Robbed at Le Mans

[RVF500]

Just got back from Le Mans where my son was taking part in the 24 hour kart race. The 5 man team entered the clubman class and went with high hopes of returning with the trophy.

2 of the team were very quick, including my son (he posted the 3rd quickest lap of the race). 1 was moderate and 2 were a bit on the slow side but good steady drivers. In practice my son and his colleague were among the fastest out of the 40 karts of all 3 classes assembled and the organisers were concerned about their speed as they were so much quicker then the other clubman teams. So we said to prove a point that we would qualify using the other drivers so that the overall speed differential could be seen. After qualifying (14th) the organisers were happy and said that the team would run in clubman.

11 1/2 hours into the race running as first clubman and the organisers came into the pit garage and decided that the team was too quick and put them up to expert class!! Which basically handed the trophy on a plate to last years clubman winners.

After a complete strategy change and basically the slower drivers dropping out the team managed to come home 5th overall having had to bring the kart in twice in the night to repair it after being hit by other karts spinning off or turning in on them. We won't be attending an event hosted by this organiser again.

[Zak33]

just sucks mate

Sometimes you have to put up with Marshalls like that...and its bad enough on a short term race....but 24 hours....not exactly wasted, BUT still.....not much of a result really.

The real situation is tring to define what an Amateur is......and then proving it

Sad for him

[dkmech]

[Knoxville]

That sucks dude

[RVF500]

Yeah, the team that won it should have gone up to expert too. They were streets ahead of 3rd place clubman but hanging on to our coat tails for a lot of the race. Still, UK 24 hour coming up. Televised and no cowboy organiser. Much better event. The boys are going to Spa to race the 24 hour there next year too.

Even after that blow they didn't give up. Fought on to try and get that 3rd spot on the podium and they were running third overall before the crashes took them out. Neither of which was their fault. 1/2 an hour from the end one of the throttle springs broke and one engine was stuck on full throttle but the lad driving wouldn't come in and lose the place. He kept it going and chasing 4th place. 4th were having problems too. They beat us by a lap and a half in the end. Which equates to about a minute and a half after 24 hours. Keeps it interesting eh?

[TiG]

Just got back from Le Mans where my son was taking part in the 24 hour kart race. The 5 man team entered the clubman class and went with high hopes of returning with the trophy.

2 of the team were very quick, including my son (he posted the 3rd quickest lap of the race). 1 was moderate and 2 were a bit on the slow side but good steady drivers. In practice my son and his colleague were among the fastest out of the 40 karts of all 3 classes assembled and the organisers were concerned about their speed as they were so much quicker then the other clubman teams. So we said to prove a point that we would qualify using the other drivers so that the overall speed differential could be seen. After qualifying (14th) the organisers were happy and said that the team would run in clubman.

11 1/2 hours into the race running as first clubman and the organisers came into the pit garage and decided that the team was too quick and put them up to expert class!! Which basically handed the trophy on a plate to last years clubman winners.

After a complete strategy change and basically the slower drivers dropping out the team managed to come home 5th overall having had to bring the kart in twice in the night to repair it after being hit by other karts spinning off or turning in on them. We won't be attending an event hosted by this organiser again.

I feel sorry for you son, but to play devil's advocate, here if Clubman is a certain class of driver (non professional) and they are putting in stupidly professional times, seconds a lap quicker than everyone else in clubman, then i know if I was in any of the other clubman karts i'd be making offical complaints myself to the organiser.

By all accounts i'd say you where harshly treated but if they spoke to you about it earlier in qualifying which it sounds like you where, shouldn't you have qualified realistically and taken the decision up front?.

I know if i was in your situation i'd feel exactly the same way, but we have to think of other peoples view once in a while huh?.

TiG

[Zak33]

is it the kart track on the Infield at Le Mans? I've heard of it from a mate here at work, who drove to Le Mans 3 years on the trot for the big race.

[RVF500]

I agree with what you are saying Tig but the spread of skills across the team was quite drastic. Only 2 of the drivers could realistically run in the expert class. If the organiser had insisted at the beginning of the race then there would have been no argument. We would have arranged our strategy to run as best we could in the top class.

The sour taste was left because the second place team was only 10ths off of the pace of our team. That and the decision was taken so late into the race. The third place team was a long way back and posting times conducive to the rest of the class. So the next argument was that both top running teams should have been moved up not just the one. Thirdly, the organiser had been seen helping the team that benefited from our class change at another meeting (not one that he had organised). This means nothing in itself but does raise a cloud of suspicion that the situation wasn't dealt with even handedly. If we'd been a second and a half or more up on them across the board then there is no argument. But we weren't. We also know their pace from other meetings and they qualified slowly in comparison.

Yes my son could run in the top class. He and his colleague have been earmarked by a guy (who was the owner/driver of this kart team) to race cars later on for him. He and his partner are hoping to run a race team within the next 2 years and one of the formulas they are looking at is Formula Renault. They want the 2 boys to drive for them. So fingers crossed.

Zak, that is correct. It is the Circuit Alan Prost. It's an excellent circuit with good facilities. I'll post some pics when they are developed.

[RVF500]

Son and partner booked in for the UK 24 hr in August. Gonna be televised (dunno what channels). They're looking for another one or 2 expert drivers and have there eye on a couple of promising guys. Average age of the team would be 18. But most of them have been racing for 5 years or more already. No p*ssing about with rules this time just straight in with an expert team. You just can't keep these kids down

[Lowe]

Good for them.

Shame about Le Mans though

[ken]

thats nasty, the boys must be devastated. Chin up and good look next time.

in the same vein on Monday i got a corporate day out karting at Buckmore park, buzzin for it!