Club Arnage

What a tremendous week.

What scorching weather.

What a great bunch of people you all are.

Roll on 2006!!!

More later...  :)

God, it hurts to be back at work.

Still, I can look back on an excellent Le Mans, altough not too happy with another Audi victory.

Good show by the two Nissans on the Houx Annexe roundabout on friday night.

Just got back, what a great week and excellant race.

Bit concerned I may have left my liver somewhere in Maison Blanche, hopefully I'll get to pick it up next year :D

Got back safe and sound at 0330 this morning after a reasonable run (if very hot in the MGA) back via Boulogne.   Nightmare traffic jam at Rouen led to a couple of bouts of fuel vaporisation, but otherwise an uneventful run back from yet another marvellous year at Le Mans.

MG Mark

We're back safe - Kn***ered, gone to bed.

Seems like I must have ignored you on Speedferries last night? (Black Honda Coupe) Apologies - was struggling to stay awake!

Was disappointed with the low profile of the DFH folk - barely visible from Karting N (as witnessed by attachment if I get it to work). {/edit No I can't - here is a link instead http://www.dukla.plus.com/p6190013.jpg (http://www.dukla.plus.com/p6190013.jpg) }

Just woken up. great to finally meet most of you, although some people were rather shocked to find out that i actually existed! great fun! see you next year if i can!

Seems like I must have ignored you on Speedferries last night? (Black Honda Coupe) Apologies - was struggling to stay awake!
No worries - you wouldn't have got much response, as I didn't bother to struggle to stay awake and went to sleep instead......  ;D

MG Mark

I've just rolled in the door. Will unpack a few things then of to work. Will do the rest tomorrow. Thanks to The Liverpool Boys for hospitality. Thanks to Team JPC. What a night, what a show, cheers Mark, you deserve a MBE  (or a OMB Order of the Maison Blanche) for your organising. Thanks to the  RS2's for the use of the Pool of Life. Great to meet friends old and new. Roll on next year.

if next year you come and stay on MB I am sure we can find a solution (including the flag, you, tiewraps, ducktape en what ever else is needed) to stop the flag from being blown away  ;D

(it was supoosed to hang between the scafolding and the truck but we couldn't sucure it properly that's why it was where it was)

Hiya Smokie ;D
Home safe home here too. Just parked up the truck and had a shower at home (nothing like that, is there ;))

It was ever so nice to meet all of you! Great to see RobboSPS and Smokie again, and an honour to meet all the guys from TeamJPC, Beermountain, Rick and family (thank your father again for the help on the ignition, Rick!), the PopeMobile-men, Team Zarse (strange humour:)) and ofcourse Fran. And that was only Maison Blanche. Saturdaynight PooBar was great, I realy met too many people in such short time. It was a nice place too, even tough the piling of the beer glasses made me count to 12 pints in four hours :-\

With less work to do for preparation I am already looking forward to 2006. Yeeha! ;D


ps. Didn't say goodbuy to JPChenet, I'll call you soon mate!

Thanks Paddy for getting a beer for me at the bar on saturday evening (I must have been desperate, it was bloody hot). I'll have a few cold ones for you at the Ring. Did you read the bit about Danny the Bear on DSC ? RfH was one of the teams who made it for me this weekend. It looks like Jan even makes it into the ELMS, excellent.

Ooh yes hgb, Jan told the Dutch somewhere April Racing for Holland would finish the LMES series for this year. Plenty more surprises are gonna come out of his magic hat apparently. Rumours lead to Ferrari (??!?) and he's not denying.
But yes, I'll be at Silverstone, and our group will have a small reunion at the Nurburgring. No scaffolding or draftmachine though :-\
And I'll be driving :-[

Hi all, just got back about two hours ago (that journey seems to get worse every year :( ), did some unpacking and had a decent shower. Now I have to get some sleep :-*

Great to meet those of you I did at the Poo bar, although I am going to have problems remembering all the faces, as I can only just about remember the actual night  :o  I am sure it will all come back to me soon.

Just got in an hour or so ago, looking forward to a proper shower!!  :)

Met some of you over at the poo bar on saturday. Regards to...the t.w.a.t.s, team zarse, smokie, fran, black granny, robspot, steve brown, robbo sps & moped boy(!!) amongst others. Shame the numbers weren't higher, or was I just too late getting there?!?!

