It occurred to me while watching the Olympics this year why sport in general appeals to so many people. Bear with me on this…
I think the reason it’s so compelling to watch is the expression of human emotion. It’s about trying, the joy of winning and the agony of losing. One of the most enduring images of the Olympics was Paula Radcliffe slumped on a Greek roadside, having pulled out of the marathon, her face a picture of anguish, sadness, frustration and pain.
Now, I have spent a fair chunk of my time trying to explain to various people why I find motor sport such a great sport to watch. With drivers tucked away inside a cocoon of carbon fibre, and hidden behind helmets and fireproof overalls, it’s pretty hard to gauge their emotions. Until the race finishes at least.
Once a race is over, drivers can release all their aggression and emotions that have built up, that’s where the human element of motor sport is there to see.
Most people won’t know this, but I’m here to educate (!). One such moment of humanism in motor sport was at Le Mans in 1967, where Dan Gurney created a now traditional act. Standing on the victory podium, he was handed the obligatory bottle of champagne. But Gurney wanted to share his mighty achievement with the throng of people surrounding him. Instead of drinking it, he spontaneously decided to spray it over the assembled crowd.
Speaking later, he said, “I was so stoked that when they handed me the Magnum of Moët et Chandon, I shook the bottle and began spraying at the photographers, drivers, Henry Ford II, Carroll Shelby and their wives. It was a very special moment at the time, I was not aware that I had started a tradition that continues in winner’s circles all over the world to this day”
Now to be honest, spraying champagne is no longer a spontaneous burst of emotion and therefore doesn’t really hold that much of mystique anymore. It’s all part of the routine, part of the post-race schedule: finish race, go to the podium, accept trophy from random dignitary, spray champagne, go to the press conference. When someone does something because they have to, it doesn’t have the same impact.
Having said that though, there are some drivers who are joining Gurney in creating some of the most evocative images of motor sport success.
There’s a guy in American NASCAR racing, whose name escapes me, who used to celebrate winning by driving the wrong way around the circuit. Carl Edwards, a Craftsman Truck driver, celebrates each win by doing a back flip from the tailgate of his truck. Somewhat bizarrely, Helio Castroneves (above) has earned the nickname of Spiderman from having a need to climb fences when he wins…
But the victory celebration that has had the most impact since Gurney’s belongs to Alex Zanardi. He has given the world the donut, a moment of car-spinning, tyre-smoking madness. They’re spectacular to watch and convey perfectly the joy of winning without the driver ever having to leave the car.
Once again though, donuts are becoming increasingly common. In fact, Dario Franchitti was so worried about the quality of his that after winning a recent IRL race he apologised to the fans!
One of the points about a victory celebration is not to conform to a set routine. If spontaneity and emotion take over then fantastic. Isn’t that what sport should be about?
Dan Gurney
13th April 2011 @ 7:19 pm
[…] – after all, he is credited with being the first driver to wear a full face helmet and he was the first person to spontaneously spray champagne at the end of a race in celebration at the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours […]