The pundits, who supposedly know something about these things, say that in racing, rain is the great equalizer. But from what I’ve witnessed during my recent trip to England, I’d say – as far as historic racing goes – it is more likely the great delineator.
When one compares historic racing in the U.S. with its British counterpart, there are a large number of similarities and a few glaring differences. One of the biggest differences is the willingness and skill to race in the rain. Here in the States, if you look around the track or paddock on a drizzly day, you’d swear the heavens were unleashing torrents of toxic, metal-liquefying acid. Most cars, whether they be Datsun sedans or prewar Bugattis, will be nestled away in their enclosed trailers, with their Technalon covers on for added protection. I’ve seen many a race weekend (at least on the West Coast) all but cancelled due to rain. I’m not entirely sure why this is, maybe it’s the fact that we have such a breadth of tracks and events to choose from or because we usually enjoy decent weather. Whatever the reason, we Americans will probably never be able to lay claim to the moniker “Rain Meisters.”
