24 hours of LeMans 2016, ...anyone by chance going?? Options

[naro914]

?
Nadine and I are going this year to celebrate our 25th anniversary.

Anyone going? Anyone been there that can give us ideas, pointers, or a list of things we shouldn't miss or do?

[Alphaogre]

It's bucket list of mine! I have talked with people and they mentioned you can take the train from Paris to Le Mans. Their trains are great, spring for the 1st class tickes if you use the train. It's worth it!

[flmont]

when is it,.??

[2mAn]

Its also on my bucket list. Still pissed that I missed the 24 hours of the Ring back in '13 when I went. We missed it by a few days...

-24 Hours of LeMans
-Mille Miglia
-Festival of Speed

those are all bucket list things for me. Theres more, but thats all I can think of right now. Luckily I DID drive the Ring when I was there back in '13. Totally worth it

[carr914]

when is it,.??

June 18-19Th

[groot]

I went last year and will be going again this year.

Le Mans, the town, is more substantial than I had imagined....

Taking the provided track transportation (small road train vehicles with several passengers cars) will take a lot of time, but seems to be the only reasonable way to get to the south end of the track..... during the race.

We tried, and failed, to get somewhere on the Mulsanne to watch during a session. The security was tighter than years past, I was told.

If you're staying in Le Mans, avoid a rental car and use the high speed rail to get from CDG to Le Mans, then use the tram to get to the track.

You'll do more walking than you ever imagined. It will be more crowded than any sportscar race you've ever been to.

[naro914]

We are arriving into Paris a week+ before, spending a few days there, then driving down to LeMans Sunday before the race for scrutineering, during the week we'll do some exploring around, go to Normandy beach, wineries, castles, etc. staying at someone's house in downtown LeMans (never met him, just emails!!!) well do the tram back and forth to the track.

I'm working on getting Aston Martin hospitality passes (can't get Porsche ones... )

[tomrev]

Wed. prior to the race weekend, is free admission in all the grandstands, and a good time to check the whole place out. I camped out at the track in 2006; it's a crazy place, unbelievable amount of people, louder than you can imagine, trying to finally get some sleep at 3am, with cars evenly spread all around the track. Sitting near the inside of Tetra Rouge as it got dark, watching the instant red glow on the disc brakes as the cars hit the impossibly late braking zone. Even tho your eye's are seeing it, your mind can't accept the speed the cars carve thru the Dunlop curves, or how overtaking happens anywhere, as soon as the closing car catches the slower one, no hesitation, even if the slower is right at an apex, the faster car just takes the corner anyway, and it seems to work out. Be sure to take a lot of sun screen; I can't forget the sight of a row of red-haired, shirtless Danes, getting shit-faced, watching Tom K. rip around the track, and progressively turning a bright red all over, unaware! Or watching cool cars arriving from all directions in the week leading up to the weekend; Lotus 7's, with tents strapped on from the UK, killer 911's from all over, old 2-CV's, etc. I will have to go again, and will be doing Goodwood this Fall for the 3rd time; that too is too cool to believe!!!

[groot]

Bob, that's a solid plan for success!

If you're into it, that Normandy region is also known for Calvados and I understand there are tasting rooms and so forth in the area.

I'm going for the test day, then back home for a bit, back again on Tue, staying through the race.

And, Tom, good point on the sunscreen.... last year is was very hot and there was no place to hide from the sun at times.

Across from the pit straight stands/concrete steps was always general seating/standing. Some clever chaps hung hammocks under the stands.

[Tom_T]

?
Nadine and I are going this year to celebrate our 25th anniversary.

Anyone going? Anyone been there that can give us ideas, pointers, or a list of things we shouldn't miss or do?

Dang Bob!

Now that's a very lucky man, whose wife will let him get away with going to an auto race for their anniversary! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

For our 30th last yer, I took us to the little hotel where I proposed, just to earn enough points to go to the Coronado Speedfest vintage car races the next month! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I have to beg her to come along to a few PCA Concours now & then! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I'm hoping that once we find that "perfect" used Cayenne S for us to tow "her" vintage Avion T20 Trailer to vintage trailer events, that she'll be enticed to show off "her" Cayenne at the Concours herself! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

.... of course, I'll still have to do all the prep work! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Have a great time! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[naro914]

:-)
To put it into perspective: we went to Barrett Jackson Scottsdale for her 40th birthday (her idea), we go to Daytona 24 every year since on her birthday week/weekend, for our 20th anniversary we bought our GT3 (her idea instead of me buying her diamonds like I did for every other 5 yr anniversary...she said this way it's something for us... though she drives it more), when we go to the track for IMSA races, we try to get pit credentials and she could sit on the pit wall all race watching the pit action, she's trying to learn data acquisition well enough so she can do coaching, and she helped crew for TRG for the FULL 24 hours of Daytona one year....yeah....I'm lucky!!!

[r_towle]

Jealous.

[ClayPerrine]

:-)
To put it into perspective: we went to Barrett Jackson Scottsdale for her 40th birthday (her idea), we go to Daytona 24 every year since on her birthday week/weekend, for our 20th anniversary we bought our GT3 (her idea instead of me buying her diamonds like I did for every other 5 yr anniversary...she said this way it's something for us... though she drives it more), when we go to the track for IMSA races, we try to get pit credentials and she could sit on the pit wall all race watching the pit action, she's trying to learn data acquisition well enough so she can do coaching, and she helped crew for TRG for the FULL 24 hours of Daytona one year....yeah....I'm lucky!!!

Yea.. Nadine is a keeper. Just like Betty. I don't have to buy her jewelry for her birthday or Christmas. I get her 914 parts. She is the one that wants to go to Okteenerfest, and she is the one who made my dreams of a 4.0L six possible.

Women like Nadine and Betty are few and far between. We are lucky men. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

[r_towle]

Lisa likes the blue one better than the red one....

Then she asks if we can take the Audi.

[naro914]

Yea.. Nadine is a keeper. Just like Betty. I don't have to buy her jewelry for her birthday or Christmas. I get her 914 parts. She is the one that wants to go to Okteenerfest, and she is the one who made my dreams of a 4.0L six possible.

Women like Nadine and Betty are few and far between. We are lucky men. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

Agreed! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)