Castle Combe 25 May 2013

[rip]

Wot no thread activity?
This is only 5 days away...

[Steve A]

Only to say that I can't make it this year

Gutted

[chris.t]

Sorry guys have to go to an 85th birthday party, no guessing where I'd rather be :'(

[muley]

I'm out - blasted family wedding. Really annoying.

Jim

[Dave Eds]

Sorry guys have to go to an 85th birthday party, no guessing where I'd rather be :'(

Your twin brother?

[GeoffSmith]

Anyone want to take Jim's Nitro bling back?

[chris.t]

Sorry guys have to go to an 85th birthday party, no guessing where I'd rather be :'(

Your twin brother?

Cheeky Fecker, - Sister

[rip]

Looks like I'll have to work in the morning.
I'm still aiming to get there but won't be until about lunchtime.

[Gee0]

Ive had a look in the Lotus club site but can find what time the Lunch break is.

Anyone got an idea besides "lunchtime" (Which my wife usefully chipped in with)

G

[MPx]

Usually scheduled for 1:00 and usually runs slightly late. The Marshalls are the final arbiter - they get hungry! If the parade is the first pm thing rather than the last am thing then it will be around 2:00

[Dave Eds]

Aiming to get there lunchtime at the latest. With heaters Geoff

[Gee0]

After a traumatic afternoon of getting everything ready to TAX her, noticed that the MOT had run out.

All sorted now, MOT'd TAX and almost ready, just a quick wash in the morning, planning on getting there around lunchtime.

G

[dapinky]

Looks like no point in me getting up too early for this one - lunchtime is the new 8 o'clock!!!!!

[epipete]

That's late, there is a parts fair I believe; oh well I'll be like a German tourist with my towel on the sun lounger before breakfast

[GeoffSmith]

What time are you planning on getting there old man?

[rip]

As usual, at great day.
A pity I couldn't get there until late & attendances were down. The track was not busy at all.

We were blessed by the weather.
As always, good to see friends both from on here & elsewhere in the Lotus community.

Special thanks to Mike for a few PAX laps in the Esprit. IMO the Esprit is without exception the best looking car ever built & I had never been in a G car before, so a track ride was an awesome first experience.

I would not object to paying to get into here, but club Lotus only charge for the (poorly subscribed) track sessions. In fact I would rather pay for this than Donington.

[GeoffSmith]

Yep. Another superb day and good company - a real shame that more couldn't make it. I remembered the sun tan lotion so no burned face this year. Just need to tell CL to turn the volume up on their tannoy.

Thanks to Petet and Maureen for taking us to an excellent local.

Thanks to Dave Eds for filling a few holes in my loft - operation 'get 10 heaters in the loft without Sarah seeing them' has been completed successfully.

Shame Nick was blowing his bugle somewhere down South otherwise.......

Oh, and Andy (the bloke with the air leaking red Elan that Pinky diagnosed) sent me some pictures of his boat restoration and as well as the Elan, he would also appear to have an Eleven, a 30 and a Cortina.

[MPx]

Glad you enjoyed the ride Iain. Probably a bit extreme as a first go - the car is really quite civilised and comfy for the period under more normal circs! Unless of course Dave E is in the passenger seat when it will almost certainly break in some way!

Twas a great shame that the day wasn't better supported as it wont be around for many more years if it turns out that Lotus drivers no longer want to track their cars. Of course for us there on the day it was ideal! Only five cars on track for the first session, and only six for the second including me and Martin. We had a fine old time and now that Martin has switched his race allegiance to his M3 and put the M100 back on road tyres I was actually able to hang on to his coat tails for a change! It went open pit lane by lunchtime and we could have as many sessions for as long as we wanted. The Esprit is only good for 6 or 7 laps if I'm trying (fuel vaporisation) and I'm only fit enough to try for about that many laps anyway. I did 4 sessions between 7 and 10 laps and had another session in the passenger seat of Dave's S2 baby Elan which was both great fun and a very useful lesson! Both Breakie and Lunch (Sweet and Sour Chicken) in the circuit café were excellent and the weather was on best behaviour. With the excellent company thrown in, its hard to think of a better way to spend a day.

So a strong probability (1) I'll be there again next year.... it will be my 24th, I've not missed one since my first in 1991

[SteveB]

Have to agree, was a great day. I came along with my son Matt in the morning. Drove round paddock and parked next to another Elan. This was the first time I have come across any other LEC members, friendly bunch. I'm useless with names so I can't remember who you all were but thanks for making us welcome. Matt went out for some laps in the super charged Elise and now wants me to get one ! no room in the garage for one of those as well as Elan ! Even the lunch time parade lap was fun, if a bit like the M4 on a bank holiday. Who knows maybe next year I could be tempted into the track.

[nicowalker1]

Date dependant I may well get down to this next year. If i get all the work done that im planning I may even track my elan for the first time if its so quiet.

Geoff, I can think of something Imcan remove from your loft to free you some space