14 replies to this topic

[Ursus]

This have been bugging me for some time now. Does anyone know from where the expression "pole position" originate?



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Ursus
Trust me, send money.

[magnum]

perhaps it is the Poles preferred sexual position - ie: on top?
I had a Polish girlfriend once, which is ... oh never mind

[magnum]

I'd send you money but you haven't left an anonymous postcode.

[Ursus]

Or perhaps they like it from behind...

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Ursus
Trust me, send money.

[magnum]

[vroom-vroom]

That's the position MH's prefers, hence DC's kneepads.

[luisfelipetrigo]

Just a theory (quite like the one already expressed).

Races started from a place just below the flag pole on a road/town street. So the first one was placed on the 'pole'

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Saludos
Luis Felipe

[petrohed]

This just a theory, but weren't early races started by the flag man?
The first car on the grid being closest to the (flag) pole.

[Nasty McBastard]

Yup, its got something to do with when races were started by a bloke dropping the national flag.

if he actually sat on the pole or just stood next to it i cant quite recall, but either way, thats where Q1 lined up.

[Eagle104]

It came from horse racing

[Skid Jackson]

I'll put my money with 104. My guess is it has origins in horse racing. After all they've been racing horses alot longer then cars. I'd bet Don Capps wuold know

[This message has been edited by Skid Jackson (edited 03-17-2000).]

[Dironey]

104 is right, I read it came from horse racing where they used to mark the start with a wooden pole.

[magnum]

so the Poles had nothing to do with it? Go figure ...

[Eagle104]

The horsers have long since taken to calling it "post" position, though.

[FlagMan]

Many terms in motor sport came from horse racing, Stewards, Clerk-of-the-Course etc.

I believe this is mainly because when Brooklands started those who where in charge came from a horse racing background and took the Jockey Club rule book as their model.