[V8] Re: Fw: SPOILER: F-1 results. Complaints, anyone?

[Michael Riebs / Audi V8]

> > I still ask. Road course = racing. NASCAR = crash spectacle,
> > which is what the "race fans" in the US want to see.
>
> I think we're in "violent agreement" on this point -- crashes are an
> unavoidable element of any motorsport, but they're emphatically NOT what
> turns me on.

My point here is, that not only is it "unavoidable" in NASCAR, but almost
"expected", where as in other motorsports, you try to avoid collissions as
much as possible, but know that sooner or later - it is "truly" unavoidable
to have an accident.

>  It takes a hell of a lot more courage and talent to drive a
> racing car than it does to sit in front of the TV and bitch about it, and
> THAT'S what got me going.

Not "bitching". Trying to learn. Wondering why this - and not that -
fascinates the American racing fan.

> > Just because there aren't "lead changes"
> > doesn't mean that there is no passing, and passing for
> > position and points!
>
> I think I'm getting the picture that what you (and I, for that matter)
> dislike may be TELEVISED racing.

<snip>

Actually, most of the F1 races (except Indonesia) has been really good about
that (showing the lesser positions).

> "Driven," which was described as not simply the worst racing movie ever
> made, but the worst MOVIE ever made.

Ever seen anything with Chevy Chase in it? (Just kidding. I like Chevy).

> And of course, racing in the dirt (something I've never done, BTW, not yet
> anyway) is a direct part of our Quattro heritage.  There, I'm miraculously
> on topic. :-)

Amazing how that suddenly happened!  :-)

> I'll take off my
> participant's hat for a moment and put on my fan's hat and say that
compared
> to what Tommi Makinen or Carlos Sainz have to go through in a day's work,
> Michael Schumacher looks like a pampered, overpaid sissy-boy.

What? Youdon't think he "deserves" $12,000,000.00 per year to run around
looking cool, and win 17 races/year? Unbelievable!
Who is the 2'nd highest paid employee of Ford Motor Company?
Yep! You got it. And all the while trailing around not even in the points!

> WRC competition SCARES me -- and makes me want to give it a try.  (See
> "questioning the sanity of the drivers," below.)

Can you imagine hanging off a clif, that youmissed?
Remember the "group B" cars back in the 70's and 80's? Many of the fans were
killed when the cars went off - and the fans are still standing RIGHT NEXT
TO THE TRACK today, with the cars blazing around the corners at harrowing
speeds. Not me, baby!

> I earnestly invite you get out on some of those Saturdays and Sundays and
> head out to the racetrack, ANY racetrack, and volunteer to crew or flag or
> otherwise get involved with making the event happen.

I currently race on a road course every Saturday with my MB S55 AMG, which
is sponsored by my company. My Son and I each have one, and we like racing
together. After each 5 minute race - about 20 laps - we get to corner
marshall the next race. Oh, did I forget to mention it's 1/10'th scale R/C
cars? Whoops! Still very exciting though. He's 10, and I hope to develop
some serious racing entusiasm in him. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to catch
his interest very much. Not the 3 year old is a whole different story. He'll
sit there glued to the screen, no matter what the type of racing. If it
involves cars going fast - or even monster trucks, he's there, and is out
there trying hard to keep up with older brother with his "toy quality" R/C
truck. He'll be my race fan.

>  the simple act of putting on a helmet reduces the wearer's IQ
> by 75 points

Can they really afford that?  :-)

> (Golf fans: you may now make fun of me for the observation that, given all
> the home-improvement shows my wife and I watch, our favorite televised
> activity is literally watching paint dry.)

Hmm, my wife bought some sod from a turf farm, and I had to go pick it up.
It just then dawned on me, that the people who sold it to us have the job of
"watching the grass grow".

Michael L. Riebs
Grand Rapids, Michigan

'90 V8Q
'98 A6QA

www.1stchoicegranite.com