The Best Historic Car Meetings

[Mark Griffiths]

Le Mans Classic- "chaotic" is the word. "Inconvenient" is another word. "Bureaucratic" is another, as are "highly" and "dangerous" (no joke- last time we did it in 2004 there was someone in one of my heats who was doing his first ever race- at night. I think in some countries you send off three packet tops, complete the phrase "I want to be a racing driver because. . . " and it's "There you go son, international licence for you"). At night, D-type does 155mph-ish down the straight bits of the Mulsanne, and from Mulsanne Corner to Indianapolis over those blind crests. Little Index of Performance specials do about 85mph flat-out. Just spotting the b*ggers makes your eyes ache. Trying to work out where he'll be in about fifteen seconds time when you arrive at the next corner likewise takes some doing.

Would I do it again? Definitely. A life-changing (and frequently an underwear-changing) experience.

[john ruston]

LMC,Grid 6 was bad last time and what were those girls doing in that 35B.Its great at 5am but 2 or 3 hours into Spa is special.

[terence]

If I get my entry Mark,I,ll be there.One I,ve always wanted to do,having done the 24hr Support Race,s.

[henk4]

rather UK oriented, this thread...of which the title is :'Historic Car Meetings".....
for which in my opinion also the Monterey Historics as well as the Brian Redman Cup at Elkhardt Lake should qualify...There is some machinery over there which never makes it overhere, and atmosphere is very friendly. That Laguna is not real racing might be a handicap for some, but at least it is not such an ego-boosting event like the Revival meeting.

[terence]

Another two circuits I,ve wanted to drive,only problem is ,they are both in America!

[henk4]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Another two circuits I,ve wanted to drive,only problem is ,they are both in America!

ask Rod Jolley (and his Cooper bunch from 2006 ) how to get there....

[Mark Griffiths]

The support race is even worse than the Classic, when it comes to the way you're treated.

I suppose my opinion is affected by the 2005 race when we were in a "safe" 3rd position with one-and-a-half laps to go, yours truly driving and I came out of Mulsanne hard on the power and the left rear tyre exploded ("Monsieur, we 'eard ze bang from 'ere, and all ze people at Mulsanne, zey dook", said the marshal at the post where I finally got her stopped). At the "real" meeting, you're parked in a gravel trap on the Bugatti circuit, no showers, no toilets, no water, no power etc. It's grim, grim, grim.

At the Classic you're in the big campsite in the woods somewhere on the inside of Tertre Rouge, but you've at least got lavatories and showers. Trouble is, once the event has got going you're dependent upon the Jeep shuttle which gets commandeered by French drunks from 10pm onwards and you almost literally have to fight for your rightful seat (gets you psyched up for the night stint no end- nowt like a near punch-up a mile from the paddock to get the adrenaline flowing). Either that or you walk- lots- or you have a scooter, which is now an essential part of our "big meeting" kit. The paddocks are the epitome of chaos; in 2004 Plateau 2 was next to Plateau 4. As we returned from night practice, Plateau 3 were out, and we met Plateau 4 at the "crossroads" at the back of the paddock. Hot 1950s sports cars and traumatised drivers met departing gung-ho 70s kit and similarly psyched-up pilots in the midst of a savagely drunk crowd, with terminally harassed rent-a-mob traffic marshals trying to keep order. I've never seen owt like it at a major international meeting. I bet half of Plateau 4 suffered clutch failures as a result.

[terence]

Perhaps I.ll stick to the support then!

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by henk4

rather UK oriented, this thread...of which the title is :'Historic Car Meetings".....
for which in my opinion also the Monterey Historics as well as the Brian Redman Cup at Elkhardt Lake should qualify...There is some machinery over there which never makes it overhere, and atmosphere is very friendly. That Laguna is not real racing might be a handicap for some, but at least it is not such an ego-boosting event like the Revival meeting.

Quite right.

[john ruston]

Terry enter the LMC as you really are an afterthought at the support race and we did well but will not be back.

