favorite drivers of all time and why ?

[Brian Skeoch]

name your favorite drivers of all time and why. Mine are mostly drivers that I am familiar with from growing up in Indianapolis .

here are mine

Rick Mears - 4 time winner at Indy, all for Penske and genuine nice gentlemen
Jim Clark - put Lotus on the map of US open wheel racing
AJ Foyt - 4 time winnner, Lemans GT40, IMSA Porsche 962, and bad ass.
Gordon Johncoc - 2 time Indy winner and great looking wife named Sue
Al Holbert - IMSA genuis
Lauda - Ferrair F 1 genius
Senna - Lotus Camel car, great in the rain, first win

Brian

[dpr59]

Ronnie Peterson - Watched him play with Andretti in the Dutch GP. His contract had him second, moraly first. Best driver ever to pilot a Lotus F1 car.

Jackie Ickx - For overtaking Niki Lauda around the outside in the wet at Brands. The Ferrari was probably better than the 72E but no one told Ickx.

Dale Earnhart - Top NASCAR driver, god rest.

Emerson Fittipaldi - Youngest F1 Champ in 1972, and in a Lotus. Then went onto Cart championship.



Others,
Pedro Rodreguez, Jo Siffert for the BRM and Porsche 917K years.


The drivers that didn't stick to F1 in any year, or weekend come to that.
F1, F2 sports cars. Offer a seat and they got in it.

[Brian Skeoch]

Nice list of drivers...

Bob Aiken was also pretty darned good in that Coke Porsche 935, as was Danny Ongias.

I love racing...

[WayneB]

I tend to like drivers who may not have been the best at technically setting the cars up, but have the skill and courage to wring out every bit of performance the car has (and some it doesn't) They are what we call "Racers":)

Ronnie Peterson. Watching him flinging the Lotus 72 around like it was a go-kart at Silverstone made me a believer! I am positive he would have eventually made F1 champion had he have lived. If you know nothing about him, Coterie Press have an excellent book on his life (well worth reading)
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/WayneBarr/ronniewoodcotejps-2.jpg

Gilles Villeneuve, had a similar all or nothing driving style to Ronnie, and he managed to make F1 look like alot of fun to participate in (unlike today) That lap after lap dice he had with Rene Arnoux was very entertaining. Still an true Canadian hero to this day.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzCqY8Wg5So
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/5/5a/GillesVilleneuve_ReneArnoux_Dijion1979.jpg

Pedro Rodgreguez. Forget all that romantic Steve McQueen nonsense, this was the guy who could really drive a Porsche 917 (especially in the wet). I remember his drive in the BOAC 1000 km at Brands Hatch in the wet, lapping the whole field to win (even though he was bought in to the pits twice for penalties)! And that pass he made going around his teamate on the outside of Eau Rouge (in the wet)
http://memoiresdestands.hautetfort.com/images/ote1.jpg

Keke Rossberg (he has B*lls of steel that guy) , says it like it is , gets on with the job (probably why he did so well at Williams with Frank W and Patrick Head.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/WayneBarr/Rosberg.jpg
Chris Hodgetts , I worked for Chris for about 4 years, 3 time winner of the RAC British Touring Car Championship,regularly beating cars in the faster classes, with the right backing he could have been Formula 1 or at least a Le Mans winner. If he is still head instructor at the John Watson racing school at Silverstone you should book a course ASAP and reap the benefit of his talent and experience.
http://news.u-car.com.tw/news-images/2006/09/nc-20060905-35442.jpg

Loads more people I could mention, maybe when I have a spare hour or Two.!

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/WayneBarr/RonnieOversteer.jpg