Patrick Dempsey and Le Mans

by Tammy

Did you all watch the first (of four) parts of "Patrick Dempsey: Racing Le Mans" last Wednesday? (For info and schedule, see the Velocity website.)

I loved it, for two reasons.

One, it doesn't sugar-coat who dreadfully expensive and how much stupid hard work racing is—and if that sounds odd coming from someone as race-obsessed as me, know that I love the sport in part because it's such an absurd thing to do ... I love the stories generated by that level of commitment and insanity.

Two, the show (so far) is a who's-who of my experiences in the ALMS over the last nine years. Starting with Patrick Long (fooled you, didn't I?), who drove for my team back in 2004, and who I've rooted for ever since. Check him out here in a co-starring role....



I'm also quite sure future parts of the series will include my good friend Pattie Mayer, pace car driver and all-around inspiration, who I believe was with the Dempsey Del Piero team at Le Mans this year.

Do I think the show is perfect? No. I do agree when Dempsey talks about it being very difficult to secure and maintain sponsors for a racing team ... but let's be honest: it's a hell of a lot easier for Patrick Dempsey to secure sponsors for the racing team he's the face of than it is for hundreds of racers who no one outside a small portion of the racing world has heard of. Then again, maybe that's his point: if it's hard for him, imagine how hard it is for others (though that sounds more egocentric than something he'd say).

Oops, here's a third reason I loved the show: Dempsey is excited to get more people interested in sportscar racing. Now, that's a purpose I can get behind! Watch the show, people!

The 52 Hours of Daytona

by Tammy

Sure, the race is the 24 Hours of Daytona. But I'm heading out to Florida this week to embed with my friends at The Racer's Group (see my December post about it) for the duration of the weekend. And as best I can figure it, I'll be at the track for the better part of 52 hours between Thursday morning and Sunday evening.

And no, for everyone who's asked, I won't stay up all night. I don't think I can. But I don't expect much in the way of sleep, that's for sure.

Next Monday I'll have a quick report, with more details and lots of photos to follow (I'll be posting to Facebook and Twitter throughout the weekend, if you want to follow along). And on a personal level, I expect to have piles and piles of notes for the next book.

So what am I looking forward to?

• The racing season getting underway!
• Sitting in on team meetings, to find out what really goes on there ... I've got my suspicions and some memories from the 2004 season, but I need some current details.
• Sitting on the pit box with a radio headset, listening to team communications.
• Seeing the Corvette DPs.
• Seeing friends from over the years, including Kevin Buckler and Bob Dickinson at The Racer's Group and drivers Patrick Long and Andrew Davis.
• Hanging out with friends Barb and Mary.
• Generating new ideas for the story I'm working on (I hope).

What about you? Will you be watching the 24 Hours of Daytona? Are you looking forward to anything in particular?

Who Don't You Love?

We’re talking drivers. Let’s hear it.

TAMMY: I don’t actively dislike many drivers. Mostly I like a few and feel ambivalent or mildly supportive of the vast majority. But there are two I really, really don’t care for.

1. Fernando Alonso, Formula 1. Nothing summarizes my feelings for him so much as the phrase “whiny git.” I don’t deny his mad racing skills. I simply find the personality and behavior he’s chosen to display to the public to be arrogant and complaining. No thanks.

2. Kyle Busch, NASCAR. Again, a guy who’s crazy-good behind the wheel. But a loose cannon and devoid of class. If he’s winning by a large margin, I turn off the race. My hopes for NASCAR races are ABK (anyone but Kyle).

SIMON: The driver I have an issue with these days is Danica Patrick. I'm not sure I'm allowed to say that. My issue with her is that the way she presented herself to the public is that she gives off an air of entitlement and that's one thing really gets me huffing and puffing. I know there's a lot of expectation around her because she is the sport's number one female driver, but expecting the world to fall at her feet because of it, I find quite annoying. If she was a little more humble, I'd like her a lot more.

But I don't want to focus on the negative. Who do you like?

TAMMY: How positive of you, Simon! (And I find it hard to argue with you about Danica. Part of me thinks, "work it while you can, girl," and another part of me is just annoyed with her.)

Who DO I love? Hands down, my favorite driver ever is someone few people have

heard of: Patrick Long. He's Porsche's only American factory driver, and has been for seven years now. He dabbles in stock cars on off weekends (and does well), he's won Le Mans (twic

e in class), and he took the Australian V8 Supercars series by storm when he visited with a number of other "international" drivers for an event last year. He speaks a bunch of languages, is polished and articulate at all times to all people, and is simply a nice human being. And no, no crushing here, more like a proud older-sister. He was the rookie driver for the team I was involved in back in 2004, and I've kept in touch with him and watched his career skyrocket. He deserves any success coming his way, as he's just one of the good guys.

In other series, I liked Lewis Hamilton more last year than this. I like Tony Kanaan (not sure why, because of same initials?). I like Tony Stewart for being a pure racer. How about you, Simon?

SIMON: My all time racing hero is Jim Clark. His racing stats speak for themselves. I've read his autobiography and a number of biographies and he seemed like a very humble and honest man who loved racing for racing. I wish I could have met him. I'm a big fan of Nigel Mansell too. I loved that he was a total animal with his cars. They will bow to his will. I have a real soft spot for Johnny Herbert. I knew a couple of mechanics that worked with him in F3 and said he was an absolute star in the car. He could make an absolute crate fly, but was an awful test driver because he couldn't tell you word one how to make the car better. I admired Ayrton Senna. Probably the most intuitive driver who ever lived. The BBC did a documentary series about McLaren. He left me slack-jawed when he predicted an engine problem before the computer did. Amazing ability. Also I have a soft spot for all British drivers in the sport. I want them all to do well, but I may be a little biased. :-)

TAMMY: I won't argue with either of us being biased. What about the rest of you? Who do or don't you love?