THIS IS MY CHANCE TO FULMINATE, FOAM AT THE MOUTH, JUMP UP AND DOWN AND KICK MY FEET ABOUT WHAT I FIND TO BE GOOFY IN TODAY'S MOTOR RACING "CIRCUS."
FOR EXAMPLE...
As promised on Tony Karis' KNRY, Monterey, California Area, Radio show of 20 January, these are the links to young American racers.
Listed above are the names of young American racing drivers who are attempting to carve a nitch in open wheel racing! Over half of them have some international racing experience and a couple of them have completed positive tests with Formula One teams. Of the nine names on this list, one will be competing in international open wheel competition, the rest will be racing in America in the Indy Lights category. Eighteen year-old Alexander Rossi from Nevada City, California, will compete in GP3, the first rung of the international Formula One ladder. Having spent time in Nevada City when I was working at Beale Air Force Base, (Home of the U-2 Dragon Lady, aka Spyplane) back in the nineties, I remember Nevada City as a rustic town in the hills. A nice place, but hardly the home of a budding Formula One Super Star!
But then again, I live in Manteca, California, hometown of Scott Speed, the last (or rather ONLY) American to race in international Formula One in the 21st Century (to date). Manteca has long been considered the gas stop along Highway 120 on the way to Yosemite National Park. Let's just say that it is farm country and let it go at that! Scott Speed was an unknown Go Kart racer, who may have never gained much attention if it hadn't been for the euphemistically titled. " Red Bull Driver Search: Searching for the Future American F1 Champion," scheme.
So, whatever happened to the " Red Bull Driver Search: Searching for the Future American F1 Champion," ploy? (Scheme? Game?) Does anyone even remember what it was all about?
Here you go!
Back in 2001/02 a woman (Maria Jannace) who was in the public relations business (Maxim Sports Management, Inc.) convinced Dietrich Mateschitz, the owner of Red Bull, the energy drinks company to sponsor a program to fund young American racing drivers to compete for the opportunity to race in Formula One.
Ah Ha! We thought! Now, there will be a publicity onslaught (progress reports, in depth reports of what these young drivers were doing and personality profiles) in the press and on SPEEDTV and ESPN.
WRONG! As a matter of fact, I'll bet that very few American's know anything about the " Red Bull Driver Search:
Searching for the Future American F1 Champion," or even know who participated in the program. Paul Edwards, Grant Maiman, Joel Nelson and Scott Speed (Photo, Left: Manteca, California's Scott Speed competes in the Red Bull driver search tests at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France.) were the final selectees for the first year. Of the bunch, Paul Edwards had the most experience racing open wheel cars in Europe. None of the others had any appreciable experience.
Let's pause and look at the rest of initial group of young racers selected to participate in the " Red Bull Driver Search: Searching for the Future American F1 Champion," Michael Abbate, Phil Giebler, Joey Hand, Patrick Long, Rocky Moran, Jr.,, Scott Poirier, Boston Reid, Bryan Sellers, Bobby Wilson, also selected were A.J. Allmendinger, and Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Joey Hand and Bryan Sellers are successful sports car racers, Boston Reid has competed in Stock Cars; Paul Edwards races Pontiacs in the ALMS and Pat Long is a Porsche factory racer; A.J. Allmendinger was successful in Champ Car and NASCAR, Ryan Hunter-Reay competes in the IRL. Notice that none of them are an "American F1 Champion!"
It's amazing! Having spent a major portion of my life around motor racing, trade shows and promotion, it didn't take me long to notice that there was no promotion by Red Bull of the "Search for the Future American F1 Champion," program.
If you remember, I said that the " Red Bull Driver Search: Searching for the Future American F1 Champion," dingus was initiated by a woman who was in the public relations business. She was not, however, in the "Sports Marketing," or even "Just Plain Marketing," business!
Did you ever see, while strolling through your local grocery store or druggist's, a cut out of Scott Speed or A.J. Allmendinger in their RED BULL emblazoned driving suit holding a can of RED BULL with the words: "I drink Red Bull because it's good!" or whatever. Was there anything on the can saying: "Send in six crushed Red Bull cans and receive an official RED BULL Racing Tee Shirt." Or, "Send in twelve crushed Red Bull cans and receive an official RED BULL Racing ball cap!" No? Ever wonder why? Because Red Bull is not in the sports sponsorship business! Red Bull is in the business of SELLING Red Bull!
They don't have to worry about not getting my money. . . I'm a Diabetic already!
