Pau 14th/15th May.

[delta]

Me, Grant and Compte will be at Pau. Anyone else going,

[Peat]

I'm going the following weekend for the IF3. Never been to Pau, can't wait.

[compte deGraves]

Originally Posted by Peat

I'm going the following weekend for the IF3. Never been to Pau, can't wait.

I co-drove with Iain in a Gentlemen Drivers long(er) distance race a few years ago. Iain is the Pau Meister. But ,notwithstanding my contribution, Iain won! It is a track that everybody has to drive before they die. One of the true greats.

[Alan Morgan]

I think Iain had to serve a drive-through penalty there.

...or am I thinking of Spa?

...or maybe both?

[Christian Devereux]

Originally Posted by delta

Me, Grant and Compte will be at Pau. Anyone else going,

My entry is in for the 2 x 25 min Appx K Mini races. Should be fun...

[compte deGraves]

Originally Posted by Christian Devereux

My entry is in for the 2 x 25 min Appx K Mini races. Should be fun...

That will be brilliant to watch round the streets. I am getting excited already!

[compte deGraves]

Has anybody any idea what time and on what day they are letting the trucks into the paddock for Pau?

[Christian Devereux]

Hmm, well I managed to stuff the mini into the (too close) armco at Palmer (T3 new Snett), so now have a job on our hands to get it straightened for Pau.
Hit the barriers at a fair tilt side on LHS, enough to crack wheels, whack every panel and bend front subframe....
And it has just had a bare shell rebuild, so I'm popular.
1st proper shunt in 3 years, but somehow that doesn't make it any better.
Damn.

[Mike Bell]

Good luck getting it sorted for Pau, Christian. Now I appreciate your post about the infield kerbs at Snet on 6hr thread. Apologies, I didn't realise it was your Mini that hit the barrier. Saw the skid marks though when went out for last race.

[john ruston]

The normal kerbs are inside the ARMCO.

Interesting!

[compte deGraves]

I have just heard that trucks can get in from 4pm on Thursday. IsGrant still going with the Delta Team?

[delta]

Not ben toPau for a couple of years.Just reading final distructions and seems to be differant format in paddock with tents for all the cars. Anyone been recently can advise please. BTW dont suppose they have any showers yet. Me and Grant are thinking about rigging up a MASH type shower.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by delta

Not ben toPau for a couple of years.Just reading final distructions and seems to be differant format in paddock with tents for all the cars. Anyone been recently can advise please. BTW dont suppose they have any showers yet. Me and Grant are thinking about rigging up a MASH type shower.

Shower idea is in the planning but requires that certain sharing attributes (as per the famous MASH episode) may be available - otherwise it hardly seems worth the effort.

I found a video on YouTube that seem to explain the more interesting arrangements about the tented paddock, the industrial parking area across the road and how stuff is moved between the two.

This was 2009 so I assume it is the same this year.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by compte deGraves

I have just heard that trucks can get in from 4pm on Thursday. IsGrant still going with the Delta Team?

I think that's what I read in the finals (or somewhere).

I'm sure it will all be a lot of fun - judging by the video posted previously.

I especially like the concept of the road that separates the parking from the paddock (and indeed the factory area used for parking it seemed) being open for 'business'. That should add nicely to the atmosphere!

You will need to watch both parts of the video to get the full effect iirc.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by grantp

I think that's what I read in the finals (or somewhere).

I'm sure it will all be a lot of fun - judging by the video posted previously.

I especially like the concept of the road that separates the parking from the paddock (and indeed the factory area used for parking it seemed) being open for 'business'. That should add nicely to the atmosphere!

You will need to watch both parts of the video to get the full effect iirc.

Seems to have gone quiet here. If people have gone AWOL looking for the second video I fear I may have misremembered and there may not be one. There are many others though.

On the other hand if the jeeps and their escapades are giving cause for second thoughts ...

I noted what looked like 2 or 3 portaloos in the industrial paddock area. May be enough if we avoid curry (and local seafood, just in case.)

The shower idea, on the other hand, could be a money spinner if we can find enough water. There seems to be a river of some sort nearby- maybe take a pump along? IR should have good expertise to make that work.

Anyone got a spare (working) Green Goddess?

[Alan Morgan]

Anyone got a spare (working) Green Goddess?

Yes - but it would have needed to set off for Pau on Boxing Day to stand a chance of arriving on time...

[SAMD]

And all storage areas filled with fuel.

[graeme]

Originally Posted by compte deGraves

It is a track that everybody has to drive before they die.

I had a tentative drive in Legends the following weekend, but in the end it was far too expensive and I had to let it go (final straw was when I learnt the sequential shift was the opposite way to my road car - I could see myself blowing several engines with a mis-shift...).

Is it bi-annually now? And any good contacts for a drive in the historics there next time...?

[compte deGraves]

Grant, that was most helpful. The road that they have to cross is the track and for Iain's benefit it looks to me as if the trucks etc will be parked in an industrial estate on the left as you sweep past the pits with the pits/paddock on your right.

[delta]

Ive just packed the sack barrow ,just in case.Both cars finnished.load up tomorrow,ferry booked and looking foward to having a splash in the pool.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by compte deGraves

Grant, that was most helpful. The road that they have to cross is the track and for Iain's benefit it looks to me as if the trucks etc will be parked in an industrial estate on the left as you sweep past the pits with the pits/paddock on your right.

Yep. Thats the last left turn onto the last bridge before the hairpin right (Roundabout in normal times) at the end of the pits straight. The main parking area for the trucks and trailers seems to be, in effect, behind the grandstand.

Where the truck follows attempts to follow the quad into the paddock area seems to be the pit lane exit. Hence the parked cars I suppose.

I assume the road is actually closed when the racing is on ... I know things can be different when abroad. Especially with Safety Cars and the like.

[delta]

My Lotus ready for the off too Pau and Comte's Volpini nearly readyDont panic!!!!.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by delta

Attachment 32583Attachment 32584
My Lotus ready for the off too Pau and Comte's Volpini nearly readyDont panic!!!!.

Hang on, yesterday you said both cars were finished. On what sense were you using the word 'finished'?

[delta]

Last minuit diff change on the Volpini. "Dont worry dear"

[compte deGraves]

Grant,

You are absolutely right. That is the pit exit.

There are a number of concerns:

1. If you unload your car in the truck area you seem to need to get a maniac in a jeep to tow you on a rope across the traffic on a busy public road in order to get to the tented display area. Only if France.

2. How do you "just pop back to the wagon" to get something you have forgotten once racing has started? Please remember the tea,milk and sugar are kept in the truck!