RIP Niki. I have a lasting memory of being a few feet from Niki just a few weeks after his crash. It was at the Glen and there wasn't a sole there who wasn't shocked by the fact he was back racing in F1 while his face was bandaged and bleeding. My wife and I were in the enclosed pit garages the day following the actual race. James Hunt signed an autograph for her but we knew it was not the proper time to ask Niki. Mario was too busy entertaining two sexy young ladies. 1976 was a fascinating time in F1 and its humbling to think I was so close to those two legends - Hunt and Lauda - right in the middle of a legendary year. He had the willpower of a superman.
I was at that Glen race too. First big race of any kind I went to. Very happy to have had the opportunity to see so many great drivers of that era.
The racer on the right looks like Ronnie Peterson. I remember his horrific crash & death. :(
It is Ronnie..... Picture was taken at the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix.
dlq04
05-21-2019 09:10 PM
^ Gee Paul I know you as a Hockey Guy...... (and the future looks bright, BRUINS vs BLUES) but I never seen you post about F1 before. :thumbup:
Sam, loved that cartoon.
dlq04
05-21-2019 09:13 PM
Originally Posted by windhund116
(Post 24604037)
RIP. Did anyone see "Rush" ?
We never ever go to the movies but we couldn’t wait to see Rush. We drove to Lansing to see one of the very first showings. Honestly, I think it may have been the last time we were in a movie house.
PS- Paul thanks for posting that early photo of Niki - before the fire.
Mark, its a small world. If I remember right it snowed that weekend.
I have to make a correction to what I said earlier after looking at some notes from that time. Donna and I attended The Glen race, driving our yellow 1972 Triumph Stag from Michigan. We arrived early and spent time in the pits the day before the race where Donna got James Hunt's autograph. Having an eye for pretty girl's he signed it, To Donna With Love! We spent time the day following the race in the F1 garages as well. The crews where dismantling the racers for shipment to Japan. It was then we saw Niki Lauda's burns up close. We could not believe he was racing in that condition. Other autographs Donna got included two Brazilians: Carolos Pace driving a Brabham-Alfa Romeo (winner of the Brazilian Grand Prix the year before) and Emerson Fittipaldi (two time world F1 champion 1972 and 1974 who shocked the F1 world by leaving McLaren in 1976, after finishing 2nd in the 1975 F1 championship to Lauda to drive for his brother’s unsuccessful Fittipaldi F1 team for the next five years).
