Cosworth's Contribution or: Are There Swedish Vikings?

[Liz]

Tomorrow Cosworth is giving Fernandez and Brack a little gift. On Fernandez' car will be painted Speedy Gonzales saying "Andele!" (it was spelled "on de lay" in their press release so I hope they got a Spaniard to spell it for them before they painted it on) and Kenny Brack will have a Viking with the words in Swedish "Vikings don't lose."

My question is this: Aren't Vikings from Norway?

[Jay]

The "Vikings" were Norwegian, Danish and Swedish (considered Scandinavian). The ones that were the first Europeans to come to North America (NFLD) were Norwegian, which may explain why most people associate them with Norway first.

So, although Brack is stretching it, yes he could say that.

I like Max Papis's slogan better "SEE YA UP FRONT…" As a certain friend of his used to say.

[Valve Bounce]

Jay, I hope they are not going to paint that on Max's car. I mean when Bruno passes him and sees that on the side of his car.................

[Jay]

I didn't mean to be painted on the car. I just meant in general.

[Liz]

I like the slogan on the BMW ALMS car: "Lord protect me from getting what I want".

As I recall Rinaldo Capello has something interesting painted on his helmet, but I can't remember what it is. SOmething like "You will be with me when I win or when I lose ..." but more poetically expressed.

On the Walker car Gil could have had them paint "See you in the dirt."

P.S. Thanks for the information on Vikings, Jay. I have heard of Danish ones, now that you mention it, but I never heard of any Swedish vikings.

[Neil C]

Viking tribes predate the current political boundaries of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, so, as Jay says, they are most accurately described as Scandinavian.

[Liz]

I guess Kenny isn't one though if they never lose - although he didn't lose - he was invalided out by a sick car. Well run anyway, Kenny....

[Valve Bounce]

Actually, I think the Vikings come from Minnesota

[EERO]

As a Brack fan and a half-Swede, I can say that there were in fact Vikings from what is today Sweden. I have seen runes carved into a stone just outside of Stockholm. Swedish Vikings, unlike those from Norway and Denmark, went east in their travels, making it deep into Russia down the Volga River, (past what was later known as Stalingrad).

I believe that some even made it to the Black Sea and on to Byzantium.

[Koffe]

Here is a pic on a real Swedish viking and his fantastic car!

[Liz]

If you drive on roads like that regularly, you are a very brave man!

[bella]

volvos? sheesh. you guys never learn. do you catch us buying british? nope. we buy german

[Jay]

Liz Brave? A lot of the Canadian roads are like that during winter and that doesn't stop people from driving or even racing on them. Toronto doesn't get that cold or much snow compared to other parts of Ontario.

[Liz]

But I'm from Atlanta, driving-wise, and when the roads are like that in Atlanta, everyone stays home.

It's all in what you're used to. Or good at. I am impressed.

[R]

*R raises hand*

I'm brave, I'm brave!

In Norway and Sweden this (or worse) is what many roads are like in the winter.

But then of course we have winter tyres.

I suppose you have winter tyres in Canada too, in those parts where you get roads like this during winter. In Atlanta, I suppose they've never even heard of winter tyres.

[Liz]

In Atlanta we never heard of winter. Unless we were from the North originally and then we were trying to forget about it!

But I think anybody who can drive in bad weather is brave. And people who do ice racing are bravest of all.

[Neil C]

The "brave" part does not come from driving on icy roads, but in doing so in a rear wheel drive car who's reputation is built on being "crashworthy".

"Fjords" are still rear drive, right?

We salute you Koffe!

[Koffe]

Thanks Neil. "Fjords"?? Sorry I don´t understand !

Anyway u have more pics and info about Kenny at http://kennybrack.com/

[Neil C]

Sorry, Koffe. I'm sure nobody understood my own "inside" joke. Volvo, now owned by Ford, what better name for a Scandinavian Ford? Fjord .

Dont worry, my friends at Ford (Detroit) didnt get it either.

Kenny has a lot of fans here too. Thanks for the web address.