to see everyone made it home safely.I cant tell how much meeting all of you CA guys has meant to me.You guys are alot of fun and I
cant wait to do it again.Rick how did the video of the bon fire turn out.
Glad to see you guys had a good time.Awsome stories of your victory lane celebration with Dave Richards.I am glad you enjoyed The Best Corner in All Motorsports,TURN10 !!!!

 PS; Mark I promise no more
 BECKS Non ALCOHOL!!
 TO DAMN FUNNY!

I almost forget. A special thanks for the Union Jack if you noticed it flew
proudly high in Turn10.It as well as my very own CA t shirt will be displayed at
very proudly at all upcoming events. ;D

The video of the race/wedding/bonfire worked out really well. I will spend the weekend finishing off converting the Sebring TV recordings to DVD. I have not enough space to record all three hours of recordings on the Hard Disk so I am doing it in parts.
Then I will move onto MY recordings of the race and add the pictures of the weekend to the end burn it to disk and send off a copy.

Cheers for a great week and can't wait to return the hospitality in Le Mans in 2006.

At least you had the Warsteiner to make up for it!!  ;D

Did anyone drink the Becks in the end??

One word of warning when you come to Le Mans next year, there are no Light beers, they are all around the 5% mark!  :D

We saw you had it up and flying the very next morning!! It looked good among the others you had up already. I had a George Cross for you as well but I lost it until we came to pack up on Sunday morning. I'll bring it with me next year!!  ;D

Some of Happy Snapper's Sebring pictures are here.

http://www.gtphotosport.com/sebring2005/index.html

To those who made it to Sebring,
 The following Survey is an oportunity to let them know what you liked ::)
http://www.sebringraceway.com/survey.html

Canadee,

...done.

and wiped.