2976 replies to this topic

[Dennis David]

It seems we are getting new posters to the forum every week plus I understand that we have new viewers also. What I would like to do every so often is allow everyone the opportunity to introduce themselves (reveal) as much as they feel comfortable.

As you may have guessed by my user name that my real name is Dennis David. I was born in 1953 (ouch) in Hilversum, The Netherlands and have lived in the United States off and on since 1958. Never got around to becoming an American citizen though I did serve in the US Army 1972-1976 in Germany. I currently work as a Manager/Developer for a small software consulting company.

As everyone else I mad about racing of all kinds and have full respect for other racing series including even the IRL! I have had the opportunity in my life to do a lot of traveling and have been to many Grands Prix, which I have followed since 1962. I currently have a website called Grand Prix History and have started writing various articles, reviews on that subject. I am embarking on writing my first novel, which is a bit of historical fiction and should take me a year or two to complete.

I am not a big poster and AtlasF1 is the only BB I even visit. Don Capps started this new Nostalgia Forum as an area to talk about cars and racing, a place where we can pull up a seat and just shoot the breeze. I am extremely pleased with the direction that this forum is heading and the quality of the posts. I will continue to add my $.02 but maybe less frequently as I do have that book to write!

Ok now it’s your turn, Ian, Dr?
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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/



[This message has been edited by Dennis David (edited 12-11-1999).]

[Don Capps]

DD,

As usual, you seem to have all the Great Ideas!

As can be guessed, I am the Moderator of this Forum and love it!

I am just a motor racing junkie and love virtually all forms of the sport. I am a long-time racing nut, seeing my first race at the Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, GA when I was about three years old. Hooked ever since! Been hooked on to the Grand Prix circus since 1954, and saw my first GP in 1955.

I was an Army Brat and spent most of my life as a youngster in Europe returning to the USA in 1961 when my Dad retired.

With just a few exceptions, I have been in the Army since I was 19 - and I am still serving at the ripe young age of 52. I plan to get out in about three years and get a real job.

I am an Army historian among other things, plus a professor, high school teacher, Ranger, researcher, and a few other things here and there. I tend to be the sort of like the ready brigade at Fort Bragg: I get to jump into all sorts of interesting situations! Currently I work with training technologies and simulations for the Army.

My great Unfinished Project is a book on the South Carolina Militia and National Guard. And then the one on real history of racing in the 20th century....

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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

Semper Gumbi: If this was easy, we’d have the solution already…

[F1razor]

Hi, my name is Stephen White and I am a F1 fan big time. I was born on Friday the 13th, 1964. I was raised on Indianapolis and NASCAR, and I have the silly presumption that I alone discovered F1 and I tend to wax philosophic about F1, from a racing standpoint and a social one too. I live in Seattle but I am moving to Alaska very, very soon.

My only real exposure to F1 history is from Don Capps and a video series called, F1 Saga, by White Star video. I have a lot to learn about the history of the sport I love. I'm a Scorpio so that makes me all at once; stubborn and eager to learn new concepts. I tend to latch onto other concepts people bring to me that ring true to my heart and soul, and make them my own.

My experience at atlasf1 has been very, very rich indeed. From the bad moments to the greatest moments. I truly love all you people who have the patience to teach me something...a skill that I don't have for other people like me. I am fiercely loyal, and there are more than a few of you here that I would lay it all on the line for.

I like F1, CART, NASCAR, and increasingly, the IRL. I really like the sound of the new 3.5 litre engines, and the Panther car looks like a yellow version of the Jaguar and I think that is just plain NEAT!!

I am fascinated by history in general, and have digested volumes and volumes of text on the Egyptian, Greek and Roman Empires. I am looking forward to discovering the rich history of F1, including the days prior to 1950. I am currently looking into this Nuvolari character.

I hope you will all treat me like a sponge. Because in this case, that is exactly what I am!!

Forza Ferrari!!

[Keith Steele]

That is my real name. Born in Terre Haute Indiana on 1-1-1967. I live in Chicago, Ill. I am the proud father of a two year old son, and am happily married. I work for a (world famous in the industry) Health Club in the city where I cook for the rich and wanna be famous. I hope to leave this buisness soon to open my own. Now if I only knew what it was. Anyways, I am probably a stronger supporter of Cart than F1. But I love F1 so.... Ive been catching many of the Nascar races I pass on during the season in the last few weeks. There really isnt any form of racing I dont enjoy aside from maybe land speed records and boat/airplane racing. Tony George is of course the anti-christ but I still go to Indy every year, and will be there for the USGP. I am big into model cars, cant wait to start building again, and really enjoy reading about motorsports that I had no previous knowledge of.

