MAGIC OF LE MANS kudos

Subj:  MAGIC OF LE MANS kudos	Section: F-1/Internat'l News
  To:  Rick Voegelin, 72467,3005	Friday, June 14, 1996 9:52:00 AM
From:  Janos Wimpffen, 73340,2702	#819083

Rick,

So enjoyable and agreeable a report. Last year was my "rookie" year there and I hope to return soon but am in the latter stages of a publishing effort which includes that very race. Your impressions were much like mine. Perhaps I can add few.

Grand Myth #1, "The French are rude to foreigners." I had heard this so much that my defenses were up. After three weeks in a country where my vocabulary wasn't much beyond a Stone Age grunt, I was met with nothing but kindness, helpfulness, courtesy, frendliness in abundance. By the time I drove into Italy, I felt like grabbing the last person and saying, "you've failed, you're supposed to be mean to us Yanks." I even found this to be true in Paris. Try walking into the middle of Omaha and proceed to butcher our language and see what kind of reception you'd get.

Yes, 'Merican is quite a different language than English. Even after several visits to the U.K., I'm amazed at how different our languages are. This becomes even more pronounced when considering that "real English" (the Brit variety) comes in many forms and each is manifested at Le Mans. Mix with the three-wheel Morgan set and you'll hear one tone, the busily woking press (Cotton/Buck/Baker etc.) and it's another, and then fend for yourself amidst the beer-swilling flag-waving throngs where you'll understand 'nary a word. An even bigger shock awaits as our converse with Continental Europeans. Throughout the course of our baby boomer lives, English has of course become the lingua franca and most folks speak better English than your averega U.S. high school grad (this is no exaggeration !!!). However, casual phrases such as "give me a ballpark figure" mean nothing to someone who has never seen the Cubs or the Dodgers.

The press facilities are like the Houston Space Center--they're awesome. Also great is Radio Le Mans--highgly knowledgeable and entertaining Brits covering the race non-stop--bring your Walkman or buy a cheapie there. The show is sponsored by Jiffy Condoms--"Have a stiffy, grab a Jiffy"

The ambience and history of the place is everywhere even though the pits have been redone and the straight has been declawed. I cruised the circuit during one of the practice sessions--highly recommended. Last year, Motul had scooters available for loan to the press--check it out. The views along the Mulsanne I found not be as exciting as it is to be down at the Mulsanne corner itself. Get as close as your pass will allow to the roundabout and view the cars coming at you over thu hump. Another favorite spot is Arnage. The speeds aren't as fast but you're closer to the action, the drivers are working harder, and the ambience is cordial, lots of families and picnics.

Another anecdote--I arrived sans reservations and on a budget--a deadly mix. I followed my nose and figured some village within 35km should have a room. I found in Ecomoy which is a non descript ville about 20 k south of Mulsanne. My room was in a little no-star family operation above a cafe at the only intersection in town with a traffic signal. It was a fleabag but very cheap (120 FF). My linguistic communication was very primitive but cordial. When I returned the first evening, there was a Union Jack flying from my window. I was so heartwarmed by this gesture that I didn't have the heart to tell them they had their Anglo-types confused as it's only natural that a Euro hearing an English speaker would assume they're a roast boeuf. Later that night I was awakened by hammering outside my window, looked out and some workers removing a highway sign marked "Deviation" (Detour). It dawned on me where I was, right along RN138, the main road between Tours and Le Mans which for one day in June and for a few hours earlier in the week has a small section closed off to the usual truck traffic in order to make way for some of the fastest vehicles in the world to travel down the Mulsanne straight.