Five laps to go for the win, Part II: Who's your driver?

By Peter M. De Lorenzo

Detroit. A couple of years ago I proposed a dream scenario to consider that went something like this: Let's imagine for a moment that you're a team owner ensconced idyllically somewhere in the Twilight Zone, and you could have your choice of any driver from throughout history - in their prime - and you had five laps to go in your choice of some of the biggest races in the world. Who would the guy - or girl - be behind the wheel of your car? Remember, it's for all the marbles - for the win. This isn't about who gives good sponsor, or who gives the most acceptable sanitized quotes to the TV commentators. It's one car. One race. For the win.

This time I thought I'd confine the scenario to current drivers as opposed to tapping into a list of historical greats. So, as they say in the stick-and-ball media, who ya got?

The Indianapolis 500. If there's one race to win in all of motorsport, it's the Indianapolis 500. The Tradition. The History. The Prestige. The Cash. Plain and simple it's still the biggest race in the world to win. So let's assume your team has run a smart, calculated race, and your driver and crew chief have worked together to get the set-up exactly right for the five-lap sprint to the finish. Who do you want in your car at that exact moment? Of all the current Indy car drivers out there, who would you trust to bring it home for you? Will Power? Dario? TK? Marco? Helio? Pagenaud? Hunter-Reay? If it were my team, I'd want Scott Dixon in the car. because when he's hot he is extremely hard to beat.

The Daytona 500. In spite of NASCAR's relentless boneheadedness at times, there is no question that the Daytona 500 is a great race, and a great race to win. You can win all you want in Kansas or New Hampshire or wherever else on the Sprint Cup trail, but NASCAR's signature event - though one of the dreaded restrictor-plate races - is still the one that counts. But let's say for this discussion - it is the Twilight Zone, remember - that the restrictor-plate thing has finally worked itsself out to the drivers' favor - as if - and they have throttle control at their disposal. Who's your driver? Tony Stewart? One of the Busch brothers? Brad Keselowski? Jimmie Johnson? Matt Kenseth? Carl Edwards? Jeff Gordon? Kevin Harvick? Or a rookie you think is going to be unbeatable by the time you get him under contract? My feeling hasn't changed since the last time I thought about it, Kyle Busch would be my guy.

The Monaco Grand Prix. It's certainly not the most heroic racing venue like Spa or the Nurburgring Nordschleife, but it's definitely the most glamorous. And if you're a Grand Prix driver, or an F1 team owner, before you hang it up you want to win there. So, who would you want in your car - right now, today - for the win? Sebastian Vettel? Fernando Alonso? Lewis Hamilton? For me, I think on a perfect afternoon with the perfect car Vettel would be an obvious choice. But in a gutty, gritty race with the chips on the line? I'd have to go with Kimi Raikkonen. After all, he knows what to do.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans. Yes, this race is as much about the car as the drivers. Tom Kristensen has won the event a staggering nine times, but I'm going to use my wildcard pick for a slightly different scenario. This isn't for the last five laps but for the last hour. As a team owner you want the driver who you believe can bring it home no matter what the odds. And for the last hour with the biggest prize in sports car racing on the line? For me that driver is the great Sebastian Loeb.

I could go on but half the fun is thinking about it. So answer the question: Who ya got?


Publisher's Note: As part of our continuing series celebrating the "Glory Days" of racing, we're proud to present another noteworthy image from the Ford Racing Archives. - PMD

(Photo by Dave Friedman courtesy of the Ford Racing Archives and Wieck Media)
Riverside, California, January 22, 1967. Speaking of drivers you'd want in your car for the last five laps, the great Parnelli Jones (here talking to Glen Wood before the Motor Trend 500 at Riverside International Raceway) was as tough as they come and could win anywhere, any time and in any kind of car.

Publisher's Note: Like these Ford racing photos? Check out www.fordimages.com. Be forewarned, however, because you won't be able to go there and not order something. - PMD