Ring/Spa trip 2010
Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 2:32 am
I had arranged to go to ring/spa with some mates off the CSL register and met up on the M-25 services just near the Dartford tunnel on the morning of the 29th May
We had quite a laugh as on most road trips with over taking and picture taking etc. We caught the 11.20 train on the Chunnel and headed through France and Belgium to Germany. The last 20 miles the roads just turned into driving heaven well it did for the rest of the guys in our convoy. For me it was plodding on as usual as i had the girlfriend in the car along with 4 x wheels, jack etc.
We arrived just intime to hear that there had been a BIG accident on the ring that afternoon and the circuit had been closed all afternoon. apparently a M5 had dropped it's oil on the track and wiped out between 5-10 cars... It was a mess according to eye witnesses and a few people were injured.
We headed for the bar and after a few large beers i was ready for the famous steak on the stone and yes it is as good as they say it is.
After a lot more beers some bright spark had the idea of going to a nightclub lol so of we trekked about 30 of us on a 15 minute hike to a club that had the worst system in the world for buying drinks.
We finally headed home about 2am
I woke up in the morning about eight to the horrible sound of rain against the windows... after breakfast or is that brunch lol a few of us followed down to the carpark where the sight of all the nice cars made me feel a bit better about my headache and the rain.
I had another cup of coffee and bought 4 laps. we headed out in convoy and and i can honestly say i was a bit taken aback to how closed in the track is and how much the undulations the track had. also the traction control was kicking in at what seemed like every corner.
I did one lap lol. All i could think about was the M5 the previous day and how he had a possible big lawsuit hanging over his head and how didn't want that.
I had a few passenger laps with a friend who has driven 300+ laps round there and i admit in the damp condition i was a bit scared as i had no idea which was the circuit went.
It then started raining again so we decided to go look round the museum and then headed to the bar lol.
Early the next day we headed to Spa for a trackday with the MLR and right from the off the weather was crap.
We arrived after a little detour.... thanks TomTom... to find lots of nice cars in the paddock. After the briefing we all had to wait for noise testing which took forever cause there were upto 200 cars and one guy noise testing.. bloody stupid.
Finally got onto the wet track and immediately fell in love with it. Eau Rouge is unbelievable and a corner where u get braver and braver at.
By lunchtime the track had dried and i had a chance to stick the cups on the car and stiffen the suspension up. Not sure how well i was doing but seemed to hold my own. I will stick up some video i have when i return to Uk.
The rain returned around 3pm and i called it a day. some guys had to drive home that evening but myself and a few guys had booked into the Radisson in Spa so set off to check in. After a load more beers and a cracking Italian we called it a night.
Here are some photo's of the trip. I am planning to return to Spa in Oct 2010 for a two day track session and a ring trip aswell.
We had quite a laugh as on most road trips with over taking and picture taking etc. We caught the 11.20 train on the Chunnel and headed through France and Belgium to Germany. The last 20 miles the roads just turned into driving heaven well it did for the rest of the guys in our convoy. For me it was plodding on as usual as i had the girlfriend in the car along with 4 x wheels, jack etc.
We arrived just intime to hear that there had been a BIG accident on the ring that afternoon and the circuit had been closed all afternoon. apparently a M5 had dropped it's oil on the track and wiped out between 5-10 cars... It was a mess according to eye witnesses and a few people were injured.
We headed for the bar and after a few large beers i was ready for the famous steak on the stone and yes it is as good as they say it is.
After a lot more beers some bright spark had the idea of going to a nightclub lol so of we trekked about 30 of us on a 15 minute hike to a club that had the worst system in the world for buying drinks.
We finally headed home about 2am
I woke up in the morning about eight to the horrible sound of rain against the windows... after breakfast or is that brunch lol a few of us followed down to the carpark where the sight of all the nice cars made me feel a bit better about my headache and the rain.
I had another cup of coffee and bought 4 laps. we headed out in convoy and and i can honestly say i was a bit taken aback to how closed in the track is and how much the undulations the track had. also the traction control was kicking in at what seemed like every corner.
I did one lap lol. All i could think about was the M5 the previous day and how he had a possible big lawsuit hanging over his head and how didn't want that.
I had a few passenger laps with a friend who has driven 300+ laps round there and i admit in the damp condition i was a bit scared as i had no idea which was the circuit went.
It then started raining again so we decided to go look round the museum and then headed to the bar lol.
Early the next day we headed to Spa for a trackday with the MLR and right from the off the weather was crap.
We arrived after a little detour.... thanks TomTom... to find lots of nice cars in the paddock. After the briefing we all had to wait for noise testing which took forever cause there were upto 200 cars and one guy noise testing.. bloody stupid.
Finally got onto the wet track and immediately fell in love with it. Eau Rouge is unbelievable and a corner where u get braver and braver at.
By lunchtime the track had dried and i had a chance to stick the cups on the car and stiffen the suspension up. Not sure how well i was doing but seemed to hold my own. I will stick up some video i have when i return to Uk.
The rain returned around 3pm and i called it a day. some guys had to drive home that evening but myself and a few guys had booked into the Radisson in Spa so set off to check in. After a load more beers and a cracking Italian we called it a night.
Here are some photo's of the trip. I am planning to return to Spa in Oct 2010 for a two day track session and a ring trip aswell.
i really should stop fannying around and do a road trip like this.