No don't worry Pete, this is not about you, your secret is safe with me.
They say there is nothing new under the sun, and I suspect that applies to TNF as well. In my brief tenure on site, I have learned that whatever you raise as a topic some old codger will tell you " bin there dun that!"
Napoleon's retreat from Moscow? Covered it in 1897. Felice Nazzaro's greatest race? Done to death in 1923!
No matter I will ask the question anyway.
The forum is riddled with 'greatest', 'fastest', 'best ever', 'favourite ....', golden even, etc, but what about the Little Things?
By this I mean things that will probably be quite trivial in nature ( no offence Pete) and undoubtedly very personal to you, perhaps a smile from a driver in the paddock, an autograph gladly given with a friendly word or two, those things that stick in your memory that make the sport what it is for you.
Over some 60 odd years of spectating I have many such cameos that woud seem almost silly to relate, but that mean a lot to me.
For instance, one of my earliest favourite drivers was Graham Whithead, and on an occasion when he was driving his ERA at Crystal Palace, I leant out from the spectator enclosure as far as possible and waved furiously at him on the slowing down lap. He must have been suprised to find he had such an enthusiastic fan because he looked back as he passed and almost lost control of the car. That would have been a disaster for his greatest admirer.
Similarly when giving Jim Russell a big wave at Brands Hatch as he finished a 500cc race, he looked across and gestured to his elbow. We learned later that he had spilled acid on it from a leaky battery, and knew he was explaining why he had not won the race to a couple of his fans.
Are you willing to share your 'little things' with us? If so better get in early before the dreaded 'topic drift' takes us into uncharted, and almost certainly dangerous, waters. For there be monsters.
Please do not feel obliged to tell us your secrets, this is just a pursuit of trivia.
I look forward to hearing from you.
bauble.
Edited by Bauble, 31 August 2012 - 14:50.