Beaujolais Run

[Jules]

So I thought I'd post up my stickered up car prior to it getting plastered in mud & grime over the next few days.

Some of you may know, CS has kindly sponsored me again on this years Beaujolais Run http://www.beaujolaisrun.com/index.php

Our challenge is to raise a minimum of £2,200 for the below charity - taken from the website....'100% of all sponsorship monies raised will be donated to the Henry Surtees Foundation. Through the Henry Surtees Foundation, the ‘Run will make a commitment to directly support i) the advancement of cancer care and treatment, under the direction of Professor Sid Watkins; ii) pioneer a programme of national support for the Air Ambulance service.'
I have placed the CS stickers on the front bumper, although the yellow wording came out green:huh: anyway, hope it stands out

Anyone interested can track our attempt to navigate from Reims to Macon using a SatNav to arrive by the shortest distance, however we haven't got a chance as many of the cars do go off road - we did manage to come 3rd of of 15 in last years SatNav group. The strad is about an inch lower than last year, so I guess its motorways all the way:tongue3:

here's the link http://www.beaujolaisrun.com/index.php?u=tracking - ps we are the 'Full Bodied' team (i'll get me coat)

 

[cgt]

How long has this event been running Jules? I vaguely remember it being around when I was a kid, being advertised in 'Fast Lane' :shocked:

 

[Jules]

How long has this event been running Jules? I vaguely remember it being around when I was a kid, being advertised in 'Fast Lane' :shocked:

Its goes back a few years...some of the guys on here have done it, including Ray Ferguson, but then it was a race through the night which resulted in a few accidents I believe.

anyway Faisal - here you go, some trivia


In 1970 at the Hotel Maritonnes Joseph Berkmann and Clement Freud were sharing a dinner of Coq au Vin. Owner of 'eight London restaurants, Berkmann also ran his own wine distribution company and wrote a weekly column for The Sunday Times. Clement Freud was Director of the London Playboy Club, a respectable Member of Parliament and wine correspondent for The Sun. As bottle succeeded bottle that night, the germ of an idea took shape. Sometime after midnight, they roared away from Romanèche with several cases of 1970 Beaujolais in the back of each car having challenged each other to be the first to get their cases to London.

That year and the next, the race was a purely private affair between Berkmann and Freud. Berkmann won both times. Having taken potshots at each other through their respective wine columns, word got around that something interesting was going on, and others rushed to join in; The Beaujolais Run was born.

In 1973, Alan Hall columnist for The Sunday Times, published an article about threw down the gauntlet to Fleet Street to 'Bring Back the Beaujolais' offering a bottle of Champagne for the first to deliver a bottle of the new vintage to his desk. At that time the object of the exercise was speed and this was brought to an end by the RAF, who later took up the challenge in a Harrier and broke all records!

 

[Andyuk911]

I was at the start last year(Brands)

Where is the start this year ??? arrh .... just found it .. Top Gear Track ..:laugh:

Full of stones ....:thumbsdow

 

[cgt]

Its goes back a few years...some of the guys on here have done it, including Ray Ferguson, but then it was a race through the night which resulted in a few accidents I believe.

anyway Faisal - here you go, some trivia


In 1970 at the Hotel Maritonnes Joseph Berkmann and Clement Freud were sharing a dinner of Coq au Vin. Owner of 'eight London restaurants, Berkmann also ran his own wine distribution company and wrote a weekly column for The Sunday Times. Clement Freud was Director of the London Playboy Club, a respectable Member of Parliament and wine correspondent for The Sun. As bottle succeeded bottle that night, the germ of an idea took shape. Sometime after midnight, they roared away from Romanèche with several cases of 1970 Beaujolais in the back of each car having challenged each other to be the first to get their cases to London.

That year and the next, the race was a purely private affair between Berkmann and Freud. Berkmann won both times. Having taken potshots at each other through their respective wine columns, word got around that something interesting was going on, and others rushed to join in; The Beaujolais Run was born.

In 1973, Alan Hall columnist for The Sunday Times, published an article about threw down the gauntlet to Fleet Street to 'Bring Back the Beaujolais' offering a bottle of Champagne for the first to deliver a bottle of the new vintage to his desk. At that time the object of the exercise was speed and this was brought to an end by the RAF, who later took up the challenge in a Harrier and broke all records!

:thumbsup:

 

[paul71a]

however we haven't got a chance as many of the cars do go off road -


Ahhh... My spies tell me you DID go off road AND YOU WON P2 !! .. shortest distance using any aid you want

Congratulations on that.....

I know precisely how you felt when that was announced....

:thumbsup::winner:

 

[Jules]

however we haven't got a chance as many of the cars do go off road -


Ahhh... My spies tell me you DID go off road AND YOU WON P2 !! .. shortest distance using any aid you want

Congratulations on that.....

I know precisely how you felt when that was announced....

:thumbsup::winner:

Hi Paul - yes WE WON!!!

