138 replies to this topic

[Bloggsworth]

In the 50s and 60s they were racing drivers, now they are superstars, therein may lie the difference.

[Cam2InfoNeeded]

This is a little more than having a driver sign something for me, but I think worth mentioning.

I had written to Al Holbert to see if he would mind answering a few questions about the late Mark Donohue (whom I had focused my collecting on at the time). He graciously wrote me back, and one thing led to another, and Al invited me to stop by and see him on at the upcoming IMSA GTP race at Riverside. I waited until things were quiet in the garage area, and introduced myself to him. He welcomed me warmly and asked if I wanted to go to the old hotdog stand and grab something to eat (he order the chili, but I was pretty excited at the time and don't remember what I got). We were having a great time talking about various things when Bill Simpson came up and sat down with us. Bill is a rather outgoing person, and the conversations sorted drifted to his activities (he was getting ready to go in for eye surgery). Well, the lunch break went by really fast, and Al offered that we keep in touch via the USPS. We did exchange one more letter, but then Al was killed in the plane crash. He treated me just like I was an old friend that day at lunch, something I don't think many other drivers would ever do.

Edited by Cam2InfoNeeded, 21 October 2011 - 19:56.

[ensign14]

One race though, James Hunt and Andy Sutcliffe decided to sign autographs as each other just for a laugh, and just to confuse the poor autograph hunters even more they used the incorrect spelling of their names as published in the programmes; I wonder if there are some WTF moments when the signature collection owners stare bewildered at entries like "Jamse Hund" and " Any Stucliffe"...

Technically they are still "autographs" - an autograph is anything written by hand...

[Giraffe]

I was once, and very briefly, a very minor celeb in a field unrelated to motor sport.

A longshot here Malcolm, I would suggest (sadly) that in the UK , every celebrity (alive at least) in the world of yachting is a minor celebrity....

[E1pix]

This is a little more than having a driver sign something for me, but I think worth mentioning.

I had written to Al Holbert to see if he would mind answering a few questions about the late Mark Donohue (whom I had focused my collecting on at the time). He graciously wrote me back, and one thing led to another, and Al invited me to stop by and see him on at the upcoming IMSA GTP race at Riverside. I waited until things were quiet in the garage area, and introduced myself to him. He welcomed me warmly and asked if I wanted to go to the old hotdog stand and grab something to eat (he order the chili, but I was pretty excited at the time and don't remember what I got). We were having a great time talking about various things when Bill Simpson came up and sat down with us. Bill is a rather outgoing person, and the conversations sorted drifted to his activities (he was getting ready to go in for eye surgery). Well, the lunch break went by really fast, and Al offered that we keep in touch via the USPS. We did exchange one more letter, but then Al was killed in the plane crash. He treated me just like I was an old friend that day at lunch, something I don't think many other drivers would ever do.

Great story, Cam2, I met Al many times and he was a very nice guy. His death really got to me as well.

This is an "anti-snub" image below, and hope that's okay to the Thread Starter.... but here's my program from the 1976 Pocono F5000 race.... Mr. Holbert's signature included.

The 27 autographs are, from roughly left to right then top to bottom, are:
Sharon Passon (wife of driver who transported me to Pocono), Skeeter McKitterick, Gary Passon (Formula SV driver who I rode out with), Bertil Roos, Alan Jones, George Follmer, Warwick Brown (in pencil, barely legible), Freddie Phillips, Hurley Haywood, John Morton, Lou Gigliotti, Bruce Allison, Danny Ongais, Bob Lazier, Al Holbert, Babe Headley, Jackie Oliver, Doug Titus, John Benton, Bruce MacInnes, Teddy Pilette, Sam Posey, Dan Gurney, Bob Tullius, Randy Lewis, Bill Bradley, Evan Noyes.

Edited by E1pix, 22 October 2011 - 01:12.

[PhilG]

Knowing what i am like on racedays, being a mere nobber, i know i am hard work, my family and team know what to do and say, and not to fuss around me, just leave me in peace, so to speak, i like to rest between races , and just go through stuff in my head.

For these guys who are pro's , it must be hard work, constantly having to encounter folk who want a peice of you for 5 seconds, without appearing to be aloof or hostile, but in my experience, the top guys who i have had the pleasure of riding with can chill out with the best of them when the job is done.

I would suggest that those who have had bad experiences think about how they handle being interrupted when in the middle of something important, and maybe cut them some slack.

I was fortunate to share a table with JYS at lunch once, but i always feel that asking for an autograph builds a fence between people, a nice hand shake and a kind word or two always seems more appropriate.

[JacnGille]

I don't think JYS was tutored, but I do know that he practiced it over and over, which is why his autograph has remained so constant.

If only all drivers autographs were as legible! I've been carrying around my 1976 Autocourse since the '77 Daytona 24 Hour race. Looking through it today I bet I could only accurately identify 20% of the sigs.