Weather was great (but made the beer a little too warm :( )
Racing was good (apart from the last hour or so when they all started cruising)
The action at the roundabout by HA on Friday was ace. If anyone has photo's of the guy who fell over in the road & got a round of applause please forward them on, for blackmail purposes!!

Congrats to Tom Kristenson for his 7th victory & JJ Lehto for winning 10 years after his win in the McLaren F1 (what will he be driving in 2015??

Roll on 2006 & the year for the DBR9's to finally take the crown of GT1!! ;D ::)

Well that's another one over with, time to start planing for 06! It was good to put some faces to the names on here after Sat night at the Poo bar. The best thing about getting back was to have the use of a real bog!!!!
  The race was another good one  up to the last couple of hours when it was all to play for in every class, didn't RML do a fantastic job, a great result for them.
 Anyone know what happened to the T2M Porsche, as it looked in a bit of a mess but didn't find out why.

We also got back in the early hours of this morning - I've just had my first real shower for over a week - I wondered what the smell was  ;D.

Managed to miss some of the traffic with a deviation around Evereaux (sp?) rather than plodding up all of the N138 - then bizarrely managed to get ourselves upgraded for free on Speedferries so we were the first car off the boat - not sure how that happened!!!  

Fantastic time as ever, the weather was stonking, did the normal stuff, start, sunset, terte rouge in the dark, sunrise, finish and podium - fair play to the Danes and their HUGE TK flag!  

Bit of a downer on Sunday morning, Jase got clipped by a car on MB campsite and fractured a bone in his foot - the car didn't stop, he didn't think that there were any witnesses but if anyone saw anything perhaps they'd let me know as his insurers are keen that the Police treat it as a hit and run incident.  He gets to stay in Tours until today when his insurers will fly him back on Ryanair with this plaster cast across three seats!  

Roll on next year - the place just gets better and better - I'm sure it must be my spiritual home!  This was our first time on MB - the atmosphere was fab with all the Brits and the HUGE camp settlements, the fireworks over the weekend and particuarly on Sunday night were great - to be honest I'm running out of words to use to describe it all!  I guess it was just immense and the world would be a far poorer place without it!!!  

It was also nice to meet Kate after a number of years hanging around the same internet forums - she's flying back to Canada today so hopefully get's a good trip back.  

I should also add our thanks to Kate for helping us to dismantle and pack Camp Piglet - we were were already one man down and were struggling to get it all packed up in time to leave for the ferries - thanks Kate - we really couldn't have done it without you.  

Here's to next year - perhaps a bit cooler so I've got a fighting chance of staying hydrated!  ;D

Blimey Mr Invis - i was asking about your whereabouts all week - didnt see u at the poo bar either - were u using your cloaking device?!

Was lovely to meet everyone, without doubt a lovely bunch of people.

As for the low profile of the DFH boys - i could only see the top dutch flag from Camping Bleu - tho i dont actually have photographic proof - due to being utterly c**p with a camera.

F

P.s.   I am not home yet - but back on british soil at least - trying to adapt to being on other side of the road again..... only gone wrong a couple of times so far.  

Got home late yesterday afternoon after listening to my three passengers snoring like pigs for most of the journey.
 Poo bar, great to put faces to names, too many to remember.
 Blazing hot, June, middle of France at the worlds greatest motor race and I spent the best part of half an hour chatting about skiing, very strange.
Great to meet you all but must say a big thanks to the East Anglian Cobras for saving us a camping spot, much appreciated.

Well, all over for another year.... :'( Hope everybody is back safe and well...

Am knackered, burn't to a crisp and even after a very long time spent in the bath feel that a further soaking may be required...  :o

As always have some great memories of another great, great weekend...

Great to see so many of the forum members :

Big H, Sav, Uncle Albert and the rest of the group... A pleasure as always..
Robbo and the SPS Crew - Good to see you all again.. hope you got the car sorted...
Paddy - Great to meet you... Your set up was just awesome...
JPC - Great to have made your acqaintance... Great encampment guys...
John Evans - Nice to have met you... safe trip back to the States...
Everybody else I met - Fran, RobSpot, Smokie...

All the very best to all...


