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Le Mans 2008 - The Tourists' Story - Page 5

Saturday Morning - Group C's and Ten Tenths

 

As usual I was awake nice and early the next morning and Allon and I went out for a walk around the town before breakfast, meeting up shortly with Ian, Martyn, Jeff, Clive and Will in the square. 

The Hotel Restaurant Le Cheval Blanc has been 'home' to the Tourists at Le Mans for 15 years now.....     Jeff, Will, Martyn, Clive and Ian - out for a morning constitutional in the sunshine of Le Grand Lucé     Martyn and Allon check who's up and about....

We soon headed back for the standard Le Cheval Blanc breakfast of croissants and fresh bread with butter and quince jelly and loads of strong hot coffee.   

Martyn looks keen to get under way - with breakfast, that is.......     Allon enjoys the 'Cheval Blanc' experience....     Time to eat

Alan, Allon and Ian contemplate another long Le Mans Saturday......     Pope Nick I addresses the assembled throng from the balcony of his little-known other address in Le Grand Lucé..... ;-)     The cars are assembled on the Saturday morning starting-grid at Le Grand Lucé.....     ....and Martyn takes the leisurely walk (a la Jacky Ickx) to his car for the off...

Now this is the time that sorts out the Le Mans motor racing fans from the rest as the likes of Ian, Allon and myself were keen to get back to the circuit in time to watch the Group C support race that was due to start at 10.15.  Of course, in any group of people, there are a number of others who are perhaps a little less keen to dash off to watch motor racing.  As it happens, as the years have gone by, the ‘less keen’ seem now to substantially outnumber the keen!  So Ian mustered Alan into his car but also took with him myself and Allon for the trip out to Mulsanne Corner where we had decided to watch the Group C race from. 

Arrival at the Mulsanne Corner car park     Allon is thinking - 'He really does have that camera at the ready ALL the time.....'     Ian also finds something worth snapping in the car park.....     Several of the Tourists displaying dubious sartorial taste in their choice of shorts for the day......     A group of five Tourists in earnest conversation can mean only one thing - a discussion about where the next meal is coming from!

We were nicely in position on the spectator bank at Mulsanne Corner, served very well by the big TV screen by the time the cars came around on their parade lap.  It was marvellous to see again the Porsches and Jaguars and the singleton Sauber (which sounded magnificent!) but it was slightly disappointing that all but one or two were being driven rather sedately.  Don’t get me wrong, I can understand why, but somehow seeing these cars being driven at less than race pace (as was) somehow doesn’t seem right. 

Rob Sherrard's fabulous 1989 Sauber Mercedes, followeed by the Italya Sports Porsche 962 of Henry Pearman     Fredy Kumschick's Auto Toy Store Spice (1990)     Fat Turbo Express Porsche 962 - Mark Sumpter     #97, the From A Nissan R90-CK, driven by Andy Purdie     I was never a supporter of the Sauber Mercedes, as they were usually in battle with the Brits' beloved Jaguars, but I have to admit that having not seen one in action for so long, it really looked the business!

#83 was the 1990 Unisia Nissan R90-CK Nissan of Pete Sowerby     From the early days of Group C, a GTP class March 84G, driven by Peter Schliefer     Although showing as #12 when it should have been #21, this is the Andrew Haddon Spice SE90     The familiar Blaupunkt colours of the #8 Joest Porsche 962 of Wayne Park     A 1986 Ford Mustang in Seven Eleven colours for Kent Abrahamsson

Stefano Rosina's 1989 Spice Pontiac SE89 in Applebee colours     In the familiar Kenwood colours (and the equally familiar #10) is the 1987 Kremer Porsche 962 of Simon Wright     Possibly one of the most beautiful Group C cars I ever had the good fortune to see race (in 1989), the glorious Mobil 1 Aston Martin AMR1 of Paul Whight     Gary Pearson's #4 Silk Cut Jaguar XJR 11     I can't identify #180 - it doesn't appear on the entry list I have.....

