OFFICIAL - I am excited already

[shane@mbtech]

Originally Posted by O'Neill

Great time was it your first time at Spa.

Looking forward to the write up. How was the 'Ring, not shimmys

2nd time at spa, first time in Csl though.

The ring was fantastic, frustrating as I couldn't get a clear lap in, it was very busy out there.

Best I managed with lots of hold ups was 8.18, there was a 10mph coned off section on that lap too.

My brother filmed an 8.20 by hand so but shaky, but again lots of holdups.
I was far far quicker than last year, I was carrying so much more speed this time out.

All in all a great trip.

My lap times at spa were very consistent, getting held up in different places. I did 2.53,6. 2.53.4. 2.52.6. 2.52.1. 2.52.8. All in a row, every lap I was held up somewhere.

I had to get the slicks removed at 4 so unfortunately me and shim couldn't get out near the end to get on the mission.

[Andyk]

Originally Posted by lawsy

spa was awesome, me and shimmy had some great laps.

I ran slicks after dinner and even in very heavy traffic, I managed 2,52.1. I was held up on corners having to brake early off line, come off accelerater etc.

Without doubt I could get below 2.50.
I think 2.48 is definitely possible on slicks.
Next time maybe. There was far too much traffic out all day to be able to get a clear lap in.

I had a great time on track, shimmy did too trying to keep up. get the vids up shimmy.

Glad you had a great time...Look forward to the vids and pics...

[shimmy]

Ok, so I am now back at home. My last post I think was from the ferry going over to Hoek of Holland so here is the rest of that day.

Sunday morning I woke up on the ferry coming into port with a big hangover (this may be repeated each day of this trip). Felt like I he had no Sleep at all. Then I realised I had boarded at 11pm, had dinner (free), chatted to the Malay Indian family to 12.30pm, sat up drinking Guiness and G&T to 1.30 before retiring only to find out that I had to get up at 6.30am (which was really 5.30am uk time so I was gonna get max 4 hours sleep. Positives were that the crossing was like a mill pond so I didn't vomit once!

Off the ferry and heading up towards Amsterdam and Zandvoort. 75 mins driving time only so after a petrol stop and a quick look at the seaside resort that is Zandvoort (it has Centre Parks as well) I was at the track by 9.30am for a 12 noon start.

Zandvoort Seaside


Zandvoort circuit from the outer paddock (coral )


Team Manc arrive and head for some shade


Some typical Dutch classic cars


Now to say Zandvoort was a bit like wandering into a cowboy film might be an over statement but it certainly did feel like the Wild West. We were there on a sessioned car club day where you rock up before 12 noon, buy €25 ticket for 20 min session and sign your name and THAT'S IT. No briefing, no rules, no intro, no mention if flags or helmets or overtaking regs blah blah................absolute chaos! BUT FUN. I booked 4 sessions in the fastest group after getting advice from some Ducth bird who said there might be a few race cars but at least you'll avoids the nutters in the other two groups, and she was sort of right.

Curly, Sheila's, Twiggy and Hugh also booked a few sessions and we set off.

The track is marvellous. Twisty, wide, loads of elevation changes, difficult lines so it certainly is not easy to learn, especially with a whole host of nutty Nederlanders on your tail. The day ended with a race scirocco colliding with a drive experience Gallardo doing about 30 mph. I then drove into a hail of carbon fibre pieces bouncing up off the track and straight into my grill. Lucky very little damage to the front of my car for what was some big bits of Lambo and VW bodywork.

I'd recommend Zandvoort whole heartedly, maybe do a OPL and not the Gunfight at OK Corral. You certainly won't nail it in one visit. My best time was a 2m 05.7 but that was no where near on the pace. On an OPL I think 1m 58-2m 00 would be a realistic target

OFF TO SPA
So then we packed up, said goodbye to the host of 6ft Dutch birds that we had pulled and we set off to Spa via Utrecht, Eindhoven and Liege. Before we left holland we said a thank you for girls on bikes (thank you Jesus)

Off to Spa we followed Curly on his shoppa. Now I'm all for keeping to the rules and laws of a foreign country BUT I'm sure the Dutch didn't really mean that you have to stick to every single speed limit you see. 120kph....break for the 90kph section......accelerate up to 110kph.......brake or a speed sign on a different road that you can see in the distance........I took to the front and we set off!

