Here's a quick blog post about my experience of seeing Senna race I am lucky to have had the opportunity, I didn't realize how lucky at the time.

Also was really happy to see Nigel Mansell at Long Beach Indy in '93 when he went on to win the championship that year.

How about you? Seen any wicked races or any of your racing heroes?

Not yet sadly. If Schumacher is still around next year, I will make a big effort to go to the Belgian Grand Prix.

Outside of Motorsport, I've met a few folk who have been big players in sport I've followed/played. I guess they sorta count.

I've been to a few historic events, an ALMS race at Limerock, an IndyCar race at Watkins Glen, and the '04 USGP, but nothing compared to the 2011 Indy 500 for me.

No especially notable drivers, but when you're in the 3rd row at the turn in for T1, your bones shake as the field runs into T1 for the first time (I was literally shaking). Then, lap after lap, rubber is spit in your face and air slammed, very loudly, into your ear, in a way that seems simply unachievable. Of course, being the 100th Anniversary and all, there was a lot of history surrounding the event, and no doubt that the race itself was going to be a classic.

Getting to see Tony Stewart drive an F1 car for the first time at Watkins Glen last year was very cool. Also the time he showed up unannounced at a World of Outlaws race was memorable. He does that kind of stuff all the time but its just cool to see a guy that has accomplished as much as he has still show up at a little dirt track in the middle of nowhere just to race.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQJA3zvGriM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPDBza-1HeU

Best sporting event I've ever been to might have to be the lacrosse championship game that happened in my home town this past spring. The NLL is the "major league" of lacrosse here but it is still a very small sport. Well we were in the championship, at home, and ended up going down 5-1 in the first half. Start the second half with 5 straight goals to go up 6-5 and never lost the lead after that. The building was so loud when we went on that run it was crazy, I've been to plenty of racing events in my life and my ears were ringing just as much after this game.

I saw Narain Karthikeyan race last year. It was truly a life-changing experience

Closest I've been to an idol like that is when my uncle owned Frank Biela's 1992 French Touring car, Audi 80, albeit had 600+bhp so not really a touring car as we know today :P.


But I sat in the cockpit and then realised this was a car that 3 times Le Mans winner and BTCC champion had driven prior to those achievements and it filled me with awe to know someone drove that car flat out around tiny french national tracks.

This year I have been visiting three 24h races in three different countries...

24h Nürburgring
24h Le Mans
24h Spa Francorchamps

...so I've seen a lot of outstanding drivers this year already!

2002 cadillac gp i seen alot of alms's originators as well as old great cars like the panoz and ear deafening lola judds. As for drag racing i personally shook hands with people like kenny and brandon bernstein, ron capps, john force, jim yates, bob glidden, the list goes on.

Quote from UncleBenny :

Best sporting event I've ever been to might have to be the lacrosse championship game that happened in my home town this past spring. The NLL is the "major league" of lacrosse here but it is still a very small sport. Well we were in the championship, at home, and ended up going down 5-1 in the first half. Start the second half with 5 straight goals to go up 6-5 and never lost the lead after that. The building was so loud when we went on that run it was crazy, I've been to plenty of racing events in my life and my ears were ringing just as much after this game.

I love going to Lacrosse games. (Go Rock Go!) Great times, for sure.


As for idols; Ron Fellows is mine. I've seen him race at Mosport several times, met him in person twice, and he was my senior thesis advisor.

Silverstone 1999 and 2012 for the F1. 1999 when Schumacher broke his leg. Could see Hakkinen lose his wheel from where we were sitting. Can I classify Irvine as an idol too?

Then again this year seeing Vettel and Alonso.

Silverstone 2011 for the moto gp, seeing Lorenzo, Stoner, Dovi, Pedrosa, and more importantly, Simoncelli .

Quote from Michael Denham :

Here's a quick blog post about my experience of seeing Senna race I am lucky to have had the opportunity, I didn't realize how lucky at the time.

Also was really happy to see Nigel Mansell at Long Beach Indy in '93 when he went on to win the championship that year.

How about you? Seen any wicked races or any of your racing heroes?

I will go you one better, met and talked to Senna in Montreal in a night club, and I have pictures of Senna in the lobby of the then Renaissance Ctr in Detroit.

CART Surfers Paradise round in 1999.

Dario Franchitti won the race. Michael Andretti was 5th. JPM was also there as well.

I saw Nick Catsburg a year ago in Donnington!

Spent 4 days in Las Vegas watching Schumacher, Wheldon (interviewed him for the second time. Everything you heard about him being an awesome person was true) and best karters in the world race in the Rio's car park. not joking - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAnXp_L6RjI

Quote from Rudagar :

Silverstone 2011 for the moto gp, seeing Lorenzo, Stoner, Dovi, Pedrosa, and more importantly, Simoncelli .

If ever there was a rider who rode with all their heart, it was Simoncelli.

I saw Senna's last F1 victory at Adelaide in 1993. Obviously, I didn't realise at the time.
He was visibly faster than all other drivers in the corner I was sitting at.

I've seen Valentino Rossi race at the British GP. Was back in 2006 when he was on a competitive bike and came second to Pedrosa, who I have to admit I had no idea was at the time. Same for Stoner who was in that race. I was over the moon to see the (even then) great Rossi and other faves of mine such as Capirossi, Checa and Edwards.

Amazing how things change. Just 6 short years ago and Lorenzo won the 250 race, and Bradl retired from the 125s. Simoncelli came 10th in the 250s.

I had to look that last paragraph up as I had no idea who any of those guys were back then.

I watched Mark Martin take the lead from Jimmie Johnson early in the Sprint Cup race this year at Dover. I've always loved how the little man can drive the car as good as any of them at the age of 53

Quote from gezmoor :

I've seen Valentino Rossi race at the British GP. Was back in 2006 when he was on a competitive bike and came second to Pedrosa, who I have to admit I had no idea was at the time. Same for Stoner who was in that race. I was over the moon to see the (even then) great Rossi and other faves of mine such as Capirossi, Checa and Edwards.

Amazing how things change. Just 6 short years ago and Lorenzo won the 250 race, and Bradl retired from the 125s. Simoncelli came 10th in the 250s.

I had to look that last paragraph up as I had no idea who any of those guys were back then.

There was a 250 race I watched with Simoncelli and Bautista. It must have been Jerez in 2008. Simoncelli was leading and Bautista was right on his rear wheel mid-corner when Simoncelli's engine seized, causing him to crash and take out Bautista. They both got up, Simoncelli briefly explained what happened, and then they hugged right there in the gravel trap. It was awesome to see and speaks volumes for the character of both, IMO.