rec.autos.simulators

by **Bart Brow** » Mon, 19 Mar 2001 00:05:10

Veteran French endurance racer Bob Wollek was killed yesterday by a
motorist while riding his bike to practice at Sebring in a Panoz for the
12 Hour ALMS race. Imagine: 57 years old, an avid cyclist -- probably
why he looked about 20 years younger -- arguably the single most
experienced endurance racer in the world today, ran in hundreds of
long-distance races and won dozens, snuffed out just like that. There
won't be any memorial TV Specials, or commemorative plates, plaques,
mugs, T-shirts, diecasts, action figures, games, trading cards, or the
billion other sorts of cultural effluvia commercial interests use to
cash in on the death of a star, but he was a truly great driver who
achieved much, thoough never reaching his most ardent wish, a win in his
beloved home race, the 24 Hours of LeMans. Sad.

by **Jan Verschuere** » Mon, 19 Mar 2001 03:00:34

Maybe he should have wished a little harder. IIRC it was him who put paid to
the chances of the '97 (was it?) Boutsen-Stuck-Wollek Porsche GT1 effort
while leading?

That said, he was made of the right stuff, for sure. Even after the major
players decided he'd gotten too old he kept on racing with smaller teams and
private entries. I had him figured to die "with his boots on". A very
undeserving end to a career and a life.

Jan.
=---

by **Bart Brow** » Mon, 19 Mar 2001 04:08:54

> Maybe he should have wished a little harder. IIRC it was him who put paid to
> the chances of the '97 (was it?) Boutsen-Stuck-Wollek Porsche GT1 effort
> while leading?

Yes, in the last section of the Porsche Curves, the off camber left just
prior to the right-left combination at Maison Blanche. Wollek was hardly
the only person to lose it at this corner -- often described as the most
dangerous at the Sarthe Circuit -- the #75 Larbre FATurbo Express
Porsche GT2 went off at this same point and bent the right rear
suspension, which took an hour and a half to repair, and most likely was
the cause of that car's retirement in the 19th hour in 1997.

by **Brett C. Camma** » Mon, 19 Mar 2001 10:47:12

Gotta agree. That was a damned shame. I guess it pretty much goes to
show that when your number is up, it's up and that's all there is to
it.

The upside of little coverage of his passage will be that what is
covered should, most likely, be fairly tasteful and evenhanded. I
figure Autoweek, and Speedvision will do something tasteful and
appropriate, but I wouldn't expect a peep out of any others.

Regards,
Brett C. Cammack

(remove the DOTs from my return address to reply privately)

by **Olaf Thomas van Esse** » Wed, 21 Mar 2001 08:49:08

I think he was very good in DTM. But it is too long ago (20 years) too
remember it well. In those days (I'm 32 now) I've read magazines like
RallyRacing. Maybe they write some article about him. Yes you're right it is
sad.

by **Jeffrey Haa** » Wed, 21 Mar 2001 09:55:34

I think Bob was taking MUCH more of a risk riding a bike near Sebring
with probably about 30,000 drunks around than he ever took in a race
car. I ride a bike a lot and there is NO WAY I would ride near a race
track when an event was going on. It's too bad.

Jeff

by **Doug Millike** » Thu, 22 Mar 2001 04:10:04

I agree with you for Sebring or other tracks in built-up areas.

I've ridden around Watkins Glen and into the track on the Winston Cup
weekend. Since I was on the back roads, on the other side of the track
from the village the bike riding was fine -- it's a rural area.

It's terrible to lose a race driver for any reason.

> >Veteran French endurance racer Bob Wollek was killed yesterday by a
> >motorist while riding his bike to practice at Sebring in a Panoz for the

> I think Bob was taking MUCH more of a risk riding a bike near Sebring
> with probably about 30,000 drunks around than he ever took in a race
> car. I ride a bike a lot and there is NO WAY I would ride near a race
> track when an event was going on. It's too bad.

> Jeff

by **Lutrel** » Thu, 22 Mar 2001 12:14:50

I have not been to Sebring, but my bicycle/auto racing enthusiast friend has
and he said the roads are very dangerous for bicycles there.

> >Veteran French endurance racer Bob Wollek was killed yesterday by a
> >motorist while riding his bike to practice at Sebring in a Panoz for the

> I think Bob was taking MUCH more of a risk riding a bike near Sebring
> with probably about 30,000 drunks around than he ever took in a race
> car. I ride a bike a lot and there is NO WAY I would ride near a race
> track when an event was going on. It's too bad.

> Jeff

rec.autos.simulators

OT: Bob Wollek

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