Great Moments In Racing

I was talking to a friend over the weekend about our favorite racing expeniances and as we talked I began to feel that I has seen some pritty cool racing stuff.

In no paticular order.

My dad took me to Laguna Seca, my first race, I'm pritty sure a USRRC race in 1965 and among others were Jim Clark and Graham Hill in Lotus 30s' (Jim Clark was my hero but the Lotus 30s' were painfully slow).

I also saw the only Can Am win by a Chaparral, Phill Hill at Laguna.

Saw the Chaparral sucker car Laguna.

I was there when Dan Gurney anounced his retirement out side his Trans Am garage at Riverside. Also that day if you ever see a picture of Peter Revson punching Sam Posey, the guy behind them with the Ben Franklin hair and the open mouth is me!

I was one of the very few to see Ayrton Senna get upside down (Friday practice Mexico 1991).

I also saw Schumacer race before his GP debut at Spa (Le Mans 1991)

I saw an American win the US GP (Andretti, Long Beach)

I saw a Brit win the British GP (Johnny Herbert)

But perhaps my favorite is taking a piss in the Long Beach Convention Center bathroom with Ken Tyrell on one side and Colin Chapman on the other!

So does anyone else have some experiances to share?

Last Year
Checking out of the Tatanic Hotel in Istanbul chatting to Jenson Button having already had breakfast with his dad John the day after the Istanbul GP (Which Jenson won).

Martin, that's a good one, what were they like?

Rockingham, 1983. Saw Richard Petty beat Bill Elliot by about 2 feet. I think it was his 197th win.

Darlington, 1979. Rebel 500. Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip trade the lead about once a lap for the last 30 laps, and then 2-3 times on the last lap. Waltrip wins, drat.

Watkins Glen 1950, my first ever spectator event. My dad put me up a tree overlooking the street course, overhanging the road a little. Snow fences, big crowd
at the tracks edge, etc. Briggs Cunningham Ferrari 166, John Fitch (?), Dave Garroway SS-100, Zora Arkus Duntov Allard J-2, Bill Spear Ferrari 166MM. For a 6 year old I was hooked for life! That was the year Sam Collier was killed when his Ferrari left the road while leading one of the races. I still remember the tragic overtones.

Not really in a race but meeting Juan Manuel Fangio in the late fifties and then again on my aeroplane en route to London in 1995 - and he actaully remembered the first meeting and the place as well.
An incredible man. So many other memories but that was the best.

Is this the picture of the Sam Posey punch?

JeffYoung said:

Rockingham, 1983. Saw Richard Petty beat Bill Elliot by about 2 feet. I think it was his 197th win.
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VIR, 2010. Jeff Young and Ron Earp nose to tail for ten laps. Jeff relents under pressure and Iz takes the win! Or something like that.

You guys have all seen some cool stuff. I never went to any racing events except for the odd motorcycle race in the 90s, but nothing as cool as you guys have seen.

Yes, that's the event all right, I must have been standing to the right of the guy with the mustache. I used to have a picture that was on the cover of The Compatition Press that was taken more to the photographers left (you know on the grassy knoll) that shows me looking dumb!

As I recall Posey was just starting to go over backwards off the pit all when the other pix was shot.

I lived in Monza Italy in the early 60's - my dad took me to a number of races but my favorite was Monza in 1962 - we had seats above the Ferrari pit area which were very close to the action as the garage roofs were only a story tall back then. Much to my dismay ( I was a Ferrari nut ) Graham Hill won the race.

Second favorite was (again courtesy of my dad) attending the Indy 500 in 1965. We had seats in the main grandstand at the start finish line. Jimmy came through.

Jim Craik said:

Yes, that's the event all right, I must have been standing to the right of the guy with the mustache.
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I was betting on you being the fellow in the plaid pants there although he's not sporting the Ben Franklin do.

