Very well put Nordic,
We began following the sport in a vastly different era than today. I remember vividly growing up watching a F1 race from the Ring or Monaco on TV one week, and couple of weeks later being able to see my same heros driving Can-Am, Trans-Am or F5000 cars at Mid-Ohio or Road America in person. Jim Clark used to show up at Sebring (as reigning world champion) to drive a Lotus Cortina in the supporting touring car races to the 12 Hours. Could you imagine Schmacher or Alonso showing up at Sebring to race in a World Challenge GT or touring car event? There are still a few guys out there cut from that mold,Tony Stewart and Ron Fellows to name a couple, Ron was off the pace the other day but loves to get in a Nextel Cup car and mix it with the regulars from time to time. Tony will race anything with wheels on it, just for fun. F1 aces like Jim Clark and Dan Gurney raced everything from F1 to NASCAR stockers, for the love of racing and testing themselves against the best.