Name Droppers 'R' Us

[Dave H]

We have a bit of a joke about Fax's "Hand Shake of Death".

Actually, dear old Fax has #3 to his tally too from Rolex before his demise at Daytona.  Brilliant Bob didn't stand a chance once Fax gave him the ice-cold touch at the Petit prior to his bike accident in Sebring.

Fax clearly is the Grim Reaper of autosport.  The picture I took of him with Ron Fellows strangely only had Ron Fellows in it.  Could never quite work that out.  And how the hell JJ, McNish and any of the Dyson folks are still walking, I'll never know....

[Bobblehat]

Stick to the threds guys!
 
Lets talk about drivers we have met not ones who have gone. Even if it is the touch of someones hand. I lost a great friend, a great racing driver too, and I am sure he was not touched by the hand of FAX (who ever you may be)

Yes drivers lose the lives in our chosen sport, but do not make light of it. These are our heroes

Think Senna, Hawthorn, Collins and many more...........

 

[Dave H]

Why can't we make light of it?  I thought this forum was about fun (the definition of Le Mans for most I hope).  I've got some great James Hunt jokes if you want to hear them...

[Fax]

Go easy Bobblehat.  Nothing malicious meant here.  I feel very honored to have met these great men before their passing.  Over here the paying public has a great deal of access to the competitors so its quite easy to meet the participants.  Mario has always been fun to stop and shoot the BS with.  Rick Mears has always been one of my favorites, he would stand and sign autographs until someone from Penske racing would physically drag him away.  Same with Emmo, always a smile on his face.  Took a slash with Mike Andretti a few years ago in Gasoline Alley at Indy, had a good laugh standing there.  My personal favorite though was having a cold Budweiser with Paul Newman back in '82 at Mid-Ohio.  It was over the Can-Am weekend and his team was there with a young driver from Louisville KY, a guy named Danny Sullivan.  Over the years met all three Villleneuve's, Gilles, Jacques & Jacques.  Also met JYS on several occasions.
Somebody mentioned Didier Pironi earlier.  I was actually a great fan of Didier's and to this day I wear one of his watches around.   Met Christie Brinkley at Indy back in the mid eighties.  Woof!!
Fax  

[Nobby Diesel]

Had the good fortune to attend the 'Company Car In Action' day at MIRA test track 7 or 8 years ago. It's a bit like the Motor Show, but it's meant to be for Company Fleet Managers and the like.
All the manufacturers have their cars on show. You can get into them, look under the bonnet and even drive most of them.
If they have anything a little bit lively, they send you out with a 'proper' driver; letting him display the cars merits.
I paid a visit to the Audi stand and was particularly taken with the RS4. What a piece of kit I thought.
Anyway, sat myself down in the drivers seat and started gripping the steering wheel and fiddling with the controls.
It did cross my mid that the car was a bit scruffy on the inside and bloody filthy on the outside. Been driven hard I thought, everything else was gleeming.
A bloke walks up and is standing there, along side the open drivers door. Cheek thinks me, bit keen isn't he? "Excuse me" he says. "Yes, just a minute, won't be long" says me, not bothering to look up at him.  Trying to turf me out so he can have a mooch around the RS4. "Take your time in that case" I think to myself.
A few seconds later, he looses his patience............
"Can i have my my f**king car back please".
Johnathan Palmers own car............nothing to do with the Audi display.

[Nordic]

Back in the late 80's, thru my dads work we used to get free tickets to Thruxton, this also somtimes involved lunch.
Therefore I was lucky enough to have a meal with Murry Walker, 'John Winter', Dave Price  & Derek Bell. Not all the same time! but pretty good I reckon.

We also once had a chance meeting at LM with a work contact of my dads that led to full hospitallty from 3M (where we met several French people who where famous but not to me), including, Pit passes, Pit Boxes, and the best part a pre race lap in a coarse car.