DW

That’s better, a bit more awake now, great weekend, great company with the SPS crew, Rick, Steve, Tink, Dan, and Rob, DFH, etc etc. MB was great with many in close by; Poo bar was great for putting a few more faces to names, John Evans, Perdu, Dave, Moped Boy and his Dad, Andy and Lee, the Landlord of my local (????).

It's not my local but I know him. It's John. smokie

The fridge hung in until Sunday morning then just collapsed with exhaustion.
The inner tube shower worked ok in the evening after some sun, but as it got hotter and hotter the long hose warmed the stand pipe water enough on route to be just nice.
 
Sorry we didn’t make it to the JPC do, just too knackered after our through the night drive down. The route back up to Rouen on KPY's instructions was spot on. Stopped to help a couple of lads in a 911 with a busted alternator, first spotted trying to push it up the final slip road into Rouen - just couldn’t drive by. So very late to Hotel but still managed to get a good meal opposite the Cathedral at midnight!!

Speedferries spot on the way back, shame about the 6 hour delay on the way out.
 
Looking forward to trying to get to Sebring next year.

Cheers to all.

Just to say all Zarses are back in one piece, sunburned, hungover and looking forward to next year.

pictures of our adventure start dropping in now, hence our cap on the Dome ;D

(http://server3.uploadit.org/files/paddyNL-capondome.jpg)

That last of Bobblehat Racing has finaly got home, ME. What a B**t*rd of a journey, seamed to get stuck everwere 9hours to Speedferries, what with the supegadgets top speed being about 64.27 mph, we missed the boat. Ended up on the 11.30 Seafrance out of Calies..........................

But what a weekend I would like to saw a big thanks to Ian for getting Mr Aero (Pierre) to the LM Station.

Hi to JPC & Paddy_NL (what a camp you lot put up) Whitey, Team Canonball, Doris (day break at TR next year?) Smokie, John Evans and his two freinds from Texas, Canada Phil. there must be so many more, but I lost too many brain cells.

Roll on 2006, poss see some of you at Silverstone 1000k?

Arrived back at 8pm last night - felt great until I got in the door then the tiredness hit.
 It had been an easy day and I had 3 hours lying in the sun at CDG airport thinking about DIY dual function beer coolers and gazebo air con units and theorising about solar powered air conditioning - I think the heat was getting to me.

The effect of the "power up" had definetely worn of at 10 as I worked up the energy to go upstairs for a shower and was nearly knocked over by the force!

Thanks to JPC and the crew for a great weekend ,  Paddy and the DFH for the stage with the impromtu band on Friday.

It was great to put faces to so many names, next year I'm sure I'll even remember most of them.

Stu

Hi ho,
All cobrateers are now back in Blighty - and without any car related incidents or speeding tickets either.  We avoided the N138 on the way north and had a CRACKING drive though long straights and sweeping country roads, topped off with a rather fine luncheon.

Great to see everyone again.  Plus our cold beer strategy worked this year.  Thanks to Monsieur Chenet for delivering our marquee and generator.

A bargain was the 19 euro pool with 12 pissed people wedged in it on Sunday after the race ................... and the highlight, our traditional Sunday night bonfire.  The old white wall tyre burned a treat and thanks to those that donated plastic furniture.
Sorry about the toxic fumes though  :-[

Well, it all got a bit hectic. It was always going to be a subdued effort from our crew, for various reasons, so I consider the high points to be, in chronological order:
Being nicked on the way down, the timing was just right - it could have been much worse.
Almost severing a finger with a breadknife on Saturday, a lovely chap at the first aid spot helped me out with this one, although it wasn't clear (at least to me) why he needed to be wearing Doc Martens.
Having a front blowout while sitting on a ton on the way back. This focussed my attention marvellously, a handful of  car slewing all over the road at high speed put any thoughts of constipation right at the back of my mind. Had there been anyone alongside or behind, it would have been a different story.
Missing the ferry, due to a lengthy effort with the spare tyre.  -I was indebted to a brit car that stopped, when my co-pilot jumped out in front of him (although probably not as much as my co-pilot), with his jack we got the spare on. They also missed the boat...
It was great to see one and all again, and thanks once more to the Liverpool Boys for always guessing when a cold beer was needed.
I'm hoping to stop sweating by the weekend.
H

Just arrived back after the bloody injector pump blew up at Jullie, piggy backed to port and again from Pompey to Liverpool, god bless the RAC, must say that the ACO, where cr*p as was the garage that they sent out to us, he prodded a few water hoses and asked for the cars service record book then forgot to give it back, so Mr Prodder I will get your phone number and you can post it back. but I must thank the  lady at the ACO, that helped us out, seems that she was the only one that could speak English, on duty at the time who was very good in trying to resolve our problem.

