Round one of the danish rally championship 1998. A long "winter" was finally over and we were ready for a new season.
People (Mainly those who have never been to a race) have often asked me why I enjoy going to races, as neither I nor my parents have a car. Most of them really try to understand the funny side of watching cars going around in circles, as they find it boring to watch on TV.
Well, first of all I really don't care about most cars, as they are so boring to look at, and so are most races on TV. It's not very often I watch races on TV.
It's very difficult to explain to people who have not been to a race, and to be honest I don't think it should be explained, as hobbies are just something you feel good doing, that's all. My main reason though is going away for one or more days with friends, relax and enjoy REAL cars driving on the limit, not crashing, just driving on the limit. And if you open your eyes, you meet quite a number of different kinds of people, and get to know places you don't even know exist.
AND the following would never have happened if I had chosen wine as a hobby !!!!!!
STORY ONE.
Round one of the danish rally championship 1998. A long "winter" was finally over and we were ready for a new season.
The weather was fairly good, though windy, when we left. The problems started when we were getting ready to leave the ferry between Zealand and Jutland. They had no problems getting the ferry INTO the harbour, but getting it to the quay was a different matter. Even if the ferries are quite powerful, there was NO chance. We had to leave the harbour again, and upon returning we were pushed to quay by a pilot boat. Very fascinating.
We were about an hour delayed, but could still make a few special stages the same evening.
Or so we thought. Going north on the motorway, it started to snow. When we were 3 km from our motorway exit, the traffic stopped, and so did we in the most open and windy place, only 400 m from a sheltering hill. What do you do sitting there in a long queue of cars and trucks. You get a puncture of course !!
We really saved the day for the people in the cars around us. For some reason no-one offered any help. Just the same, as they would have been no help anyway, as they were laughing their heads off. I've never seen so many laughing faces on a public road.
It really beat the time I bought an ice-cream at a FREEZING Silverstone, because I felt like doing something stupid to pass some time between races, and it was the only place without a queue. When I came back to my friends, I noticed there now was a long queue of people buying ice-creams ........
Oh the rally ??, it was the most boring rally I can remember having seen .........
STORY TWO
Having been to the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix every year since 1986, you just learn something about the area, and most importantly, you fall in love with the place. We have tried almost any kind (Except snow I think !) of weather there from frost to heat wave, including TONS of rain.
Spa 1989 was our fourth pilgrimage, and as usual it was raining. Every day they tried to comfort us over the speakers, saying it would be better tomorrow. Well, it got worse !!
On race day (Sunday) we only had one set of fairly dry clothes left each, and we had "luck" for a change. It only rained once, but it lasted ALL DAY.
We saw the race from a slope, and of course the rain-water started flowing down the slope like small rivers. Near where we sat there were two "rivers", one between my legs and another between my friend Niels' legs. We just gave up, stayed where we were, and decided to enjoy the race.
The race was great, and must have been one of Nigel Mansells best. I'm NOT a fan of his, but he was fantastic, almost sideways in the corners chasing the McLarens and not giving them a chance to breathe.
Of course we had no dry clothes the next day, when we headed home. I only had a pair of thermal trousers and socks, a rain-coat, a sweat-shirt and wellingtons. As I can't drive wearing wellingtons (My feet are too big) I had to take them off. We must have looked rather strange, when we went in to fill the car up, but who cares !!!!!
If after reading this, you still don't get it, well, TOO BAD !!