I must admit I’m getting soft in my old age. Given the choice between a nice, hot Starbucks at home or heading to the track on a rainy morning I’ll likely pick the java. Even if one of the family is racing. This weekend though, I had plans to meet up with veteran racer Randy Pobst.
Randy is a good friend of our own Gary Faules and I wasn’t going to miss out on a chance to say hi to a new friend. After all, meeting incredible car people is one of the greatest perks of writing The Garage.
Given the realities of running two cars, Randy didn’t get to spend too much time hanging out. That said, I came away with the feeling that Randy is one of the real good guys in racing. He obviously has a great rapport with the crew guys. It’s great to see that even with the stress of switching from dry setup to wet, the crew are still able to have a great time. Typical techs, inflicting pain on an unsuspecting team mate with flick from a shop towel. I felt right at home, and that’s not always the case in the paddock, where tensions and egos can get in the way sometimes.
I’m looking forward to the day when I can spend more time with Randy Pobst and the rest of the crew.
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I’m glad you got to meet Randy. Randy is unique in that no matter what adversities pop up he’s got that smile on his face and he’s ready to do his part to nip it in the butt. He’s always a pleasure to be around, fun and never anything but a gentleman. My son always cracks up when he remembers me asking Randy what he does for a living. He said, “I race cars.”
Randy Pobst is one of the coolest drivers around. He almost always has time for an autograph or a quick chat. He always has a smile on his face and is genuinely a nice guy. He is also insanely quick in a GT car from any manufacturer.
I just wish someone would give him a fair shake in a Le Mans prototype or at least a proper Daytona Prototype program.