[JayWay]

Hello,

Im Jason, and im an Raceaholic

Im 16, born and currently live in Toronto Canada.

50% of my thought proccess is made up of F1. I love it, along with many other forms of motorsport, including CART, BTCC, and Rally. My favorite driver is Jacques Villeneuve, with MS shortly behind. My favorite non F1 drivers, are Patric Carpentier (one of my favs overall) and James Thompson.

I also follow football (go Niners) and somewhat baseball, hockey, and boxing.

I spend most of my time at home investing in the stock market, and talking on here. And its safe to say that I am addicted.

As if many of you didnt notice, I am very proud to be canadian, and make no secret of it.

I play on getting into karting once I convince my parents its no more dangerous then hockey.

And thats about it, im actually quite boring.

Id tell you what music i listen to, but then you would all think less of me ;0

Thank you, and good night.

[Dennis David]

Jayway - Unfortunatly this year the 49s didn't just go they left! I guess it's our turn to loose , though I would feel a lot better about the future if Eddie was still in charge.

------------------
Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[JayWay]

Dennis,

Yeah, When Eddie left the whole front office went up in flames, and now they are in over there head with all these cap debts.

Gary Plummer said it best, when he said that aside from the select few, the players on the Niners right now are not real 49ers, there just temps, picked up off of waivers, who will be here today, gone tomorow.

Worst part is, the managment thinks they have the talent to get out of this drout, and I think there just gonna sink deeper.

[Dennis David]

What do you think about Mooch? Do you think that he is in over his head?

BTW Wish they had picked up Jake Plummer or at least kept Detmer.

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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Keith Steele]

At least you guys have won a few games this year. Imagine yourself a Chicago Bulls Fan, or worse yet a Vikings fan, who had to sit and watch Dennis Green watch and do nothing as Randall Cunningham threw the NFC championship game away last year. At least Jeff George has our offense moving again. Too bad that as good as our offense is, our defense is just that much more worse.

[F1razor]

It's a good time to be a Seahawks fan!!

G0....Seeeeeeeeee.......hawks!!!

G0....Seeeeeeeeee.......hawks!!!

[Don Capps]

Ahem,

Go DC United!

I had to say that....

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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

Semper Gumbi: If this was easy, we’d have the solution already…

[JayWay]

Dennis, Mooch has made some bonehead moves, but to say he deserves to be fired is BS. Look at his situation, he loses 3 of his 4 best players (Young, B Young and Hearst) then has to deal with the slaughtering of the roster due to cap debt in the offseason, I dont see how any other coach could so any better. The NFL today is made so if you lose one key player, your team is is screwed, and the Niners lost 3 (B Young isnt 100%) yet. When the Niners were strong he didnt lose one game at home, thats saying something.

I blame it on the front office, for dumb moves, and obvious ignorance as far as the cap goes. I agree it would have been great to see Plummer, but ofcourse we got stuck with DRUNKENmiller. Walsh wanted Plummer, but I gee, the guy wins 4 superbowls for you, what does he know? Then ofcouse we have the Phillips move, and the Vardell trade. Dont know what they were thinking with those two. Edwards was a rising star at FB, now Vardell is benched.

Btw, I said at the begining of the year that Garcia would be a great pickup, I saw him play in the CFL. People called me a moron for suggesting that he could be the QB of the future for the Niners.

Team benched him for Stenstrom, which I said was incredibly dumb. Stenstrom sucked, didnt score more then two TD's in 5 games. they bring Garcia back last week, the O has there best game of the year, and as the score stands now, its 19-0 Niners.

I was right all along about Garcia, the kid can play.

[Dennis David]

Jay - I hope you don't mind me asking but how did you become a 49r fan?


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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[JayWay]

Dennis, I have no idea And im no tlieing

ONe of my earliest childhood memories was asking my dad how the Niners were doing as he read the paper. I never watched there games, didnt know a single player. I was just kinda born a fan. But then as I grew older I actually transfered my mysterious love for the team into actually following them closely.

Weeeird, ehehe

[Dennis David]

Jay - Don't tell anyone but I used to be a Cowboys fan. My favorite player was Bob Hayes the World fastest human at the time. I continued to be a fan through the Staubach years but turned my back on them when they were sold and Landry was fired.

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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Rich]

Well, I may as well jump in, even though I'm not as much a regular as others (Readers Comments keeps me kinda busy!)

Born in 1962 in the tiny mountain kingdom of Swaziland, I knew nothing of racing until, one day in late February 1971, my father came home from work and said 'Okay, kids, we're going to Kyalami to see the Grand Prix next weekend.' I had no idea what he was talking about, but my brother (8 years older than me) was literally speechless with excitement, so I had the feeling that this was going to be 'a good thing'.

