GrandFromage founded ClubArnage in early 1990'ies and used it to obtain credentials - luckily, because later it became much more difficult to get press credentials based on a website.
The "fan site" and unfiliatiated nature caused the ACO to approach us in the pressroom for translations and other help - and that way the ClubArnage team was consolidated as a frequent flyer of the press-room at Le Mans.
ClubArnage could thus give the fans what nobody else did in those days: near-live updates from the track - this is years before ACO had anything live on their own website in English.
A lot of those race updates are actually still available on this site (due to a website rebuild in 97 only files since then though) :
http://www.clubarnage.com/lm98/http://www.clubarnage.com/lm99/http://www.clubarnage.com/lm00/http://www.clubarnage.com/lm01/http://www.clubarnage.com/lm02/http://www.clubarnage.com/lm03/http://www.clubarnage.com/lm04/http://www.clubarnage.com/lm05/The great thing about these very raw updates is that any mistakes written in the heat of the moment are NEVER changed, except for a correction later on - which gives it a feeling of being there - "now WHO was it that went off at Tertre Rouge?". I certainly feel that when I read through some of these old race reports.
In 2005, however we were approached by the ACO to be incorporated into their team - to produce all their english language material during raceweek - a job we still do.
so yes, we have credentials - but not that we get to use them much - this year I didn't get to the track or pitlane a single time during the race - something I hope to change next year.
/Djet
