rec.autos.simulators

It also happened to me when I met Gilles Villeneuve once at the Canadian GP
of , hum...can't remember the year; its the year where he had his front wing
slaped in his face for a while.

Anyway, I went to the GP alone that year and in those days, the smart thing
to do was to buy a general admission ticket, slip under a fence and access
the paddocks =:-D

It was after  the last day of qualifying, Gilles was 17th or 22nd or
something, and I went to the Ferrari garage.  There was a crowd of about 20
at the door and I saw Gilles inside the garage talking with his engineer,
Mauro Foghiery (<----spelling might be wrong). I then moved on further down
the garage area in an ailes about 20 feet long between large crates, and at
the end of the ailes was a motorhome and a Ferrari 308 GTS, with Gilles
Villeneuve written on the motorhome's door.  I was in heaven for sure.

As I turned around to head back towards the ailes, there he was, Gilles
Villeneuve, walking head down, deep in his taughts. I could not beleive it.
Me and Gilles Villeneuve, all alone , in a 4 foot wide ailes .  I somehow
managed to ask in french, " Gilles, si il pleut demain, ?a va tu t'aider ?
(Gilles, if it rains tomorrow, will it help you?) ( in those days, he was
riding on Michelins and Goodyears were clearly better in the dry, Michelin's
were better in the rain.)  He looked at me, maybe surprised to find me
there, paused, and said " Hum, je ne sais pas, peut-tre" (Hum... not sure,
maybe.) He then smiled at me and said "J'espre" ( I  hope so) He then gave
me a frienly pat on the shoulder and said " Excuse moi, je dois y all.
Salut " (Sorry, I have to go now. Bye).  I said "Ok, bonne chance demain"
 OK, good luck tomorrow)

You can immagine the e***ment that the little french Canadian in me felt
meeting his idol. In that short moment, I had proof that everything I had
read about Gilles being very joyfull and smiling and available to his fans
was true. He could have snobbed away like many do; no he was smiling all the
time and seemed like a regular guy, happy to be doing his job and happy to
talk to one of his fan.

I'll never forget that moment for sure.

Robert

(snip a great story about meeting GV)
I am *green* with envy!  Only thing I did that was even remotely comparable
was saying Hello to Stirling Moss once at a vintage race weekend in
Shannonville.

David
\

Dan Gurney for President in 2000!
d

I bumped (Literaly) into him at a rainy Thruxton BTCC paddock some years
ago. I got him to autograph my program and after a few minutes of light
hearted banter he walked off.

The next few seconds was quite funny.

"Mr Stewart" I called after him. "You still have my pen. Could I possibly
have it back please".
He turned, gave me a hard stare and then grinning, his reply was "Well what
the hell do you expect from a Scotsman".

Truly a gent.

MS

<snip>

Those halcyon days, eh? I don't even remember the days before Bernie.

Most famous person I've met is Murray Walker (who came to Prescott
hillclimb last year to mark his 50 years of broadcasting - which
started at Shelsley Walsh hillclimb). Thoroughly nice chap, and the
enthusiasm you see on the TV is entirely real.

Other than that, and a brief encounter with Juha Kankkunen at RAC Rally
scrutineering when it was in Birmingham, my record in this departmetn
is thin. Will Hoy, Tim Harvey, Roy Lane, a few other hillclimbers most
of you will never have heard of :-), Robbie Head (rally driver) and
that's about it.
--
David.
"After all, a mere thousand yards - such a harmless little knoll,
really."
(Raymond Mays on Shelsley Walsh)

(Warwick Farm, Sydney, NSW....Tasman Cup series, 1966/67/68).

--
Regards,
Bruce Kennewell,
Canberra, Australia.
---------------------------

Beers and cheers
(uncle) Goy

"Team Mirage" http://www.teammirage.com/
"The Pits"    http://www.theuspits.com/

* Spam is for losers who can't get business any other way *
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Tell us all, what did he answer? :)

Andre

--
Regards,
Bruce Kennewell,
Canberra, Australia.
---------------------------

Beers and cheers
(uncle) Goy

"Team Mirage" http://www.teammirage.com/
"The Pits"    http://www.theuspits.com/

* Spam is for losers who can't get business any other way *
"Spamkiller"    http://www.spamkiller.com

David (sic transit gloria mundi)

--
Regards,
Bruce Kennewell,
Canberra, Australia.
---------------------------

Je suppose que tu es Qubecois si tu parles aussi Francais ?

Passe le bonjour a nos amis Qubecois de Montral !

Taber---Ouette ( dsol ca me dmangeais , vivement que je retourne en vacance
au Quebec qu'on me traite de 'Stie d'vendu d'Francais :) )

Seb "est b? en taberouette le Quebec"

Look at the post race interviews, you can predict almost to the last
letter what will be said, BORING !

Which is one of the reasons I like Eddie Irvine, there's nothing
streamlined about that guy, he would have fitted in perfectly in GP
racing in the 50's and 60's, same with Jean Alesi, Johhny Herbert and
the recently retired Gerhard Berger, which happens to be one of my all
time favorite drivers btw

These days I don't have a favorite driver, except for Mika Hakkinen
because he's the only one who can beat MS these days and anyone who can
beat that guy gets my vote :-), I have a favorite team, and anyone who
happen to drive for that team are the ones I want to win....and the team
is....?

You've probably guessed it, Jordan, can't get any less streamlined than
that and still maintain your professionality in my opinion....

Beers and cheers
(uncle) Goy

"Team Mirage" http://www.teammirage.com/
"The Pits"    http://www.theuspits.com/

* Spam is for losers who can't get business any other way *
"Spamkiller"    http://www.spamkiller.com