Well, suffice to say that when those twenty-odd cars came past on the first lap (we were sitting at Crowthorne) and my head literally spun with the joyous shriek of the Matra V12, I was hooked. Mario Andretti won that race, but Emo and JYS became my firm faves.

Each year, we would attend four Kyalami meetings - the GP, the Nine Hour and two others. In those days, South Africa operated its own F1 circus, although there were only three or at most four F1's at any time, with the rest of the field made up of F5000's.

Over the years, my interest in F1 grew, and no other form of motor sport holds my interest like F1 does. Sure, I love watching bikes and sports cars, BTCC and junior single-seater formula, but there's just something about the glamour of F1 that is still unmatched in my opinion.

Over the years, I had to stop dreaming about being an F1 driver, and decide on a real career. I'd always loved the movies, and television was taking off in SA in a big way. So that's what I chose. Currently I write, produce, direct and/or edit, depending on the needs of the programme. It's the only industry I've ever worked in, and I love it too much to ever consider leaving.

Although rugby and cricket are my country's national sports (and I follow both keenly), I am also a Niners fan. But don't ask, it's a looong story...

[Dennis David]

Hey they finally won today!

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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[JayWay]

Like I said, Garcia is the man.

[Uncle Davy]

Might as well expose myself. David Guy Williams, born 10/26/56, Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, USA. Army brat (Dad was career military), so we traveled a bit...got the racing bug from my father. First introduced to F1 in the sixties while living in Germany. Currently residing in Carmel, Indiana, a suburb about 20 miles northeast of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Occupation: Lawyer by training, VP and Title Officer of a multi-state title insurance agency.
I enjoy most forms of racing...F1, CART, GT and sports cars, etc. I tend to get nostalgiac about 60's F1, and my personal racing heroes are Jim Clark and Dan Gurney.
Hope this gives some context.

[Dennis David]

I heard that Ft. Leonard Wood was called Little Korea because it got so cold.

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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Dennis David]

Uncle - I got to meet Dan Gurney at the Historical Car Races, very nice man. I got him Moss and Alberetto to sign my ticket. A very productive day. He mentioned that he had just recently received one empty but very famous champagne bottle!

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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Uncle Davy]

Le Mans '67, I presume? It was a very good year.

[Dennis David]

Yes it was!

BTW Remember when Ferrari and Ford took turns fininshing in formation? I'd like to see Jaguar do that in F1, boy would that stir some feathers!

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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Ray Bell]

That's my real name, I am a motor racing journalist in Australia and have been so at some level or other for almost thirty years.
My first introduction to racing was at a quarter mile speedway near my home in the western suburbs of Sydney, but I saw that only as a step along the way to the real stuff, road racing, which at that early age (I was 14) was a train trip away at Warwick Farm. At 16 I started going there, and until 1983 I basically went to every meeting I could wherever I could. This frequently meant 1200-mile round trips for the weekend, but it was great fun at the time.
I therefore have seen racing in every state of Australia, seeing up to 32 meetings a year in the mid sixties, maybe 25 or so most years until 1983, after which I had a cutback to about ten a year, then from 1988 almost nil for a few yeas. Now I am in Brisbane and see very little racing, but so much is televised these days I don't feel to bad about it.
I write principally about the 'good old days,' even days before I existed, so I am frequently in touch with people who raced in the fifties, forties, thirties and even twenties to find out about the cars, the circuits and their circumstances. Hence the P3 request, and I do thank Dennis Davies for putting me in touch with AtlasF1.
That was a few days ago, I find it great, if a little time-consuming while I'm still catching up.
My main personal pursuit is circuits, which I love. I've mentioned Lobethal on one forum here, but there have been some 110 road racing circuits in Australia, of which I've seen about 43. They've ranged from the fantastic to the dreadful, from the plastic to the very real, from airstrips to real mountain road stuff.
Our great days in racing in Australia were, naturally enough, the Tasman Series years - 1964 to 1969, with some good stuff through to about 1974/75. Touring cars dominate now, and the same disease that afflicts the sport world-wide - extreme cost - hurts it here.
But we do have a World Championship race here, and have had since 1985, and the Indy race on the Gold Coast, which keeps us in touch to some degree.
And I think I would rather there be no talk about football, basketball, baseball, cricket, tennis or anything on this bulletin board.

[Dennis David]

That's the problem with these forums, you don't always know where the thread will lead! ;-)

But every so often a word here a mention there will bring back a flood of memories and maybe even something that we had not known before or had somehow forgotten. That's how it is when you join a forum, they can be a messy lot.

