24hour 2CV race
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haymanator
24hour 2CV race
come on MC, how did you get on/enjoy it, at snetterton at the weekend?
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AtomFun
Re: 24hour 2CV race
He's hasn't got back yet in the 2CV 
I love them, great fun to watch.
I love them, great fun to watch.
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Bruce Fielding
- Posts: 16320
- Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2005 1:13 pm
- Location: London
- Contact:
Re: 24hour 2CV race
Loads of PFH'ers there as it was the venue for PistonFest!
Ariel Atom Owners Club founder, based in Central London
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coxm
Re: 24hour 2CV race
Ah! Missed this completely.
Really enjoyed it. Thanks a million for helping organise my slot there. We came 12th I think.
How does one start describing a 2CV race car to Atom owners? Well: no grip, no power and no brakes. But all the cars are the same, so the racing is excellent. The chances of entering a corner alone is low, since Snetterton is only 2.3 miles long and 36 cars means one every 100 yards. BUT, because you can go about 2 secs a lap quicker if you slip stream with another car, you end up with clumps (like plants, since they are so slow) drafting each other and racing lap after lap after lap. My first session was supposed to be 10.30 to 12.30 (I like night racing), but our 2CV didn't appear to use any fuel, so we stretched the stints out. I got into the car at 11.30 and they left me out 'til 2.30, just inside the 3 hour maximum allowed - I remember feeling quite grumpy that they were bringing me in. We were in 10th and I was just about to overtake 9th position. It was p1ssing with rain, which had started just as I went out, but I like racing in the race. Its my delicate touch you see.... What I hadn't realised, was that the lights (which were cr@p anyway) had virtually gone out by the end of my stint, so you couldn't see by them at all, but after 178 laps, I knew pretty much where it went anyway, so it didn't make any difference. Alec was appalled that I had been driving at all like that.
Epic stuff, cheap as chips and I will almost certainly go back again. With a few caveats....
Tete Rouge (which is a piss take of Testa Rossa, but means something rather less elegant in French) are a fab team. Well organised, good resources and clearly experienced 24 hour hands. Really enjoyed them. Great mechanics, car management. Catering was excellent too.
Drivers. Some good, some less so. One was 7 secs a lap slower at night than in the day; another was 3-5 secs slower night than day. Doesn't help. The other driver was quick, but went farming in the session after my first one, and needed recovering when the alternator packed up, which cost us a 5 lap penalty (absent which we would have been 6th). If we had drivers who were all equal day and night (as opposed to two of us), we would have been third. So next time, I will put more effort into getting a team of consistent drivers together.
Lights. They were cr@p. Even by road car standards. I got used to them, as they faded during my session, but even at the beginning they were awful. A monkey on some nice Xenons, such as Puff has would sort that out. Mounted at the base of the windscreen, so that they can't get bashed.
Sleeping. I'm taking the race transporter next time. No ifs and buts.
Can't praise it highly enough though. Somewhat eccentric, but I quite like that. Some really talented drivers. Really strong racing, right the way to the end, albeit all at lower speeds than I am used to, but ultimately that doesn't really make any difference.
Do it, I say, Do it!
MC
and thanks again, John, really appreciate your help there.
Really enjoyed it. Thanks a million for helping organise my slot there. We came 12th I think.
How does one start describing a 2CV race car to Atom owners? Well: no grip, no power and no brakes. But all the cars are the same, so the racing is excellent. The chances of entering a corner alone is low, since Snetterton is only 2.3 miles long and 36 cars means one every 100 yards. BUT, because you can go about 2 secs a lap quicker if you slip stream with another car, you end up with clumps (like plants, since they are so slow) drafting each other and racing lap after lap after lap. My first session was supposed to be 10.30 to 12.30 (I like night racing), but our 2CV didn't appear to use any fuel, so we stretched the stints out. I got into the car at 11.30 and they left me out 'til 2.30, just inside the 3 hour maximum allowed - I remember feeling quite grumpy that they were bringing me in. We were in 10th and I was just about to overtake 9th position. It was p1ssing with rain, which had started just as I went out, but I like racing in the race. Its my delicate touch you see.... What I hadn't realised, was that the lights (which were cr@p anyway) had virtually gone out by the end of my stint, so you couldn't see by them at all, but after 178 laps, I knew pretty much where it went anyway, so it didn't make any difference. Alec was appalled that I had been driving at all like that.
