RIP Alex Zanardi

[wicked]

Mentioned on the motorsports thread, but worthy of its own. His influence and inspiration extended beyond the racing world.

Alex Zanardi, former F1 driver and Paralympic champion, dies aged 59

 

[Driftwood]

RIP to a fun guy on and off the track.
The crash that cost him his legs was horrific.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Man, that's terrible. I had completely forgotten about the cycling accident.

Remarkable guy. RIP.

 

[UPChip]

He never gave up. Hail and farewell.

 

[nickp]

I remember watching Alex Zanardi when I was a kid growing up in the 90s

 

[Bubbler]

The open wheel split was bad in so many ways, but the worst consequence was great drivers like Alex Zanardi being denied the chance to win (in his case to even race) in the Indianapolis 500. He was one among many, but was likely the very best to be denied. He was amazing to watch in post-split CART.

Thanks a lot, Tony George, you provincial, born on third base rube.

RIP Alex Zanardi.

 

[wicked]

I kinda disagree, Tony George was just the latest symptom of the ongoing dysfunction of open wheel racing that stretched back decades.

Now that everything is owned by a guy who gets it — but he’s approaching the 18th green — there’s been some progress.

 

[Driftwood]

Everything after 80s-90s CART is lacking.

 

[Bubbler]

I kinda disagree, Tony George was just the latest symptom of the ongoing dysfunction of open wheel racing that stretched back decades.

Now that everything is owned by a guy who gets it — but he’s approaching the 18th green — there’s been some progress.

Truth in that, but it still took the wrong person at the wrong time to blow it all up.

 

[playthrough]

My wife has had some great sports whiffs over the years and she didn't disappoint on this.

"Oh no, Alex Zanardi died. Do you know who he is?"
"The former football player who became an actor."
(Pause, shakes head). "No. That was Alex Karras. He's been dead for years."

 

[BTExpress]

My wife knows Peyton Manning, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka . . . and likely nothing else. We were at the wax museum in Washington a few years ago, and she didn't know who Ovechkin was.

But some composer from the 1700s, she'll know his music.

 

[SixToe]

Ms SixToe once referred to Julius as “Mr. J” and 36 years later we still call him that.