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Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Lutz]

Hi everybody, I am Lutz, I was born in 1972 in Bochum, Germany, and study mechanical engineering. Currently I live and study in Göteborg, Sweden. Before I studied I worked as a car mechanic at a BMW garage. There was a racing team, that had their car repaired regularly at our garage, which basically meant, it was wrecked during the weekend, and we got to fix it during the following week so that it can be wrecked again in time. It wasn't easy to be a motorsport fan at those days.
I am a racing fan since I was a child, my favorite track is the Nürburgring, which is also closest to my home. Unfortunately I never saw a Formula1 race there, but many touring car and veteran car races, sometimes by chance when I visited my sister and took a small detour through the Eiffel mountains.
Old cars are my real passion, not only race cars. My favorite is quite the opposite, it's a 1960 red and white BMW Isetta, 12 hp, 250 ccm. (The Italian Iso Isetta was in the Mille Miglia )
I restored it myself, which was alot of fun, and it will not be the last car to be restored. Currently there is a 1971 VW waiting for caring hands, I chased it to the polar circel this summer, now, after this 3000 km trip, I will finally rejuvinate it. (don't say it's not worth it, it's my very first car, I own it since '91)
Since I missed the largest part of history I have to make up with what is left, and so I try to collect old photographs, books, model cars. Sometimes I wish I head all my stuff with me here, I could be alot more precise when I post.
best regards,
Lutz

[Dennis David]

Wasn't some other famous German from those parts?

BTW I love that area and If I am in Europe I often drive that way from Holland through Belgium along Germany's Mosel river and South into Austria.

------------------
Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Lutz]

Actually, the Nürburgring is not close to where I live, I meant to say, it is the closest race track to my hometown, still a 1.5 - 2 hour drive. But then again, closeness becomes relative when you live in Sweden

BTW Dennis,
the Mosel tour you described is probably the nicest route to travel in Germany.

[This message has been edited by Lutz (edited 12-13-1999).]

[ARing]

I am an Army Engineer officer currently attending GA Tech to get an Masters in Operations Research.

My father is a farmer in Tennesse and an avid race fan. My earliest racing memories are of pickup camper trips to Road Atlanta to see the CAN-AM series. As I got older my father started taking me on the annual trip to the Indy 500.

During my five year tour in Germany I started following Formula One in 95 - Mainly to find out what all my German neighbors and friends were talking about. After a spur of the moment weekend roadtrip to NurburgRing in April 96 I was hooked. The site of Villeneuve holding off Schumacher for those last laps to get his first win was awe inspiring. Everyone around me waved German/Ferrari flags and checked my crude time sheets as Schumacher closed the gap. Villeneuve held on much to general dismay in the stands where I sat.

In July 96 the Army moved me to Schwetzingen, Germany about 10 miles from Hockenheim. That combined with the other american F1 fans I met in the Heidelberg military community sealed my fate. The highlight of my short formula one fan career has been bringing my dad to Europe to see Monaco in 97 and San Marino last spring. My ticket order form for next Indy next fall is in and my dad has already tested out the old pickup camper.

Looking back the lowpoint of my formula spectating was NurburgRing 97. Villenueve won again after both Hakkinen and Coulthard engines had come aparts directly in front of my seats. As the checkered flag fell, my then girlfriend/now wife urged me to join the crowd jumping the fence in front of our stands. I was too emotionally exhausted to join the rush to the podium and opted to head to the car and try to beat the traffic back to Heidelberg. She took it stoically and even joined me for Spa in summer of 98 four months pregnant to camp in the rain (and early a.m. snow). We sat directly over the first lap carnage. I missed intial stages of the wreck as I was looking left following Villeneuves pass attempt into Euau Rouge. My wife yanked me back around to see the last stages of the carnage come to a rest in front of our seats. No one there exhaled for about a minute as everyone watched to make sure all the drivers got out of their cars unhurt.

I am greatly enjoying this forum and am interested in next spring's historic races at Road Atlanta. If anyone else is interested in a weekend of camping at Road Atlanta let me know.

ARing

[Todd]

Hello, my real name is Charles. I'm currently living a car-free life in Manhattan. That is probably why I've spent quite so much time on the racing forums these last few months. I'm a car junkie. I'm actually paying quite a bit of money to keep my car, now registered in a relatives name, in a state I'm not permitted to drive in anymore, just because it gives me some comfort to know that, in a way, I still have my car. Yesterday, I asked my older sister if she remembered at what age I began talking. She said she didn't really remember, but that when I did, it was about cars. She may have a point. I have a 21 month old niece who is almost big enough to ride the BMW Baby Racer I bought her for Christmas last year. I'm threatening to buy her a slot-car set this year. She enthusiastically watched the clip of the Karting Explosion with Rubens and Michael fighting it out. I've been trying to explain how lucrative it would be for her to become the first female WDC and that it is urgent we get her a Kart for her third birthday. So far, I'm not sure my sister is taking me seriously.

