multi21

This is just the ramblings of a bitter old man....the way he's ALWAYS been.. even when he was relatively young. He would be the first one to use those paddle shifters and the rest of the technology in his heyday if it made him go 2 seconds faster per lap... and those crash walls... yea, they keep the spectators safe too... the days of the Targa Florio are long gone. If you don't want crash walls, go down and stand in the sand on the side of the course of the Baja 500 otherwise, just enjoy that people aren't getting killed every weekend...

DTMiller

+1

How is air conditioning addressing a different fundamental problem than the widely used and lauded cool shirt systems? Is it because a cool shirt is "racey" and air conditioning is somehow wimpy?

jlanka

Interesting reference. I read up on this race, which I had never heard of. Seems the Targa was named after it. Thanks for the mention.

gbuff

Targa Florio, Mille Miglia, Carrera Panamericana.....all great distance races from days gone by, with everything from family cars to out-and-out racers competing. The crashes were many, and unfortunately oftentimes resulted in many spectators being killed which led to the eventual demise of races like this......these days some of these races like the Carrera exist as retro rallies.

gbuff

Anecdote about AJ.....last year or so ago a writer from MotorSport mag decided to interview AJ in their monthly "Lunch With....." feature.....the writer (Simon Taylor?) flew from the UK to Texas to meet AJ who proceeded to take him to a local burger joint for lunch.

They sat down to eat and when the writer mentioned that Mario Andretti also took him out for a burger when he was the featured guest, AJ (as he and Mario reportedly never got along very well) gave him a squinty-eyed stare and said words to the effect of "now this burger is better than Mario's, isn't it?!"

Writer said he didn't dare disagree

LostSouth

In the rain no less in a car he had never sat in. Wollek didn't even know he was going in and was going nuts after A.J. was running as fast in the rain as others had in the dry. Thought A.J was going to throw there race away. I had a chance to spend a couple days with A.J. A few years ago, it's an even better story when he tells it.

LostSouth

A.J. is anything but a bitter old man. He's a throwback and calls it like he sees it.

RSRRacer

Every successful pro racer at the pinnacle of his / her sport would always want to deploy the latest technology to help him/her win.

I can't believe that even AJ would deny that a comfortable driver is a faster driver.

It's just the same ol progression of technology discussion wrapped in a racing package.

winders

I don't agree. Too much technology takes away from the driver's ability to make a difference in the car. In other words, technology minimizes the impact of driver skill. Drivers know this and the best drivers would love it if driver skill were a more important factor.

As far as the spectator is concerned, we would be much happier with the racing if technology did not play such a big part in the result. For example, Formula One would be far better with 3 pedals and an H pattern gearbox. We would also be happier if aero was simpler and the cars less susceptible to turbulence.

FGL28

I kinda lost respect for AJ when he walked by me and a bunch of kids /fans at Riverside Raceway in the 1960's flipping the bird.

He was a great racer, competitor and good team owner; but a short little siht in attitude.

MUSSBERGER

The Earth was cooler back then.

LuigiVampa

That's good!

I don't get guys like AJ. If you can't look back on the good times and be magnanimous to/with the current crop of drivers, than did you really enjoy what you did?

When I see a kid looking at my car I always say "you want to sit in it" and I speak with them gauged on their interest. I think I do it just as much for myself as for the kid (or adult) who has an interest.

How could you not be passionate, in a positive way, about motorsports? I know there is a difference between professional and amateur but I always assumed professional was even cooler!