A gearhead dinner for four - your picks...

Good question. First three that stand out to me are Clarkson, Kimi, and maybe Mike Finnegan, though I'd have a bit of trepidation as to how well the first two would go as dinner guests. I could easily see Clarkson pissing off the wait staff to the point of messing with the party's food (I mean, the man did punch a guy in the face over a sandwich platter or some such E36 M3, did he not?) Kimi I fear would just sit there in silence before disappearing to the rest room for 20 minutes, returning as a slightly disheveled looking waitress winks at him from across the room as she redoes the top button on her blouse. Finnegan I'm pretty sure I could hang with, though. 

In reply to Furious_E :

See I think Clarkson would help the service, by keeping them in fear of their job for screwing up. But I also think as long as the wine is flowing, he'd be a happy boy. At least that's how it looks on top gear/grand tour. 

Same way with Musk, I suspect with proper application of social lubricant, he could be quite jovial. Or just get him really drunk and start writing down his ideas and babbles. 

Living:

Jay Leno

jerry Seinfeld

tim Allen

Dead:

smokey yunnick

Carroll Shelby

Dan gurney

Seinfeld at dinner is no fun, and I love his comedy and loved the show. Randy Probst is a good time, bring salad. Kimi would want to skip dinner and head to the ice cream bar. 

Dave Coleman, Sir Jackie Stewart and Bill Caswell would be my 3. 

Courtney Force, Brittany Force and Danica Patrick.

'Cause I LOVE cars!

Keith...cause he has run the Targa  and he also build his wife crazy  cars.

Tuna...cause I want to razz him for the longest build thread in history of build threads

Mazdeuce...cause I don't really believe that he exist.

Crackers...cause anyone who can weld sheet-metal with a E36 M3box flux welder is a special person.

So many good suggestions. My lack of creativity would result in the TG/GT trio.

I also like the idea of an automotive ladies night. The Force sisters are good, as I imagine the Edelbrock sisters would be as well. I would probably have to pass on Miss Patrick as my encounter with her at a meet and greet wasn't positive. In her place I would much rather have Sabine.  

Now going with forum members, I would love to grill up some steaks with any of you.Top mention going to Wally  

Brian said:

So many good suggestions. My lack of creativity would result in the TG/GT trio.

I also like the idea of an automotive ladies night. The Force sisters are good, as I imagine the Edelbrock sisters would be as well. I would probably have to pass on Miss Patrick as my encounter with her at a meet and greet wasn't positive. In her place I would much rather have Sabine.  

 

A couple of my 600 standbys are Janet Guthrie and Shirley Muldowney. 

Living:  Peter Egan, Tim Cindric, Dean Case

Deceased: Dan Gurney, Carroll Smith (not Shelby), Paul Frère  

Evan Arthur, Ed Trudeau, and Orion Fairman.

I would rather have dinner with gearheads I share interests with...

John Morton - talked to him once at the JCCShow. Nice guy.  

Helio Castroneves - seems like a fun guy.  

Jackie Stewart - not sure why.  

Mndsm said:

Can we have dead guys? Smokey yunick, zora arkus duntov, Carroll Shelby Tommy ivo.

Well, they won't order much, but on the plus side you will be able to fill up on their share of the free breadsticks.

Mario Andretti, James May, Adam Carolla

Number 3 should be Colin McRae, but yeah.  Stupid helicopter 

honorable mention to frieburger and finnegan

Patrick said:

Mario Andretti, James May, Adam Carolla

Number 3 should be Colin McRae, but yeah.  Stupid helicopter 

His dad's still around, and he was a hell of a driver in the late Group 4/early Group B days.

This and my previous comment reminds me of a joke... Certain Ethnic goes into a bar and orders three beers at a time.  When questioned about this odd behavior, he responds that he has two brothers who he used to drink with, and now that's he's moved far from home, he likes to order in rounds of three to remember them by.  Everyone who got to know him soon understood and respected this quirk.

One day, he comes in to his haunt and orders TWO beers.  People take notice, and wonder what happened, coming to a common conclusion.  Everyone's somber.  Finally, the bartender speaks up and offers condolences for his loss.  The man looks confused for a moment, then realized what everyone is thinking.  "Oh, no, my brothers are fine!  It's just that I've decided to quit drinking..."

Christian Horner would be on my list of spares, too.

Peter Egan, Pat Ganahl, and I'm not sure who else.

Kenny Roberts, Valentino Rossi and Kevin Cameron

In reply to SaltyDog :

What, no Linda Vaughn or "Jungle Pam" Hardy?

In reply to stroker :

OOh Jungle Pam!

Sorry Danica, you just got bumped!   Linda gets the alternate slot.