I'll be 30 in a couple of days and I was born in Charlottesville Virginia. I've lived in various parts of Virginia, spent summer in Palo Alto California and went to grade school for a year in Atlanta Georgia. In 1984, I lived in Hilversum NL on a street called Leitgarteweg. I just thought I should put that in, for Dennis David's sake! I also lived on a sailboat for about a year and a half. Primarily we went around the Carribean but I also made it as far north east as Badeck Nova Scotia.

I became an F1 fan when Niki Lauda caught fire. That wasn't really the appeal, but that is when I learned the defference between this sport and the Indy 500. My father's uncle Helmut was chairman of the OAMTC for years and he is a retired motorcycle racer. My mother's father was a movie stuntman and a professional driver. He used to bring various Rolls Royces, Duesenburgs, and Mercedes around before I was born. He didn't live long enough for me to meet him, but I've mimicked his driving a car off of a cliff stunt. He used to get out first, I'm told.

Anyway, I really enjoy this forum and look forward to learning from all of you.

[Marcel Schot]

So here I am, real name is username for me too. Born on 6th december 1972, it makes me 27 years of age. I'm a software developer, working with Oracle databases most of the time.

Some people might know me from the few paragraphs I sometimes put together, which one would call the nostalgia column or the f1 quiz.

I also fit nicely into the subtheme of this thread as I'm also the son of an army man

Besides the history of Grand Prix racing and especially the stats of that, my greatest hobby is driving racing cars on my computer. This mainly in Grand Prix 2, with which I compete in a competition on the net called LFRS (Little Formula Racing Series).

You won't find many postings of me, as I generally don't have enough with 24 hours a day to do everything I need to do and want to do, but trust me, I'm lurking in the shadows ;)

[jc_nl]

Hello everyone I am Johan I live in Holland and I am a student.

I am interested in racing for as long as I can remember. And when I say racing I mean racing in general and not just F1. I find that all big series that are around now have something interesting. But I have to say that F1 and sportscars are my favourites.

The reason I dont post here very often is that my knowledge of F1 history at the moment isn't very great. I would love to change that but being a student I dont have the time and the money to do so . My interest in racing history started when I heard/smelled/saw a march 707 at Zandvoort some time ago. When I found this forum I realy got interested and I have been trying to increas my knowledge since that time.

[Ray Bell]

Might also be interest to know who among us have raced. I had a brief stint between 1973 and 1976 where I raced what we and the British call a Clubman - basically the Lotus 7 theme carried to higher levels.
It had about 165 bhp from its front-mounted Renault 16TS engine, a 5-speed Fiat gearbox and weighed in at under a ton. With slicks on 8" and 10" (x13") wheels it was a fair tool and I won a series one year.
These days this class is restricted to 1300cc, but they are mighty quick cars and very simple to run. Not too expensive, either, on a par with Formula Vee. But lots faster, both in straight line speed and lap speed.

[Psychoman]

Allrighty, here goes. My real name is Lenny, born 6-28-84 (do the math, it's 15) outside Detroit (Rochester, to be specific, but I hate the word "suburb"). My racing fanhood is surprising considering I still have never been to a race of anything. I never really realized I was a racing fan until I turned on the '97 Daytona 500 and started cheering for Jeff Gordon As for F1, that came through a Racer magazine fantasy F1 contest. I didn't follow it too much (when your engine is a Hart V8, you aren't going to do well), and something in me (probably a subliminal New Years Resolution) told me "you should follow that more next year". Sure enough, I am possibly a bigger F1 fan than all but 10 people in this state (not saying much--if you're an F1 fan you're more involved than half the country ). My dad still wonders what I like about it... As for everything else, I'm a big-time hockey fan, a kinda-big-time fan of basketball, baseball, and football (the Wings are the only team that does well on a consistent basis, enerybody else does well some weeks, and sucks the rest of em ). I am stuck in the second year of high school, and like Jayway, my life is mostly engulfed by this place and playing Goldeneye with friends--of course, when most of your friends live a half-hour away, there isn't much else to do Besides, I figure I got into racing too late in life to be a great I will also not be in this great state of Meecheegan for much longer than 7 months, as the family is dragging me, kicking and screaming, to West Virginia. And there ya go...

