Fans tip their hats to American LeMans driver McNish
The American Le Mans Series doesn’t usually make big headlines; TV coverage is typically tucked away in a corner of the Speed channel’s schedule between some reality show and a program sponsored by the makers of car-cleaning products. But fans of the series have just voted Allan McNish as "Driver of the Decade." Not just driver of the year, but of 10 years. "It’s an accolade that has come completely out of the blue," he said. "Over 70 drivers, including all the legendary names from the past 10 years of sports car racing, were eligible and I’m honored to have been chosen."
"Who he?" might be a reasonable reaction. McNish is a 38-year-old Scot who drives for the Audi sports car team. He’s a nice guy and the perfect build for a racing driver — think jockey-like. When the company decided to fuel its race machines with diesel, a radical and groundbreaking move, McNish was there. He has since gone on to help make Audi one of the most successful motorsport outfits, with the 12 Hours of Sebring and the real Le Mans in France being just two of his 26 victories at this level.
Indulge me, please, as I tell my own Allan McNish story. Before he signed to Audi, McNish drove for Porsche. He was at an event I attended that took place on a track in England. I knew this circuit pretty well and thought I could get around it quite quickly. McNish took me for a lap in a stock, rear-wheel-drive Porsche 911. He was operating on a whole other level, almost supernaturally fast, with smooth — sometimes minuscule — driver inputs. And the most annoying thing? He was relaxed and chatty, not even trying. So congratulations, Mr. McNish, and thanks for the lesson.
Photos: Audi