But even these events do not detract from a great time that we had, to all we met and those who gave Paul a run in their cars, I thank you for adding to that pleasure, and making a first timer very happy.
Regards to all.
Brian.

I'm back but the microwave failed this year  to the heat.

For some reason the pikkies left is too.  May they do have a clue Since it was full of dud bulbs and CDs. ;D ;D

t.

 :-* :-* :-*

So happy that you and your gang are back Brian and sorry about the lack of a translater when you needed one!

The answer to this is simple and it also adds to my 'Hello I'm Back' story.......next year you pack up on the Sunday after the race and drive just 2 hours to our place for a decent shower or bath, a good nights kip and another fantabulous meal cooked by me and Jimmy.

I am so pleased that Paul enjoyed himself, what a really lovely lad.

Speak to you soon

RS2 Babe
 :-* :-* :-*

All Black Grannies back at their desks checking all those fictious stories we were told about your tax returns.

Will post the amount raised for British Heart Foundation as soon as  get the total back. As I type this the collecting boxes are on their way back to London to be returned for counting.

Sorry for the poor turnout at the 'poo bar but the rest were too p*ssed or hung over from the previous two nights- no stamina!
Thanks for your support everyone.

Well, I got back to Houston last night and then drove 220 miles to home.  I am at work today but totally wiped out.  I will recover over the weekend.  It was a great weekend and for the second time in a row ( I've gone to Le Mans two times now), I can say that it was a great, great time.  MANY THANKS go to all who made me welcomed and comfortable.  My time in the "West Wing" servants quarters couldn't have been better and I'm trying to decide who cooks better Jimmy or Chris or Ian or Brian or Lisa.  (All were great by the way)
It was good to see some of you guys again and to meet some new folks.   Great conversations with lots of really nice people and I think Andy Zarse and I think too much alike.  We must be related somewhere back in time.

Thanks to all for helping this ole yank out at the most awesome event I have ever attended.

P.S.  I just tried to tell you guys to wait until the end of the race to buy those T-shirts with the little green guppies on the front because they would be cheaper after the race.   ;D ;D  I am just thankful that it is a 24 hour race and not a 22.5 hour race otherwise the "guppies" would rule.

Spare a thought for three of the MB possee who are STILL on Maison Blanche as I type this on Tuesday evening!!

They had the misfortune to lose their car keys (no spare set - long story!), and the arranged replacement set got lost by DHL and now not due to arrive at the ACO until Wednesday morning.

Poor feckers!

Another great time.

Knackered after the return evening home with new girlfriend !! :P

Stories and tales to tell, maybe i'll saviour them for a few months to keep the boards ticking iver.

Managed to take 3 packages to le mans that retuned ! Jem , Jerry Flint and Chris Beatty !!

More later.

Back at work today  :( :( :(

Head feels like it has been stuffed with tons of cotton wool (it hasn't) and certainly no business decisions will be taken until at least next monday. Sleep deprivation may be cool at La Sarthe but it's not back home.

Due to varying states of intoxication I managed to miss most CA events (particularly JP's party) but at least I made it to the Poo Bar where I was able to take advantage of the most reasonably priced champagne (Not!)

Hello to everyone I met, in particular (and only because I can remember your names) Robbo SPS and the very lovely Kate, Team Zarse (and top marks go to Steve the Gimp), Dark Warrior (met on a random street corner in Le Mans), Mr. I, Canada Phil, Smokie, Gab, Abs, Chris Beatty, Paddy NL, The Liverpool Boys, Rick Cutler and Tink, Tom DG (met him three times at the poo bar - I think the tropicoma was still playing it's part), Del Boy, Steve Brown, Fran and the Rhino Boys.

The only unfortunate events of the weekend were not meeting BigH, our piss poor excuse for a generator dying on saturday night and my mate having food poisoning all weekend.

See you at the next reunion somewhere in a pub in England.