[TooTall]

Back in the '70s and '80s when I actively went to races, I would shoot photos and if I had a decent shot I would have an 8x10 print made and then take it the next time and see if I could get the driver to sign. I was usually successful and most of the drivers were quite cordial. I had a shot of Pironi in the Ligier from Long Beach rather crossed up and when I handed the print to him he made a sort of "Wow!" gesture and nudged the fellow next to him and pointed to the photo and that guy took a look and they had a laugh. Didier did the sign the photo. Another time I was in the pit lane at Long Beach before F1 practice and saw Lauda talking to someone. I had a racing annual that had a cover photo of Lauda in the Ferrari winning at Monaco. I waited, pen in hand for him to finish talking. When he did he turned and walked in my direction and I stepped in front of him with the pen and annual in hand. He was sort of looking down and stopped abruptly and slowly raised his eyes up to look at me (I'm 6'-4"). I said something like "Autograph please" and he took the book and pen from me and scribbled on the cover without ever looking taking his eyes off of my face.

I've never been keen on "celebrities". I grew up in a part of LA called Studio City and a lot of TV and movie people lived in the area. Once I was riding in a car with my sister and a car pulled up next to us at a light. The driver motioned to roll down the window so I did. The driver was Tony Curtis and needed directions. One day my Dad came home after a doctors appointment and said when he sat down in the waiting room he looked over and the guy sitting across from him reading a magazine was Steve McQueen. Back then "celebrities" didn't have entourages to help them carry their egos around.

Cheers,
Kurt O.

[Eric Dunsdon]

[quote name='TooTall' date='Oct 22 2011, 06:26' post='53537

I've never been keen on "celebrities". I grew up in a part of LA called Studio City and a lot of TV and movie people lived in the area. Once I was riding in a car with my sister and a car pulled up next to us at a light. The driver motioned to roll down the window so I did. The driver was Tony Curtis and needed directions. One day my Dad came home after a doctors appointment and said when he sat down in the waiting room he looked over and the guy sitting across from him reading a magazine was Steve McQueen. Back then "celebrities" didn't have entourages to help them carry their egos around.

Cheers,
Kurt O.
[/quote]
Now thats what I call cool!. Even cooler if Mr C had Janet Leigh with him!.

[Bloggsworth]

A longshot here Malcolm, I would suggest (sadly) that in the UK , every celebrity (alive at least) in the world of yachting is a minor celebrity....

Nobody has ever asked for my autograph at Woolverstone marina!

[Gregor Marshall]

Technically they are still "autographs" - an autograph is anything written by hand...

Agreed - an autograph is definitely differant to a signature.

[TooTall]

One of the photos I shot at Long beach and later had signed by Villeneuve. The scan is a bit off. The print is much better quality.



Cheers,
Kurt O.

[E1pix]

Kurt, your photos are awesome, please keep them coming! I had two chances but never got Gilles' autograph, and sure regret that now.

Edited by E1pix, 22 October 2011 - 18:47.

[ensign14]

That is a fantastic photo. With Gilles' friend in the background. You can almost see Tambay thinking "how DOES he do THAT?"

[rubystone]

Following the theme about journos, I was at Le Mans 1988 and found myself in the paddock at the Jaguar hospitality area after the race. Having just "liberated" 2 of the 3 Jaguar signs above the pits,I set about finding anyone I could to sign them. Some of the drivers were unfamiliar to me and I asked one of the young chaps with a press pass taking advantage of the hospitality for assistance in identfying the US drivers. He turned his nose up at me and said words to the effect "you call yourself a fan, yet you don't know who Price Cobb looks like"....I still see that ignorant youth - then at the start of his career as an F1 journo - in the F1 paddock nowadays...at that time he didn't effect a ponytail though....

Alan Henry on the other hand, what an absolutely lovely, lovely guy.

Had one issue with JYS once - he claimed he couldn't sign an autograph because "they won't let me"..."they" being a couple of stewards in the paddock at the GP at Silverstone!!!!!!

Never, ever, ever had an issue with Nigel Mansell signing autographs though....

[Lee Nicolle]

The first time some kid asked me for my autograph I turned around to see if there was someone famous standing behind me!
I signed his programme on the page with my name on it and I put "Car 90" after my name so he would know who it was in years to come!

I had similar, what I guess was a school excursion on the Friday of the Sandown 500 meeting. I reckon I signed about 30 books, caps, programs etc. And yes I put the car no too.
Though they had a couple of motor sport 'names' along side me. Thommo and Frank Lowndes.

