After a good kip, some breakfast and a shower it was time to head out to the circuit again. The little foam ear plugs I 'borrowed' from our machine room are really effective, and allowed us to sleep despite the relentless din of the engines and the mayhem unfolding on the camp sites.

I went out along the inside of the circuit, up to the Dunlop Esses and Tertre Rouge and the beginning of the famous Mulsanne (or Hunaudieres) Straight.

Aston Martin Lola cuts low underneath the Ferrari and Spyker to pass.


Once again, the LMGT2 Aston Martin catches my eye.


And the 14 Audi again.


Alan McNish in the Audi R15. The three red lights on the side indicate he is running in third in LMP1 class.


Corvette.


Porsche RS Spyder.


Spyker.


Two Corvettes diced for many laps. Here they are accelerating down the Mulsanne Straight.


Lapping traffic.


One of the beautiful Aston Martin Lolas.


The 15 Audi R10 gets a liquid top up, as the driver does the same....


...before tossing the bottle overboard.


A Lola is ushered in to Parc Ferme after the race is over.


Not your average car park.


The traditional track invasion. It's actively encouraged, and the marshalls open the access gates on the fencing. A huge crowd rushes down the pit straight (apparently acquiring just about everything not nailed down in the pits!) to the podium ceremony. Then it was over, just like that. My abiding memory of the race is the noise, it literally wore you out. What with wearing ear plugs all night to sleep and having earphones in most of the day to listen to Radio Le Mans, you end up yearning for some quiet time, and to have nothing crammed in your ears! Proper ear defenders with a radio built in for next year I think.


Some 'out-takes'.
Pretty much my staple diet for the weekend. Pot Noodle, beer from a CamelBak and wine. Note extensive 'Le Mans Beard' on display.



The motorised pirate ship that toured the camp sites pretty much non-stop. At night it was fully illuminted with a crew of four, all in costume. And yes, that is an air raid siren on the front. I'm very disappointed I didn't get a shot of the three seater sofa that was tearing round, with 3 blokes all looking very comfortable drinking cold beers.


Some of the camp sites people set up were very elaborate. People had fridges, freezers, game consoles, and screens and projectors. This however is pure class.


I hope you enjoyed the photos. There are many more of the cars in action at my Picasa gallery.

Awesome shots mate. Looks like a noisy but otherwise great race.

I've never seen a doner pot noodle though.

Good shots, great thread!

Cheers, Sixpints.

haha I bet that "Good French Red" wasn't

Great reports goon, really enjoyed them!

Thanks everyone.



Hahah! I couldn't believe Sarah came back from the shops with that to take to the Pays de Loire of all places! But, after a long, hot day out on our feet, even warm from the boot of the car and in plastic cups it tasted pretty good.
It didn't last long, then we were on the genuine good French stuff. Can't wait for next year.

great shots i prefer the 3/4's to the full on side shots, just gives the cars more impact ..