New arrival

[Tim the Book]

Some of you may have met me as Tim D on the 10-tenths board, but I've only ever been a lurker on CA over the years.

So - my name's Tim, and I am a Sartheoholic.

Le Mans experience

Main race 1996,97,98,99,00,01,02,03,04,05, 07,08 then I started a business and got married....
Test day 2002,03,04
Classic ALL OF 'EM! (the good lady wife likes the Classic too, but watching Peugeot fail to catch Audi in the rain in 2007 put her off the main race)

Best year? Would have to be 2003 watching the Bentleys coming home.

Best moment? Managing to get access via a friendly landowner to watch the classics going through the Mulsanne kink in the dead of night. The sight of Bobby Rahal fully committed in a Porsche 917 will stay with me forever.

Best vantage point? Either Arnage in the early evening or dawn breaking over Mulsanne Corner

Coolest moment? Joining Team Taisan in the Shanghai restaurant the night before the race, simply being in the right place at the right time.

Weirdest? 2007 - we were camped next to a Czech fan on his first Le Mans trip. He had no English, we had no Czech, so we muddled along in pidgin German. So we learned about Mike Rockenfeller's retirement from an excited Czech shouting "Das Audi ist kaput. Englischer fliegers mit Spitfire. Takka-takkka-takka-takka..."

To pay for it all I run a little bookshop in the depths of the Derbyshire peak district. And I think I've flogged enough to afford the pilgrimage in 2015.

[Barry]

Welcome to CA Tim.
Think you will notice a few changes from your last visit.
Don't forget if you see a CA flag stop by and introduce yourself.
You will find most in the eastern section of Bleu Nord, some in Maison Blanche and possibly an odd one on Houx.

[Tim the Book]

Cheers Barry

I have been getting to the Classic every other year, so some of the changes will be familiar to me, but I don't like the look of concreting the grass at my beloved Arnage....

I try to camp at Arnage whenever possible - its a laid-back little site with slightly fewer sound systems (Electric Light Orchestra at 80dB next to my tent throughout Thursday/Friday night in 2004 is a particularly grim memory) but I'll certainly look out for CA flags as I wander about.

[Barry]

Forgot you had been doing the Classic, we have been to 3, given it a miss a couple of times, due to weddings and financial/holiday constraints, always return with fresh enthusiasm. Always been to the Classic with wife and once with children. My wife is accompanying me to the main race for the first time this year, she is hunting for a set of ear plugs to help her sleep at LM before we go!  
Agree 2003 was awesome. The 'whispering death' Bentley's were fantastic.

[Barry]

Alternative good vantage points: Porsche curves at dawn, but can't get into the outside of track area this year.    Boo!
Have to try inside track area at Beaujeuse.
Great moments : getting invited into the Rebellion garage in 2013, and dinner Saturday night with them, their hospitality area does a mean Majito!
Chatting to Frank Biela when I blagged my way into the collection area at the Drivers parade, and the Hawaiian Tropic bodyguards getting twitchy cos I was 2 feet away from the girls. 
Meeting all the great CA people that previously I only knew from their posts on this site.

Must do this year, drive Indianapolis and Arnage corners in my car, last year you will be able to do this so I believe.

[clkgtrlm1]

Alternative good vantage points: Porsche curves at dawn, but can't get into the outside of track area this year.    Boo!

WHAT???

[Barry]

Believe whole area taken over by Travel Destinations, you can only get in if you are staying with them, or so I've heard.
Hope I'm mistaken.

[clkgtrlm1]

I will have my people in Le Mans phone the ACO - this just won't do!

[Grand_Fromage]

If it is anything like previous years, the TD area doesn't include the few yards behind the track-side fence which you can still get to from the far end.