Friday morning.
Got the car all nicely washed and cleaned, ready for the short trip to Spa, together with Gerard and my misses Ilse. We met at a fuelstation just below Eindhoven, to finish the other couple of kilometers to the circuit in Stavelot, Belgium.
After checking in at the hotel and unloading the trunks, we went to the circuit straight away, to catch some of the last trainingssesions of that day. At the circuit we met Guus (we all know him), Mark (Dali), Guy (the guy with the BMW M coupe who came along to the Sachsenring, and we all know where that lead to
), and Guus his best mate Micha.
On the way there, we signed in for the circuit paddock and payed the fees for the driving on saturday and sunday
.
The paddock was full with truck and trailers from the Porsche club, which we shared the track with this weekend. The rest was filled with the guys from the other country's with the Integra's NSX's and an occasional Civic and S2000.
The noise on the track was just incredible. It's been a long time i have been on a track where this sort of volume is allowed. The BMW M1's screaming from the top of their lungs with the NSX-prototypes trying to make even more noise (they didn't). This was motorsport city!
On this day i met Kevin from the UK together with his girlfriend, and a other woman who came drivingdown from the UK also in her 'Acura'. I can't recall her name (sorry), but she ws very interested in the car, and her black NSX was in top condition.
Later that day, Detlef from Germany joined our group. Very nice guy. And also the family of Gerard arrived at the circuit. We sort of hang around the rest of the day, watching the progress of the problems which the race NSX of Mark had.
In the evening we where accompanied by Maarten (MvM) at the hotel. We took diner at the hotel and chatted the evening away about an unknown subject
Saturday morning.
Early out the bed, for the briefing at the track.
After having the briefing rescheduled about 5 times, we went out on the track for some free training and practice for the throphy.
All i can say....that track is incredible.
Now i understand why it's the most favorite track by a lot of formula one drivers.
We had a great time, with nice weather all day long (uncommen for Spa). In the free practice Gerard spun his NSX of the track, causing some damage to his rear bumper, but that needed a paintjob anyway. Next was the race. After a great start, Gerard finished first in the race, where Mark had to let go because of technical difficulty's with his NSX.
Peter (Imola orang targa), joined us at the end of the day, together with his wife and son, and i also met Enzo, no not Enzo, but No100 again (always having a chat with him).
In the evening we had diner with the European NSX club.
Sunday.
Again after a early
breakfeast we went to the track for a hectic day.
Guus, Micha and Mark tried to get Marks NSX back on the trailer, while Gerard went out for some practice on the track. Then it started.... Gerard came back, noticing that his engine was gulping out a lot of oil through the eninge breather tubes, which caused him later that day to quit the 1 hour throphy race. His oilpressure went to about 2, which never happens with his NSX. So he left his NSX for the rest of the day. At leaving in the afternoon his NSX starting to make a litlle cluncking noise, the sort of sound a gone connectionrod-to-crankshaft (big-end) bearing makes. He had to leave his NSX in Belgium, to be taken home by some road-assistance.
For me, the day was pretty hectic. A lot of people from Holland, Belgium and Germany came to Spa. Every ten minutes or so, i found myself speaking to people i once met, or spoke to some time ago, and came to the track. Duke from Antwerp showed up, together with his misses, and showed his HID. Pretty clean install, and most definetly one of the next mods. DAMN, those look good!
Inbetween all the talking i had to wash my car, and also prep the thing for going on the track later that day.
At about half past two Peter, Maarten and me went out on the track.....sure....then it happend....warmed my tires (S-O3), get my Ferrodo 2500's all nice and warm, and then hit the brakes at a speed of about 120~130 Kmph, just before the hairpin at 'La Source' (this is the famous 1st gear hairpin)........BANG!!!!!!!!!.....WTF???????? NO BRAKES!!!!!!!!!.........Slowly my brakes came back, but not as they should. I thought about a blown tire, so i already saw my fresh Advans 7 completely damaged. Parked my car on the run-out strip, and walked around. Nothing. No blown tire. Nothing. Slowly limbed into the pits with loads of noise comming from the front. Took my front wheel off.....guess what.... the (stock) brake rotor has broken off from the center. Incredible. This could have happend on the motorway.
We took the disc off, and put a piece of wood inbetween the brakepads, and this is how i drove home.
Too bad, i really wanted to do some laps with Peter and Maarten.
Besides all the problems and damage we had at Spa, it still was a great weekend with the dutch NSX crowd.
It was great to meet Detlef from Germany(nice bloke), Kevin and his misses from the UK, Duke from Antwerp and his misses (i hope i can talk to you a bit more next time), Enzo, Otto (mail me, i'll take you on a tour soon), Renzo (Dutch NSX club website and founder), Guy (sorry for taking the piss out of your BMW every time, youre alright), and a lot of other people i've missed out.
Next year, i'll hope Guus will be in better physical condition, so we can go together for a few laps.
It would also be nice to have some sort of team ready for Mark and his NSX, so there will be less trouble, and more preperation time.
Pictures (not many):
http://short-circuit.xs4all.nl/SPA2002/index.htm
Notice the NSX wannabees (Porsche), crashed Porsche (one of the many), my brakerotor, Ayrton Senna.
