Adrenaline Pumping. Heart Throbbing. Engines Roaring.

24 Heures de Mans

Today I watched a classic, Le Mans, Starring Steve McQueen - the man behind the wheel. It is almost a documentary of the 1970 Le Mans race. I would recommend anyone who hasn't seen it to go to their local library and borrow it. (If your library is the one near me, they have it - I just returned it today)

Although it was filmed 40 years ago, it needs to be watched in Hi-Def and Surround Sound in order to appreciate the beauty, the thrill, the energy that surges through your veins.

Anyone who has ever raced before knows this feeling. Anyone who has ever pulled 3 G's back into your seat, and 2 G's rounding corners. Anyone who has ever been worn out by the raw energy that racing drains from your body, used to fuel the speed, which urges you to keep going, not wanting to stop, even when you are out of the energy, you can still go on. One more meter. One more turn. One more lap.

I was debating whether I should embed a video from Youtube, guessing that most people would not watch it in Hi-Def with surround before watching the clip, but I finally found the original trailer from 1971.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

Here is a fun fact for you. Some of you may have known this. (I knew half of it)

Previous to 1969, before the race started, the cars would all be lined up on one side of the track (in the pits, essentially) and when the flag would wave, signalling the start of the race, the drivers would then run across the track, jump in their cars, start their cars (unassisted) and speed off, trying to get out of the pits before anyone else, so they can win!

(The above, is what I already knew...)

Then, in 1969, Le Mans rookie Jacky Ickx was against the method by walking across the track while his competitors ran. He almost got hit by another car while walking, but once he got to his car, Ickx took the time to fasten his safety belts before pulling away.
During the very first lap, there was a fatal accident, which neither of the two drivers involved had taken the time to strap in securely.
Guess what. Jacky Ickx ended up winning the race.


So yeah, that's an awesome part of history. Don't worry, it gets better.


Because of the time that Ickx spent to walk across the track, and safely buckled himself in, the next year, in 1970 (the year that this movie was filmed) Le Mans officials allowed drivers to start the race already properly secured inside their vehicles, with the engines off, before the flag was waved.


So yeah, flag is waved, people aren't ran over, or killed from lack of seat belts (now, it's just the fire after the car explodes). So what? What's the point?


In 1971, Le Mans introduced the Rolling Start, sometimes known as the Indianapolis Start (btw, the initial way of racing is known as the Le Mans start) which is what they have used ever since. Yeah, they still start that way today.


So... My point is....
Isn't it awesome that...

1. Jacky Ickx stood up to all the un-safe stupidity of rituals, and then won! BooYah!
2. The officials changed the way, and decided to have a non-running start, and then a rolling start?
3. The year that this wonderful movie was filmed, the fabulous year of 1970, was the ONLY year that Le Mans ever started a race that way? Also, It was the first year for Porsche to have a double finish, also captured by this fantastic film.

Isn't this an amazing film? I'm sure you are agreeing with me as you are reading this, and you probably haven't even seen the film. Go watch it. Turn up your surround. Strap in your seat belts, and get ready for the *time of your life.

Trust me. It's a wonderful movie. Amazing Cinematography. Excellent Race Cars. Nothing like you would find in Hollywood today.

Do it.

*For most people. If you actually raced, participated, or attended the 1970 24 Heures de Mans, that was probably better than this film.