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Racing driver aptronyms

Started by Bloopy, August 01, 2024, 10:24:54 AM

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Bloopy

An aptronym is when a person's name is peculiarly suited to their occupation or similar. There are some great examples among racing drivers:

Ken Miles
Jack Turner
Ernest "Paddy" Driver
Scott Speed
Lake Speed - unrelated to Scott
Peter Revson
Paul Weel
Carlos Pace - not pronounced the same as the English word, but still
Jamie Whincup - known to win cups/trophies
Chris van der Drift - drifting's not his category of choice, but I'm sure he's had a few moments at various corners
Will Power - willpower basically means the ability to control
Hans Stuck - had a stuck throttle in the 1950 German GP
Helmut Marko
Rusty Quick

And of course, many have shared their surname with tyre brands such as Goodyear, Dunlop & Firestone.

Can you come up with any others?

Sonic

Ric Shaw was the first that came to mind for me :)
philwisewould.zenfolio.com - check out the photos after race weekend!

mikeamerica84

Quote from: Bloopy on August 01, 2024, 10:24:54 AMAn aptronym is when a person's name is peculiarly suited to their occupation or similar.
The things one can learn from V8 Central never stops amazing me.

Thanks, Bloops.
The V8CFL - Without Fantasy, Life is Simply Life

Bloopy

Quote from: Sonic on August 01, 2024, 08:54:32 PMRic Shaw was the first that came to mind for me :)
His true calling awaits:


mikeamerica84

#4
We should not include British driver Jack Goff.

Nor American sprint car driver Jack Dover.

Odd names but aptronyms of a different sort.
The V8CFL - Without Fantasy, Life is Simply Life

mikeamerica84

Hey!  Wait!  Would ex-IndyCar driver Scott Goodyear apply?  And then there is the late IndyCar driver Scott Goodrich.
The V8CFL - Without Fantasy, Life is Simply Life

Sonic

Quote from: mikeamerica84 on August 02, 2024, 10:26:14 PMWe should not include British driver Jack Goff.

Nor American sprint car driver Jack Dover.

Odd names but aptronyms of a different sort.

we have Wayne Kerr over here...
philwisewould.zenfolio.com - check out the photos after race weekend!

mikeamerica84

#7
Quote from: Sonic on August 02, 2024, 10:35:19 PM
Quote from: mikeamerica84 on August 02, 2024, 10:26:14 PMWe should not include British driver Jack Goff.

Nor American sprint car driver Jack Dover.

Odd names but aptronyms of a different sort.

we have Wayne Kerr over here...
Late great stock car driver Dick Trickle.
The V8CFL - Without Fantasy, Life is Simply Life

Bloopy

#8
Jack Dover could be suited to stadium super trucks, given they're jacked (up) over 2ft+ of springs. :D More people named Jack have probably been mechanics, though...

I mentioned the Goodyear surname. When Scott Goodyear raced on Firestone tyres, that's an example of an inaptronym, haha:

QuoteWhen Firestone returned to Indy in 1995 one of their drivers was Scott Goodyear. Conversely Dennis Firestone raced his entire Indy Car career on Goodyears.

Bob Holden is another one. Appropriate then inappropriate based on when he ditched the Holden and later defected to driving Fords.

Trevor

Dick Johnson, 2 names for the male genitals  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D
I reserve the right to arm bears

mikeamerica84

Now that I think of it, we had a local winged sprint car driver in these parts of MIchigan about 15 years ago.  Gary Fast.

On the oddball tangent, how about ex-NASCAR driver Sterling Marlin?  For a while when he first started he was driving for Hoss Ellington.  They would paint a silver marlin under the bonnet so when it was lifted you could see it.
The V8CFL - Without Fantasy, Life is Simply Life

Bloopy

Quote from: Trevor on August 04, 2024, 04:14:01 AMthe male genitals
When the car is an extension of oneself. ;D Great how engines involve heads, shafts, rods, strokes and lube. And driving gets messy if the rubber fails.

Years ago on another forum I used to post on, a guy studying aero engineering said it was good his line of study didn't involve many terms with "alternative" meanings. So I browsed Wikipedia a little and then replied with "What, like cockpits, turboshafts, thrust, nozzles, corkscrews, ram drag, payload, flaps, and wind tunnels?"

skaifeman

Quote from: Trevor on August 04, 2024, 04:14:01 AMDick Johnson, 2 names for the male genitals  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D
And he's about to get some Bush.
"Ford's Bathurst winning bonus didn't even cover the cost of the after-party" - Allan Moffat, 1977