What a quality weekend. Firstly a big hello to Bobblehat, Tom DG and Whitey. My apologies for not making it up to the poo bar but Fridays exertions at the parade (I lost my voice, shouting at the drivers - it was worth it, my manky hat has more signatures than a michael jackson law suit), combined with the heat of Saturday left the Cannonball crew feeling a little weary for another trek from BSJ to the track. Instead we went out to arnage corner and watched the race into the earlier hours. It was the first time i gave done this and i would highly recommed to go and watch the race there at night. The noise and atmosphere was amazing.

I can't wait for next year.

Jay

Good to meet you, Looking to hgave a small BSJ reunion at Silverstone if you can make it

Cheers

Whitey

Whitey,

I'll be there for the LMES race and the 24 hour Britacr race. Hope to see plenty of you at both these events, make up for my shameful no show at the poo bar.

Jay

Well hello too, I am home at last. My clutch pipe broke going down the road before Gace but my co-driver whose stint it was refused to give up there (Robbed me of a pleasant night at the "Etoile d'Or" but never mind) and took us all the way to HA where we effed about at fixing it in "spasms" all weekend. (My plan b was to get the pipe fixed Monday, guess what, we got the pipe fixed Monday) then shot off to Caen and the Normandy beaches for an emotional visit to Arromanches.

Met so many that an attempt to list them all will be guaranteed to fail. Rhino Smokie, Robbo Andy and many others great to meet you. Steve and the Cobra Boys perfect hosts again and BobU, thanks for the pyrotechnics mate!

Fran, what can I say? Dragged Smokie around all the camp sites to meet as many of us as possible and finally met me some time after midnight. My mate said "one minute he was here then some bird came along and dragged him away, as usual he didn't take much dragging!"

There was also a bit of noisy car racing stuff, but I think they closed down overnight, weren't very noisy at all when I fell apart/asleep/adrift...  :)

Moped Man, change your handle son, I think you can climb up a stage along the evolutionary ladder, nice lad.

Last big note.... Paddy, what can I say? Thanks for offering the beer,next year I will pace myself better and we will have a couple, OK?

Got home 21.20 Tuesday night (20 minutes later than estimated but that M25 is no picnic is it?)

Hey let's do it all again next year, OK?

Glad to hear you got the clutch pipe sorted Bill.

Funny that fran, I was looking forward to meeting you, but we just seemed to miss each other at the poo bar  :( :-[

For some strange reason, I have yet to find myself on any of the poo bar pictures which have been posted, yet I know I was there coz I had to hose down outside my tent on Sunday morning  :o :( Must have been the heat  :-X ;)

Thanks Steve, could you tell I was underwhelmed by it unlike some of our group? ;D

bill

Missed you as well Perdu. What time were you at the Poo bar? I must admit I was a bit late.

Well, robspot I was late too but because our redhot steaming chili took longer to get to the plate than expected...
 'Twas getting on for 23 30 ish when I inally found fran at the appointed place and a few CAers. It was rather like a miracle. we found the first four then they all tumbled into vision.........

fran pointed me at moped boy after just introducing me to Paddy. A great time had by all I think....
 ;)

bill

Sorry didn't get to meet you bill wanted to see the midget but too many beers and too little time maybe next year.

Also Steve Brown did i talk to you at the poo bar??? Can't remember but I dont think I was that hammered THEN!!!

Chris, I did say "Hello Chris" but you gave me a wild far away look  ;D

Chris, your internal GPS certainly seemed to have been on the blink!

It certainly was I dont think I properly recovered from monday night after drinking the best part of half a litre of lowflyer on top of all the beer, with stu and jp the rest of my crew went to bed (wisely) however I decided I would like a few more and when mark said I've got a litre of Laphrioiag back at camp if you fancy some?? Well its my favourite and we mullered the majority of the bottle.

After that I havent got a clue what happened but needless to say I spent all tuesday in bed and had to spend 2 hours cleaning the inside of my tent. But my saviour Stu beat sh*t out of me (which I dont remember) checking to make sure i didnt do a jimi hendrix.

So that could explain the vacant look sorry steve will catch up with you next time you are in manchester

Kinnel!!
I've just spotted the title of this thread, and I broke out in a cold sweat. I thought Gary Glitter was here.

Did he  bother you when you were a young slip of lad H?
 ;)
Rusty

Sh*te! -I was upstairs with the door bolted before you could say 'come on, come on'