An aside: Back in the last century there was a Scottish racing team that raced under the name "Ecurie Ecosse," French for "Team Scotland." In 1956 and 1957 Ecurie Ecosse won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ecurie Ecosse also operated a public subscription (fan club) organization called The Ecurie Ecosse Association (EEA). It was a fairly large organization and consisted numerous members world-wide (including me.) There were and are numerous English racing team and racing drivers supporters clubs.
In America, Dan Gurney's racing organization created the "Eagle Club," along the lines of the Ecurie Ecosse Association and entrepreneur Lloyd "Lucky" Casner , "a Florida businessman," created "CAsner MOtor RAcing DIvision USA and a supporters club. CAMORADI USA, raced Maserati sports cars and achieved consequtive victories at the 1960 and 1961 1000Km of the Nurburgring.
In the 80's Benetton Formula One had a supporters club as did Johnny Herbert. Ford Motor Company through the Ford AeroSpace Team (FAST) had an employee supporters club. Even Rubens Barichello and David Coulthard had subscription clubs. You would have expected Red Bull (in America) to have done a little more to promote Scott Speed as the "the Future American F1 Champion,"
in 2005, after the aforementioned Scott Speed had achieved a position for the 2006 Formula One season with the Red Bull owned Scuderia Toro Rosso racing team, operated by ex-Formula One racer Gerhard Berger, the program was declared a success and stopped! By that time the " Red Bull Driver Search: Searching for the Future American F1 Champion," dingleberry had selected Dominique Claessens, Colin Fleming, (who was last seen racing Stock Cars) and Matt Jaskol Their final selection was John Edwards (2009 Formula Atlantic Champion) and that's it!
One guy! One Guy sorta achieves the opportunity to race in Formula One for a second rate racing team! That's it! Speed was released from his contract with Scuderia Toro Rosso during the 2007 racing season after some VERY lacklustre performances in Formula One and returned to America. After an apprenticeship in the ARCA REMAX Stock Car series, moved into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series and today, races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup! Not for long, if he doesn't improve his performance!
Want to guess who the Future American F1 Champion is? Close your eyes. . . What do you see?
A COUPLE OF COMMENTS 1) Happy New Year to Sir Stirling Moss! On 17 September,
Sir Stirling achieved and passed a major milestone when he celebrated his Eightieth Birthday! He really looked good during the Monterey Historics at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in August. The photograph (left) was a serendipitous occurrence. I took the opportunity to introduce automotive artist Nicolas Hunziker to Stirling Moss during the Monterey Historics at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Nicolas Hunziker is the Grand-nephew of Prince Bira of Thailand, a pre and post war racing driver. Moss competed against Bira in the late forties and early fifties. The drawing that Stirling is holding was done by Nick the night before the meeting. Today, Nick Hunziker has a business agreement with the racing legend.
2) PSSST! Hey Buddy! Wanna Buy A Pig In A Poke? That, Ladies and Gentleman is what the group that dug up Donington Park, England's first purpose built road racing circuit and pre World War Two host to the Grands Prix of Britain did. They made promises that they couldn't keep. Who knows, maybe they had no plan when they promised the Wheatcroft family that they would develop and finance Donington Park. I have heard that all their digging has made the famed circuit unsuitable for top class motor racing! BLOODY WANKERS!
Manteca, California: Back in the last Century, before radios and telemetry on Grand Prix Cars and when the names of the cars were not prefaced by the name of a corporation, there was a level of sportsmanship that seems to have been totally lost on the current crop of, "win regardless of the circumstances wankers," hiding under some high falootin title in the pit boxes of modern Formula One and I'm sick of it!
I first became interested in Grands Prix racing in the mid fifties. The teams were Mercedes Benz, Ferrari, Maserati, Gordini, Connaught and Vanwall. The racing drivers were from Argentina, America, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Siam and Spain. The sport of auto racing had written rules, also had a set of unwritten rules which governed SPORTSMANSHIP!
Specific examples include:
The 1956 Grand Prix of Italy at Monza, which was raced on the combined road and banked circuit that year: Three-time World Drivers' Champion Juan Manuel Fangio and titular Ferrari team leader had dropped out of the race because of mechanical problems. The Ferrari team consisted of Fangio, Peter Collins, Italians Eugenio Castellotti and Luigi Musso and Spain's Marquis De Portago.
Fangio stood in the pits and by virtue of his standing as Ferrari team leader, waited for one of the other drivers to come into the pits and turn their car over to him. The Italian drivers each refused to give up their cars to the reigning World Drivers' Champion! The story is that both Castellotti and Musso saw this as a chance to win their home Grand Prix and in the process drove their cars into retirement. The Marquis De Portago had blown his Ferrari's engine on the first lap. As the Italian pair continued on their self destructive quest, British Ferrari driver Peter Collins, who had the chance to become the first Briton to be crowned World Drivers' Champion, pulled into the Ferrari pit and seeing Fangio standing without a car to race, graciously offered the Maestro his race car enabling him to finish the race and ensure his fourth World Drivers' Championship!