Epic stuff, cheap as chips and I will almost certainly go back again. With a few caveats....
Tete Rouge (which is a piss take of Testa Rossa, but means something rather less elegant in French) are a fab team. Well organised, good resources and clearly experienced 24 hour hands. Really enjoyed them. Great mechanics, car management. Catering was excellent too.
Drivers. Some good, some less so. One was 7 secs a lap slower at night than in the day; another was 3-5 secs slower night than day. Doesn't help. The other driver was quick, but went farming in the session after my first one, and needed recovering when the alternator packed up, which cost us a 5 lap penalty (absent which we would have been 6th). If we had drivers who were all equal day and night (as opposed to two of us), we would have been third. So next time, I will put more effort into getting a team of consistent drivers together.
Lights. They were cr@p. Even by road car standards. I got used to them, as they faded during my session, but even at the beginning they were awful. A monkey on some nice Xenons, such as Puff has would sort that out. Mounted at the base of the windscreen, so that they can't get bashed.
Sleeping. I'm taking the race transporter next time. No ifs and buts.
Can't praise it highly enough though. Somewhat eccentric, but I quite like that. Some really talented drivers. Really strong racing, right the way to the end, albeit all at lower speeds than I am used to, but ultimately that doesn't really make any difference.
Do it, I say, Do it!
MC
and thanks again, John, really appreciate your help there.
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ross
Re: 24hour 2CV race
Just out of interest Meyrick, how much does something like this cost? I've really got do get some racing (other than karting) fitted in at some point.
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Atom120
Re: 24hour 2CV race
Sounds absolutely brilliant!
As you say, speed doesn't matter an awful lot when the racing's close - I do 4-stroke endurance racing, as opposed to 2-stroke sprint racing - which basically means the karts I drive max out at around 60mph, unlike the 2-strokes which will do double that! The result, apart from the lower costs involved, is much, much closer racing. 2 hours into a race, its not uncommon to have the top 6 covered by little over a second - and it sounds like 2CV racing's a similar kettle of fish.
I don't know what the logistics would be, but do you reckon there's any mileage in trying to set up an Atom team for next year? I'd be up for it, Ross sounds like he's interested, MC could easily double-stint and race for us as well as Tete Rouge - worth thinking about?
As you say, speed doesn't matter an awful lot when the racing's close - I do 4-stroke endurance racing, as opposed to 2-stroke sprint racing - which basically means the karts I drive max out at around 60mph, unlike the 2-strokes which will do double that! The result, apart from the lower costs involved, is much, much closer racing. 2 hours into a race, its not uncommon to have the top 6 covered by little over a second - and it sounds like 2CV racing's a similar kettle of fish.
I don't know what the logistics would be, but do you reckon there's any mileage in trying to set up an Atom team for next year? I'd be up for it, Ross sounds like he's interested, MC could easily double-stint and race for us as well as Tete Rouge - worth thinking about?
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coxm
Re: 24hour 2CV race
Cost a grand and thirty. Grand for arrive and drive. Thirty for day membership to the 2CV club.
Vital to get the right team and prep. If people are serious, I can talk to Paul about running a 4th Tete Rouge car.
MC
Vital to get the right team and prep. If people are serious, I can talk to Paul about running a 4th Tete Rouge car.
MC
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haymanator
Re: 24hour 2CV race
MC, i'm really glad you enjoyed it.
so the next one to think about is the VW Fun Cup 25 Hour race at Spa. not quiet as cheap as 2CV's. Faster... Brill circuit... and a hell of a lot of fun! i did it last year and i'm about to start snooping around for a seat for this year, there's something very special about 130 odd cars doing a rolling start!
I like you MC had the different driver speeds/ability in that race, its frustrating isn't it? i also had an ill prepared car which was even more frustrating!
so the next one to think about is the VW Fun Cup 25 Hour race at Spa. not quiet as cheap as 2CV's. Faster... Brill circuit... and a hell of a lot of fun! i did it last year and i'm about to start snooping around for a seat for this year, there's something very special about 130 odd cars doing a rolling start!
I like you MC had the different driver speeds/ability in that race, its frustrating isn't it? i also had an ill prepared car which was even more frustrating!
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haymanator
Re: 24hour 2CV race
i did send MC an email about costs.. if i remember right...a car is £14,500 ish. or a seat with three others is about £3,600 ish all in except hotels and getting to Spa.
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