Mich
[This message has been edited by DutchBlackNsx (edited 29 September 2002).]
Got the car all nicely washed and cleaned, ready for the short trip to Spa, together with Gerard and my misses Ilse. We met at a fuelstation just below Eindhoven, to finish the other couple of kilometers to the circuit in Stavelot, Belgium.
After checking in at the hotel and unloading the trunks, we went to the circuit straight away, to catch some of the last trainingssesions of that day. At the circuit we met Guus (we all know him), Mark (Dali), Guy (the guy with the BMW M coupe who came along to the Sachsenring, and we all know where that lead to
On the way there, we signed in for the circuit paddock and payed the fees for the driving on saturday and sunday
The paddock was full with truck and trailers from the Porsche club, which we shared the track with this weekend. The rest was filled with the guys from the other country's with the Integra's NSX's and an occasional Civic and S2000.
The noise on the track was just incredible. It's been a long time i have been on a track where this sort of volume is allowed. The BMW M1's screaming from the top of their lungs with the NSX-prototypes trying to make even more noise (they didn't). This was motorsport city!
On this day i met Kevin from the UK together with his girlfriend, and a other woman who came drivingdown from the UK also in her 'Acura'. I can't recall her name (sorry), but she ws very interested in the car, and her black NSX was in top condition.
Later that day, Detlef from Germany joined our group. Very nice guy. And also the family of Gerard arrived at the circuit. We sort of hang around the rest of the day, watching the progress of the problems which the race NSX of Mark had.
In the evening we where accompanied by Maarten (MvM) at the hotel. We took diner at the hotel and chatted the evening away about an unknown subject
Saturday morning.
Early out the bed, for the briefing at the track.
After having the briefing rescheduled about 5 times, we went out on the track for some free training and practice for the throphy.
All i can say....that track is incredible.
Now i understand why it's the most favorite track by a lot of formula one drivers.
We had a great time, with nice weather all day long (uncommen for Spa). In the free practice Gerard spun his NSX of the track, causing some damage to his rear bumper, but that needed a paintjob anyway. Next was the race. After a great start, Gerard finished first in the race, where Mark had to let go because of technical difficulty's with his NSX.
Peter (Imola orang targa), joined us at the end of the day, together with his wife and son, and i also met Enzo, no not Enzo, but No100 again (always having a chat with him).
In the evening we had diner with the European NSX club.
Sunday.
Again after a early
Guus, Micha and Mark tried to get Marks NSX back on the trailer, while Gerard went out for some practice on the track. Then it started.... Gerard came back, noticing that his engine was gulping out a lot of oil through the eninge breather tubes, which caused him later that day to quit the 1 hour throphy race. His oilpressure went to about 2, which never happens with his NSX. So he left his NSX for the rest of the day. At leaving in the afternoon his NSX starting to make a litlle cluncking noise, the sort of sound a gone connectionrod-to-crankshaft (big-end) bearing makes. He had to leave his NSX in Belgium, to be taken home by some road-assistance.
For me, the day was pretty hectic. A lot of people from Holland, Belgium and Germany came to Spa. Every ten minutes or so, i found myself speaking to people i once met, or spoke to some time ago, and came to the track. Duke from Antwerp showed up, together with his misses, and showed his HID. Pretty clean install, and most definetly one of the next mods. DAMN, those look good!
Inbetween all the talking i had to wash my car, and also prep the thing for going on the track later that day.
At about half past two Peter, Maarten and me went out on the track.....sure....then it happend....warmed my tires (S-O3), get my Ferrodo 2500's all nice and warm, and then hit the brakes at a speed of about 120~130 Kmph, just before the hairpin at 'La Source' (this is the famous 1st gear hairpin)........BANG!!!!!!!!!.....WTF???????? NO BRAKES!!!!!!!!!.........Slowly my brakes came back, but not as they should. I thought about a blown tire, so i already saw my fresh Advans 7 completely damaged. Parked my car on the run-out strip, and walked around. Nothing. No blown tire. Nothing. Slowly limbed into the pits with loads of noise comming from the front. Took my front wheel off.....guess what.... the (stock) brake rotor has broken off from the center. Incredible. This could have happend on the motorway.
We took the disc off, and put a piece of wood inbetween the brakepads, and this is how i drove home.
Too bad, i really wanted to do some laps with Peter and Maarten.
Besides all the problems and damage we had at Spa, it still was a great weekend with the dutch NSX crowd.
It was great to meet Detlef from Germany(nice bloke), Kevin and his misses from the UK, Duke from Antwerp and his misses (i hope i can talk to you a bit more next time), Enzo, Otto (mail me, i'll take you on a tour soon), Renzo (Dutch NSX club website and founder), Guy (sorry for taking the piss out of your BMW every time, youre alright), and a lot of other people i've missed out.
Next year, i'll hope Guus will be in better physical condition, so we can go together for a few laps.
It would also be nice to have some sort of team ready for Mark and his NSX, so there will be less trouble, and more preperation time.
Pictures (not many):
http://short-circuit.xs4all.nl/SPA2002/index.htm
Notice the NSX wannabees (Porsche), crashed Porsche (one of the many), my brakerotor, Ayrton Senna.
Mich
[This message has been edited by DutchBlackNsx (edited 29 September 2002).]
