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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">LE MANS</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">03/01/2001</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Allan McNish</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Good-bye For Now, And Thank You</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><img border="1" src="Storage/Nish%20YouLE%20.jpg"></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2"> <BR> With Allan McNish about to sign off from sportscar racing, for now - as the ALMS Prototype Champion of course – it is appropriate to recognise the style and charisma he has shown ever since he arrived as a Porsche factory driver in 1997. There’s an important lesson here, which sportscar drivers know anyway. James Weaver, for one, has gone on the record stating the importance of building a fan base with youngsters. McNish has done just that, as Graham Goodwin explains.<BR> <BR> Heroes – they’re a rare breed in any field and motorsport is no different. We tend to pick our heroes at a young age and stick to them through thick and thin. I hero worshipped the brave and spectacular Ronnie Peterson; he was the first person whose death brought me to tears, but I still hold Nigel Mansell in high regard – despite everything! – both for his friendly manner and his style as a real racer.<BR> <BR> But it’s always a good thing to have heroes who are nice guys too and, I’m pleased to report, this is certainly true of Allan McNish, the driver who has emerged as my son James’ hero. After cheering him to a win at Le Mans in 1998, (despite the fact he was driving for the Porsche team – not a favourite in our household) the then 11 year old James was looking forward to a repeat triumph in ’99 with the Toyota GT-One.<BR> <BR> As we all now know, it was not to be. Thierry Boutsen tagged a backmarker in the No.2 car he shared with McNish and crashed out heavily in the early hours of Sunday morning. It happened right in front of us, with debris scattered over a wide area. Boutsen was mercifully not too badly injured (although he retired from racing as a result) but for McNish, the crash ended the hope for a second consecutive crown at Le Mans.<BR> <BR> Every cloud has a silver lining however, and thanks to a kind-hearted marshal, James went away from the trackside with his most prized possession – the front wing (including the race number) from the shattered Toyota.<BR> <BR> The following weekend was the Goodwood Festival of Speed – a real favourite with sportscar drivers and fans - and the battle scarred Toyota wing was packed carefully in a bin liner. The centrepiece at Goodwood is always spectacular and in 1999 it was particularly special, with Le Mans winning cars aplenty. Jaguars, Ferraris and Porsches stood alongside the race winning Mazda 787 and GT40s. But it was further down that we lurked – past an ever so slightly sulky Emanuele Pirro (in the Audi R8R) to the modern end of the display where the Porshe 911GT1-98 was waiting for its driver. After passing the time of day with the very charming Justin Bell, piloting his class winning ORECA Viper, McNish appeared, with media and Porsche management in tow.<BR> <BR> As he saw the tatty bit of carbon fibre, his eyes visibly widened and he asked the immortal question “How the bloody hell did you get that?” He readily signed it of course, before posing for photos and swapping banter with James for a minute or so “Don’t let these guys (Porsche management) see this, they still think I’m signed to them!”<BR> To say it made a little lad’s day would be a supreme understatement. Better still was to come however. At the ALMS round at Silverstone last year, we doorstepped the great man again (together with 30 or so other adoring fans - good news travels fast in motorsport). Again he was only too happy to sign T-shirt, race programme and the boxes of several model cars before remarking “Aren’t you the lad who got the bit of my Toyota?”, before going out in a year old car and (almost literally) driving the wheels off it.<BR> <BR> So there you have it. Why is he my son’s hero? He’s a great driver with a down to earth approach to his fans. I’d like to believe that F1 won’t change him - Allan McNish? More like Allan McNice!<BR> <BR> Our last chance to admire his talent (before he becomes an F1 man) will be at Daytona in the Risi Ferrari. Can you think of an appropriate ending to the (first?) McNish in sportscars story?<BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>