Back in 1953 at the Grand Prix of France on the high speed Reims circuit, Briton Mike Hawthorn in a Ferrari and Argentinian Juan Manuel Fangio in a Maserati were involved in a side by side duel that lasted more than half the race. According to Hawthorn, in his book "Challenge Me The Race," Fangio apparently missed a shift as the duo departed the slow Thillios Hairpin. As the pair raced side by side, looking at each other, Hawthorn just pipped Fangio at the finish line.
In the 1958 Grand Prix of France at Reims, Winner Mike Hawthorn lapped everyone except five time World Drivers' Champion Juan Manuel Fangio, who had announced his retirement from auto racing with this race, out of respect for the Maestro!
By the way, Stirling Moss lost out on his best chance to become World Drivers' Champion in 1958, when at the Grand Prix of Portugal, he allowed his sense of right and sportsmanship to overcome whatever mercenary thoughts he may have had, to testify to the stewards of the meet on behalf of Ferrari's Mike Hawthorn. Hawthorn and Moss were locked in what could be considered a monumental struggle to become the first British World Drivers' Champion. Moss' dominance of the race was such that he had lapped all but second place runner Mike Hawthorn. Hawthorn was on his final lap of the race when he lost the car and spun off the track stalling his engine.
Stirling, who was on his cool down lap, came upon Hawthorn desperately trying to push start his Ferrari up an incline. Moss stopped his Vanwall and instructed Mike to turn the car around and push it down the incline (which was not a part of the racing circuit.) He also hung around to ensure that no spectators helped Hawthorn as that would lead to his disqualification from the race!
The corner marshals had reported that Hawthorn had received outside assistance in re-starting his car and the stewards conducted an inquiry. Hawthorn maintained his second place finish and the World Drivers' Championship points based on Stirling Moss' testimony. Moss didn't win the 1958 World Drivers' Championship through his sense of honor and one point!
The recent antics over the "Stepneygate Spy Scandal," a couple of years ago and now, the lying about whether Lewis Hamilton was told to allow Jarno Trulli to pass him behind the Safety Car in Australia and then to lie about it to the stewards of the meet rank's as among the most stupid yet!
The current Formula One races are monitored more tightly than we (the Western Powers) monitored the old Soviet Union! There is the Television feed, the Radio (pit to car and car to pit) traffic and Telemetry! This has got to stop! Let's go back to the days of no radios and start using pit boards again!
So, where's the SPORTSMANSHIP?!?
Those of you who have seen the pictures of Nigel Mansell giving Ayrton Senna a lift back to the pits on the sidepod of his Williams GP car raise your hands! BTW drivers are not allowed to do that anymore!
THAT'S MY OPINION AND I'M STICKIN TO IT!
: EUR-BLOODY-EKA! The recent meetings in Geneva (Switzerland) of the representatives of the Formula One racing teams has finally recognized the most important ingredient of the giant Formula One pie! THE CUSTOMER!
Back in the days before the "Super Stars" and their rock star like posse's and private planes and special Motorhomes and Helicopters, racing drivers like the great Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Dan Gurney, Mike Hawthorn and Masten Gregory could be approached by the average punter in the paddock at Silverstone or Spa for an autograph or to pose for a personal photograph and they would jump at the chance. Or, as I learned as a young man, a letter from a race fan would be personally answered by Stirling Moss or Ecurie Ecosse (twice winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans) team manager David Murray along with a signed photograph.
In 1961 at the 1000 Km of the Nurburgring, I happened upon Dan Gurney going into the Sporthotel and I asked him if he would sign my ticket. Both he and Jo Bonnier who was with him signed my crumpled ticket with a smile and thanked me!
Today, at the Daytona Motor Speedway during the days leading up to the Daytona 500, a race fan can patiently wait near a window (much like a ticket window at a movie theater) and if the "Star," decides to come over, the race fan can slide his program or whatever through the slot to be signed! No personal interaction! Some of the "so called," Stars don't even make eye contact!
One of the most important instructions that I lay on those young drivers who seek my assistance and advice is that. "The Racing Fan Is Your Customer!" You are in the Customer Service Business! If you don't take care of your Customer He or she wont come to see you race!"
Eighteen year old Troy Castenada, graduated High School in Sacramento, California, packed his bags and moved to Italy to race in Formula Master. He is being interviewed after achieving a pair of top five finishes in his first ever races in the Formula Master Italia Series. Oh yeah! He learned Italian, "On The Job!"
