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So it's that time again, when the current
racing season starts winding down around the globe, having already seen the
soon to merge American Le Mans and Grand Am series seasons finish with their
respective champions crowned; ditto for the Indy Car Series, while I believe
that the GP2 and GP3 championships have also concluded - whilst
"TWINKIEBOY" (Seb' Vettel) and Red Bull have clinched their fourth
consecutive F1 titles respectively with just two races remaining...
Thus a perusal of the various newswires
around the globe revealed to me that another championship winner had been
crowned, with thee "Scottish Terrier," aka Alan McNish becoming the
first Bloody Brit to win the Sports Car championship since 1992 when another
ex-Formula 1 driver had done so. He was Ayrton's friend; NOT! As his name was
Derek Warwick who won the final FIA World Sportscar Championship (WSC) for Peugeot
Talbot Sport alongside another former F1 driver, Yannick Dalmas as his
co-driver and co-champion.
McNish proclaimed the title's significance by
stating: "It is the cherry on the top of the career
cake." Having
won it for Audi with the help of his No. 2 co-drivers "Mr. Le Mans,"
nee Tom Kristensen and
Loïc Duval on the back of three victories (Silverstone,
Circuit Of The Americas) including this year's 24 Heurs du Mans, McNish's third
victory while Kristensen
extended his record to nine, yet neither driver had ever won a championship title!
As the pressure's off now and the trio can go for a further victory at the
World Endurance Championship finale at Bahrain...
McNish, Audi capture World Endurance Championship title
I also came upon the day's results for the
season ending MOTO GP race from Valencia, Spain, where Rookie 'Scooter prodigy
"M & M," aka Mark Marquez had captured his ninth Pole I believe,
and thus a quick check of my TV Guide
told me what I'd ARSE-sumed, the race was airing at 5AM (Pacific) live Sunday
morning, which I decided to get up 'N watch since I'd be needing to awake at an
even more ABSURD time in a scant few days for my trek to Austin...
And I could only chuckle over hearing that
proper British euphemism, when we were told it was a "Cracking
Sendoff!" In regards to this year's title decider, as Marquez led the points chase by 13 over
reigning Double MOTO GP champion George Lorenzo who'd be rolling off alongside
Marquez in P2.
And it was also nice to hear Greg Kramer's
voice in the 'Wee morning hours, since he was last year's COTA PA Announcer and
hopefully will reprise his duty this year again? As Marquez's teammate Dani Pedrosa
vaulted into second and put on a 'KURR-RACKING duel with Lorenzo for the lead,
as Lorenzo had to win outright and hope for the younger Spaniard Marquez to finish worse than fourth to claim the
championship.
thus the 20yr old Rookie seemed content to
watch Pedrosa
and Lorenzo go Hammer 'N Tongs over the lead, with the two even bumping into
each other - as the announcer chimed in he's got the best seat in the house!
(P3)
After their coming together, Marquez vaulted
into second behind Lorenzo while Dani Pedrosa dropped back to
fifth before rebounding to third place and then ultimately slipping past his
younger Repsol Honda teammate to finish runner-up to Lorenzo who claimed his
eighth victory of the season. Yet with Marquez finishing upon the podium's
final step in third, the Rookie Spaniard wasn't to be denied of doing the
unthinkable by becoming the sport's youngest ever champion! (By a 4-point
margin)
Having won six races and 16-podiums, Marquez
snatched away the record for youngest ever champion which had currently
belonged to 'Yank "Fast Freddy" Spencer who'd won his first GP500
title in 1983 at the age of 21. And to put it into perspective, that was the
year that Tom Sneva won his lone Indy 500, having his face minted onto the Borg
Warner trophy... While Marquez also became the first Rookie to win the title
since "King" Kenny Roberts did so in 1978 - the year that 'B-I-G AL
won his third Indianapolis 500; CRIKEYS!
thus has the torch been passed from "the
Doctor" (Valentino Rossi) to Marquez? Only time will tell, but it's
interesting to note that the 20yr old Rookie took over the seat vacated by the
shock retirement announcement of two-time MOTO GP champ Casey Stoner at the age
of 26 last year... As Marquez has now
won three titles in the last four years, having previously won the 125cc and
Moto2 crowns on his ascension to the top!
Meanwhile, ironically with this year's title
coming down to the final race, a sold out Spanish Flair, it was seven years ago
since the last MOTO GP title came down
to the season finale which thee "Kentucky Kid," nee Nicky Hayden won
aboard a Honda, as the Valencia round marked Hayden's final ride aboard his 'Duc
(Ducati) which he's soldiered about upon for five years - mostly alongside
Rossi, as Hayden will begin a new motorcycle racing chapter on Monday when he
test's his new Honda production racer...
Nicky Hayden on Now, Then andMonday