NationStates Jolt Archive

I don't know if I'm going to be alone in this or not, but my favorite race of the year, the 24 Hour of Le Mans has been underway for about an hour and half now. Apparently, to accomidate the World Cup they delayed the start by an hour, and I still missed it.

I also missed the Aston Martin destroying itself.

Apparently the Audi R10 diesel is flying...but McNish is driving so that's to be expected.

Unfortunately I am on basic damn cable so I'm listening to Radio Le Mans except when it cuts out like it just did...grr. I wish I could watch it...well, I wish I could be there, but damn...somethin'...

Anyone else listening/watching? Are you rooting for a team or car?

The Corvette leads LMGT1. Again. Damn thing is a trooper. I have no idea where the Lamborghini is.

Bugger, I thought it was next weekend. Too many sporting events happening at the same time. Tour de France is coming up shortly too.

I don't even know what the entry list is like this year. I'd love to see the Audi diesel do well, that would make it really interesting. Did they say why the start was delayed?

Bugger, I thought it was next weekend. Too many sporting events happening at the same time. Tour de France is coming up shortly too.

I don't even know what the entry list is like this year. I'd love to see the Audi diesel do well, that would make it really interesting. Did they say why the start was delayed?
Something about the world cup, maybe to let a game end or something. Being from the US I don't really know what's going with the World Cup...except the ads that seem to indicate that we'd do better this time that stopped after we got stomped on our first game.

I can't find the Porsche LMP2 or any articles to explain why it isn't there. It's saddening. If it was there I'd have a car in every catagory-

I want the diesel Audi to win, and that's almost a gimme.

I'd want the Porsche to win LMP2 if it was there...

I don't like Corvettes, but I like that it does well there...I'm a complex cat...though I'd be happy with the Aston doing well or the Lamborghini mattering...

In LMGT2 the car I want to do well is-the Flying Lizard team in a Porsche 911 who hail from Sonoma in a garage in one of my favorite tracks. I've actually met these guys when they where hanging out in an off season moment. I took a turn while at the track and wound up where I shouldn't. They where cool cats, they're based about two hours away from me and they have a Porsche. Go them! (and, Flying Lizards is a great name).

If you're not listening/watching you really aught to be-the lead Corvette and the second place Aston are 2 seconds apart. It's really a matter now of which one blinks. Kick ass...I wish I had The Speed Channel...

I'm going to try this again, but only because-

The Aston passed the 'Vette! And I missed it, I must have not been paying attention...so I don't know what happened.

If you are a lucky enough bastard to be able to be watching it you should tune in Radio LeMans anyway, they're getting punchy. It's one of the better parts...

I wish I could watch it but alas, I don't have any channel showing it. Wonder how well the Audi R10 TDI (diesel!) will do. They already got the pole if I'm not completely mistaken.

(Nope, Audi homepage says so http://www.audi.com/audi/com/en1/experience/motorsport/Le_Mans_up_to_date.html )

Anyway - I just hope we're not gonna see any of those "flying cars" - those were freak accidents!

I wish I could watch it but alas, I don't have any channel showing it. Wonder how well the Audi R10 TDI (diesel!) will do. They already got the pole if I'm not completely mistaken.

(Nope, Audi homepage says so http://www.audi.com/audi/com/en1/experience/motorsport/Le_Mans_up_to_date.html )

Anyway - I just hope we're not gonna see any of those "flying cars" - those were freak accidents!
The Audi is running away with the race right now. For a while they where talking about it beating the total distance record set by the 917 in 1971 before they added two sets of turns.

The GT1 class is a straight street fight.

Are you in Germany? Dumb question. You can watch a web feed through Priemere.de, I believe. And Audi paid for the pay channel to run it in Germany for free (because they knew it was going to be the Audi show...)

"...I wish I had The Speed Channel."

Yeah, we're watching it... except the SO keeps switching between it and NASCAR (Busch series). Makes it interesting in that 'curse' sort of way.

"...I wish I had The Speed Channel."

Yeah, we're watching it... except the SO keeps switching between it and NASCAR (Busch series). Makes it interesting in that 'curse' sort of way.
I think at 9 or so Speed goes "all Le Mans" to the end.

I don't know. I've only gotten to watch it twice. Every other time I'm listening.

I think at 9 or so Speed goes "all Le Mans" to the end.

I don't know. I've only gotten to watch it twice. Every other time I'm listening.

I couldn't get the radio link to work last night & I was getting tired, so I went to bed. I'll give it a go again this afternoon.

I couldn't get the radio link to work last night & I was getting tired, so I went to bed. I'll give it a go again this afternoon.
I have to say, the radio stream is way better this year than it was last. It took me about half an hour to connect, but that was it-I've been connected ever since, and that was almost 12 hours ago.

Last year it kept cutting in and out and was almost worthless to even try.

I was going to give up, if there are fans of the 24 Hours of Le Man they're probably enjoying it and not nittering on NS where no one else cares...

But the end of the race is getting badass. There is a Panoz in the lead of GT2 (a class normally dominated by, as the announcers call it "Boring white Porsches"-saying that these cars just troop through the 24 after all the others fall to the side), there is one of those Porsche chasing down the Panoz and a Ferarri 430 chasing it down.

In GT1 the Aston for the second time in a row has given way in the last hours (clutch problems) and gave way to (what seems like an oxymoron, but the proof is on the track) the solid reliable Corvette. Hard to concieve.

Last half hour, c'mon-I'm not alone, am I?