Notice the "billboard space," on his driving suit!
I continually remind the drivers to: a. Always carry a Sharpie in your pocket! b. Always carry your "Hero Cards!" c. If you are being interviewed take off your sunglasses! d. If a mom and dad are walking with a little kid. Stop and talk with them and pay attention to the little kid. That is your NEXT race fan! Your CUSTOMER!
If you have had the privilege of visiting this web site over time, you know about Sergey Shleikin and my encounters with racing fans in England. If not, this will be new to you.
Being a loud, colorful, audacious and bold American, I considered the six races (two at Donington Park, two at Silverstone and two at Brands Hatch) to be an opportunity to promote the racing team and the drivers. I had arranged with Hillspeed's Richard Ollerenshaw to have hero autograph (Left) cards printed that the drivers would sign and pass out to the assembled throng.
I started at Donington Park by putting a table and chairs out in front of the team's awning and announced that the drivers would be available signing autographs at a specified time.
Holy Kry-ma-nentlies! Bat Dude! You'd have thought that I had announced that two drivers infected with mad bird cow flu disease wanted to pass it on to everyone at the track!
People would walk by and avert their eyes or walk on the other side of the paddock walkway rather than come over and meet a couple of nice young racing drivers! Realizing that it was "Time To Take The Bull By The Tail And Face The Situation."* I walked into the middle of the walkway and started in, "Say, you look like you could do with an autograph from a couple of nearly famous racing drivers!" I said. "Hey! Come over here! Do you know that these two drivers have been waiting for you to come over and ask for their autograph?"
"I'll tell you what I'm gonna do! - You can get two autographs from these drivers for the price of none!" I bellowed. "Just get in line! They promise not to bite!" Spying people toting used Michelin race tire carcasses. I said. "Do you know that two autographs from these guys weigh less than those Michelins and aren't as dirty?"
*"Time To Take The Bull By The Tail And Face The Situation." One of the many sayings coined by comedian W.C. (William Claude) Fields. Sorta fits today's economic situation.
People lined up and talked with Sergey Shleikin and teammate Zan Wilkinson. The drivers even took kids back to sit in the race car while mom or dad took their picture! Midway through all this falderal I suddenly realized that the only place in the paddock where there was a crowd, was right in front of our awning! As a matter of fact I noticed that there were a lot of Formula Renault UK racing teams with their
awing flaps closed!
Photo Left: Sergey Shleikin and Zan Wilkinson signing autographs at Brands Hatch, England. Photo Right: Sergey Shleikin makes a couple of friends at Silverstone, also in England.
Now here is my dilemma! I have always figured that if you want to be famous you have to do something that will get people's attention! Apparently, the rest of the Formula Renault racers in the paddock felt that they didn't need racing fans to be famous! While the fans were lined up in front of the Hillspeed enclosure, the other teams were entertaining the IMPORTANT people behind those closed awning flaps!
Sorry guys! It's the average race fan-The punter, if you will, who is the most important person in your little lives!
Well sir, or mam, in my past lives I have sold magazines door to door, I've sold my auto racing drawings and watercolors at art shows, I've organized professional conferences and trade shows, I've organized racing car shows and I have put on Journalist's functions. Heck. I've operated retail appliance stores. I still own a MAYTAG Repairman uniform that I used to wear sitting outside the store to get attention. I like people and dammit, all to heck, race fans are on the top of my list!
Sure, I've run into people who don't get it. Like the young woman who told me that she couldn't be bothered getting autographs because. "I have a boyfriend." Or, the woman who said. "Oh I don't need an autograph, I am a race driver." But they're the exception!
As I tell the drivers and anyone else who will listen. "It Doesn't Mean Anything In The Grander Scheme Of Things."
I'd bet you more people knew about Hillspeed Racing, Sergey Shleikin and Zan Wilkinson than any other racing team in the Formula Renault paddock
But let's hope that the Formula One drivers can bring themselves to "associate," with the average racin fan!
Years ago (back in the last Century), I confided to fledgling racing driver Zak Brown after I had him talk to
members of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) and guests at a breakfast meeting at Laguna Seca Raceway, that. "Auto racing is a contact sport. Not on the race track, but at activities like this."
Today, Zak Brown is the owner of Just Marketing a highly successful motorsport marketing company in Indianapolis, Indiana!
That's right Folks! The same Zak Brown who has appeared on WINDTUNNEL With Dave Despain and has been approached by Tony George to find a Name Sponsor for the U.S.Grand Prix at Indianapolis.
The same Zak Brown who was a featured speaker at the Motorsport Business Forum in Monte Carlo!
Ya think he might have taken my advice to heart?
