There are those who feel that the Indianapolis 500 is the greatest
motor racing event in the world, with its grueling tradition and its
track layout that permits nearly flat-out operation of a highly strung
racing car, on the edge of disaster for 500 miles. Others argue, not
without good reason, for the Grand Prix de Monte Carlo, pointing out
that it is one of the last of the traditional European grands prix,
still run on the twisty, tight streets of the capital of Monaco, with
its jet-set spectators, the blue harbor below and the Grand Corniche
rising above it.
I won't deny the importance and charm of those races, but I have always
been struck by the overwhelming majesty of the 24-hour race held every
summer at Le Mans, in the Departement de la Sarthe, about 100 miles
southwest of Paris. Of course, the 24 Heures du Mans has been very
good to British cars over the years, beginning with the Bentley Boys
in what Ettore Bugatti derided as "the world's fastest motor lorries,"
winning many of the races in the Twenties with at least one three-year
streak of unbroken victories. In the Fifties, Jaguar dominated in much
the same way with the racing versions of their XK sports cars. The
MGA was introduced there, the MGB raced to a famous class victory and
a 99.9 mph average for the 24 hours, and of course the highly developed
Sprite prototypes of 1967 and '68 were famous.
The track itself is vast -- over 8 miles, more than three times as
long as the Brickyard, something like six times as long as Monte Carlo,
with a single straightaway of nearly 4 miles in length -- les Hunaudieres,
the Mulsanne Straight, the first racing venue in the world to see speeds
in competition of over 200 mph, when the Ford GT40s proved that while
cubic dollars might in fact be a substitute for cubic inches, the
combination was unstoppable. And of course, the events in the track's
infield -- which is large enough to hold something like 24 Disneylands --
are both international in flair and completely, uniquely French in nature.
Try finding champagne, rilletes du Mans (the local pate), crepes flamed
in orange-flavored brandy, and truffle omelettes in Speedway, Indiana.
For me, Le Mans has always been *the* motor racing event.
Well, next year I'm going.
Those of you who know my primary career can well imagine the rest of my
motivation for going to France: I'm going to have my palate calibrated.
I want to find out what the Guide Michelin considers a three-star
restaurant. I want to eat cassoulet in Gascony, I want to eat fresh
truffles in the Ventoux, I want to eat moules mariniere untimely rip't
from the tides of Bretagne. And of course, how can I miss Italy, the
nation that taught the French how to cook? I want to visit the prosciutto
factories of Parma, eat scampi plucked from the Adriatic, have another
gelato tartufo at Tre Scalini in the Piazza Navona.
But the centerpiece of the trip is the 24 Hours. I've been pointed by
a pair of U.K. netters to two agencies that handle a variety of trips
to the 24 Hours:
Page & Moy Ltd, Chequers Travel,
136-140 London Road 3 Market Square
Leicester LE2 IEN, UK Dover, Kent CT16 1LZ, UK
I'll be sending for their information packets soon (it's never too
early to start planning, particularly since so much of my planning
will concern the putting aside of large quantities of money to make
the trip possible). (And no, I won't be selling the M.G. But along
about April, there's a slight possibility that you could pick up a
very nice Z Car at a reasonable rate...)
Why I'm pestering y'all with this -- no, it's really not to gloat.
I know that we have a number of European SOLs on the list. Our
itinerary isn't cemented down yet (and probably won't be till the
flight home). One undecided issue is whether to make London our
arrival/departure spot, as we have friends who live there. And
there's a lot of Britain I'd like to show Kim; we originally
(six years or more ago) worked out an all-British trip, with
stops at most of the major racing circuits, of course Abingdon,
and other places of interest (the Lake country, for starters).
I'm mostly interested in M.G. clubs who might like to have an
American enthusiast drop in to visit a meeting or event. If the
M.G. clubs do a special club trip to Le Mans for the race, that
would be even better. (And of course, I'll also ask the list
for recommendations on must-see places in the south of France
and the north of Italy, as that will occupy most of what little
time we have to spend there.)
And of course, I look forward to the possibility of meeting any
of our British SOLs (and Continental ones, if any) on the trip.
Also, if any US SOLs know of travel agencies or groups that do
special trips to the 24 Hours, I'd be grateful to learn about them
as well.
And yes, I plan to rent Steve McQueen's "Le Mans" soon...
--Scott
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