January 31st, 2011
Sunday 30th January 2011
Early morning mist and fog slowed the race to a yellow flag for a while this morning, but the sun burnt it off leaving it all to play for. Sadly Doran Racing, and our friend rookie Ross Kaiser, decided to cut their losses during the night after losing too many laps in a couple of unfortunate incidents in the chicanes, but there were still some big names hanging on in there.
The final hours at the Rolex 24 at Daytona
After a few pics in the pitlane and another Bud (light!), it was time to get to Victory Lane for the podium presentation and the chance to get you some race fan info!!
Huge congratulations to Chip Ganassi Racing, who not only took 1st but also 2nd place in the DP class, with Action Express Racing Porsche/Riley taking 3rd, and the United Autosports team featuring the experience of British drivers Mark Blundell and Martin Brundle finishing a very creditable 4th.
1st in the GT class was car number 67 with TRG Porsche GT3, 2nd was Paul Miller Racing and a really well deserved 3rd place to ….drum roll……….yes you guessed it, my favourite “Dr McDreamy” himself Dempsey Racing (in a Mazda!).
Mazda had a good result at Daytona
After all this excitement I am in grave danger of becoming disloyal to my first love – the Le Mans 24hrs race, but in the words of one of our regular Le Mans customers, that is here enjoying the sunshine, ”the Rolex 24 is a must – in addition to Le Mans”.
For those of you able to read between my cunningly disguised attempts to sound like I know what I’m talking about, you will have guessed by now that I actually know very little about the technical side of motor racing, but I am very aware that I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by, and unknowingly spoken to, some of the most successful racing drivers in their field this weekend. I have taken obscene amounts of photographs of people who may or may not be racing drivers but have a racing suit on so I thought I’d hedge my bets!
And I have to confess that I only knew who was in the lead at any one time because I asked a local!
So why exactly, you may ask, did Travel Destinations send me here?
Well, because I don’t need to know too much about the ‘techie’ stuff – I can leave that to the likes of ‘Hindy’ at Radio Le Mans and you, the real race fan. My job is to let you know about the Rolex 24 at Daytona, truly a race fans race; the electric atmosphere, the privileged experiences, the do’s, the don’ts, the sights, the sounds and the smells – and if I’m any good at my job at all I’ll see you back here for the 50th Rolex 24 anniversary in 2012.
Why not call Travel Destinations now to register your interest at being here next year? The number you need is 0844 873 0203!
H.
January 28th, 2011
Friday 28th January 2011
Well this place just gets better and better! Sorry to rub it in but the sun is still shining and hotting up!
After a bit of chasing around and getting people where they needed to be, the morning has been a huge success.
All our customers were offered the opportunity to visit the Sprint Tower suites this morning and the control tower. This is where what’s happening on the track gets transferred to the people on the ground – the heart centre of the race.
In the Daytona Paddock
So after the obligatory coffee and doughnuts and a privileged insight into the technical competitive side of this event from Mark Raffauf, the Grand Am director of competition, a trip to the roof of the sprint tower was the highlight – a bird’s eye view of the whole track – truly an amazing sight!!
View from the Sprint Tower
Back down in the garages all seems to be going well with practices – more people today and plenty more action. Don’t have a press pass so am sat in the Sprint Fanzone, with a Bud (Light, of course), pretending to look like I’m working hard!
So I managed to blag my way onto a garage tour which was led by Robin Liddell, who this year is driving for Stevenson Motorsport (car 57). It’s his 8th race at Daytona so he was well qualified to educate even the most ignorant of race goers – just like me.
Needless to say I glazed over when it started getting too ‘techie’, but we bumped into Hurley Hayward, who despite retiring from racing last year, just can’t stay away from the Daytona Speedway. He’ll be in car 59 for Brumos Racing.
My tip for one to watch – Magnus Racing, car 44.
You heard it here first.
H.
January 28th, 2011
Helen from the Travel Destinations office, has traded Welwyn Garden City for Florida just in time for the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. As the race week progresses we hope to bring you more news direct from “our lady in Daytona”:
Thursday 27th January 2011
Following tornado warnings on Tuesday, the weather here in Daytona is now thankfully more akin to what I was hoping for in Florida! Beautiful clear skies, slight breeze and warm sunshine that is forecast to remain over the weekend. That should make for great race viewing for the spectators, but pretty tough for the drivers… I’ve heard it gets pretty hot inside those cars!
