Roy

And then our bus finally turned up.... 2010 Lotus Exige 240. Completely std with the exception of it having a spare set of rims with AO48s in case it dried out... ...and I was loving it...until i saw the Lotus 2-Eleven and Exige Cup 260 turn up... The Exige Cup 260 is caged up, runs the same AO48s, has re-worked adjustable suspension and shocks, more power and a little lighter.... a far sharper tool and had me wishing I had ponied up the extra cash and booked it. The first session was wet so Baron and I partnered up and I did 3 laps just to see how slippery it was and give Baron a look at the track. After that we were told that we had to share 5 sessions on the day, which meant it was going to be near impossible to get good running. Especially since the car was late getting to the track...but...thankfully my next session was just about dry and after which the track was given the all clear to go to semis. This is my session on the stree tyres in the 95% dry track After which Baron was lucky enough to get these....and he gave them a good workout too

So whilst waiting for our Lotus to turn up, we took a stroll around the pit complex and found some more awesome machinery. It was almost a shame that we were going to busy pedalling the Exige as it would have been great to go and sit out on track and look at these big dollar cars being driven. I have to say I have now driven a fair few track days, in Australia, UK, Nurburgring and Belgium....and this day had the highest standard of driving of any I attended. Sadly this day was not going to bag stories of overtaking uber cars...but instead will be remembered for being blown away by good cars and good drivers ! It was not a day where cashed up guys just pottering around (well with the exception of one particular GT3) It was great to see good cars being driven to their potential. In the morning the conditions were very difficult and there were no crahes, breakages...and they were going quick in the damp! The day was heavily attended by German, Swedes, English and there was even plenty of Aussie accents around the place. A car that catches my eye each time are the GT4 Astons, which seem to be common no matter what track you are at... These boys were all mates, and when the gaggle of GT3/GT2, Gallardos and Carrera GT came up on you, they were typically all bumper to bumper with one another having a play. Was also good to see another Seat Touring Car having shared the track with a red one at Silverstone

Ok, so after Milan and the GP we had to get a flight to Dusseldorf where we stopped for dinner. After a rather heavy dinner of pork, cabbage an potato we were fuelled up for the short drive to Spa. We headed off at dusk... Where we arrived at the hotel well after dark. So expecting big things from the next day we called it a night and crashed... Waking up in the morning the first thing I did was check the weather. Whilst it wasnt raining it didnt look great. Plenty of cloud cover meant there was little drying and could be pretty sure that many of the laps were going to be in the wet Heading off to the track in the morning in the hired Race Car Fiesta it would have been hard to get lost getting to the circuit... When we arrived at the track we were met with the usual abundance of GT3s and GT2s, surprisingly few Radicals. A few Astons, another Carrera GT (different from the one at Silverstone) and a white and yellow Z06 Vette which gave me serious wood. But of course, it seems it just isnt a European track day without the usual pit full of transporters... The car park was also full of cool cars, some were transport to the track, some were actually lapped, but they all looked cool with the Spa circuit as the back drop. (I am a geek and deadset it felt amazing just again standing in the Spa pits for the second year in a row)

After 10 pints I have a very limited vocabulary: Dog, C#@T, Fark'n, Old Son, Turn Left, Horrible things in horrible places.... thats about it