At GRR we’re incredibly lucky to be able to sit down with so many interesting characters, but few bring a bigger smile to our face than Goodwood legend, five-time Le Mans winner and Members’ Meeting house captain Emanuele Pirro. Here’s what he had to say as the 77MM drew near to its conclusion…
My Members’ Meeting: Emanuele Pirro
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Your favourite drive this year?
That would be the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR. I was due to drive a NASCAR last year at MM but the car had water in its carburettor and the run was aborted. So this is my first real drive of a NASCAR. The cars are not designed for a circuit like Goodwood but, whatever, they are so cool.
Did everything go smoothly?
To say that a NASCAR ever goes smoothly is an offence for the category. The cars are brutal, and the only thing you as driver can do is try to be wilder than the cars. A ride in a NASCAR is never smooth.
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So it’s very different from the other Camaro you were driving in the Gerry Marshall Trophy?
Yes, big time, but the principle is similar in that both cars have a lot of power and are very heavy. I like to drive in a delicate way and with NSCAR you can’t do that, you have to be aggressive. The car has so much muscle you pray to God you make the corner in a good way.
What’s the most difficult thing about driving a NASCAR?
The steering. It is so indirect you have to make macro turns of the wheel when you want to make even micro adjustments, which is difficult when you want some opposite lock. For racing you should always keep your hands in the same position on the wheel and with a NASCAR you can’t do that.
Did you all behave yourselves out there?
I was tempted to pass Tom Kristensen (in another NASCAR Camaro) but we all obeyed our orders. The other house captains weren’t there; they are not qualified enough for this sort of car.
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Your other 77MM highlights?
Yes lots, but it was shame we had to retire the Camaro from the St Mary’s Trophy. I am down to drive a Mustang in the Graham Hill. I loved seeing the Porsche 917 demonstration, and also the Le Mans demo. I think I am driving the Panoz Le Mans car this afternoon which will be a first for me. I have only ever raced against it…
Ed’s note: to confirm, Emanuele ripped a huge 100ft burnout down the start finish straight as he pulled away in the Panoz for the first time…
Photography by James Lynch, Pete Summers, Dominic James and Drew Gibson.
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