[Giraffe]

[quote name='JacnGille' post='5353737' date='Oct 22 2011, 02:04']If only all drivers autographs were as legible! I've been carrying around my 1976 Autocourse since the '77 Daytona 24 Hour race. Looking through it today I bet I could only accurately identify 20% of the sigs.[/quote]

I carry a looseleaf ID page in my multi-autograph books which I amend as I get them signed. In my F5000 book by TNFer Derek Lawson, Peter Gethin joined the list as my 24th addition last weekend, and Dave Berry as 25th today. It's a tad OCD, but I'd lose track otherwise.


[quote name='Eric Dunsdon' post='5353863' date='Oct 22 2011, 09:11'][quote name='TooTall' date='Oct 22 2011, 06:26' post='53537

I've never been keen on "celebrities". I grew up in a part of LA called Studio City and a lot of TV and movie people lived in the area.[/quote]

In the summer of 1973, I was in a deserted Manchester backstreet one sunny Sunday afternoon looking for an address (a girlfriend....) and I stumbled across a chap putting up the soft top of his MGB. I got out of my Capri 1600GT XLR and asked the guy for directions. The guy was soccer icon George Best, and we spent the next 20 minutes talking cars, as it turned out he was a real petrolhead!

[D-Type]

Did George know the girl's address?

Or should I say "Did George admit to knowing her?"

[kayemod]

Or should I say "Did George admit to knowing her?"

You mean in the biblical sense?

[Les]

Wow awesome pic of Gilles and Patrick Tambay.

[TooTall]

Thanks for the compliments guys. I am rather proud of the Villenuve pic. I shot it during Friday practice from a general crowd area, hand held, balancing atop of an overturned barrel, with my Olympus OM-2 with a Vivitar 600mm f8 mirror lens (both of which I still have!). I was lucky to get 1 in 10 decent shots from the setup but the good ones were usually very, very good!

Cheers,
Kurt O.

[Paul Rochdale]

Agreed - an autograph is definitely differant to a signature.

Mine isn't.

[JacnGille]

I had ... chances but never got Gilles' autograph, and sure regret that now.

Join the club!

[cheapracer]

Arriving in China in 2005 I went to work in a small agricutural backwater town most who had never seen a whitey before and I got stopped a lot to chat and have pictures taken and it can become quite draining some days so I can't imagine what it's like for some of the drivers who are hounded 24 hours per day.

[cheapracer]

Interestingly, there is a little "Jenson" in most primary school classes these days. As far as I know, there wasn't a sudden influx of Nigels in the 1980s, nor Damons in the 1990s, or even Stirlings in the 1960s.

Apparently, there are quite a few Ayrtons now in their teens and twenties in Brazil.

Maybe the difference between playboys who 'get around' and married men ....

[Gregor Marshall]

Mine isn't.

Depends how many times you sign something and whether you get bored or not I suppose.

[Simon Thomas]

There is a bit of a connection (fnarr) here, though. Some years ago at the Goodwood FoS Eddie Irvine was standing by his car in the collecting paddock, studiously ignoring all the fans who were thronging the fence a few feet away trying to attract his attention. However, when one obviously female voice started calling to him, he turned round, checked her out, decided she wasn't worth - er - bothering with, and turned away with a look of contempt on his face.

At the Belfast Festival of Speed in 2000 Eddie was a real pain and signed very few autographs for his many young admirers, my son included. He is regularly about his go kart track in Bangor and still ignores his young fans, a pat on the head would go down well or asking them if they are enjoying spending their parents cash on his premises. However I met him at a charity lunch in Belfast and decided to take some photos to be signed for my son and two nephews. Not a problem at all, we chatted about Le Mans, his dad's Lotus 18 and Formula Fords. Not sure if he has changed but he made my day!
Simon Thomas

[Gabrci]

At the Belfast Festival of Speed in 2000 Eddie was a real pain and signed very few autographs for his many young admirers, my son included. He is regularly about his go kart track in Bangor and still ignores his young fans, a pat on the head would go down well or asking them if they are enjoying spending their parents cash on his premises. However I met him at a charity lunch in Belfast and decided to take some photos to be signed for my son and two nephews. Not a problem at all, we chatted about Le Mans, his dad's Lotus 18 and Formula Fords. Not sure if he has changed but he made my day!
Simon Thomas

I also met him in 2000 and 2001 and on those occasions he was very cool, signed everything people asked him to.

Regarding earlier comments about Nigel: At the Le Mans series race last year here in Hungary he was magnificent. He signed hundreds of autographs, and I saw an English guy with a folder full of photos of him giving it to him, and Rosanne brought it back half an hour later, I guess with all the photos signed.

[scheivlak]

Interestingly, there is a little "Jenson" in most primary school classes these days. As far as I know, there wasn't a sudden influx of Nigels in the 1980s, nor Damons in the 1990s, or even Stirlings in the 1960s.

Apparently, there are quite a few Ayrtons now in their teens and twenties in Brazil.