There were 2 categories, SatNav or Maps, so the cars going for SatNavs or any assistance were quite serious. One car even used as much technology as his ipad would allow (google maps etc) in addition to his latest satnav

My poor strad...not only has it done a fair few miles still using its first clutch and brake pads:shocked:, but it has now beaten numerous cars including 4x4's to cover the distance from Reims to Macon through the shortest route.

Up against us was BMW's 640D press car (loaned for the event), they came second, a brand new Kia Sportage 4x4 (again loaned for the event) 3rd, and a host of modern cars & classics, including Jag XKR's, 350Z, Land Rover Discovery, Porsche, Aston Martins, Etypes etc

I bought an Alpine SatNav last year which we knew was pretty good so we thought if we could keep close, we'd have a chance. At each check point however, we'd be towards the back of the pack which we couldn't understand as we were very quick through the coutryside.....seriously quick.

After speaking to some of the serious contestants before the results, our mileage seemed higher, as we were basing our mileage on the dodgy Ferrari speedometer.
:tongue3:

The mileages were then calibrated using the Dijon race circuit resulting in a huge surprise to all.

As an example, the BMW 640D, at 90mph was showing 88mph on the GPS, whilst ours was showing 83mph:laugh: If we'd have paid more notice to my GPS actual mileage than the speedometer trip mileage, then we might have actually paid attention to the results - we were just getting drunk on the lovely Tattinger Champagne

So the car went off road a fair bit, through single track forests - we drove into the woods on a track barely wide enough for a nissan micra. After about a mile (and I'm bricking it) we pass a lady chopping logs, it was Blair Witch - I'm not sure what she must have thought seeing a bright red Ferrari with 2 guys dressed as hippies driving by

Anyway, the car was on the Dijon race track the following day posting the fastest time, and of course making the loudest noise:dude: Finally we managed to drive on the old Gueux Race Circuit, which I believe was filmed by French TV, so all in all, my pretty little 360 Challenge Stradale has even won an off road event:tongue3:

So here are a few pics including my co-driver Boonie with the coveted award!!

 

[jos]

we pass a lady chopping logs, it was Blair Witch

Cherie gets everywhere - poor you - do you need counselling or did all the fizz help you recover :dude:

 

[paul71a]

I think I went through that forest on that track one of the years we won it in an Esprit,.... thought we weren't coming out the other side and no mobile signal either.. scary stuff....

Glad you enjoyed it and congratulations again!
:thumbsup:

 

[markst]

Jules Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale Wins GP2 Award at the 2011 Beaujolais Run

I asked Jules to write a few words summarizing the trip.........and here they are :thumbsup::thumbsup:


The 2011 event started off the Top Gear test track where Norman Dewis (1955 Le Mans Racer) led the drivers in the 1955 D Type around the figure of 8 test track. Once we’d completed a lap, our team ‘Full Bodied’ headed for Reims for dinner.

The following morning we met Tattinger’s Offices at 7.40am dressed as Hippies. Driving through thick fog & vineyards, our first clue took us to a remote village south of Reims, resting place of Dom Perignon.

Solve the next clue and head deeper into France, driving through sweeping D roads with the occasional off-road excursion. The tracks were barely wide enough to support an old mini, let alone a low and wide Ferrari.

Towards the end of the journey, temperatures dropped to 3 or 4 degrees with very low visibility due to thick fog. We were quick but often found ourselves arriving later than most. Finally we reached Macon at 5.30pm, deep in the Burgundy region.

Barely time to change, we were off for an evening at Louis Jadot,. Copious wine consumed, it was then time to celebrate the release of this year’s Beaujolais at 12am.

The next day saw us drive the track at the Prenois Race Circuit, Dijon, made famous by the F1 race duel between Villeneuve and Arnoux. The official purpose of visiting the circuit was to calibrate our mileage for the previous day. Onwards to Reims for awards night at the home of Tattinger

Quelle Surprise! Full Bodied won the GP2 category – shortest distance using SatNav. Quite an achievement considering the stiff competition, but probably explains our late arrival at each checkpoint. Then with sore heads, it was time to make our way back to the UK. A great result for the team.


Our thanks for sponsorship to Club Scuderia. All monies raised go directly to an excellent cause.

Jules

 

[t1grm]

How long has this event been running Jules? I vaguely remember it being around when I was a kid, being advertised in 'Fast Lane' :shocked:

There's a great article in a back issue of Ferrari about a guy who did it in the 80's in blue 365 GTC/4. It was evidently a bit more lawless back then and there's some great anecdotes including the car catching fire and putting it out with bottles of Beaujolais! :shocked:

I’m sure JT or someone can give us the issue number of the top of their head – otherwise I’ll check my back issues this weekend. :thumbsup:

 

[Mallard]

An article and picture this weeks Surrey Advertiser (Guildford edition) Jules. well done.
:thumbsup: