STIRLING WISDOM

“There are two things no man will admit he cannot do well: drive and make love.” - Sir Stirling Moss OBE

In a recent television interview Sir Stirling Moss proffered his belief that modern-age racing is more likely to produce accidents than was the case during his heyday because today’s driver is better protected than at any time in the history of automobile racing.

By Moss’ line of reasoning, today’s race car driver, ensconced in web of belts tightly pressing his torso into a contoured, nearly all-enveloping seat, is disposed of taking greater risk, making the race car driver “one” with and giving life to the machine he steers.

Moss, who contested more than 500 races in his 15-year professional career, thus believes today’s better-protected driver takes greater risks than ever before, consequently producing more accidents of a kind which drivers once knew there would be little or no hope of surviving.

Agreeing with Moss that today’s race car driver clearly has more favorable odds is Scotsman Allan McNish, who survived an unreal crash Saturday in the Circuit de la Sarthe’s "La Chappelle” section, when his No. 3 Audi R18 TDI all but disintegrated. (McNish’s No. 3 Audi R18 TDI’s remains at left, thanks to “Scotland’s Newspaper,” www.dailyrecord.co.uk)

“I have to say (I) probably wouldn't have been able to talk to you right now,” had the accident occurred absent of Audi putting into play current-day technology, McNish related the following day.

Given the proximity of spectators (no, not photographers, who were plentiful but expendable, of course) more than a few observers said their mind’s eye – coming practically before the last fragment of the shattering No. 3 Audi had hit the ground – quickly wandered to the 1955 race’s tragic pit-straight Mercedes crash, in which were killed 83 spectators and No. 20 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR driver Pierre Levegh.

It was a moment in time (see British Pathé newsreel 1955 footage here) that many in racing have repeatedly cited as having nearly ended motorsports competitions everywhere.

Daimler Benz later withdrew its two sister 300 SLR cars from the race – ironically, one being co-driven by Sir Stirling Moss – and at the end of 1955, despite having won the overall championship, Mercedes announced its withdrawal from motorsports, too – one that lasted three decades. In nearby Switzerland (it’s a country, Harnisfager) the government permanently banned motor racing. Other countries enacted racing moratoriums until motorsports spectator safety standards could be dictated and enacted.

After McNish’s crash had already been replayed thousands if not millions of times worldwide, Mike Rockenfeller deftly shifted the spotlight to his No. 2 Audi R18 TDI – though some insisted NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Rob Kaufman wanted, or certainly at least got that spotlight, too.

In 2010, Rockenfeller, aka “Rocky,” demonstrated his considerable racing talents when he scored one of four very exclusive Rolex timepieces after helping pilot the No. 9 Action Express Porsche-Riley to victory in the 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona, during which he punched the team’s fastest-lap (1:41.722) on Lap 581 of the 755 laps completed. (Rockenfeller is at near left in picture at right, dancing with his “mates” to the strains of “Staying Alive”)

Late Saturday, while doing roughly 300 kph (186.411358 mph, give or take a hundred-thousandth) Rockenfeller boldly decided to go where few had gone – and lived to tell of it.

Occurring just prior the course’s famed Indianapolis turn, Rockenfeller and his Audi were passing to the driver’s right of the No. 71 AF Corse Ferrari 458 (below, courtesy of Michael Waltrip Racing), driven at the time by Rob Kauffman (co-driven by Rui Aguas, along with business partner and third co-driver, two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip).

The rate of Rockenfeller’s closure on Kauffman was, well, darn quick and it spelled trouble as the Ferrari apexed at the junction of the Audi running out of road.

Suddenly an unguided rocker, the R18 turned hard left and hit the outside guard rail, providing a shower of fractured bodywork and whatever else, as seen in this video taken though a standalone camera.

Fairly remote and thus absent of race fans in close proximity, such was about the only difference between Rockenfeller and McNish’s hours-earlier crash, in that both cars were principally reduced to their respective driver compartments and, as did McNish after his crash Rockenfeller “walked,” too.

Utterly remarkable, actually.

"I’ve never had such an accident before in my career and hope I’ll never have such an experience again,” Rockenfeller said afterward.

The relatively unscathed No. 71 Ferrari 458 would later retire due to a transmission failure about 16 hours into race. The team placed 13th in the GTE Pro class and 38th overall.

Prior to Audi bad news/good news scenario at Le Mans, Sir Stirling Moss’ thoughts about safety, survival rates, faster cars and testosterone highs was recently explored with driving coach Barry Waddell (Ozz Negri being counted among a number of highly capable drivers who are coached by Waddell.)

“What about today’s street cars?” Waddell wondered aloud.

“More and more of them, straight off a dealer’s lot without any modification whatsoever, are well beyond their driver’s ability to properly control them.”

Mainly due to the lack of safety equipment “one and done” once was the operative conclusion when a racing wannabe decades ago couldn’t control an urge to control out-of-control acceleration when climbing into late-60 and early 1970 muscle cars.

Newer cars plus helicopter “life flights” (believe me, they weren’t around way back “when”) and expert trauma care keep many of today’s wannabes coming back for more when what they really need do is attend a Skip Barber School.

Later,

DC