Paul Ricard.

[delta]

Wots a proper engine Tim.My heart goes out to anyone building a Fiat FJ engine.

[Marcus Mussa]

Good film Carlo. You can even see Fyda getting knocked off by Traber at the exit of Beausset! This was the 2nd heat on a damp track on Sunday. Did you get the action on Saturday when you three were lapped by the 5 leaders - that was quite an exciting moment!

[rogerwills]

A superb weekend to end the season from my perspective even if the weather was not too South of France in nature.

It was super slippery, especially for qualifying Friday. We seemed to go quite well in the wet in all 3 cars and managed 4th overall in McLaren, 4th in Corvette and 3rd in Cyclone.

On Saturday morning the 3 hour race in the McLaren was very slippery and I somehow managed to take the lead on the first lap and lead the race for quite a while until the track started to dry and the Lola T70 Mk3Bs started catching me. I handed over to Joe after 90 mins in second and we held that to right near the end when the leading Lola had a gearbox problem and handed us back the lead. We were frantically looking at the screens and checking the watches to see the progress of the following Lola (also driven by Simon). Simon was lapping around 10 secs a lap quicker than us but we had a lap and 1.20 mins lead - it looked like we would have finished 10 seconds ahead of them on our calculations although Simon always seems to have something in reserve for such moments!! Unfortunately for them they also suffered a gearbox problem and we went from signalling Joe to speed up to telling him to back off. We managed to take the win which felt fantastic. I see we even managed to make Autosport this week although I was slightly miffed to see some bloke called Lewis take the cover!!

In the GTSCC race the Corvette weirdly suffered a hole in the fuel tank in the race forcing me to slow and and I had to retire after 35 mins as it was pouring out all over the track.

Georg Kjallgren and I did the Yankee series race on Sunday in the Mercury Comet Cyclone and lost the leading Cobras after the first couple of laps but one broke and I held 2nd right to the driver change. For some reason I was given a drive through so handed over to Georg with the Morgan grabbing 2nd to Leo Voyazides in the Cobra. Georg was lapping around 10 seconds a lap slower than me and he was reeled in by the car behind - the Pattinson/Bryant Mustang GT350. He had a great battle to hold third and ultimately lost it on the last lap so we finished 4th but first saloon car home so second podium of the weekend. So a great time overall!

This is such a great way to end the season.

Nice to see the various 10/10thers there - Ian etc.

[rogerwills]

Forgot to say, it was a McLaren 1-2 with Julian Bronson's car coming in second!

And despite what it says in Autosport, my car is an M1B not M1C (for any anoraks)!

[delta]

Roger you fogot te tell all about our freindly wave to each other in Yankee qualafying. OK i will. The conditions were very slipery and i waved Roger through just after the long back straight to go pass Starship on the right. Roger gave me a wave back then nearly lost control which was very spectacular from my armchair. Gathered the car up well and dissapeared into the distance. Great fun.

[rogerwills]

Ian, given 95% of the lap felt out of control in the conditions, it felt about normal and not anything out of the ordinary!

[John Turner]

Great result in the Mclaren, Roger. I'll pass the correction on to Kev, and although the reporter may be suitably flogged with a feather whip, he will probably not deem it of sufficient importance (except to anoraks!) to publish it in next week's issue. You'll just have to win in it again next year and hope they get it right, next time!

[compte deGraves]

Originally Posted by Racesport

Hi all,

here is a movie of our "battle" between my Wainer (camera-car), Beolchi's Apache and Rabagliati's Alexis at Paul Ricard last November 2!

http://www.youtube.com/user/CDCRacesport

Carlo, A brilliant video. I was so sorry that I could not have been with you but as you will understand it was a very busy time of year in the French vineyards.

[Racesport]

Thank you Marcus!
Yes, I have a film with the 5 leaders overlapping us in the same moment! I will post it soon ...!

Tim, yes, I was lucky and my engine needs to be reparied ... at least I need to stop the fog!
In any case, I would prefer to maintain my original engine than to spend thousands of euros just to gain few seconds ... I'm on track to have fun and I had a lot of fun also with my "poor" Fiat Engine.

Thank you "Compte": I had good fun in the past also in some battles with your car!
It is a good wine season this year?

[compte deGraves]

Carlo I don't know how it has been for you in Italy but in Graves the grapes have a concentration that I haven't seen for years. Low yield but could be very alcoholic!

[Alan Morgan]

Especially when they're turned into Cognac! I trust things are well in the Charente.

[Marcus Mussa]

Has anybody still got the results from last year or remember what were lap times last year for the 3 hour (?) event, say for a Lola T70 or GT40? I ask because I tested there yesterday; we finally got the GT40 MK2 gearbox to hold together. Just want to know if our lap times were competitive or if the car is better back in a museum!
Thanks
Marcus

[rogerwills]

Let me check. There were no GT40s in the race. We won it in the McLaren M1B. The Lola T70 IIIB coupes both had issues.

It was damp as well and greasy - actually pretty wet at the start. I spun on the green-flag lap!

[Marcus Mussa]

Qualifying times will do then, if it was dry for qualifying! Thanks for looking. I think we should realistically be about Cobra level.
All the best
Marcus

[rogerwills]

OK. Found a few bits for you.

CHE Sports cars. Race.

Fastest lap - Linney/Hadfield T70 IIIB - 2.21.029 but didn't finish race.

1. Wills/Twyman McLaren M1B fastest 2.27.491
2. Bronson/Dodkins McLaren M1B fastest 2.35.908
3. Kremer/Kremer Elva Mk8 fastest 2.32.126

I think fastest GT was a Porsche 2.42.104

[rogerwills]

Another one. Yankee series Qualifying.

Three Cobras here:

Caron AC Cobra 3.12.520
Conway Morgan 8 3.12.603
Wills Mercury Comet Cyclone 3.13.575
Chiles AC Cobra 3.14.706
Voyazides AC Cobra 3.14.782

From memory that was wet.

[rogerwills]

Ah, this is what you want.

GTSCC

1. Voyazides AC Cobra 2.34.727
2. Hall AC Cobra 2.34.912
3. Caron AC Cobra 2.35.556
4. Bailly E Type 2.39.576
5 Clark E type 2.40.633

[rogerwills]

I could probably scan the GTSCC results if you wanted it. PM me and I will email it.

[Marcus Mussa]

Thanks a lot Roger, that is fine, it's just to have an idea. Looks quite interesting actually, we seem to be in the right ballpark. I'll try and persuade the owner to try the Yankees race.
Marcus