"Tailgaters....don't you hate 'em ~!"

[Stig / Major Tom]

James G.

[big blue]

I was already an F1 fan when this movie came out (Dan Gurney) but it solidified it for me!

[Stig / Major Tom]

I was already an F1 fan when this movie came out (Dan Gurney) but it solidified it for me!

Yeah, back before we could see a race other than Monaco on Sunday afternoon for the 20 min short - I used to devour Rob Walker's race reports in Road & Track.
Went to Le Mans with my soccer coach while Dad was stationed in Paris. (F1 was probably on French TV - but we never owned one during our 4 1/2 yrs in Paris!) Coach  knew someone on the Ford team. Sadly they broke. The following year they won, 1966.
That era had the best looking cars at Le Mans and in F1 IMHO.
Stig

[Neil955i]

Ah Le Mans!  I've ridden the Mulsanne Straight on my Triumph Sprint 900 triple.  Great to see.  We stayed in a B&B just off there waiting on the 3rd member of our touring team who'd had flat battery problems in Dover the day before with his Honda CB1100R and had missed the ferry.  This was in the days before mobile phones and we phoned his wife back in the UK and just said tell him we'll meet him on the Mulsanne Straight noon tomorrow!

Putting our bikes away for the night in the obliging Frenchman's barn he came to admire them and opined...  Ah, Triomph, plus fort!  and to my mate's Ducati 888 SP5 he delivered this verdict...  Eh Ducati, tres fragile!!  I dined out on that for the rest of the trip 

Oh yes, midday on the dot the CB1100R came barrelling down the straight!  Mobile phones, who needs 'em!

[Iahawk]

great story, Neil! I wish this forum offered the 'thumb's up' emoji as a response..

[Neil955i]

great story, Neil! I wish this forum offered the 'thumb's up' emoji as a response..

Glad you liked it Hawk. Not wanting to put a downer on it, but sadly the guy on the Honda, my Best Man and a friend of 40 years succumbed to cancer 2 months ago. I still miss him.  Carpe diem.

[Mancashire]

I’m sorry for your loss. Hopefully thinking about the good times you had will provide some comfort.

[CROSSBOLT]

F1, the Alpine rallies, Paddy Hopkirk, Cosworth Ford engines, Lotus America (got to drive one when a BMC mech/tech), R&T magazine, Warren Worth in Car & Driver all while in engineering school in the early 60's. Cars and races fron Europe and the world eclipsed the red neck ovals here. Grahm Hill, John Sutees and others from Britain were legends and dominated racing. Richie Ginther was a hoot! One driver from GB was king of all but cannot remenber his name.
The F1 cars influenced a huge change at Indianapolis 500 when a rear engine Lotus almost won with a pushrod Ford V8 and a Brit driver (can't recall him either except in mind visual).
American racing movies were always disappointing until Bret Maverick and Bullit made a couple. Okay, James Garner and Steve McQueen!
Neil, what a trip! On real motorcycles to boot!

[Neil955i]

F1, the Alpine rallies, Paddy Hopkirk, Cosworth Ford engines, Lotus America (got to drive one when a BMC mech/tech), R&T magazine, Warren Worth in Car & Driver all while in engineering school in the early 60's. Cars and races fron Europe and the world eclipsed the red neck ovals here. Grahm Hill, John Sutees and others from Britain were legends and dominated racing. Richie Ginther was a hoot! One driver from GB was king of all but cannot remenber his name.
The F1 cars influenced a huge change at Indianapolis 500 when a rear engine Lotus almost won with a pushrod Ford V8 and a Brit driver (can't recall him either except in mind visual).
American racing movies were always disappointing until Bret Maverick and Bullit made a couple. Okay, James Garner and Steve McQueen!
Neil, what a trip! On real motorcycles to boot!

You thinking about Stirling Moss there Karl? Edit: No, guess not. https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/news-multimedia/news/2020/04/14/stirling-moss-connections-indy-500-04-14-2020

Further Edit: Actually, it was Jim Clark https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/people-of-ims/indianapolis-500-drivers/jim-clark

[Stig / Major Tom]

When i was a teenager Clark was my hero.
Isn't he the one who had an F1 Lotus hanging on his living room wall.
Stig

[Neil955i]

When i was a teenager Clark was my hero.
Isn't he the one who had an F1 Lotus hanging on his living room wall.
Stig

Sounds plausible!

[CROSSBOLT]

Yes, Stirling Moss and Jimmy Clark!