Burt Munro. Could any of use have done so much with something so old? 1920 anythings are not supposed to go that fast. Ever.
Burt Munro. Could any of use have done so much with something so old? 1920 anythings are not supposed to go that fast. Ever.
Alan Kulwicki was pretty "grassroots" for someone racing competitively and winning a Championship in the top level of NASCAR.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Kulwicki
The Wright brothers? OK, so they didn't do much racing, but they were pretty damn grassroots.
My vote is Garlits, then.
I might say Team Hesketh: the last real bunch of privateers in F1 racing.
Or, Alain de Cadenet: Here's what the interweb says about Alain: Alain made his reputation building and driving his own sports prototypes, taking on the full works factory teams and, at times, even beating them. In 1976 he finished 3rd overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1980, he won two rounds of the World Sportscar Championship at the Monza 1000 kilometers and Silverstone 6 hour events, with co-driver Desiré Wilson. This was a major achievement in an era of increasing professionalism, when it was very difficult for privateers to defeat larger, better funded factory supported teams.
And another might be the Colliers brothers and The Ardent Alligator (built from a decrepit 1929 Riley chassis, stretched and then had a flat-head Ford V8 squeezed into it). This collection of bits and bobs won the '49 Watkins Glen Grand Prix. It's currently owned by my good friend Peter McManus who continues to thrash in a good and proper way.
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