Ring & Spa October Double Header -Sonnenhof Bill now added!

[greyrigg]

Just back after a fantastic trip, great company and much gin fuelled sh*t
Weather was incredible, only started raining at Gretna!

Malcolm

[Andy G]

Latest Harris video is about the classic 6 hours at Spa

http://pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=26501

Now this looks like fun

[dirkpitt]

Latest Harris video is about the classic 6 hours at Spa

http://pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=26501

Now this looks like fun

doing that in a gt40 would be a dream for me

[greyrigg]

Guess which orange car needed a push start to get off the ferry

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1349966983.086729.jpg

[Kelvin]

Echo Malcolm's comments. Fantastic trip and, as always, fantastic company.

I got stopped by the feds just after the Dartford tunnel. My reg didn't show up on the insurance db. 45 minutes they took to 'process' me largely because Aviva didn't answer the phone and the fat biffer of a copper wrote down my registration incorrectly 'they've no record of your car Mr Hughes' - 'err that's because it ends CPX not CXP' - 'oh, I'll phone them again'.

[robin]

Echo the comments above - was really good fun - Spa doesn't disappoint!

I've decided Egor is a Camel - home from Spa was a 2 stopper despite taking the long way around in England to try to avoid various bits of yucky traffic - making 45mpg on the m-way at broad range of sensible speeds (i.e. nowhere near Mr G's battle tank). Weather home was great up until we got to England, then rained on/off all the way, very heavily from Lancashire onwards.

Mixed feelings on my pikee spec Falken Ziex; on the one hand they were very cheap and still went round the corners with good speed; on the other hand they were lethal on wet track - locking at random, more or less - very hard to judge when they would lock and when they wouldn't. Once the track dried out and once I had worn off the first 50% of the tread on the fronts they went a lot better - and they were fine in heavy standing water on the m-way home. I think they'll be replaced by something new for Oulton/Anglesey though as very likely to be wet on one or both of those days.

I was a bit miffed with some of the driving - people diving up the inside in super cars and spoiling the fun of others just 'cos they couldn't be arsed to wait a few seconds - did discuss it with the organizer twice and didn't have cause to complain about that individual again after that (though that was the 4th complaint about the chap before it seemed to have an effect). But the standards of many were still not what I would expect - gaggles of cars having little races and assuming that because the first one had been let pass the rest would be assumed to follow. I was amazed there was no car to car contact, but many many laps spoiled by this technique. Also there were some really really slow cars there (some sort of rental deal) and they seemed to do sighting laps for each rental session, where they would just hug the inside of the track at 30mph the whole way around. I would have preferred them to force their way back onto the line before each corner and then pull over again - this would have been much safer than having people pass them in the corners, especially as they often got tangled up in other people's overtaking ...

Cheers,
Robin

[pete]

Finally home.

What a trip, my first European adventure and I just regret leaving it so long. Spa was everything I had heard, just an astonishing track.

Thanks to those who went for making me so welcome, especially to Stu for giving me brake pads when mine failed going into La Source (video to follow), and to Dominique (and others) for helping me change them. The laps of the 'Ring with first Malcolm, Matt and then Ali were, errm somewhat memorable although I maintain that Ali drives much faster than is entirely necessary.

Malcom also gave me a bit of instruction at Spa ("Well I suppose you aren't holding anybody up too much." ) which made me even faster*.

Other people were a little quicker than me but I doubt anyone was having as much fun.

pete

*for a given level of fast.

[Stu160]

Well, what a trip

First time away in the 211, great drive over, and had packed for all weather conditions, as it was changing daily. In the end , we did have ALL weather conditions, so I guess I made the right call. Only rain we had was from Coldstream home, but I was ready, as I knew it was coming, so no problems, appart from the lights in the 211 not working due to the fish blocking the light from the bulbs. On my list of things to do before Oulton/ Aglsey.
I gat BANNED from the ring, before I even got on track, never thought, and covered my plates after Ali told me that CCI would cancel my insurance and not cover me ever again.... to be honest, after what Malcolm had said about the driving standards, and what I saw in the laps I had in the GT3, I dont think I really want to do it anyway, the track , yes, but the ego,s and pure lack of rules, and driving abillity......no thank you. I will take Spa and Zandvoort any day of the week.

