Drivers:

1- Who is the most approachable, nicest friendliest big time Touring Car driver you have met?

2- Who is the most arrogant, up themselves, can't spare any time for their-own-mother, driver you have met?

Here in Oz it would have to be Craig Lowndes..he is so approachable and loves his job but also loves spending time with the fans .


unapproachable..2 words Alan Jones.

Marcus hit the nail right on the head. Also, Jim Richards & Peter Brock are very approachable and friendly to the fans.

I know I shall get lambasted for this, but I have always found David Leslie very fan friendly, as well as Will Hoy.

Although he didn't do well in the results last year, Colin Blair gave me plenty of his time.

Of the bigger names, Matt Neal is my clear winner.

It's OK I'm not going to nominate the obvious. Although when I was a boy in awe of The Great Man he nearly ran over my foot when reversing his Ford out of the garage at Oran Park.

Although never a great fan of Dick Johnson's in the 1997 season final again at Oran Park Dick stopeed walking through the pits and signed my son's shirt as well as spoke to the two of us for 4 or so minutes when he didn't have to. He has won a fan for life in my son out of that encounter.

As for the villian, unable to comment from first hand experience so I won't nominate Larry Perkins. Whoops, it's out there now, I can't take it back.

If its first hand experience you want ..if you could ask my father (RIP) about his famous little run in with one Mr. Allan Moffat..you would surely realize a few things.

DAD 1
MOFF big fat 0...(Hows ya nose Moff ???)

Craig Lowndes, Peter Brock and Jim Richards are really the best I have ever come across. Especially Craig, as I tried to interview him and he was very patient while I rewound the tape (oops) and it probably helped when I said he should go back to signing stuff while it rewound.

Larry Perkins, Mark Skaife, Dick Johnson and a few others can be really good but it depends on the mood they are in. I have found Larry to be wonderful (for instance when at the same hotel in Adelaide in 93/95) and also very bad (not naming dates) and ignoring fans completely. Most of the drivers nearer the back of the grid are always happy to chat but are usually too shocked that someone wants their autograph :)

Alan Jones wasn't as bad as I expected. It seems more that he just doesn't care about his fans sometimes.

Russell Ingall is almost always approachable, no matter what people think of his comments.

I'd have to say out of the people I really liked before I met them, all turned out to be fantastic. Cameron McLean is an absolute legend, Jim Richards and John Bowe are also great. I've known WW since before he hit the big league, but these days he seems to stop and talk before I stop :)

Peter Brock is a champ, always personalising autographs, but I would have to say that Bev Brock would be his equal..

Most of the top guys are really good and approachable, although the Alan Jones thing...well...ummm...the less said the better..

I bumped into Skaife and Lowndes outside of the 1998 Sydney Motorshow and they were both only too happy to stop to shake hands and pause for a quick photo. I thought that was brilliant.

I think we are very lucky with the V8 Supercar guys that most of them are pretty cool to their fans.

A few other categories could really learn from this.

Have to agree with Jim Richards & John Bowe. Mark Larkham is also very good, But I have also known him since he was drive the formula brabham(holden).
Worst would be Alan Jones. One weekend at e.creek was helping a mate with his f ford and we were pushing it up the road at the back of the pits on the saturday morning and anyone who has been there will know how crowded it is, and a car comes up behind us and blasts the horn, we look around to see what the problem was and it was none other than A.J. He blasted the horn again so i gave him the royal wave and we pushed a little bit slower. :p

From this year's BTCC outings, I know that Woody found Matt Neal quite approachable...;)

As for personal experience, Tommy K was great, as was Pluto. Arse of the century goes to Menu, for his petulant display at Donington...

Oh, do I hear a "Reid's an ARSE" anyone?:p

Dear Marcus,

Perhaps I have misread your post but I'd find it hard to ask your Dad if he has "passed on", you'll have to come back and fill us all in.

Easily Craig Lowndes as he is easy to talk to and that. Equal with Peter Brock. The worst well i say a draw between Alan Jones and Wayne Gardner. They are both pigs.

I'd have to add Neil Crompton to my list as I've stuffed up taking a photo of him twice now and he has been quite nice about it both times.

Elephino: had a similar thing happen to me and Tomas Mezera, tried about 4 times with my short lens to get a photo....no go...but 5th time lucky with the long lens, and he was cool about it all.

Matt Neal used to be good, but he's so far up his own arse now... :p I'd have to say any of the Vauxhall guys - JP, Muller, Vinnie, JC last year... And I hate to say it, but Reid isn't a bad old boy really...

The worst ? He was only ever a part-timer, but Moansell... what an arse! Then there's Menu and Thompson... grrr!

Pitty Matt Neal wasnt a good a driver as he is with the public.


comon we all saw that stupid move we saw him do at bathurst a lap down.

Get off your high horse Brocky... re-read my post and you'll notice that I said he used to be good... :) The guys simply a clown now - on and off the track...

WVM.

PS - i've not seen the move yet... the person who was supposed to be getting me a tape of the race has let me down... oaf!

I think they are all fairly nice...but overly friendly would have to be Russell Ingall and Peter Brock. I always found Wayne Gardiner very nice..that comment surprised me Pbrock...what did he do??

Pig....ALAN JONES!

I have to say Derek Warwick has always had time for a natter where as that prat Menu can't string three words together at times.
And I mustn't forget my Dave Pinkey - now he is always approachable.

Wayne Gardner is just a big pig. Everytime you see him on tv he is having a winge about how it was someone elses fault and never his. Sandown one year and one young kid wanted a autograph or a photo after he had broke down. He wouldnt go over there.
after this i saw the young boy getting photos with drivers such as lowndes, ingall and others.

A friend if mine saw Wayne Gardner wandering around the pits at the V8 Supercar Eastern Creek round. A couple of young blokes came up asking for his autograph and he simply ignored them. I thought that was very poor - I mean he wasn't busy, it's not as if though he was driving that day - his attitude is just disgusting.