We got to our hotel by around 9.30pm so as it was a Sunday night we were gonna be hard pushed to get some food before they shut so we got in ASAP and booked in................hold on, Curly has got us booked in the annex 5 miles away from the restaurAnt. We are picked up by Peter, who leads us to somebody's house in Spa where we are told to make ourselves at home. Luckily it's not too bad and a short walk from the Casino and restaurants. We get out and manage to get chips and meat at a Bistro, some large beers and hit the Salsa dance bar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X71ym...e_gdata_player

I danced with Curly even though the temps were still in the 20s and Culry was a bit sweaty (Jim, he's not cycle fit mate, you've got him beat.)

On the way back some dodgy pikey hoody stole our mate in Spa


NEXT EPISODE
Hangover at Spa
Lawsy with slicks
Shimmy at Zolder joined by Flow and Jurn.

[northernjim]

sounds like an excellent trip so far


Cheers for the encouragement - I'll have the edge psychologically now

[Bounce]

All sounds good so farCan't wait for the second installment

[Curly]

Great trip,good to see all the boys again
all brill circuits and great weather you carn't ask for much more
come on shim and shane lets see some vid

[mickaldo]

i believe shimmy had his scalp taken at spa

[shimmy]

Had a great day, really enjoyed the company. Temps were up To 25-27deg C so I was keeping my sessions to 2-3 fast laps and sheltering my burnt head from the sun.



Started with the mother of all hangovers which numbed the senses a little. I shared a garage with Lawsy and his crew meanwhile the Mancs slipped in a nicked some space as well. Curly took the shoppa round in the morning, Wheels (aka Sheila's) spent all day getting to grips with the daunting fast corners at Spa and Twiggy spent all day under his Elise fixing wiring and alternator faults



Lawsy spent all day terrifying the MLR crowd, taking the sight of a boot of a car coming towards him as a personal insult and immediately dispatching it to far behind him. in the morning we had a few trips out together and Lawsy was very quick onto the pace, just suffering a bit by overheating his Yokos but meanwhile stealing all my secret lines.

He obviously got pissed off with this and by lunchtime put on some slicks to go with his cage and immediately went faster by a good few seconds, rumour has it he beat my best time once he had the slicks on although I have yet to see any
proof :beer

(nonetheless he was certainly cornering at one hell of a pace and I'd be surprised if his best times were not a few secs sub 2m 50 if there was no traffic.)

There was a day of considerable traffic and slow cars. Debris slowly mounted all day as a Corvette got smashed up, GT3RS gen 2 destroyed on the Kemmel straight by a 911turbo that lost control, M3 lost a wheel and bumper at B2, countless Evos blew up engines or dropped coolant everywhere, and a XBow driver just got to his limits far too easily and smashed up enough carbon fibre to keep the Slovacs busy for a month.

My best time was in 2m 56 territory with traffic right up to closin time. Best theoretical was 2m 53 so probably in there somewhere I wasn't too far off the pace but certainly didn't manage to get pulled along by Lawsy and the slicks which was what I was hoping. It was great to see Jurn and Crackers and there were quite a few M3 and a couple of CSL but nothing going past us at all.

I think next time for Spa I am saving up and doing a more expensive Goldtrack or Curbstone day to try to get some space.

(no video processed yet but will upload later)


Wheels, Curly, Twiggy, Hugh and me left around 5pm for a short trip up to Zolder. Turned into a monumental task as the Belgians had decided to shut the motorway out of Spa for two junctions. Eventually got to Zolder around 8pm. Booked into our hotel at the track, 'De Pits' (if Curly cracks the same joke again I'm gonna throttle him). My car was making very strange noises on the run into Zolder so it was lookin very doubtful for me that I would get on track. I was planning therefore to check the car over in the morning and possibly head up to Henk at Intrax to see if there was something up with my rear shock.

Meanwhile the hotel at the circuit (De Pits) was a nice boutique type of place. Good restaurant and bar, simple nice rooms (except Wheels who had a suite) and all the rooms overlooked the circuit, literally 20m from the start finish straight. We decided to get pissed then which was a bit of a shock.

View from the Bar



To come next:
Zolder - better than expected
Maybe a few vids

[billyboysm3]

Nice one Shimmy, keep the updates coming.

So what your trying to say is now that Lawsy gained some decent time with the slicks he is like a dog with two cocks and might keep hold of the csl for at least another week

[CraigMillwardCroft]

I am at SPA Monday/Tuesday with GoldTrack, sounds like you all had fun. my mate with his Exige is always going wrong too.