Spa tuesday am was damp, so went out and took my time, just learn the car in wet, very gentle, and letting the car do the work. After about 10 laps I thought, hey, no one has passed me yet ?, and then I started to cantch and pass loads. The car carries so much speed in the corners, its just great.
Had to go in as it was red flagged, then next time out, a dry line had started to form, so the speeds were up a lot, done about 4 laps and decided to start pushing, first time hard round pouhon, and the driveshaft about shook the car apart. end of play for the day.
Took the shaft out , and neil had sourced a spare from Komo-tec, awsome place and great guys, they know there stuff, and build some really nice cars. Autoban thrash in the GT3, hit 198tuts and regular 180+ so we done the 5 hour round trip in, well, lets just say less than 5 hours. Shaft fitted and back for dinner at La Source for 8.45.

Next day was dry, ran the car for an easy 10 laps, checked it all over, and then the fun began. I done a tank of fuel on my next stint slowly building up speed in the car, and OH MY GOOD, its way quicker than I tought it would be. The corner exit speed is just insane Rev limiter in 4th on the exit of pouhon!!! I am thinking it is a 5th gear corner, but I am not there yet. Another red flag, and its lunchtime any, fill up, and go out with Uncle Ron after lunch, and we were passed by a race Ferarri, only due to its awsome straight line speed, as i monstered him from Kemmel all the way to the straight before Blanchimount , where he just left me in his dust, then andy came past in the GT3 when we were stuch behind a gaggle of cars. we then lapped for about 5 laps together, him pulling away on the staights and me pulling him back in under brakes and the corners, just fantastic, what a car

And then it was broken again, same drive shaft, split gator this time. It got me home though, no problems.

Stu

[Andy G]

Should add a massive thanks to Craig at MMC. Not only did he call Lotus to find who within 2 hours of Spa had ordered a driveshaft int eh last month, he then called me back with contact names and phone numbers! Stu wouldn't have been running without him. Above &beyond effort, and a massive thanks to Craig & the factory.

[Stu160]

Should add a massive thanks to Craig at MMC. Not only did he call Lotus to find who within 2 hours of Spa had ordered a driveshaft int eh last month, he then called me back with contact names and phone numbers! Stu wouldn't have been running without him. Above &beyond effort, and a massive thanks to Craig & the factory.

Oh yes, thanks due, I was mostly unaware of all this as I was under my car up to my elbows in gearbox oil

Stu

[alicrozier]

An absolutely awesome trip again! Life doesn't get much better than this...unbelievably perfect weather (apart from the last bit from Edinburgh home!), great tracks and fantastic company.

Pictures tell a thousand words so photostream here.

The 2-11 was fantastic. I can't think of a car I'd rather have, great at the 'Ring, ultra fast at Spa but always entertaining and biddable. Even saw 3 shift lights in 6th on the Autobahn.


Thanks to Neil 'the manservant' for lift to MMC and big up to uncle Ron for lending me his road pads (EBC Yellowstuff, so not quite up to Pagid braking points but kept me in the game wed afternoon and home).


IMG-20121006-00129 by alicrozier, on Flickr


IMG-20121008-00148 by alicrozier, on Flickr


IMG-20121009-00162 by alicrozier, on Flickr


IMG-20121009-00167 by alicrozier, on Flickr


IMG-20121010-00175 by alicrozier, on Flickr

[Andy G]

Hey Guys

Quick email for the Sonnenhof posse;

Got the bill for drinks and dinner, which was E436.30 , which lucky me got assigned to my room.

Stu & Neil have already paid there share which i think leaves;

Ali C
Malcolm
Matt
Pete

Roughly speaking the share should be E62.32, which is approximately £50 or so.

Happy to take bank transfer or cheque, what ever easiest

[alicrozier]

You'll know they were 're-assigned' to your room.
Send me bank details mate or I can pay for your curry etc at Oulton...

I dodged a bill at La Source also. Maybe Mike picked it up after the Welsh boy (who wasn't staying in the hotel) signed for it?

Heh, I thought 'Sonennhoff Bill' was a new trip inspired character...somewhat like 'Scotty Saville'.

[campbell]

I gat BANNED from the ring, before I even got on track, never thought, and covered my plates after Ali told me that CCI would cancel my insurance and not cover me ever again....

Sorry for missing this but why were you banned? Surely shome mishtake!

Sounds like another SE epic. Good show lads.


Ps Kelvin you get to look more like Bernie Ecclestone every time I see you!

[mckeann]

I gat BANNED from the ring, before I even got on track, never thought, and covered my plates after Ali told me that CCI would cancel my insurance and not cover me ever again....

Sorry for missing this but why were you banned? Surely shome mishtake!

At a guess, for covering his number plate on a TF day, the car has to be road legal.