#81 is the GTP class Abdex Tiga 287 of Richard Chester     #102 doesn't appear on my entry list either!     The 'youngest' car in the race - the #32 Jaguat XJR 12 of Nick Rini     Another great looking car - the #40 XJR 5 Group 44 Jaguar from 1982 - driven by Donald Miles     One of the true highlights of the Group C race was hearing that wailing rotary engine again! the #203 Mazdaspeed Mazda from 1986 in the hands of Jim Loftis

Sumpter's Porsche 962 looked superb in the familar livery of the long standing Brun sponsors, FAT Turbo Express     This is Justin Law's Jaguar XJR12, one of the quicker pedalled cars in the race....     It was good to see cars like the Argo JM20 of Richard Oddie taking part as well as the more famous marques     No mistaking the Leyton House colours so fmailiar on the Kremer Porsche, driven here by Claus Bjerglund     Here's that lovely Sauber again......

Thge 89/90 Nissans were also great looking cars - here is the #83 Sowerby R90-CK     Schliefer's March 84G again....     Another familiar Brun livery, this time the From A sponsorship on David Hart's 1990 Porsche 962C     The Italya Sports pink always looked surprisingly good on a 962 - Henry Pearman at the wheel     Not #21, but #12 - the 1988 Jaguar XJR9 - probably THE car that links the return of Jaguar with Le Mans - driven by Derek Hood

John Edwards' Texas liveried Argo JM19C     Another March 84G, this time the Spirit of Miami version of Pat Thomas     The #3 Law Jaguar rounds Mulsanne again....     Nice livery on the #32 Jaguar - shame it was never seen at Le Mans in anger...     #77 is the little GTP Lights Spice of Christopher Catt

Another car and livery so familiar to those who watched Group C in the 80s - the Obermaier Primagaz car of Oliver Maierhofer     Sumpter rounds Mulsanne again in his highly picturesque 962....     As does Law....     The Spice dated from 1988     A great view of that lovely XJR5

The race nears it's end....     Thomas in the 1984 March     The last shot sees Brun challenging Obermaier - it could easily be the late 80s all over again..... great fun and thanks to all these guys for bringing these wonderful cars out for us again....

After the Group C race it was time to head back to the garage rouge.  Whilst there were no time pressures for the others, Allon and I had a meeting to make with the other members of the Ten-Tenths forum which was scheduled for 12 noon.  We arrived at about 12.15 and were immediately welcomed by our ‘host’ Pascal, who was liberally dispensing the wine!  Also there were Bentley03, Rob Jones, Bernard B, Dominique, KDR, Bluebottle, Dani, Javi, Undoz, nobster, GTfour, and Hursty (with Michelle and James).  The crowd was definitely smaller than in previous years (2007 in particular), but there were several members who were unable to make the meeting due to marshalling or photographic duties elsewhere. 

I guess it's just one of life's constants - the first person I see at a race circuit, without fail, is Mr. Jones.....     Assorted Tenthers enjoying the weak sunshine while it lasted.....     Well, someone has to work! My good friend Ker, a scholar and a gentleman!      So how many nationalities are represented here?      Mr. Brothier in, well, let's face it - typical pose!

Bentley03 in conversation with GTfour     James was Mr. Embassy for the weekend - lucky chap! But he did manage to get us a trip to the Embassy garage - thanks James!     The man who shows us the way to 'The Tree' and provides us with the refreshments - PascalM     We must be getting close to team photo time!     AllonFS, a Tourist this year for the first time!     Allon's good pals, Hursty and Michelle......     With camera-shy James!

Michelle enjoys a glass of Pascal's finest brew....     Dominique, Dani and undoz     Now is this Batmobile or his brother??!!     It's good to see the young being schooled in the important things in life - Le Mans, Ten Tenths meetings....... ;-)

L-R: Dani Filth, Batmobile, undoz, Dominique, nobster, Bentley03, PascaLM, GT6, RDJones, Aysedasi, AllonFS, Hursty (with James) and Michelle      As before, with Bernard B. replacing Aysedasi