Could I be a Le Mans winner? I no longer think so....

Keep me in the loop on that one! You're pretty good at digging up these things, and I've always wanted to drive one as well. Several years ago during a lapping day at Gingerman there was a team there shaking down a sport racer--can't remember which. I walked over and was checking it out and the owner emerged from his truck asking "Want to drive it?" Being naively opportunistic I assumed this was just one of those gifted moments in life, but was quickly awoken from my ignorant dream-state when he followed with "$25,000 per weekend." No thanks. Just looking.

 

As I said, if your are .5 seconds a lap off you will be down a lap at the end of the race. (Good luck getting within 1/2 second-that is only .22% off of pace) and look at the stats-most races were won/lost by about 1 lap.

So the answer stands: You have very little chance of winning. That's why "they" are called professional race drivers-they really are so much faster than even the best of "us".

Even the best of the gentleman drivers (Of which I include Jim Matthews) are still .5 to 1 second a lap off of the "pros".

 

Can Joe Blow win Le Mans? It’s a paradox really.

Although the impossible can happen (I’d say ‘John Winter’ but he was pretty good), it usually doesn’t, thus Joe Blow would ensure the team demise. Here’s why:

1: Time lost due to an extra driver change (at least 1/2 a lap, probably more) - unless he completes a full stint, in which case,

2 : Lots of time lost on the track.

3 : A very high chance he will damage the car by not driving it properly. One missed gear, one ground gear, one curb hit too hard and the car is no longer reliable - it won’t finish at all.

4: He will probably crash, or rather be helped into a crash.
No one out on the track will be doing him any favors because he will be like the kid in tennis camp who shows up with a $6,000 racket, new whites and can’t even hit the ball. Jealousy disguised as indignant professionalism will flourish. Race drivers read the personality of the other competitors through their driving styles and Joe Blow’s lack of speed, his nervousness and indecision will have people diving down on the inside chopping him off and shoving him out of the way like mad. Want to pass out a faster car? Want to nobble the chances of a competitor (and thus move yourself up a spot) with virtually no risk? Here’s your opportunity!! Joe Blow on the track will attract bad behavior like you wouldn’t believe; he will be like an ailing predator surrounded by angry herbivores, which is in turn ringed by another circle of hungry carnivores, all of whom either want to stomp him or eat him alive.

So, unless Joe Blow is as fit as a top racing driver, as fast as a racing driver and as tough as a racing driver then he probably won’t find himself in a winning car, not matter how deep his pocket book. If, on the other hand, he has all those attributes, then someone will probably be paying him to drive anyway, thus rendering his fundamental pocket book superfluous and removing him from the ranks of the ‘Joe Blows’. As I said, it’s a paradox.

Hey, give the bat a swing! Tell us what happens!

 

Some people, myself included, would kill just for the experience of being a part of it.

In the end, if you're wealthy enough to enter, who cares if your team finish in first or last place? It would be a blast, and an incredible learning experience!

 

You COULD sign up as a gofer on a winning team, and use that as a claim to fame.

 

I'd care if I was last, becaise that would mean that I am 'probably' an obstacle.
John Winter ? How about Nick Mason ?

Has anyone here ever taken an extended vacation where you DON'T drive, I mean for like 3-4 weeks ? You get back in your car at home, and your timing is way off, even in judging if you should pull into an intersection or not ? I don't think I would ever be able to race anything over about 100 mph because it would take me 'forever' just to get my timing down, and I don't have 'forever' to do that.

KRAM - you absolutely nailed it. GREAT post.

 

I have to somewhat agree with you. I think I would have more fun driving out there dead last than even being a team owner that wins the race (overall), but that's just me. I would like to at least come in 2nd to last among the cars that actually cross the line, coming in last wouldn't be as fun

 

No, I mean where you go on extended vacation and drive NOTHING.


Now, if I THOUGHT I could drive and not hurt anyone or anything, and if I owned a team, I wouldn't mind doing two 45/60 minute shifts in a 24 hr race like Daytona or 12 hr race at Sebring. LeMans is another story..... That's for the real pros.
Wasn't it Roger Dorchey that took a Puegeot like 258mph down the Mulsanne in like 1985 ? THAT is NUTS, I thought I was flying when I was going 130 in my street car.

 

Why do you think you could race in either of the races you mention and not be way behind the pace, exactly?

 

Great post!

thanks.

really agree with points 3 and 4.

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I don't think that - I would be behind the pace there also, but what I mean is, LeMans is no place for a person to run around in, not that the other two I mentioned are. LM is to endurance racing what Daytona is to stock car racing, and Indy is (was) to american open wheel racing - no place to mess around in. If you are not a halfway seasoned pro, the biggest races of the year are no place for you.
But I also mean I would not start out at the beginning of either of those races, I'd jump in with 3-4 hours left, after the field has thinned a bit, and definitely not in the dark.