ACO Membership

[Craig]

Exactly what benefits would I get from joining the ACO? And how would I do it if I wanted to?

[batmobile]

You can read the details there : http://www.lemans.org/club/pages/for...club24_gb.html

[rdjones]

I will get round to joining the ACO one of these day - I think its a job to do about mid-june.

[Fab]

Craig, I ask myself the same question each year : is it worth it the subscription ?

As long as I get tickets at reduced prices, entry to the ACO's GS for some events, I keep on subscribing... but I'm not far from the spot (i.e. : I got four free tickets for the FFSA GT week-end to bring the family in)... for only one visit in the whole ear... Ayse could answer better than me...

[Aysedasi]

To me, its worth it. I've been a member since 1997. Its worth it for 6 discounted entry tickets and particularly for the List des Engages and the results pack after the race. Having said that, if my friend Paul Truswell is kind to me again this year, I might not need the List.......

Call me daft if you like, but Le Mans means a great deal to me and aside from these benefits, I somehow feel I want to be a member........

[Truckosaurus]

For me it is worth it for the ticket discounts, it seems I've saved €4 this year. That's 67c a head.

It seems there is no discount for grandstand seats, I'm sure there used to be...

[Aysedasi]

But you'll save a lot more than that on your entrance tickets......

[Truckosaurus]

I've counted the €4 saving over and above paying for the €92 ACO Membership
(€14 per entry ticket saved x6, and €4 x3 saving on camping = €96)

So, the membership pays for itself and the 'extras' I receive are a bonus.

[Craig]

Interesting, thanks. I was talking to a friend last night and he said he thought there might be shower cubicals in the ACO building?? If so would we get to use them as members?

[batmobile]

And very important, you can access to the member's enclosures where you can follow the race on giant screens with the closed-circuit TV, quitely sitting and drinking one beer .
Very good to refresh oneself after a bog walking from spot to spot all the day and night of course.

[MGDavid]

BUT the question needs to be asked, as this year although members we have been sold tickets in one of the other stands (IE non-ACO) apparently 'cos the ACO have conned, sorry, signed up too many members and now cannot handle the numbers.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Call me daft if you like, but Le Mans means a great deal to me and aside from these benefits, I somehow feel I want to be a member........

This is exactly how I feel too. I loved the ACO membre sticker in my car - I put it in the windscreen so that I often noticed it.

However I haven't been a member for nearly two years now (after joining in 1995). Despite being a member I often got the wrong tickets, they always arrived late (weeks after the pre-Q days too). We always ordered very early. Now we pay more for the tickets from a third party agency, but we get them in time (no picking them up at the gate!) and have confidence we will get them.

The extras are good, but it doesn't make that much difference to the Le Mans experience not having them. The ACO grandstand is probably the best, but not that much more than anywhere else. The over-subscription has been an issue for the last few years now. I also have another source for the info you get in the packs.

I suspect one day I shall be a membre again, but I'm in no rush.

[Fab]

Originally Posted by Craig

there might be shower cubicals in the ACO building?? If so would we get to use them as members?

Only if you buy an ACO or Durand-ACO Annexe grandstand ticket...

[Fab]

Originally Posted by batmobile

And very important, you can access to the member's enclosures where you can follow the race on giant screens with the closed-circuit TV, quitely sitting and drinking one beer .
Very good to refresh oneself after a bog walking from spot to spot all the day and night of course.

I went there in 2002 : it was so overcrowded that we never succeed to find four seats...

[Fab]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

The ACO grandstand is probably the best.

Probably... there's a lounge, decent loos, hot meals and coffee available...

But there's still FENCES between the GS and the track...

[bernard b]

Originally Posted by Fab

I went there in 2002 : it was so overcrowded that we never succeed to find four seats...

and, shame on them , it's CLOSED during the race night

[batmobile]

Yes, I agree, it depends of the part of the day, I think it's because of the success of this
form and unfortunately the same for the difficulties for grandstands booking as i could read .
But often around 10/11 pm there is some places to drink and eat a pizza.
And for the ACO stand comfort, it's great despite the fences because you can follow the start and the finish in your seat, you can look at the two giant screens down and above the pit lane, you see the track from the karting to the beginning of the Dunlop curve, the pit show.
Good plan, I think

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

BUT the question needs to be asked, as this year although members we have been sold tickets in one of the other stands (IE non-ACO) apparently 'cos the ACO have conned, sorry, signed up too many members and now cannot handle the numbers.