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"If ignorance is bliss, then knock the smile off my face."
-Zack de la Rocha

[Pit Babe]

My real name is none of your business (), but I was born in the Philippines of Filipino parents in 1969. My family came to the USA a year later, where everyone has remained the entire time since, except me. I lived in Norway in 1987 and 1988, and as a result speak fluent Norwegian, although no one believes that when then look at me. Not surprisingly, when I was in Norway, no one there believed I was from the USA! I can't win. Even now, I am amazed at the number of people on the BB and in the chat room who think I am English. I'm not quite sure why. Anyway. Currently, I live in South Carolina, USA and work for a software developer as the Director of Product Administration for North America and Europe (main duty: insure a bug-free product) and a systems designer/analyst/technician. Moving to France within 18-24 months, maybe for good. I have been engaged five times - twice to the same man - but never married once and have no children. Single, available, free, free, free, and definitely not looking. But, I digress.

My first exposure to motorsports was in 1983, when my friend Robert took me to the Long Beach GP. I didn't really want to go, but I'm glad he convinced me I would love it because I did. Over the years since I have followed Formula One inconsistently - not because I wasn't really interested, but because I have had a hell of a wild life. (Long story; another time, if ever.) Since moving to the American South two years ago, I have developed a fondness for NASCAR (I have friends who race in the lower echelons), but my heart will always belong first and foremost to F1. Among motorsports, that is. I do have part of an eye on touring cars but know nothing about it as yet.

Other sports I like are American football (yet another beleaguered 49ers fan), rugby and soccer, none of which I follow very closely (this appears to be my pattern).

Closet Bugatti fiend. Well, not "closet" anymore, I suppose.

[This message has been edited by Pit Babe (edited 12-14-1999).]

[Leo]

Hi,
My nick is also my real name. I am a 26 year old student (vehicle engeneering) from Delft, The Netherlands. I finally registered to this forum today, after an occasional visit in the past.
I can't remember what or when got me interested in motorsport, all I know is that closely follow F1 since 1984 (yes I was 11 years old at the time). Cars were my first love anyway (my mother says that 'auto' (the Dutch translation for 'car') was in fact the first word I spoke. Over the years I've become interested in motorcycles also, and since I own one (a 1982 Honda CB900) I must say I love it just as much as cars now.
As far as Formule 1 is concerned, I never saw a race live, all I've seen is from TV. I have seen a number of motorraces though, and the Dutch Assen circuit is one of the greatest tracks to enjoy those.
For the record, my favorite drivers over the years are: Gilles Villeneuve, Alain Prost and currently Jean Alesi. I've read many books and seen a number of TV shows or videos about the early days of F1 and it never stops to excite me. It must have been great to be there in those days.
I also checked out Dennis' formula 1 history site, and I enjoyed it very much. Especially the 'great races' part I like very much.
This forum seems to be very nice, so I hope to take part in some interesting discussions soon.

greetings,
Leo

[John B]

You can probably figure out my real name. I've been following racing since the late 1970s. Favorite drivers over that time have included Pironi, Gilles, Arnoux, Prost, Laffitte and Jacques V. in F1, Mears, Rutherford, Unser Jr, and Luyendyk in indycars, and Gant, Kulwicki, Waltrip, Elliott, Wallace, the Labontes, and Stewart in NASCAR. My fav F1 team is Ligier/Prost.

Although I work in ecology, I have a background in history including an MA in regional studies. Don, an occasional hobby is history of the Pacific War esp. the Battle of Midway.

I'm a native New Englander, and support the local sports teams in baseball, football, hockey, and hoops. My current favorite atheletes are Ray Bourque and Pedro Martinez. Drew Bledsoe is on my ^&%&^ list at the moment...
I play some pick-up sports esp. basketball, and do a lot of photography, hiking, and x-country skiing.


49ers fans, no complaints now. You guys are way overdue for a non-winning year

[RacerX]

My name is Chris Sewell. I was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1961. Some of my first racing exposure came from ABC's Wide World of Sports with tape delayed F1 races. I didn't know much about the racing, all I knew is that they raced really cool cars and had really cool names like Lauda, Fittipaldi and Scheckter (sp?). My first live racing experience was at the 1978 Indy 500 time trials. As soon as I saw the first car on the track I was hooked. I attended my first actual race the next year at the 500. Since that first trip to the Brickyard I have attended 15 Indy 500's and more practices, qualification sessions and Carbuerator days than I can count (my house is about 100 mile from Indy). That was all before Tony George. In 1996 I attended the US 500 at MIS in support of CART. It was a good show at a good track, but it wasn't INDY. Since then I have attended CART races at Mid-Ohio and Cleveland. About 1990 my interest in F1 picked up and I have been following it closely ever since. I am thrilled that F1 is returning to the States, even though I swore Tony George would never get another penny of my money. I guess I will have to swallow my pride, because I am definately going to the USGP. I also have a military bent to my background. I currently work for the Air Force in the F-117 System Program Office. Hope to see you all at the track.

