rec.autos.simulators

All-time I don't think there's any question of it being Mario.  No one
really came close to the number of things he succeeded in on 4 wheels
(altho Surtees certainly gets bonus points for his bike career).

Currently, I really couldn't answer that.  No one switches series much
anymore, so it's tough to gauge how people would fare against each
other.  We were lucky enough to see  Andretti beat Petty/Pearson in
stock cars, Rick Mears in Indy Cars, Lauda in F1, and pretty much
anyone who raced him in USAC sprints.  There isn't anyone driving now
who can make remotely similar claims.

I'd suspect that the top drivers in each style of racing that you
listed would fare well in such a series, but I wouldn't put money on
any of them outside of their element.

Jason

Jim Clark might have been the greatest all rounder ever.

He won 2 F1 World Championships, won the '65 Indy 500, won the '64 British
Touring Car title, finished on the podium at the Le Mans 24 hour race.  He
tried his hand at rallying, and almost embarrassed some of the full time
drivers with his speed.  He also raced at Rockingham in NASCAR, a race in
which he qualified 24th, and ran as high as 12th before his engine blew.
One must remember he died at the age of 32, so he may have achieved even
more.

There is a great piece in Clarks book about NASCAR.

"These boys are really racing. They race on oval tracks or, as at Daytona,
on tri-ovals with
production type saloon cars all modified from chassis to wheels in one of
the
most sensational forms of motor racing I have ever seen."

"I befriended "Fireball" Roberts who that year reportedly earned 20,000 in
this form of racing along. He asked me if I would like to have a go at it in
practice and I grabbed a helmet and set off. Well frankly this was the end.
These cars are as right as a Grand Prix car with no give in them. They
accelerate like made and seem to hang on at the corners. The big scare comes
when someone starts "drafting" you down the straights. To do this they tuck
into your slipstream as in Grand Prix racing, only with these big cars they
get
mighty close. It is not uncommon to see two of these cars "drafting" along
the
straights with only six inches between them and it scares the living
daylights
out of you."

Motorsport ran an article concerning this very question in their January
2003 issue. If you can't find it, I'll scan it, but that might take a while
as it's quite a hassle to set up and my schedule is pretty tight right now.

Jan.
=---

Ever? My vote goes to Jim Clark.

Currently is trickier, as we don't really get all-rounders anymore.
Colin McRae, maybe? As well as rallying, he's driven in a BTCC race,
was (IIRC) vey quick in a test for Jordan a while back (not a race,
granted), and likes throwing big motorbikes around in his spare time.
Not sure if he's ever driven sportscars, but I wouldn't put it past
him!

--
Above address *is* valid - but snip spamtrap to get me to *read*!

I'd also go for Mario Andretti as best all-around driver of the past.
Stirling Moss would be my second choice.

For current all-rounders, I'd pick Robby Gordon.

Martin

Present day - Tony Stewart

George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
                                                          ---- J.W Muller

"Jack of all trades..."

Martin

: There have been so many great drivers both currently and in the past. I
: have often wondered if there was a true IROC event that included F-1,
: Nascar, Cart, Rally , off-road racing, Sprintcars, who would be the best
: all-around driver at present and in the past ?
: Any opinions ?

The only valid opinion - is that you cant compare or draw conclusions

It's like asking who's a better athlete, a world leading high jumper, a
world leading javlin thrower, a world leading sprinter

Doug

Of course it's Michael Schumacher for both.

This is an anti-modern F1 group which is why (as I expected) his name hasn't
come up yet.

David G Fisher

on page three of his profile, check out his extended biography

just my 0.02 worth

Steve

Present:  Tony Stewart.   I'd really like to see what he could do in a
Rally car.  He likes to play computer games, so he'd be a cinch in F1.
;)

Jason

I'd like to see Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson pilot a Vette at Le
Mans.  I think they would do a decent job.

Jason