[SGVLUG] Twenty-four hours of Linux...

[Michael Proctor-Smith]

On 7/11/06, Emerson, Tom <Tom.Emerson at wbconsultant.com> wrote:
--snip
> So?  Around here, throw the word "LAN" in front of "PARTY", and I'm sure
> folks would hang out for the entire day (some might even watch the
> race...)  You could probably even have one computer set to
> capture/re-stream it locally, then everyone could watch from their own
> monitor...
>
> Hmmm... I did not realize this was "more than just one race" [like, say,
> the indy 500]  It looks like there are a few upcoming races, maybe we
> can arrange for one...
>
> http://www.lemans.org/sport/sport/calendrier/calendrier_lemans_gb.html

I like saying yes and no today! those are races at the Le Mans track
and or Bugatti circuit which is the dedicated race track part of the
Le Mans Coarse which is still made up partially of public roads,
originally it was 100% public roads closed for the weekend and the
site of the first world championship race. But there are two race
series based on Le Mans rules the American le mans series and the le
mans endurance series. The former being here in the US and later being
in europe, plus the FIA GT series being based on similar rules to the
le mans GT and GTS classes. The ALMS is even on get this for main
stream broadcast TV CBS this Sunday.

I would volunteer except the age of the electrical system in the house
I live in prevents the use of computers and AC at the same time and I
choose computers. Sense the lack of AC only bothers me two days a week
three months a year.

> And for a complete aside, it seems someone is making a buttload of money
> on this, and it ain't the teams (directly) -- if I'm reading the rules
> right, the entry fee is either 29,000 or 34,000 euros, and first place
> is only 40,000 euros (from which they deduct 15% from foreigners for
> "tax" purposes)  [yeah, "do the math..."]

That 30,000 euros may include gas for the event as you must use the
ACOs gas and pay for it. Plus the entry fee does not really mean
anything as the race is invite only.
Sponsors pay for the race teams. Even before the days of the sponsor
covered cars racing has never been about making money. To this day
almost nobody makes money in motor racing nomater what form. The
really suggessful businses in racing make there money doing something
else else(some form of consulting) or are rich and just have a love of
racing and or they use it a advertising for there main business.