Work continues in the Daytona paddock
On my food hunt for anything other than cheese, fries and shrimp, who should I find in Rossellini’s Italian Restaurant but John and Eve; aka “Mr & Mrs Radio Le Mans” – ‘of all the gin joints in all the towns’ etc etc. Both were pretty exhausted having just flown in from the UK, but it was lovely to see them as always – and the food was amazing! If you are here in Daytona and like pasta, you now know where to go.
Motorhome on the infield at Daytona
The track was pretty lively today – huge Rv’s, the size of houses, were parking up. BBQ’s are already on the go on the infield and viewing platforms being secured for the best views of the track. The paddock and garage area was the usual hive of activity as the teams prepared their cars for the weekend with tyres, race fuel and spares being whizzed around on golf buggies.
Friday will be a great build up to the race with autograph sessions etc. at the circuit. I’ll bring you more soon.
H.
November 2nd, 2010
After another of our group returned from our “Nurburgring Drivers Experience” we received the following letter.
We don’t often publish this sort of thing, but we thought you might like to know how our customers got on:
Dear Richard and Ben,
Just a quick note to thank you for our Nurburgring Experience this weekend.
As you would have been aware the experience was a gift to me from my wife Anne, after she decided to treat me to a trip where I could take my Austin Healey around the Nordschleife.
The help and advice your company gave me right from the outset was invaluable; as my choice of car for the event was a 1964 Austin Healey 3000, I was delighted with the enthusiasm you expressed at me choosing to bring a more aged vehicle; especially as we were to be by far the oldest and potentially slowest on the event that weekend.
Austin Healey on the Nurburgring skid pan
The trip through Europe to the hotel was a real pleasure, your recommended choice of route was excellent; particularly when I compare it to the Satnav route I chose to follow on the return home! We did take the opportunity of stopping at Monschau as advised; it was a beautiful small town tucked out of the way and the perfect place for a bite to eat and a stretch of the legs for an hour or so.
As we neared close to the Nordschleife at 5.30 on the Friday evening, we took the opportunity to call in and see the track. Once there the atmosphere was so electric and contagious we could not resist the chance of taking the Healey around the famed 20km. The blast around the Nordschleife will go down on my list of “must things to do” for anyone with even a drop of petrol in their blood. With the roof down and Anne shrieking words of encouragement beside me, we flew around the track with all my dreams of racing glory coming true around me, albeit we were overtaken by every Porsche, BMW and motorbike in the Eifel region it was still a wonderful experience.
Once we had calmed down and reduced the size of the ecstatic smiles on our faces, we made our way to the hotel.
This was such a good choice, set in a beautiful location away from the hustle and bustle of the day. It was great to feel that we were staying in a family run German hotel as opposed the standard branded hotel that we all know from our trips to any major town or city.
As I had now completed all my personal goals for the weekend; a pleasant drive through three countries, lunch in a beautiful old town, dinner with a few beers in nice hotel and most importantly a first lap of the Nordschleife, I was totally open minded as to how the rest of the trip could go.
David & Anne's Austin Healey
But please may I thank both of you for the organisation and the Nurburgring for providing a truly amazing day on the Saturday, the skid pan training and road exercises were brilliant. This day was way beyond my expectations, the level of tuition by Wolfgang Kauffman our instructor for the day was suburb. The endless encouragement and enthusiasm put into the day’s activities was above and beyond anything I have experienced in the UK. The day was perfectly split into the differing activities and was the perfect match of being both hugely informative; learning the capabilities of your own cars performance and handling, as well as being above all else massively good entertainment. To have the opportunity to push my both myself and car to the limits and above in such a well set up safe environment was tremendous. Please pass on our thanks to Wolfgang, the attention he gave to each car was exceptional and his advice and witty remarks helped make for a wonderful day.
Your company and humour on the Saturday evening made the tour dinner go with suitable aplomb and the hotel’s service and food where to a very high standard. The Sunday’s tour of the Jaguar Test Centre was a nice end to the weekend with the lap of the Nordschleife in the hands of their test driver being a truly awe inspiring and humbling experience. Your efforts at ensuring that we got back to our car in order for us to make a reasonably timed get away were much appreciated.
Once again may I thank you both for a fantastic trip to Nurburgring, which I shall be recommending to everyone as an absolutely unmissable experience in whatever car you may have.
Many Thanks
David an Anne Jones
If you would like to experience a weekend at the Nurburgring please call us on (0844) 873 0203. Due to the amount of one to one tuition given spaces are strictly limited, so please book early to avoid disappointement.
