Grp C Support Race 2004

[Abs]

The Renown (not sure on spelling) Mazda bright green and orange, is in there, this and the peugeots are some of my first memories of LM.

Almost enough noise to make your ears bleed!

[Andy Zarse]

Remember standing at the end of the pit straight in 1990, hanging over the wall. A pair of Kudzu Mazdas came past wheel to wheel. It was like having a knitting needle pushed into one ear and out the other side.

[Gilles]

Am I right in recalling that there's a Mazda in the Le Mans museum - it would be nice to see some of those cars pulled out for a run - if they're able to now?

It's the '91 winning car

[Andy Zarse]

Bertrand Gachot, Volker Weidler, and Johnny H! Really wanted the Jags to win, but was happy to see Mazda do it, rather than some of the other works teams.

Didn't Bertrand later get into a scrape with the law? Fraud or kicking somesomes teeth in I seem to remember. Anyway, it was all very unpleasant. Or was it Volker?

[Mr. Rick]

Gachot got imprisoned in the UK for spraying CS gas in the face of a cabbie during a "contretemps" over some traffic incident, possibly involving some very runny cheese. 'Twas 1991.

There were all manner of protests in the form of track graffiti at the Belgian GP when he was procluded from running in his home GP at Spa, but isn't that when ol' Spoonface stepped up to the plate? (Edit:)Yep, just checked the old GP archives and that is indeed when our Germanic friend swapped his lederhosen and sausages for a seat in Gachot's Jordan. The rest, as they say, is history!

Still remember sitting on the banking in 1991 just before the Ford Chickens and you could hear the roar from the grandstand area as the Mazzy took the lead from the stranded Merc in the pitlane! Great stuff!

And as for the Lemons museum car, I believe that is made to look like the winner, I'm fairly sure the real winning chassis is still in Japan at Mazda-land.

[dryhen]

Am I right in thinking the Mazda that won in '91 did not have a wankel engine ? From memory it was not as painful to the ears as previous incarnations, or perhaps it was limited by a choke ?

Or am I utterly wrong - yet again  

[Matt Harper]

Am I right in thinking the Mazda that won in '91 did not have a wankel engine ? From memory it was not as painful to the ears as previous incarnations, or perhaps it was limited by a choke ?

Or am I utterly wrong - yet again  

I'm afraid so Dryhen. The difference was that the 91 car had a tri-rotor engine as opposed to the earlier twin rotor wankel which made it a little softer - it was still quite rowdy, but slightly less ear splitting than the Nikon cars.

[Matt Harper]

Actually and on reflection, I'm in danger of being hoisted by my own petard here - the Mazdaspeed 787B was a quad-rotor - not a tri.
The car in the museum is not the 91 winning chassis - but carries the garish CHARGE livery AND # 55. It is in fact the #56 sister car that finished 8th in 1991.
Whta an absolutely brilliant event the 91 race was - everything was perfect - the variety of the grid - the perfect weather and the fairytale ending. One of the very, very best Le Mans I've attended.

[starbar]

OH MY GOD, has anybody a spare w*nk sock I think I am going to need one, best race ever was at silverstone in (Blah minds gone blank) at a 1000k where Jonny Palmer driving a 956 his pit crew didnt put a wheel on correct and he spent about 1/2 hour in the pit he came out with the red mist and broke lap record after lap record, and even unlapped himself from the leaders. The crowd were going berserk. I spoke to him about it at Le Mans one year (1989-1990) and he cannot remember a lot about the drive apart from being very angry and the red mist.

Cant wait for them to come back, cant we arrange to swap the races over and see the Group C boys race for the 24 hrs.  

[dryhen]

Matt -
The knowledge (and/or archives) of some of you guys simply amazes me ....... but I think we ought to know - is your petard twin, tri or quad rotor?  

Must get to bed now - we're marshalling near Coventry tomorrow where Russell Brookes and Pentti Arikkala are performing, so will probably have to do some pushing  (if only to get Brookes into the car  

[Rhino]

Only 40 mins, could they open up the chicanes for old times sake???

[Canada Phil]

Hi Rhino, Thanks for that brilliant idea  
Makes too much sense to happen but brilliant none the less
Canada Phil

[Nordic]

While there at it, could you please arrange for the Dunlop Bridge chicane to taken out as well.

For me, this is as big a crime as the chicanes on the straight. It has, I think had just as big an impact on the  race as those 2.

PS can we have the old silverstone back as well complete with the woodcote corner.

Anyone remember this??
http://www.4-lesco.com/pages4/car4sale6.html

[Ruptured Duck Motorsport]

My first Le Mans!  Had a great time and hence my addiction!

Actually and on reflection, I'm in danger of being hoisted by my own petard here - the Mazdaspeed 787B was a quad-rotor - not a tri.
The car in the museum is not the 91 winning chassis - but carries the garish CHARGE livery AND # 55. It is in fact the #56 sister car that finished 8th in 1991.
Whta an absolutely brilliant event the 91 race was - everything was perfect - the variety of the grid - the perfect weather and the fairytale ending. One of the very, very best Le Mans I've attended.

[BigH]

I've never looked at a Mazda in the same light since.
91 was certainly one of those years, and so was this one. Big knickers, lizard women, Wandering Testicles, icemen, geisha girls....
H


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