CLUB LOTUS CASTLE COMBE TRACK DAY

[PVK 596Y]

You're right, I'm in the Castle Combe  area now and it's not too bad, just windy and a bit damp.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Met office radar at 0830 suggests the worst of the rain will pass to the north of Castle Combe.

Paul.

[Splodge s4]

Well its been pissisting it down in Bristol for the last few hours now so i guess some are having fun on the track. Me i'm in work all day & anyway my Esprit is at Esprit Engineering getting her bits tickled by Geoff.

Incase anyone didnt know there is also a 'Williams Lotus' drive next weekend, starting at the dealers in Bristol, bacon butties to start then a drive for a few hours, may go along to that, open to all Loti of course so i expect it will be mostly Elise.... any Esprits going along?

[MKE40]

WELL WHO ON EARTH WENT ??????

I didnt see one person I knew or one car that I recognised !

I know the forcast was for rain but when I set out it was dry. for the first hour .

Oh , I went on the new Truimph Speed Triple, needed running in , now needs a good wash ! I was soaked , I would have stayed drier if I had jumped in the sea.

Thank God the clubhouse was serving hot food ( good as always) I ate the meal and left as it was still Hissing .

260 miles and soaked to the skin for 220 of em.

For the bikers among you , that Speed trip in my opinion is one of the best all round bikes I have owned , so sure footed in the rain, USD forks Nissin radial brakes, quick steering, bags of grunt out of bends , traffic no prob - no gearchanging , just a little twist does the trick and your gone .

I reckon its the nearest thing to a rocket powered armchair !

Soggy Mike

[CAM79]

Well what a day! Me and dad went in our cars (Black SE and Black S3 Turbo), we parked close to the entrance and to the Ford GT that was there.

The weather was fine in Bmth when we left and about half way the rain started and didn't stop! It was a good turnout considering the weather. There seemed to be more cars than people probably because everyone was in the hut staying out of the rain!

Considering it was my car's first outing it made it there and back!

Well we can only hope next year will be better!

[ElTel]

Well I went! Stopped for fuel west of Oxford when three Elans and an Elise rolled in. Said hello and was invited to join them on 'the pretty route' to Castle Combe. Went to start my Esprit and the starter motor failed (first mechanical failure in almost 3 years of ownership). New Elan mates push start me so I tag on end of small Loti convoy. Half mile from garage silencer falls off Elan I was following! Fortunately I found some wire to wire the Elans silencer back to body, so pretty route abandoned in favour of getting to the circuit early. Fortunately my first track session was dry but then the rain set in and the track became too greasy to enjoy. Funny how the Armco seems an awful lot closer in the wet!

As the rain showed no sign of abating I decide to call it a day at 1.30 and made for home. Not many Esprits but I did meet Mark Blanchard, Pitstoppette and Alan P. doing streling work once again with his camera.

[Alan Paterson]

I'm still drying out.

I got permission to film on the gantry that overhangs the track near the paddock. I got wet for about half an hour and just as I was climbing back down the rusty steps, two cars spun on the corner. Missed it again!

Keeping rain off the anamorphic lens (

[mayevora]

Certainly the dampest Castle Combe I've been to by far. Still a good day though. Nice to meet Mark Blanchard (send us some pics if you can Mark) also Scoule tracking his Excel S E. Well done to Alan Paterson, persisting in the rain, and looking forward to next DVD.

[MPx]

I bought the attached shot from Jim Gaisford (Professional Photographer) - not sure how to attach so hope it worked. As always he got some mega shots and has captured something of the conditions - spot the droplets off the front wheel! So not an obvious track day success....but I still really enjoyed it. Got in a good quick dry run early on. Really struggled first time in the wet cos I still had the tyres pumped for a dry track - Oooops! Got back some measure of control once I'd let the tyres down again.

The rain spoilt the car park tour - spent my downtime in the cafe - so I missed meeting as many people. But still a great day. I'll be back....

Edited May 31, 2006 by MPx

[DBredS4]

I was there with Nick the FFlying Dog.

Bumped into Pete the Gent and Ian in his Panzgaur 6X6 Monster !!!! Esprit is still in bits so he had to come in something.

Chatted to a few bods including the GT owner who seemed a top chap.

Rain started around midday and just got worse and worse so called it a half day and ran for cover.

Glad I never went on the track, although when it was dry it was empty so the

[Mark Blanchard]

I went too. Here are some pics: Castle Combe 2006

What a wash out. The 3 hour drive back in the Esprit on the M4 was rubbish too. Couldn't see the car in front due to heavy rain and surface spray and the car was aquaplaning .

[Mark Blanchard]

[dodgy]

is that 7 'g' cars in one gathering !!!

[CAM79]

Mark,

What was the chances of the that! Not only have you captured a shot of my dad in the first pic (walking towards the camera next to the Elan), but you've also got a shot our cars in the third shot (two black esprits to the top right)! Did you get any other shots with our cars in? Stupidly I didn't get many photos, think the rain was putting me off!

Cheers,

Brent.

[Mark Blanchard]

Did you get any other shots with our cars in?

I

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

Great G-Car turn-out!

Is that electric blue one, really an awesome, rarely seen colour or is it actually ice /glacier blue in very flattering light?

[Mark Blanchard]

Hi Fishy,

found another pic of it. It's difficult to tell the colour as it was so over cast. Maybe it's Electric blue.