[SteveB2]

I generally just read this forum occasionally, not timely enough to make any serious posts. I was going to be SteveB for this forum, but screwed up my e-mail address on the first one, so I added a "2". I'm 33, work as an ME for the Navy in southern Indiana. I know, southern Indiana is a good ways off from most of your major oceans, but here we are. I remember the wide world of sports broadcasts of Monaco in the 70's and was just amazed that race cars went in anything other than circles. Been following F1 since 84 due to road & track and ESPN. I've been to 3 GP's: Detroit in '86 and '88 and Silverstone in '90.

RacerX,

I'm glad to hear someone else, is having the same trouble biting the bullet in giving TG money. I made the same promise to myself and did'nt put in an order for tix, but my cousin, who goes up for the other two races, put in his order and offered me one. I have to admit I'm getting a little excited about it. I still gritting my teeth though.

Dennis,
This is a wonderful thread. It gives us all a chance to wax philosphically about our racing roots. I've been amazed at finding out that some of the posters who provide some very well thought out opinions are teenagers.

My father has no interest in racing at all and is amazed he raised such a fan. But he and a buddy of his took me to a drag race in Chandler, Ind when I was two, and I think I've had the bug ever since.

[Racer.Demon]

It seems that just about every historic race fan on this forum is either from the US or Holland! Or in Dennis' case, from both!! So I might as well chip in and join the Dutchies' camp :-)

My real name is Mattijs Diepraam, I'm 31 and a professional copywriter, married and father of a baby boy. My first acquaintance with motor sports came in the summer of '76, in the form of Niki Lauda's fiery 'Ring accident being televised over and over again. To an eight-year old, it made a hell of an impression. Curiously, it didn't put me off motor racing but instead I became a Ferrari fan on the spot and cheered when my father, who was working for an oil company at the time, came home with a couple of paddock tickets for the 1976 Dutch GP. Having browsed the paddock at Zandvoort I temporarily switched my allegiance to Scheckter's amazing P34 six-wheeler, then rooting for his stunning Wolf the years to come, before the two (Scheckter and Ferrari) came together for their 1979 title campaign. Witnessing Villeneuve drive a three-wheeled Ferrari halfway around Zandvoort that year made me switch my support to Gilles. At a loss for a hero after his death in 1982 I started to back Nelson Piquet after he smacked up Eliseo Salazar at Hockenheim. I was probably the only one in the world who actually thought that was funny! Incidentally, I haven't been to a race since the 1985 Dutch GP and haven't had a clear favourite since, oh, 1987. These days I sort of root for Ferrari for old times' sake, although I realise those are long gone. As far as drivers are concerned, each season I just pick one guy I to sympathize with: over the past few years these have been Fisichella, Trulli, and, this season, Ralf.

My contribution to the Web comes in the form of the 6th Gear and 8W pages on the Racer.Demon site. Really only my creation of the 8W game has turned me into a historically minded race fan, although in knowledge I still lag way behind my friend and fellow 8W editor Felix Muelas, who has been instrumental in sparking my interest for everything that happened before 1976! I also can't touch the authority of Dennis or this forum's moderator, for that matter, so I'm very proud they actually dig 8W...

Cheers, nice thread,
Mattijs @ 8W


------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------
Visit the Racer.Demon web site at http://www.racer.demon.nl
URL1" TARGET=_blank>http://www.racer.demon.nl
URL1 http://www.racer.demon.nl/6thgear
URL2" TARGET=_blank>http://www.racer.demon.nl/6thgear
URL2 http://www.racer.demon.nl/8w
and" TARGET=_blank>http://www.racer.demon.nl/8w
and play 8W, the Web's most fiendish F1 detective game!
-----------------------------------------------------------

[luisfelipetrigo]

My real name is Luis Felipe Trigo, 48 years old. I live in Mexico City (where I have been all of my life except for a 13 year period -1981 to 1994 - I spent in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA) and am fairly new to ATLASF1. . . I love it!!!

I like all kinds of auto racing in general. My favorite by far is F1. I used to follow the Sports Championship (when it was really worth it) and Can-Am.

My first contact to auto racing was the Mexico Grand Prix in the late sixties, a race I have attended every year they have held it at a time I have been livin in Mexico. Since Mexico is not really a good place for auto racing the only other events worth mentioning are
Italy GP 1972 (Emerson won his first WDC),
Daytona 1972 (the short 6hrs version won by Mario and Ickx in a Ferrari 312P - a real beauty)
Can-Am Riverside in 1973 (one of the last races of the great Porsche 917/30 and the venue for the very first IROC)
CART Laguna Seca 1992 (a beautiful track)

During my time in Saint Louis I became part of the Timming&Scoring crew for the Saint Louis International Raceway (now the site of a CART race, unfortunately not then).
Even I do not get to see the races live I watch as much as I can in TV but mostly I follow through printed and, more recentrly, internet material.