The diesel Audi is pounding the hell out of the field. Just announced that they have already covered more distance then they did in the full 24 last year on gasoline. Next, Puegot arrives with their diesel. There might actually be a race next year for the overall. That and the Penske Porshce LMP2...

In GT1 the Aston for the second time in a row has given way in the last hours (clutch problems) and gave way to (what seems like an oxymoron, but the proof is on the track) the solid reliable Corvette. Hard to concieve.

Yes, it is possible to buy an American car that doesn't break down a lot.

Here in the US, most foreign sports cars have a reputation of being in the shop a lot - dating way back for me to the time when a Jag XKE would be in the shop more than in your own driveway. I've had terrible times with BMW and Audi cars, and I've had friends with Porsches that don't hold up well over time.

A Corvette, however, is a "beater" car. It may not be the fastest sports car on the road, or the one with the most historical panache, but you can drive it until the wheels fall off.

A Corvette, however, is a "beater" car. It may not be the fastest sports car on the road, or the one with the most historical panache, but you can drive it until the wheels fall off.

And sometimes you can even go for a little while after that. There are FOUR wheels, after all.

The Audi is running away with the race right now. For a while they where talking about it beating the total distance record set by the 917 in 1971 before they added two sets of turns.

The GT1 class is a straight street fight.

Are you in Germany? Dumb question. You can watch a web feed through Priemere.de, I believe. And Audi paid for the pay channel to run it in Germany for free (because they knew it was going to be the Audi show...)
Thanks for that info - took a look at it and it does work (although it slows down my computer tremendously, but that's typical for my machine).

Streaming video and firefox on Win98 somehow don't go together.

Did the Audi keep what it promised? Did they at least put on a good show altogether? Sure hope so!

Greetings from Germany ;) [back to watching football now]

Thanks for that info - took a look at it and it does work (although it slows down my computer tremendously, but that's typical for my machine).

Streaming video and firefox on Win98 somehow don't go together.

Did the Audi keep what it promised? Did they at least put on a good show altogether? Sure hope so!

Greetings from Germany ;) [back to watching football now]
There was a time in the night where it was thought that Racing for Holland might upset, but the Audi is unstoppable. It flinched once. Well, the 'lead' car actually did, but that was by going off the track I believe.

Yes, it is possible to buy an American car that doesn't break down a lot.

Here in the US, most foreign sports cars have a reputation of being in the shop a lot - dating way back for me to the time when a Jag XKE would be in the shop more than in your own driveway. I've had terrible times with BMW and Audi cars, and I've had friends with Porsches that don't hold up well over time.

A Corvette, however, is a "beater" car. It may not be the fastest sports car on the road, or the one with the most historical panache, but you can drive it until the wheels fall off.
When VW started importing cars into the US American manufacturers wanted tarriffs on the cars because they where built to last over three times as long as American cars.

For the most part Porsches have a reputation for reliability, when you read about them you'll hear mention of "Porsche's legendary reliability." Which is what powers the "boring white Porsche" phenom.

The last sentence reminds me of what my mechanic would say (the one who maintained the three German cars I've owned, two VWs and a Porsche)-his was to the effect that with a little maintence German cars (he was German and had a clear preference) would last forever. But Americans seem to simply drive thier cars into the ground and then get up and get another. With this drive and forget practise it can flip perceptions of longevity.

Though no one would argue that Jaguar's early to (I think) 80s years had issues, most notably thier electricals systems. I'm reminded of a scene in The Great Gumball Rally of the two men stuck in the starting garage of the rally with thier E-Type where the exchange, "Beautiful design." "I wish it ran..."

The last sentence reminds me of what my mechanic would say (the one who maintained the three German cars I've owned, two VWs and a Porsche)-his was to the effect that with a little maintence German cars (he was German and had a clear preference) would last forever. But Americans seem to simply drive thier cars into the ground and then get up and get another. With this drive and forget practise it can flip perceptions of longevity.

I always thought the point of Le Mans was to drive your car into the ground. There isn't time in the middle to put your car in the shop for a week.

I always thought the point of Le Mans was to drive your car into the ground. There isn't time in the middle to put your car in the shop for a week.
Well, you could do that-but the more successful cars conserve their cars and finish the race.

PANOZ WINS GT2!!!! Privateer, small volume American car-company has only existed for 10 years has finally broken the dominance of the 'boring white Porsche' in GT2!! (as a fan of Porsche this saddens me, but I've liked Panoz since I came across their first race car and thought, 'That's the car a super villian would drive...")

The two GT catagories go to American cars (though the Panoz was fielded by a British team). Last year all but one of the winning teams where actually American (proving that Americans can do well in a sport thier country doesn't care about, just not soccer(football)). This year, just one American team (the Corvette team)

For the Corvette folk-First place GT1 in the C6, third place a privateer team in a C5, last years car comes across the line before the Ferarri 575, fielded by Russians.

That's that, the race is over and now it's only time to thank thier god, which in racing is the sponsers all over the cars...I've been up for the whole damn thing, I'm bordering on zombie boy.

Last bump, then I cry.

Anyone watch it and now are on? Thoughts, feelings, emotions? Mid June 2007 is too far away for my tastes now, two diesels, Porsche-Penske, the sedan class...I need to become vastly more successfull in one year.

Unfortunately I didn't see much of it because my Mum was ill, but what I saw was as great as ever.

Just found this pic:

http://upload4.postimage.org/423560_d2c4e1a4daa559f69d1f7104dee3ae0f/XPB_0D5AWOX0EO0UIP0QX1D6O_3.jpg

:)