[john ruston]

It is rather UK orientated but seems to me that at least 60 % of any European meeting is Brit.LMC and Spa are the top two meetings but need more home entrants.Went to Watkins Glen and Sebring a few years ago and found that the US meetings had a different feel.Trying Rennsport at Daytona in two weeks so that will be interesting.Understand from others Monteray and Elkhardt Lake are superb but they dont race as hard in States That may be good

[terence]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Terry enter the LMC as you really are an afterthought at the support race and we did well but will not be back.

I always thought that it was easier to get an entry if you,d done it before John,I,ll put in an entry and see if it,s accepted. You never know,I might be in the Aston for the support yet.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by john ruston

It is rather UK orientated but seems to me that at least 60 % of any European meeting is Brit.

I would seriously doubt that...try Old Timer GP at the Ring or some Italian meetings...maybe it would help if some Brits would be able to speak more foreign languages, so they don't have to depend on themselves for conversations at foreign events

[Peter Mallett]

If you have a problem with languages I'm sorry, however it is irrelevant to the discussion.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

If you have a problem with languages I'm sorry,

I don't, I am Dutch....what I actually did was questioning the assumption that 60% of visitors/participants to classic events are Brits....and I (TIC) suggested a reason why people could make this assumption.....
Perhaps checking the CER grid would already provide a different picture too.

[zefarelly]

language is a generation (and some) old problem, so I guess it is relevant to historic, International particularly, motorsport, although not necessarily so to what makes a good meeting. THe cars come from all nations, as do drivers, we don't expect to have to be fluent in every language of every nation, but then again it doesn't help being patronised, or spoken to in Perfect English when you try !!!

lets face it, most Dutch speak better English than your average 'Brit'

I deliberately didn't say 'Englishman

we're generally fluent in International lingo, My 'Franglais' gets better by the bottle for example

[johngee]

Although I come from 'the other side of the fence' () , I'm so lucky to be involved in clerking some of the best historic meetings mentioned and I've made a lot of friends - on here and elsewhere - .....and being a clerk and having drivers as friends is not mutually exclusive
Although, providing I haven't been sacked () I'll be representing the Masters Series at some meetings outside the UK next year (Nurburgring and Spa again, even if I have to hitch a lift!), I'll always try and help ANY British (or even New Zealanders ) who have issues with the organisers and who I've found to be really supportive and helpful.
Here's to 2008

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by johngee

being a clerk and having drivers as friends is not mutually exclusive

Well they do have to kneel in a pleading fashion in front of you, as one did yesterday, John, so we know where the power lies!

[johngee]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Well they do have to kneel in a pleading fashion in front of you, as one did yesterday, John, so we know where the power lies!

....and as you saw, it works!

[terence]

It,s a wonder you have any friend,s,refusing to meet up for a beer at Spa!

[zefarelly]

If you have to kneel having got on the podium, I dread to think what will happen if, as an ordinary driver, one actually needs reprimanding.

glad to hear you play fair with our Antipodean cousins

[johngee]

Originally Posted by terence bower

It,s a wonder you have any friend,s,refusing to meet up for a beer at Spa!

I had things to do - other than lounge around the garages drinking beer and working out the bore of my next oversize engine!
Lets's just look on it as a pleasure deferred

[johngee]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

glad to hear you play fair with our Antipodean cousins

Only the one that lives in Moscow - even I don't mess with the Russian mafia!

[zefarelly]

neither does he I'm sure . . . I only saw Mrs W briefly that weekend, with the team, post race in Espers exclusive 6 hour club tent!

all the boys behaved impecably

obviously I can't speak for myself, I can't remember !!!

[terence]

Originally Posted by johngee

I had things to do - other than lounge around the garages drinking beer and working out the bore of my next oversize engine!
Lets's just look on it as a pleasure deferred

Lounging!! I,ll have you know I had at least an hours work on the car Saturday Morning Been thinking about 2.4ltr,should get a quote on the new Block from the Foundry tomorrow.

As for the deferred thing,I was only joking about you having to buy us all a beer John.[You could have just bought me one!]
I,ll look forward to meeting up in the near future .