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9th
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The other day on our Facebook page, I asked you which racing legend - past or present - you would like to share a dinner with. I want to thank everyone who took the time to write their selection.
I have been covering the auto racing world for a few decades now, and I have come across several champions on and off the track. I have also done a lot of research for newspapers, magazines and TV shows.
Here are five race car drivers who have made a lasting impression on me and with whom I would definitely like to spend a couple of hours one on one.
JIM CLARK
The Scottish champ was a true virtuoso behind the wheel. Going fast seemed so easy for him. How surprising from a man who used to breed sheep as a young boy. Clark excelled in numerous racing series and made it look almost effortless. In fact, he couldn't explain why and how he was so fast on the track. This diamond in the rough disappeared in 1968 during a Formula 2 race in Hockenheim.
AJ FOYT
The feisty Texan often lost his cool, but that's just part of the nature of this great competitor, who never went down without a fight. Foyt was hard to beat on oval speedways, whether in IndyCar or stock car races. His four victories at the Indy 500 are certainly no fluke. Throughout his stellar racing career that stretched over five decades, Foyt impressed legions of fans not only as a driver but also as a mechanic and race strategist.
RICHARD PETTY
The King needs no further introduction. The 7-time NASCAR Cup champion and 7-time Daytona 500 champion has won 200 races in NASCAR and is the quintessential American driver. Sporting his signature hat and sunglasses, Petty is a remarkable human being who left me nearly speechless the one time I got to meet him. A simple, honest man off the track, and a fearsome opponent on the track.
TAZIO NUVOLARI
The famous Italian started on two wheels and then made the switch to auto racing in the 1930s. He drove monstrous Bugattis, Alfa Romeos, Maseratis and Auto Unions at a time when safety didn't exist and death was part of the show. He competed in Formula 1, at Le Mans, in the Mille Miglia and many other races held on makeshift tracks with trees, houses and ravines on each side. Nuvolari was smart and fearless. He never let down those who believed in him.
WALTER RÖHRL
Germany's Walter Röhrl was extremely fast no matter which car he drove and which conditions he faced. This rally master earned victories for Opel, Fiat, Lancia and Audi in the WRC. He won four times at Monte-Carlo... with four different cars! Röhrl also dominated on road courses, even when Mother Nature ruined the day. Nothing seemed to stop him.
What do you think of my selections?
I have been covering the auto racing world for a few decades now, and I have come across several champions on and off the track. I have also done a lot of research for newspapers, magazines and TV shows.
Here are five race car drivers who have made a lasting impression on me and with whom I would definitely like to spend a couple of hours one on one.
JIM CLARK
The Scottish champ was a true virtuoso behind the wheel. Going fast seemed so easy for him. How surprising from a man who used to breed sheep as a young boy. Clark excelled in numerous racing series and made it look almost effortless. In fact, he couldn't explain why and how he was so fast on the track. This diamond in the rough disappeared in 1968 during a Formula 2 race in Hockenheim.
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| Jim Clark, Lotus-Ford of Formula 1 (Photo: Ford) |
AJ FOYT
The feisty Texan often lost his cool, but that's just part of the nature of this great competitor, who never went down without a fight. Foyt was hard to beat on oval speedways, whether in IndyCar or stock car races. His four victories at the Indy 500 are certainly no fluke. Throughout his stellar racing career that stretched over five decades, Foyt impressed legions of fans not only as a driver but also as a mechanic and race strategist.
RICHARD PETTY
The King needs no further introduction. The 7-time NASCAR Cup champion and 7-time Daytona 500 champion has won 200 races in NASCAR and is the quintessential American driver. Sporting his signature hat and sunglasses, Petty is a remarkable human being who left me nearly speechless the one time I got to meet him. A simple, honest man off the track, and a fearsome opponent on the track.
TAZIO NUVOLARI
The famous Italian started on two wheels and then made the switch to auto racing in the 1930s. He drove monstrous Bugattis, Alfa Romeos, Maseratis and Auto Unions at a time when safety didn't exist and death was part of the show. He competed in Formula 1, at Le Mans, in the Mille Miglia and many other races held on makeshift tracks with trees, houses and ravines on each side. Nuvolari was smart and fearless. He never let down those who believed in him.
WALTER RÖHRL
Germany's Walter Röhrl was extremely fast no matter which car he drove and which conditions he faced. This rally master earned victories for Opel, Fiat, Lancia and Audi in the WRC. He won four times at Monte-Carlo... with four different cars! Röhrl also dominated on road courses, even when Mother Nature ruined the day. Nothing seemed to stop him.
What do you think of my selections?