[hermanslotus]

Hey guys, there is an S1 Exige in this weekends 24 Hrs. Of Nurburgring. I'll let you guys know how it fair's. The 24 Hrs. of Nurburgring is one of the great races in the worlds on the worlds geatest race track.

Mitch

 

[zvezdah1]

Isnt Lemans this weekend, can't believe they'd have two endurance races the same weekend?
CHris

 

[hermanslotus]

Here's a pic of the car that won overall last year, an Opel Astra DTM V8 driven by Opel Motorsport chief Volker Strycek. Volker is a very fast driver on the Nurburgring. I was passed by him in an OPEL ITC( anyone know what an ITC car is?) car back in the 1999 24 Hrs. of Nurburgring.
Mitch

 

[hermanslotus]

Isnt Lemans this weekend, can't believe they'd have two endurance races the same weekend?
CHris

Yep, both races are the same weekend this year. Yes this is very rare . I remember when I raced in the 24 Hrs of Nurburgring a few years ago, I was in the drivers meeting the Saturday morning of the race and sat next Christien Abt who had just driven in the 24 Hrs of Le Mans the past weekend in an Audi LMP car. It was very humbling sitting in that drivers meeting with some of the greatest European drivers in the world. I'll never forget it

Mitch

 

[hermanslotus]

Just FYIF the sole Lotus in the 24 Hrs. of Nruburgring this weekend is in position 125. Not to bad considering there are over 200 cars in this race.

When I raced the BMW in 1999, 2000, and 2001 24 Hrs. there were typically over 200 cars in the race making the 24 Hrs. of Nurburgring the largest road race on earth!!!!!

Mitch

 

[Later Apex]

Speed Channel seems to be showing F1 qualifying (Canada) and 24 hours of LeMans almost exclusively, any idea if this will be on Speed Channel at some point???

 

[hermanslotus]

Sorry, but in all my years of going to the 24 Hrs. of Nurburgring not once is it telecast Live on any US network. I'm sure this year is no different. I have all my friends in Germany tape it from German Television for me.

Mitch

 

[hermanslotus]

My good friend Willie Moore who I raced against in the FIA International Grp. N series back in 1998 and 1999. Is currently running 28th overall in his BMW M3 GTR. BTW some of the fastest touring cars in the world show up for this race.
Mitch

 

[hermanslotus]

Just FYIF there are 220 cars listed as running right now. WOW that is the most I have ever seen. This truly is the largest road race in the world!!!!

Mitch

 

[trifecta99]

Mitch

Thanks for the commentary. I was searching for a website this morning that might give somewhat realtime updates... alas

 

[hermanslotus]

Mitch

Thanks for the commentary. I was searching for a website this morning that might give somewhat realtime updates... alas

You could also check this site out as they post live updates every few minutes. I hope your German is good, cuase the site is all in German

Just click on the LIVE button.

http://adac.24h-rennen.de/

Best Wishes,
Mitch

 

[hermanslotus]

Bad News for us Lotus fans

It looks like the S1 Exige is out of the race.

2 factory BMW M3 GTR's are in the lead with drivers Hans Stuck and Boris Said from the good ol USA

BTW my buddy Willie Moore is now up to 20th place. I hope he makes it to the end.

Mitch

 

[chouca]

the weather was kind of typical this year...

 

[Stefan]

There are TWO Elises running, both private teams supported by Komo-Tec from Mendig.

The yellow #146 Motorsport Elise (no Exige), driven by Doug Newman, Julian Ley and Glenn Westwood-Price has got the Toyota engine (yes, the very same engine your cars will get) fitted. The car is said to have had two severe impacts during the evening and is running at pos. 201 right now, 73 laps behind with 32 laps completed and a total running time of 14:54:42 hrs.

The second car is #141 driven by Ralf Zensen, Christopher Peters and Hermann Backus. They do fairly well and are currently fighting at pos. 137, 34 laps behind with 71 completed laps and a total running time of 17:49:06.

Conditions are really hefty this year with occasionally heavy rainfalls, fog and so on. A lot of crashes, one driver reported "the Nordschleife resembles looking like a scrapyard".

 

[hermanslotus]

There are TWO Elises running, both private teams supported by Komo-Tec from Mendig.

The yellow #146 Motorsport Elise (no Exige), driven by Doug Newman, Julian Ley and Glenn Westwood-Price has got the Toyota engine (yes, the very same engine your cars will get) fitted. The car is said to have had two severe impacts during the evening and is running at pos. 201 right now, 73 laps behind with 32 laps completed and a total running time of 14:54:42 hrs.

The second car is #141 driven by Ralf Zensen, Christopher Peters and Hermann Backus. They do fairly well and are currently fighting at pos. 137, 34 laps behind with 71 completed laps and a total running time of 17:49:06.

Conditions are really hefty this year with occasionally heavy rainfalls, fog and so on. A lot of crashes, one driver reported "the Nordschleife resembles looking like a scrapyard".

Thanks for that, I had no idea that was an S1 Elise since it looks more like an S1 Exige than an S1 Elise!!!

I guess the other car crashed out since it's not even listed as finishing looks like the #141 car finished 119th overall.

My buddy Willie Moore Finished 15th overall in his M3 GTR and a Factory BMW M3 GTR driven by Hans Stuck, Pedro Lamy and the Muller brothers won the event overall.
Mitch

 

[hermanslotus]

Here a shot of one of the Elise's at the start. This is on the formation lap before the green flag. All the fans well over 100,000 of them all line up on the race track to greet the cars before the green flag. There's the yellow Elise in front of that wild Mini.

That Elise sure does look like and Exige

Mitch

 

[hermanslotus]

The formation lap before the start of this race is a site to behold in all the Motorsport World. All 200+ cars are greeted by all the fans.
Mitch

 

[offroadr35]

Here a shot of one of the Elise's at the start. This is on the formation lap before the green flag. All the fans well over 100,000 of them all line up on the race track to greet the cars before the green flag. There's the yellow Elise in front of that wild Mini.

That Elise sure does look like and Exige

Mitch

it basically is an Exige, they just call it a Motorsport Elise for no apparent reason.

 

[Patricko]

it basically is an Exige, they just call it a Motorsport Elise for no apparent reason.

I think that the Motorsport Elise came before the Exige and it is a real race car.

http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/lotus/1070645705/1070645705ss.htm

I think the Exige is a comparatively watered-down road going version.

 

[Stefan]

I reckon some people need to do their homework before getting handed over their Elise keys Patricko is quite on the right approach.