Larry retiring ???

marcus · 7 Oct 2001, 07:50 (Ref:156952)

this came up during the telecast today and i must say im not surprised..but he does seem to come good for bathurst..but if he goes and as he was quoted as saying if he can find anyone good enough to replace him who should it be???

Crash test will say wayne wakefield and fair enough i guess..but greg ritter proved his worth today and what about geoff brabham .very polished performance..Michael Simpson perhaps..ok didnt do to well today but has done very well in the konica series and i guess matthew White could be considered as well.

what about his other young chargers Luke youlden or Adam macrow or even Tim leahy ..the only thing i can garnish out of all of this is that the future of the sport looks very healthy.

racer69 · 7 Oct 2001, 08:21 (Ref:156961)

When Diffey said it, he said Larry would only do it if a better driver came along he would step aside but still race at bathurst, but Diffey said Larry hadn't found anyone yet. Then all of a sudden all the rest of them are going on about him retiring and this being his last Bathurst and so on.

jetsetter · 7 Oct 2001, 08:35 (Ref:156972)

Larry's just got to find someone that can get down the pit lane successfully.

Valve Bounce · 7 Oct 2001, 10:37 (Ref:156995)

Yeah !! Like prophetic - like crashing into the barrier on the access road to the pits. This was after he just escaped a massacre!! on the corner. Brain Fade in the highest degee.

Brock · 7 Oct 2001, 10:46 (Ref:156998)

Fantastic news about Larry's retierment. I wish him all the good grace he wished Brock when he retirered.........none. I think he is waiting for some who is as visually impered as he is so he doesn't have to replace the perscription windscreen in car 11. But it's great to see V8's bitter and twisted old man going.

Crash Test · 7 Oct 2001, 10:47 (Ref:156999)

Ambrose and Larry put on the two freakin biggest, funniest frick ups....well ever....if it was the BTCC you'd laugh at it

I must admit that the bunch i was with had written him off, but he drove like a demon, then stuffed it in (must have been watching Clowndes).

I'm sure there are people who could fill his shoes, but at the end of the day, it's Larry's team and Larry's life, so let Larry decide. He probably would enjoy playing with tractors and helicopters and go-karts more, but his decision is up to him and his backers.

WRT- WW. He has proven his stuff over the years, and most definately over the weekend. If all of the teams are so god dammed far sighted, near sighted or just plain blind, and not give him a drive, that is their loss.

RaceTime · 7 Oct 2001, 10:53 (Ref:157007)

The question has to be asked - if Wakefield is so good - why hasn't he got a drive?

It makes you realise there is more to Wayne not having a team drive than ability. Why? Is he asking too much, teams can't get on with him (and I find that hard to believe).

But, like it or not, there has to be a reason no one has picked him up.

And I suspect that, if we do find out why, no one in here will liek the answer...

Valve Bounce · 7 Oct 2001, 10:59 (Ref:157012)

Common guys - Larry was devasted. You don't kick someone whn he is down, and this guy did admit to his own stupidity.

Brock · 7 Oct 2001, 11:00 (Ref:157013)

Wakefield is good enough he has better car control than most and is not frightened to RACE. Perhapse he should be given the 5 FTR car to drive heaven knows they need a race car driver in it other than Richards.
The other thing is Larry will be driving next year because no one can measure up to his standards.
Oh by the way does anyone know where and if Larry did his Mechanical Engineer degree or is he a Motor Mechanic that calls himself an Engineer.

Crash Test · 7 Oct 2001, 11:11 (Ref:157020)

Oh, i could give you a gazillion reasons why teams don't give him drives....I don't necessarily agree with those reasons, and quite frankly, the guy has done some fairly silly things in his life.

I'm still fairly majorly peaved that he didn't have a crack at them today, it was his big chance, and with a little luck someone might give him another go. At least he did do a corker job missing Donaher

RaceTime · 7 Oct 2001, 11:16 (Ref:157024)

Brock, Better he may be - but the point is he is NOT being picked by the teams that count. He could be the best driver in the world but something is going against him and, it appears to me at least, not much seems to be around that is going to change that.

Unfortunate - and I did say I don't necessarily agree with the teams - but true.

Brock · 7 Oct 2001, 11:32 (Ref:157031)

Race Time like you having been around the sport for years there are reasons why most of the top drivers wouldn't be hired by the current employer's be it on or off track behavoiur. Even folk hero's such as Brock were not perfect. But Wakefield should at least be given a go.
Any way we are getting off the topic, Larry is going YIPEE.

RaceTime · 7 Oct 2001, 11:34 (Ref:157035)

You've taken what I have said the wrong way - I am not disputing he should be given a go - BUT - he *isn't being given a go and that is the problem. Why not? There has to be an underlying reason why the major teams won't pick up on someone with obvious talent.

Crash Test · 7 Oct 2001, 11:58 (Ref:157048)

Could it be that he hasn't won the FFord Championship/has a plentiful source of money...

Oh dear...there i go again...

Can i say this (going a little OT in all directions) but the backup Holden cars just didn't do the job/have strong enough combinations. The second string Ford cars were much more competitive, but just not quite good enough at the end of the day.

jetsetter · 8 Oct 2001, 09:19 (Ref:157370)

It was a shame not to get to see Wakefield show his stuff i was really looking forward to him getting an opportunity to show his ability.

marcus · 8 Oct 2001, 15:04 (Ref:157496)

ahh yes..all well and good ..but this was only a Leigh Diffey rumor..larry may not retire at all ..lets not jump the gun shall we by saying that larry is going..frankly I will miss him if he does ..but my original question was...IF he does retire ..whoi would you like to see replace him ?

Crash Test · 8 Oct 2001, 22:46 (Ref:157813)

But he has openly said for years that if he can find a replacement, he'd step aside.

Brock · 9 Oct 2001, 11:54 (Ref:157984)

Sorry I just though i would reply to this again as LArry Retiering really makes me happy. Perhaps he could start his own flying school or take over Ansett.

D.R.T. · 9 Oct 2001, 12:08 (Ref:157992)

I think it was Diffey just trying to show off, I raise the question that he's been out of the country for the year, how would he get the jump on the commenators who have been here all year. I don't read anything truth in to it.

Airhead · 9 Oct 2001, 12:30 (Ref:158001)

Quote:

Originally posted by Crash Test
But he has openly said for years that if he can find a replacement, he'd step aside.

True Crash,

Maybe he just needs me to set the criteria.

Now, what's the dirt on Wakefield? Did he get into the stir fry with the Chikko Roll girl from last year??

Crash Test · 9 Oct 2001, 13:02 (Ref:158013)

D.R.T.- The commentators talk to the drivers, and between they'd get all of the gossip... and I'm certain they get an awful lot of juicy stuff that doesn't get put to air.

Moff- No comment

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