Classic Le Mans 2012

Classic Le Mans 2012 Grid 2

Arrival at Le Mans Houx

Off loading the Db2 LM in Houx plenty of space 10 hours later there was no room to move.

Paddock for Grid 2.

Compared to most Classic Le Mans this one was much cooler and with rain during qualifying and throughout the racing on both Saturday and Sunday, although the last two races of round 3 were dry.

Qualifying:-

On Friday all 6 grids had two qualifying sessions one in the day and one night session and for most the weather was mixed with some rain and a wet track.

Our Friday day session was wet but with a drying track and the night session was dry and clear. Julian informed me as I got into the car that it as fantastic going down the Mulsane straight, But I was never to find out as the end of the pit lane was red flagged and I was sent back to the paddock with many of the other drivers. I think only 2 or 3 laps for our grid was allowed as the timing was running very late due to the busy programme and very long track parades.

Weather:- Wet some rain track drying.

Day Qualifying Time:= 6.40.107
Qual position:= 38
Grid Size:= 74
Night Session:- 
Overall:- 35
Best Lap:- 7.03.00

The Race

Round 1  (Dusk to dark and wet) 
Starting Grid Position:- 68
Overall Position:-  36
Fastest Driver Lap Position:-  36  & 71 (Best time:- 6.28.414)  Total No. Drivers 148.
Index of performance Position:-42
Best Top Speed:- 178.5   (Position 28)


(Note we were in the wrong classic for performance of index. We were in with Maserati A6 GCS, Maserati 300S, Ferrari 750 Monza and Aston Martin DB3).

Blue pit light identifying DB2 LM

Race 2

Night race very wet, heavy rain, race was started behind safety car and yellow flags ( 2 laps).
Starting Grid Position:- 67
Overall Race Position:- 66  


(Included a 2 Lap penalty for missing the pit window). 


Fastest Lap:- 7.23.914
Position Index of Performance:- 67
Fastest Lap by Driver:- 39 & 78
Best Top Speed:- 145.4  (Position 39)


A very difficult race starting at the back of the grid in the wet and with two laps of yellow flags. I was driving very slowly but could not pass, by the end of 2 laps behind the safety car we were a lap behind and were over taken by the leaders as soon as the green flags were shown.


I missed the pit window as I could see very little so stuck to the plan of 4-5 laps then come in but due to the very slow speeds I missed the pit window by 4mins and we got a 2 lap penalty along with 17 other cars.


The car was very steamed up, so I had the wipers and fan on plus the lights so I decided to switch off the blue pit light due to the electrical power demand.

An early wet dawn Julian now in the DB2 LM.

Day Time Race 3 with the classic Le Mans start.

Race 3

Grid Starting Position:- 66
Overall Race Position:-26
(23 was a possibility but we had  0.45sec penalty)
Best Lap Time:- 6.05.093
Position on Index of Performance:-35
Best Top Speed:-182.7  ( Position 27)

A very enjoyable race coming from 66 position on the grid through to 26 which could have been better but I collected a 45 sec penalty for over taking on the green flag lap but several cars had problems and waved me passed.

I had one big moment on the straight going down into Indianapolis where I was over taking 3 x Porsche 356 cars and the last of the group as I got level pulled out into the side of me. I braked but the Porsche kept coming over so I had to take o the grass. The car immediately changed ends and I was going backwards at about 125mph on the grass. I managed to get car onto the track still going backwards at 100mph plus, tried to turn it but spun again, then had another go at about 50 ish and managed to keep going into Indianapolis and carried on to chase after the Porsche's which I caught about 1/2 a lap later and passed.

Backwards at 100mph+ (I am not sure who took the picture)

Julian at the change over drove very well to keep in front of the Porches and to beat the offending Porsche by 0.700sec.

Jonathan I want ago.

Final Classification combined:-

Scratch:- 49
Performance of Index:-47


An enjoyable classic Le Mans with just about everything you could think about in races from weather conditions, starting at the back, but great fun over taking from the back.


We will need to sort out our performance of index as we are clearly not in the correct group.


Without the 2 lap penalty I think we would have been finished in the late 20's but that's racing.

The team

Liz & Denise

Darren with present

Julian & Glynn (me)

Some guy that followed us around (Justin)

Not our team but Robert Raw looks after his team with Champagne

Other General Pictures of Classic Le Mans 2012

Going home.

Thanks to:-


Wren Motorsport for all the race support. (Darren)
All the members of AMOC who supported us over the racing event.
Jonathan & Susan.
and
Julian Bailey-Watts who was an excellent co-driver with me for the 2 qualifying and 3 races.
Denise, Ursula & Justin.

If any one has any good pictures of my car racing please let me know via the comments box.