My other interests are cycling (I have a pair of beatiful Pinarellos and a Bianchi) and photography.


------------------
Saludos
Luis Felipe


[This message has been edited by luisfelipetrigo (edited 12-15-1999).]

[Fast One]

My real name is Michael. I am 48 and run one of the federal agencies in Pittsburgh, PA. I was born and raised in Ohio, thus condider Art Modell to be the Antichrist!!! As I've said elsewhere, I started following racing in 1964, but began with Formula 1, which I have followed ever since. Endurance racing and sports cars soon followed, and early trips to the Glen and Mid-Ohio cemented the love affair. Believe it or not, I never, ever liked ovals, even as a kid. This was odd because an early stock car driver named Butch Hartman was a family friend. I have always watched the occasional oval race, but only end up liking road racing more. I lived in Basel, Switzerland in the '70s. It is still my favorite place on earth.!

Other interests include history, especially military, reading and music. I am currently editing a diary of one of Custer's Michigan cavalrymen from the American Civil War. I have too many cats, too many (British) cars, and not enough furniture!

Read the Atlas BB for a year before posting. Now I spend way too much time here, as do we all.

[Dennis David]

I have an aunt who lives in Heemstede and every time I returned to Europe either from Germany or the US I visited her, Amsterdam and of course Zandvoort. That's a circuit I miss being on the F1 Schedule.

Someone once asked me, since I have lived so long in the United States how come you are still not a citizen. To this I can only smile as the answer can only be known by my Dutch friends on this board. For though my body is in the States my heart resides in Europe. I try to return each year and recently bought a timeshare in Austria. The future may well see me live in both countries with a stop in Puerto Vallerta every so often.

------------------
Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Dennis David]

Fast - We all need a favorite place on earth and I have several. One is Brugge, another is the area around Zell am See and a small vilage near Spa that I can't even remember the name!

------------------
Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Pit Babe]

...though my body is in the States my heart resides in Europe.

As you know I am not European, but I understand this statement very very well.

------------------
PB ;-)

Experientia docet

[Dennis David]

Babe - It's called "A Long Desire"



------------------
Regards,

Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/

[Stephen Herbert]

Hello everyone, I found this site yesterday and searching through all the topics I found this one and thought I would introduce myself.
My name is Stephen Herbert and since I found this site I have been looking around it far too much! I should take a break soon.
I live in Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom and am 19 years old.
I first became interested in motor racing in 1991, when I saw some F1 racing on the TV. I followed F1 racing on the television for about a year. I have absolutely no idea why but I used to support the Fondmetal team! From then on I started to learn about other forms of motor-sport and started to enjoy them all. I now like any form of motor sport.
Wanting to learn more I started to buy books and videos that told me about the history of this great sport and started to realise I was born a couple of generations to late. I would have loved to have been around to see racing in the late 40's-early 50's, that is my favourite era.
In terms of drivers I do not think anyone comes close to being as complete a driver as Stirling Moss. He was top class in every type of vehicle he drove, was always a sportsman, publicised his sport well and still promotes motor racing all over the world to this day.
I adore this Nostaglia Forum. It's an absolutely fabulous place to be informed and entertained about the thing I love more than any other. Motor Racing!

[Psychoman]

Stephen--from my experiences, it was probably the first car you saw on TV. Of course, that's coming from a guy who listens to Stormtroopers of Death...

------------------
"Hey there, all you middle men
Throw away your fancy clothes
And while you're out there sittin' on a fence
So get off your ass and come down here
'Cause rock 'n' roll ain't no riddle man
To me it makes good, good sense"
-Brian Johnson

[Don Capps]

My apologies for not welcoming all our recent new members to the Forum. We all happy that you choose to spend some time with us and share an interest in racing history.

Again, a warm welcome to all our new members!

------------------
Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

Semper Gumbi: If this was easy, we’d have the solution already…



[This message has been edited by Don Capps (edited 01-16-2000).]

[jilly]

Hi, I have been reading this BB for quite a long time it seems. This is my first post, I was starting to feel like a peeping tom, reading all the time and never posting.
I am the mother of four grown children, work as a nurse and am the only one in my family that watches racing.
I live in Vancouver, B.C. and am so keen for F-1 that I get up a 4:30 A.M. to watch the races live. I have been following since the sixties.
I grew up going to local stock car races and have never lost my interest. I am also a fan of CART. Open wheel racing being my favourite for many years.