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Mike E.:
Agreed…. much as I loved both Emmo and Nige, both misbehaved at the Brickyard:
Emmo nudging the milk away (we call that Capitalism today), and Nigel suggesting Dennis Vitolo “didn’t belong there.”I knew Vitolo when coming up the ranks, paying his way and putting it all on the line.
But Emmo and Nigel were still both great drivers the likes of which we don’t see much today….
We personally always root for the nice guys, like this guy whom you know:
Mike:
You’re right, coulda sworn I could picture him drinking the milk…. musta been Guiness.
Yep, though, agreed on “best second-place finish.” Sorry, Rene, not today.
Mike:
On Emmo…. imo…. two more.
On Cevert…. that’s still sad.
On Mario…. my second-most proud American moment in racing (first was Lap 1, USGP 2001) was in Montreal 1978, finding out Saturday afternoon that my photo credential also got me into the “official” race bar atop the Hotel…. 6 or 7 GP drivers around us and Mario walks in, the new World Champion, to a standing ovation from all 100 or so people in there (me being 18 my vocals got away a bit). What a Hero.
Chassis-wise, the Lotus 79 of ’78, I think, was the very start of F1 being processional. The first offender, the end of the thrash in a sense.
The Turbo Renault motor inflicted another injury until 1989. Technology took it from there…. but, the “new” rules of 2009 have made the cars truly hard to drive again.
To lessen the procession, I’d vote for tiny brakes and harder tires…. and make things a bit cheaper (?) to run (trans, brakes, tires….)…. so teams could afford to bring back the V12s for all its reasons.
Here’s one that still screams in my memory.
Jeff:
Very Cool, I saw this many years ago and it’s still fabulous. I watched alot of these guys in awe in my youth, saw Cevert win his only Can-Am win, Stewart racing in the Can-Am, and must have seen Revson in a dozen races. Saw a few of them in F1 in 1976-78 also — those who survived at least.
This gives great perspective on Emmo, too. We tend to think of him as an Indy Car driver in the States, but that was really late in his career — and a very secondary use of his talents.
While I respect today’s drivers a lot, I think these guys were far more courageous. That made them better drivers, IMHO. It’s MUCH harder to be on the edge when your life depends on it. Today is amazingly safe by comparison. I’d liken racing in F1 then to racing a kart today on a street course lined with razor blades and anvils. No exaggeration here, if you saw it you know what I mean.
Thanks for the link, it made a nice use of my second monitor while working today.
Man, that is cool!
I almost posted this on Christmas…. was going to call it “Christmas Music”…. seems fitting now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBXUOomynxw&feature=relatedThanks, Curt…. AWESOME!
I’ve watched most of these guys first-hand, and most of the greats are on this piece.
Coulda done without the San Marino 1994 shot, but that’s part of it — or it was anyway.
Congrats Sebastien, See you in Austin.
This is one inspiring thread!
Thanks Rick for posting, Rob for your generosity and perspective, and all else for participating!
I’ve dealt with PTSD and it’s one tough opponent. I can add that karting is ready-made as a therapy.
My wife’s disabled so funds are short, but would certainly kick in $100 to help this guy. Please keep the thread going and maybe I can help some more.
My Respects to you guys.
Tom:
It’s great to hear the cost has come down to being competitive with a Rotax.
That’s encouraging, as years back it was a little pricier at first — and for sheer fun, there’s no comparing the two powerplants!
You’ll have lots of fun, Tom, that I do know — and Brad knows those motors inside and out. Maybe someday he’ll build and market his own brand.
Go Get ‘Em.
Also Thanks to Brad and Bobby at IMI, my wife and I were the first Americans to race the Biland in 2002.
Our job was to run as many miles as possible and make a solid attempt to break parts, so we (Brad) could report back to the factory in Switzerland and make further reliability developments. After well over 3,000 miles of very hard running, all we ever broke were some minor parts. We proved that earlier-generation motor virtually bombproof, and many things have improved since. The new versions, and I assume the other new high-perf 4-strokes also, must be unreal in terms of reliability.
Controversy has surrounded Brad’s 4-stroke efforts nearly since day 1, and that seems to continue. After years of karting with a variety of two-strokes, I myself would likely never return to a two-stroke motor after running the Biland, for its durability, its incredible sound (listen on YouTube for yourself), and for the sheer FUN that its massive torque brings to driving. Most forms of racing have succeeded in their sealed-engine formulas and it’s a shame that 4-strokes haven’t been met with wider appeal here in the States.
I guess I’m saying it’s a shame that Brad’s huge (and I mean, HUGE) investment in karting’s future hasn’t brought more success and following, but instead more controversy and road blocks. He did a great service to our sport and deserves commendation. Rumors of then-upcoming EPA air restrictions on karting, as followed in Europe and elsewhere, were to have been in place long before now. I’d pictured 4-strokes everywhere in American karting by 2005, and it seems to me that controversy, and perhaps that alone, has played a giant part in preventing that.
To any new karter considering a TaG motor…. don’t buy one until you drive a Biland or other high-end 4-stroke (http://www.Engines4racing.com). The initial price may be higher, but that takes care of itself in short order.
Dang, can’t get any closer than that!
Well, our homeboys and homegirls need to head to Utah next year and do some whoopin’.
I hope the event was a rousing success for the Cooks, their family, employees, and supporters!…. I’m not talking about profits here.
Thanks Again for the coverage, and for the followup. Very Nice.