Getting OT - Jenson still isn't in the top 50, Lewis is http://www.babycentr...top-names-2010/ though slightly dropping according to http://www.guardian....s-oliver-olivia where you see Jenson still climbing.

That said, Max is still doing fine..... and Sebastian is on the rise.

[kayemod]

That said, Max is still doing fine...

Not many Bernies though.

[thiscocks]

Never been a fan of getting autographs. I have met a couple of drivers but never asked for an autograph from them. When I met Jackie Stewart, it was just nice to speak to him and have a chat. Before he went he automatically got a pen out and signed a flyer for me but to be honest, as nice as it was of him I wasn't bothered if he did or not.

I was once ushered towards Carlos Reuttemann at Goodwood when I was younger while holding some booklet. He reluctantly signed it with my friends pen without a word or any eye contact and I thought 'I didnt even want it mate!'. I wish I said something like 'Now where is Alan Jones' after he signed it.

[f1steveuk]

I do recall at one race, trying to get a cable installed between the broadcast village and the rear of the pits. In the way, a very nice Jaguar with the name E Irvine on the windscreen pass.

Just as we were scratching our heads, Mr Irvine appeared, I walked toward him, engineering department drawings in hand, which Eddie took from me, signed, and handed back. I looked at him, then at my FOM pass hanging around my neck, back to him to which he said "s#*t, that's not what you want is it?!" When asked he was as happy to move the car though......................

[stevewf1]

I've never actually been "snubbed", but I wanted to get George Follmer's autograph in the Can-Am paddock at Mid-Ohio in 1974... I saw him and started to approach, but that severe scowl he had scared me away...

Edited by stevewf1, 24 October 2011 - 11:20.

[D-Type]

I also met him in 2000 and 2001 and on those occasions he was very cool, signed everything people asked him to.

Regarding earlier comments about Nigel: At the Le Mans series race last year here in Hungary he was magnificent. He signed hundreds of autographs, and I saw an English guy with a folder full of photos of him giving it to him, and Rosanne brought it back half an hour later, I guess with all the photos signed.

That sort of thing leads to the problems the genuine fans and autograph hunters experience. I hope that Rosanne or his family signe them for him!

[stevewf1]

Getting OT - Jenson still isn't in the top 50, Lewis is http://www.babycentr...top-names-2010/ though slightly dropping according to http://www.guardian....s-oliver-olivia where you see Jenson still climbing.

That said, Max is still doing fine..... and Sebastian is on the rise.

Say, has there ever been a Grand Prix driver named Steve? ("Steve Johnson" doesn't count)

[HeskethBoy]

Some years ago, I was Chief Flag Marshal at Lakeside Raceway when Peter Brock had his last race at that circuit.
As he was admired by many marshals, I asked him if he would say a few words to the marshals at their Race Day morning briefing.
Peter most graciously agreed - but his minder was quite adamant that there were to be "no signatures" as Peter was "very busy".

At the Sunday morning briefing Peter arrived with team posters and at least four pens in his hand - all set to sign as many autographs as he could.
The marshals were very respectful of his time, and formed an orderly queue. After he had signed for everyone he then asked if anybody wanted something else signed - caps, overalls etc. What I had anticipated would last about five to ten minutes, ended up running for over half an hour - with the CofC going off his trolley - along with the minder.

A most courteous and polite gent and a great driver to boot.

[Gabrci]

That sort of thing leads to the problems the genuine fans and autograph hunters experience. I hope that Rosanne or his family signe them for him!

I completely agree with you on principle, but here this was not the case, this guy was an absolutely huge fan, he travelled alone to Hungary just to cheer for Nigel's team.

Edited by Gabrci, 24 October 2011 - 12:57.

[D-Type]

Sorry, I misunderstood - I thought you meant he was trying to get items signed to sell them on.

[brucemoxon]

Some years ago, I was Chief Flag Marshal at Lakeside Raceway when Peter Brock had his last race at that circuit.
As he was admired by many marshals, I asked him if he would say a few words to the marshals at their Race Day morning briefing.
Peter most graciously agreed - but his minder was quite adamant that there were to be "no signatures" as Peter was "very busy".

At the Sunday morning briefing Peter arrived with team posters and at least four pens in his hand - all set to sign as many autographs as he could.
The marshals were very respectful of his time, and formed an orderly queue. After he had signed for everyone he then asked if anybody wanted something else signed - caps, overalls etc. What I had anticipated would last about five to ten minutes, ended up running for over half an hour - with the CofC going off his trolley - along with the minder.

A most courteous and polite gent and a great driver to boot.

Yeah, we should all remember Peter for this sort of thing. The man had the most giving of natures, when and where he could.

And he'd sign anything, for anybody. And he had a word for everyone too - he would have made the most wonderful of counsellors and he certainly was a very good motivational speaker - ask the Olympians he helped.



Bruce Moxon