Trivia Question

[a110alpine]

not that I was implying that slot cars brought a bad omen to the real race car drivers a couple comments spurred additional thoughts.. pick up any model magazine during the 60's and there were articles on building those real racing replicas that the "great drivers" were driving during this period. I read these articles religiously. I built them all .... pedro and ricardo rodriguez, hill bandini, miles, sachs, hansgen, macdonald, boener, rindt, McLaren, scarfiottii, bonnier, donohue and I am sure several others that escape me all died before I could change the pick up brushes for the first time. it seemed that my slot car collection became a miniature casket collection.. for the record hall and moss had crashes that ended their careers. the major theme in the movie "grand prix" was why race until you die or get as close as you can to near death???.. while these drivers were alive their heroic exploits brought kids to slot cars. one could make a case that all this death eventually put a damper on our beloved miniature hobby.. when I was 12 I thought glen fireball Roberts was a god. I knew for sure he was going to survive that crash... ........

[BIG E]

Excellent info for those not in the know, well stated. A.J. Foyt and Dan Gurney have always been my American born racing heroes. When they won Le Mans in 1967, driving a FORD prototype (and me being a Ford guy), it was a triple win for me personally, and for all American racing fans. I've had the pleasure of shaking hands with both gentlemen more than once through the years, and have had the privilege of being allowed to put my hands on and photograph the winning Ford GT MK IV race car!
As a teenager, when I saw the pictures and heard of the death of my favorite non-American driver, Jim Clark, I was devastated. I've saved everything I had, and still buy books and video when they are available to me. It was both an exciting and emotional personal moment when I was presented with the opportunity to have a few minutes alone, "one on one", with Jim Clark's Indy winning Lotus. His countrymen, World Formula One Champion Sir Jackie Stewart and Indy 500/IndyCar Series Champion Dario Franchitti both hold Jim Clark close to their hearts today. I had a brief two minute hello, handshake, and autograph with Sir Jackie 10 years ago, and he confirmed this to me when I inquired. I've seen photos of Franchitti's trophy room, and the decor is a tribute to Jim Clark.
Your point about the frequent deaths in motorsports at that time putting kids off the hobby is probably true in some cases. Fortunately for myself, I have remained in the hobby for over 50 years now, and always remember our racing heroes who have passed from this world. I believe that some knowledge of the history of motorsport adds to the enjoyment of model car building and racing, regardless of your age, and what era of racing you hold in preference.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the hobby... Ernie

[ElSecundo]

[BIG E]

Yes! ... and I agree with your point of view.
Some of the younger guys I race with will ask, "why do you have so many #14 slot cars, are you a big Tony Stewart fan?" To which I usually reply "Yes, I am. But the 14 comes from A.J. Foyt. Tony Stewart also happens to be a Foyt fan, and if you look at the font of the number on his stock car, it's A.J.'s traditional 14. Tony Stewart "did the paperwork" to use A.J.'s 14 in NASCAR (or so the story goes). And Mr. Foyt is also a fan of Tony!"

Enjoy the racing... Ernie

[ElSecundo]

Ernie, it's probably not much of a coincidence that I was a big AJ fan, too. He was my favorite driver by far when I was a kid -- almost as much for winning at Le Mans as his three (eventually four) Indy wins. :)

He was bigger than life! Today he's probably bigger than a house, but that's another story.

[BIG E]

Yeah, but to see him walk (or drive his golf cart) around the pits -anywhere- he's regarded as royalty.
Busted back, mangled feet, he still came back to race - and win!
So he can't fit in an IndyCar anymore - our loss, really!
He's STILL the man... Ernie

[ElSecundo]

Absolutely. One of the all-time greatest in American racing! :)

[nhdungeonracer]

[ElSecundo]

[waaytoomuchintothis]

I was born in '51, so A.J. was a huge name in my childhood era. I remember a story about his explosive temper. He had a land tract of land near Houston Texas, and when he was furious at something he would hold on as long as he could so he could get home and get the Caterpillar D9 out of the shed and go push trees down. He shoved 90 foot pine trees down to relieve tension!

[ddyke]

Jerry Grant?

[ddyke]

John Barnes of Panther?

[TSMRA]