Of course if the ACO refrained from selling blocks of ACO/Durand tribune seats to tour operators/agencies for sale to non members........

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Fab

Probably... there's a lounge, decent loos, hot meals and coffee available...

You are right.

The timing screens are useful. The loos good, but I don't spend most of the 24hrs there so I still have to loo elsewhere! The meals and coffee are no better than outside IMHO, although you don't have to hold the ticket in your mouth to go and get them!

This year we are going in the 'stand opposite the ACO one on pit-side. We haven't been there for eight years and fancy a change. The big TV will be out of sight, the start parades not as good, the pit lane not as viewable from your seat, but at night we can look down on the pits and get a different perspective.

My ideal 'stand is on a corner and we did this up at the Ford Chicane one year, but you miss the start, finish and stops. I love the actual driving bit most (i.e racing and corners), but at Le Mans you miss the experience, the atmosphere and the race story if you don't spend time soaking it up in the pits area. There is still plenty of time to wander the corners, note the differences in the cornering and here the engines close up.

All this chat has made me curse the fact that it is January.

[Fab]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

The meals and coffee are no better than outside IMHO, although you don't have to hold the ticket in your mouth to go and get them!

Definitely ! The only good side of it is that you can go back to your seat in one minute after you get your coffee... same when you're in the pits GS (there's the Paddock Bar down there)... One last thing : it's dry and reasonably warm when the weather turns... er... not so good

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

My ideal 'stand is on a corner and we did this up at the Ford Chicane one year, but you miss the start, finish and stops.

Same dilemna here ! The best spot, IMHO, is the Ford Chicane GS... but there's no loos, few food available... that's fine for PQs or minor races, but for the great week-end, you must sit there with your own caterring facilities The view is unforgetable, though...

I have to compromise each year... Ford Chicane at PQs (and wandering around in "special spots ), and pits for the race (plus the trip around from there to Tertre Rouge and back, Arnage, Mulsanne and so on)... I bought two GS tickets in 2003, but hadn't time enough to use the second one (La Chapelle esses). Waste of money... too bad, 'cose the spot is really great too (from Dunlop to Tertre Rouge !).

Last thing : there's no discount any more on the GS tickets (with ACO's subscription). As I'm alone to come for the race, I don't think the ACO's membership is still interresting for me anymore now... ho, I'll crack probably again one of those days, at my next visit to the track... I'm a twit, I'm a twit, I'm a twit...

[Truckosaurus]

You can gain access to the 'inside' of the ACO grandstand with just a membership ticket. This lets you use the showers, bogs and food facilities. They have stewards at the entry points to the seating areas who check your ticket.

[Fab]

Originally Posted by Guy Humpage

You can gain access to the 'inside' of the ACO grandstand with just a membership ticket. This lets you use the showers, bogs and food facilities. They have stewards at the entry points to the seating areas who check your ticket.

Interresting ; I even didn't try to enter the ACO building without an appropriate ticket, actually... Good meeting place for members, though...

[BillandLara]

I'm like Ayse about my ACO membreship(or is that bateau?) I feel like a part of it all when I am showing the ACO badge on the windscreen, and the foldy plasticated cardboard is in my wallet.

I might try that using the facilities bit in the stand, too. Not much good for the others in my party but hey
, they are free to join too, aren't they?

But in truth they haven't provided me with the benefit I really wanted, which was source of Houx Annexe camping passes. They tell me I am having Beausejour instead, which I will be returning when they come.


Bill

[Fab]

More generaly, I'm not sure that the ACO membership would provide a place (especially camping) if there's a lack of lots...

That's a problem most of the races would like to have around the planet : too many people asking for a ticket ! (just kidding : there's still plenty "general entrance" available).

[batmobile]

don't agree with you because the toilets and the showers in the ACO grandstand are beyond the restaurant where especially you need your grandstand tickets.
The membership ticket only allow you to go to this restaurant and not in the seats area.
Don't forget you can get guest's gards, against 5 € last year, that open the doors of the ACO member's enclosures