Thursday, March 23, 2006
Larger than life?
I read this article over on Coop's blog (found via a Jalopnik linkage), and whilst I agree with the premise in modern day drag-racing or Formula One, the premise didn't ring true for me.
Whilst even doyens of the politically incorrect like Sprintcar Racing and NASCAR have been brought into the mainstream (and hence politically corrected), there is a huge raft of motorsport that still has larger than life figures. You just have to look closer to home for them.
The World Rally Championship still has characters, and ones that you wouldn't expect. Whilst the "Hollywood" act of Petter Solberg is PR polished, the actions and words of someone like Marcus Gronholm speak volumes, and he really conveys his feeling, be it cursing the gearbox in last years Peugeot 307, or his admission of guilt in crashing his Focus WRC06 in Rally Mexico.
I remember back to the first time I saw Steve Kinser race his sprintcar in Australia (in the late-90's), and then being able to meet the man. Thinking he was a god, and then realising that he was as human as I was.
The same goes for the heroes of Australasian Rallying. Meeting Possum Bourne, or Neal Bates, or Simon Evans. Ross Runnals, Geoff Portman or Greg Carr. These guys are from different era's, with very varied personalities, yet all have about them the "Air of Giants". But they are still accessible, still happy to have a chat and a beer. They are still "real people".
I think that's the difference. Giants were those who walked amongst us. And still do.
Not the untouchable PR puppets, that so many would-be giants have become...
Whilst even doyens of the politically incorrect like Sprintcar Racing and NASCAR have been brought into the mainstream (and hence politically corrected), there is a huge raft of motorsport that still has larger than life figures. You just have to look closer to home for them.
The World Rally Championship still has characters, and ones that you wouldn't expect. Whilst the "Hollywood" act of Petter Solberg is PR polished, the actions and words of someone like Marcus Gronholm speak volumes, and he really conveys his feeling, be it cursing the gearbox in last years Peugeot 307, or his admission of guilt in crashing his Focus WRC06 in Rally Mexico.
I remember back to the first time I saw Steve Kinser race his sprintcar in Australia (in the late-90's), and then being able to meet the man. Thinking he was a god, and then realising that he was as human as I was.
The same goes for the heroes of Australasian Rallying. Meeting Possum Bourne, or Neal Bates, or Simon Evans. Ross Runnals, Geoff Portman or Greg Carr. These guys are from different era's, with very varied personalities, yet all have about them the "Air of Giants". But they are still accessible, still happy to have a chat and a beer. They are still "real people".
I think that's the difference. Giants were those who walked amongst us. And still do.
Not the untouchable PR puppets, that so many would-be giants have become...
# posted by Fro : Thursday, March 23, 2006
