Between Mad Max and Tony G Who Wouldn’t Look to NASCAR?
With the recent demotion of Tony George within the IRL’s chain-of-command and the alleged soon-to-be-departed Max “The Littlest Perv” Mosley - alleged with Mosley having to get over his snit-fit about being called a “dictator” - from the FIA who wouldn’t be looking at NASCAR?
But frankly I’m surprised at who is looking to North America’s most successful racing series and in fact apparently has become a fan of NASCAR.
Former F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen recently held a Q & A session with AutoWeek.
Among the obvious questions about the FOTA/FIA spat and thoughts on driving with or without driver aids and traction control he was asked about NASCAR.
AW: Is there any racing you prefer to watch as a spectator over any other kind?
Hakkinen: “I personally would be looking at NASCAR.”
AW: Really?
Hakkinen: Really. “I find it very exciting. In Formula One these days, there are not so many spectators. You don’t feel, really, the public. But in NASCAR, you have I don’t know how many hundreds of thousands of spectators. And the race itself, it’s a tough race, a great challenge. And, of course, the tactics from the team. And it’s simple to understand.”
AW: So you’re going NASCAR racing?
Hakkinen: “Well, you never know.”
And with that, the great Finn rose and left the room, leaving us with these encouraging words: “Gentlemen, don’t drive too fast.”
It’s true one never knows what the future would hold but Mika has about as much chance as landing anything but a test/familiarization drive as I do.
None the less it’s interesting he’s attuned to the sport enough to make any type of comment let alone one that complementary to some degree.
Mika was & still is an enigma, while not the complete rounded package of a Schumacher or Alonso (2007 excluded), he may well have more raw pace than any other F1 driver in the modern era.
He & Montoya are to me the most perplexing of F1 talents in the last 20 years.
Well, there will soon be an opening at Earnhardt-Ganassi. He can be JPM’s teammate next year.
Doug - you’re assuming EGR makes it to the new year, I’m not so sure.
Between the uber-mismanagement skills of Teresa and Ganassi never having gotten his NASCAR stuff together it’s a toss-up.
Peter - sad to say, and I can’t explain why, but my everlasting image is of Mika during one of his last couple years in F1.
He had crashed out and a helicopter shot of him sitting on his butt weeping like a baby has never left me.
I can’t even remember the race or location but the image is ingrained in my brain.
It was Italy, Monza not San Marino I think, & it was…….um, 98 the first year he won the title. If I recall he made a unforced error & dropped the car. That is off the top of my head, unchecked.
I went & checked……. it was 99
Without looking I’ll take your word for it. For some odd reason I remember it as one of his last couple years and he wept because it knocked him out of the title, but alas, I’m a sixties child.
If you get my meaning.