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Niki Lauda RIP


DizRotus

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Dead at 70.  A remarkable man with an incredible career.  If you haven’t seen Ron Howard’s excellent film, Rush, which chronicles the rivalry, and friendship, between Lauda and James Hunt, I strongly recommend it.  Even my wife enjoyed it, after first dismissing it as, “just a racing movie.”

 

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5 hours ago, DizRotus said:

Dead at 70.  A remarkable man with an incredible career.  If you haven’t seen Ron Howard’s excellent film, Rush, which chronicles the rivalry, and friendship, between Lauda and James Hunt, I strongly recommend it.  Even my wife enjoyed it, after first dismissing it as, “just a racing movie.”

 

 

RIP....heck of a driver who went through a lot in his career.

Thanks for the reminder, I had forgotten about this movie have yet to see it.

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I saw the first 10 years of races at Long Beach. 1976 was the first year for F1. Niki Lauda was the reigning champion from '75. He brought that beautiful Ferrari Red Ferrari down around the back stretch to the start of the long straightaway.... and gunned it. Smoke like a drift racer. Crowd like a frenzied mob. He was fabulous. Ferrari won the Constructor's

Award in '75 too. Because of Nikki. And some of his world titles came after his fiery wreck, iirc. Amazing.

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RIP Herr Lauda!  One of the racing greats is now gone!😕  In June 1974, I was at the Belgian Jump School, Schaffen, Belgium, just outside of Diest.  Each night, some of us (generally myself and some of the Belgian guys) would go the Joy Club in Diest,  just about a 20-30-minute leisurely walk from Schaffen.  I had made friends with the club owner and his brother-in-law, the DJ at the club. and they asked if I wanted to go to the Dutch GP with them in Zandvoort, NE. I wasn't supposed to, but I did!  They provided me with some civilian clothes, helmet, etc. and the owner's old Suzuki 380 GT (he was on his new Guzzi 750 with his wife!) and we all rode motorcycles over to the event...about 150 miles away. 

Herr Lauda won that race in the Ferrari!  And Ferrari also took second place!  It was the ONLY time I ever actually saw him race in person, but I had followed him and continued to do so on television, whenever possible, until he stopped driving.  He along with Bruce McLaren(RIP!) and Denny Hulme(RIP!)..and, of course, Jackie Stewart were my favorite four racers in the late 1960's mid-1970's while finishing growing up and into my young adulthood!  Of course, I made it back in time, and two days later I was heading back to Italy with my unit! 

BTW, that Suzuki 380 GT handled like crap compared to the Yammie RD 350 I had previously owned! 

 

But standing on the Dunlop tire bridge drinking beer and watching Herr Lauda head towards it and disappear under it is one of the great memories in my life!...and the SOUNDS!!  Those Ferrari engine SOUNDS!  Heading towards you and under you and past behind you!  GEEZ!  That bridge was THE PLACE TO BE!  Pic below is after parking at Dutch GP track early that morning, notice I'm wearing my JUMP BOOTS!  LOL!:  I took lots of pics that day, but haven't yet scanned the negatives to files...still have five more negative books to scan in!...and about 5000 slides still need scanning!  Sorry!

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The sounds, yes! I remember now after your post. To hear those 'killer bees' coming around to where you were was great anticipation. And then you felt them as they passed. I am not a great motorhead but that was an unbelievable and unforgettable experience. The kind we all live for, I hope.

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