Jensons Dad is a very open emotional type of guy. He was very overcome by Jensons sudden success and the thought of a World Championship run in.
I was in the breakfast hall of the hotel later than usual, about 9:30, pretty much on my own sitting at the window. The hotel was almost empty as all the teams had checked out as soon as the race was over. I was about 5 minutes in when John Button walks in and sits at the table next to me. We got chatting as we were just about the only two in there. We chatted for about 1/2 hour before I made my excuses and left not wanting to outstay my welcome. We chatted about the season, about Istanbul and some personal stuff about Jenson I'm sure he probably shouldn't have told me. Very surreal. After breakfast I went up to the room, then at around 10:30 I went to order a taxi from the front desk. As I was talking to the receptionist, Jenson walks up and checks out. I get talking to him and told him I had just had breakfast with his dad. I think he was trying to think where he knew me from, but of coarse he didn't.
He was very charming and relaxed as you would expect. It was only when I turned to leave did I see the army of photographers that had ammassed behind us. It could never happen at the British GP but in Istanbul, where F1 hasn't really taken off, the stars walk around quite freely.
Great memory and a great Grand Prix. I got a good sun tan at that one.

Martin

I took a picture of the back of Jay Leno's head at the Monterey Historics a few years ago.

You guys have cool Dads.

My first Grand Prix in Melbourne in 1956 won by Stirling Moss in his Maserati 250F. Stirling lapped the entire field except for Jean Behra.
Stirling Moss Race History: 1956 Australian Grand Prix | www.stirlingmoss.com
I will never forget that Day. I've been addicted since.

Next best Getting very drunk with Australian World Champion Alan Jones at of all things a Rugby Luncheon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Jones_(racing_driver)

Alan,

You guys have cool Dads.<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Explain?

Here are some of my memories in no particular order:
-- Watching baseball great Reggie Jackson continually telling a fan at an early 1980s NHRA Summernationals to "Quit leaing on my car!!!"

-- Remembering how nice NASCAR's Benny Parsons was in saying that he couldn't give me his autograph.

-- How great it was to get Richard Petty's autograph a few minutes later.

While working Tech Inspection for CART during the late 1980s and early 1990s I have these memories:
-- Noticing how short Paul Newman really was.

-- Watching team owner Carl Haas going through his pre-race ritual of touching different parts of Michael Andretti's race car as it sat on the grid.

-- The friendliness of the Target/Chip Ganassi team inviting me into their trailer as they tested the pop-off valves we were about to install before a practice session.

-- Watching Leroy Nieman work on sketches around the pit and paddock area.

-- Watching David Letterman try to be inconspicuous in the pits.

-- Having Roger Penske realize he was blocking my view in the pit box and giving up that spot so that I could see better during the race.

-- The one memory that really sticks out from those days was the first race I ever worked at - Poconos 1987. I was lucky enough to be working the pit box next to my idol AJ Foyt. AJ was pulled in for a stop and go penalty for some infraction (I didn't see what it was). After the race was over, we were all back in our garage getting the top three cars inspected after the race. AJ comes back to the garage, grabs Dick Perry by his shirt collar, picks him up against the wall, and wonders :Why teh #$%@! he was pulled in. It took two or three people to separate them. Welcome to the world of IndyCar racing.

Martin,

Now thats a great one to remember, a look "behind the buttons".

A couple from me:
- first race was the first Can Am at Elkhart Lake in 1967 (which my dad took me and a friend to), and seeing the video on GT40 on the anniversary of my dad's death two years ago.
- meeting Dickie Smothers in the pits at Elkhart Lake in about 1970, and making the passing comment that he was a full time racing driver during the summer, and hence a part time comedian.
- being in the pits at the Italian GP in 1989, and watching the girls wait for Gerhard Berger come out of the portaloo.

Probably more but have to give them some thought.

Dom,

I have wondered why you have such knowledge about the US, It sounds like you must have spent some time here. Were not those early Can Am races really somthing? There really was "thunder in the hills".

I also remember the Smothers brothers and also Ban Blocker (Hos) and his Vinagaroon!