Ok, first up... a
confession. This isn’t going to be the usual blog... wait, don’t go
back to browsing Daily Mail or anything, I’ll still update you on
Jessica & Ryan, it’s just that today is going to be about me, and
how I’m feeling.
Selfish? Yeah, probably. But I bother to write this so here goes.
Jessica & Ryan are fine, we’re
moving in 3 weeks - still staying in north VA and packing is already
underway, I’ll discuss more when we are settled in on the next entry.
Furloughs have been hitting us a little bit, Jessica has 2 days vacation
to fit in, but so far I’m surviving.... but if the Washington Numpties
don’t pull their fingers out, we’ll all be in the brown stuff!
Now, to my thoughts (plural - hoorah!)
Motor Racing films have been a mixed
bunch over the years, Grand Prix was excellent, Le Mans so-so, Winning
was pretty good, and Driven was more accurate as Drivel. Senna was a
documentary which was excellently done, though a little too much of a
whitewash for fans, and Ron Howard’s recent film Rush - principally
about my namesake and his battle with Niki Lauda in 1976 - has got rave
reviews.
So how’s this for a film idea: Young
hopeful leaves his home country at 20, travels to USA in search of
racing stardom, slowly working his way up the ladder he breaks into the
top echelon of open-wheel sport in America. He embraces the biggest
race and makes it his goal to win the Indy 500. In 2005 he fulfills
that dream, and also becomes series champion that year.
He turns down an opportunity to return
to Europe and drive as part of an F1 team, preferring to stay where his
heart is. But slowly his career seems to be stumbling, by the end of
2010 his career reaches a low point, released by his team he is
obligated to sue them to pay his salary. He begins 2011 as an
ex-driver, too sure of his talents to drop to the lower end of the
field, the opportunity will come his way he’s certain.
An old team-mate offers a shot at
Indy, the team barely qualified last year so it’s not much of a shot is
it? But the driver makes it work, quick from the first lap at the
track, it looks like he’s not quite going to have the fairytale result
as he’s 2nd going into the final lap, trailing a rookie driving for the
team he’s just sued. The final corner sees disaster for the rookie,
“He’s hit the wall”..... our hero comes past the wreckage to win. The
next night he’s on a popular talk show, “You’re now unemployed” says the
host. “Thanks for reminding me!” is the response to applause from the
audience.
Towards the end of the season rumors
are a new drive may be lined up, he’s spent the season driving the 2012
car and testing it, it’s supposed to be much safer and give better
racing. He’s a hot commodity once more. Would he like to drive for a
$5million prize at Las Vegas? Hell, forget the prize, he’ll drive
because that’s what he does, it’s who he is.
On the day of the race a new contract
is lined up, the signature driver in the series is moving on, a lime
green car with a very good team awaits in 2012. Everyone is delighted
that he’s going to be back full-time, even the broadcast network is
pleased, even though he had got stellar reviews as a co-commentator in
the season.
Is that the Hollywood ending? I
suppose it could be. Maybe he wins that final race and pockets the $$$
and spends time with his wife & 2 young sons. It would re-write
history though.
Sadly Dan Wheldon didn’t get to drive
the 2012 Go-Daddy Indycar, he died in a horrific crash that day in Las
Vegas. 2 years ago today the motor sports world lost an absolute star
and the reason why I watched Indycar. I often wonder just how the
future could have turned out in that Hollywood style, but you’d go crazy
if you though about it too much.
When I found out Jessica was pregnant
near Christmas 2011, I decided that if we had another son, I wanted to
have Daniel in his name, so that when he asked where it came from I
could spend time boring him with stories about the 2011 Indy 500 and
many other brilliant days I spent watching Wheldon go to the limit.
I’ll never get to share that story with him, but with Ryan & any
other friends & family I’ll never tire of saying why DW meant
something to me.
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