fortitude

I woke up early this morning, leaping out of bed and making my way down to the TV. Not only is it the first day of my 2-week vacation, but it is also arguably the most significant weekend of the year for any true hard-core auto racing enthusiast -- the weekend in which the 24 hours of Le Mans is held. This year marks the 74th running of this legendary 24 hour long endurance race. Some of the world's most prestigious manufacturers and some of the greatest drivers of our time converge on the small town of Le Mans, France and prepare for the ultimate test of endurance, speed and reliability through the grueling day and night race around a 13.650 km (8.5 mile) circuit. Cars routinely push the limit of their performance around the track, hitting top speeds of over 200mph as they roar down the Mulsanne straight. It's about going fast, yes, but it's also about making sure your car is still running and able to cross the finish line 24 hours later.

To prepare myself for the grand spectacle, last night I popped in my DVD of the great Steve McQueen film classic, Le Mans. To this day it remains one of the greatest and most authentic films ever made about auto racing, and it is only fitting to kick off what is essentially an automotive holiday with a screening of this film.

So who will win the 24 Hours of Le Mans? It would be foolish for me to try and predict what might happen by the end of the race. But I'll say that I do have some favorite teams that I will be watching and rooting for.

In LMP1 class the dominant team for the past 6 years or so has been Audi. Their R8 race car has won nearly every year that they have participated in this event. But this year, they introduced an all new car -- the V12 turbodiesel R10. In testing and its ALMS debut race the car has shown impressive performance, outstanding fuel economy, and blistering speed. But they've also had problems with the transmission, causing one of them to drop out in the ALMS race. Will they be able to keep it together and once again fend off the attacks of the local favorite, the prototype cars of Frenchman Henri Pescarolo?

In the GT1 class, it will be an epic battle between 2 legendary manufacturers with storied histories in the Le Mans race. For the past few years the yellow Corvette Racing team cars have been the unbeatable champions. But this year the green Aston Martin DB9Rs are mounting a serious challenge and could end the Corvettes' streak -- can they pull off an upset and take the checkered flag first?

Who knows -- but I will be glued to the TV for most of the day to watch and find out!