The Michael Waltrip "One Win Wonder" Thread

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 19 Feb 2013, 16:39

Ok so watching the Daytona 500 qualies (because I have no life) and Michael Waltrip is on blathering about this that and the other thing. And it hit me, he's only famous for wimming the Daytona 500. That's it. His career CV is pretty bare otherwise. He even freely admits it! It got me thinking, who else is a "One Win Wonder" in other series? (Yes I know Mickey won more than one race, but he's only know for his 500 victories). I'll start:

NASCAR:
Derrick Cope -Daytona 500
Michael Waltrip - Ditto (but twice)
Trevor Bayne- Ditto again
Paul Menard - Winning where daddy couldn't
Matt Kenseth - A little more complicated, he's know only for having a one win championship season that gave birth to the Chase
Brian Vickers - More of "How did this guy win a race?"

Indycar:
Danica Patrick - One Victory at the split field in Motegi
Mike Conway - A long Beach win, followed by several reject races, followed by unemployment
Mario Andretti - Let me explain, all anyone talks about is his one 500 win. Thats it. Even people who should know better just say "he raced for Granetelli right?"

F1:
Jarno Trulli: - Monaco
Olivier Panis - Ditto (I admit I was sure he had more than one win I was missing, but nope)
Desire Wilson - Only woman ever to win an F1 race, only to have it not count
Onyx - A one podium wonder. That's all I remember about them (besides the apple stripes)
Nico Rosberg - "Oh yeah he did win a race!"

Any others?

FMecha · Post by **FMecha** » 19 Feb 2013, 16:47

Brawn GP - 2009 F1 Constructors' Championship.
Pastor Maldonado - 2012 F1 Spanish Grand Prix.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 19 Feb 2013, 16:52

Wallio wrote:F1:
Desire Wilson - Only woman ever to win an F1 race, only to have it not count

It does count, but only because it was a British Aurora F1 championship win. Or was there some official championship race that then got stripped of its championship status at a later date that she won?

Oh, and Jean Alesi should have won more races than he did in reality...

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 19 Feb 2013, 16:58

Wallio wrote:Olivier Panis - Ditto (I admit I was sure he had more than one win I was missing, but nope)

I remember Panis as much for being a total boss in 1997 before his horror smash in Canada as for his win in Monaco.

Gerudo Dragon · Post by **Gerudo Dragon** » 19 Feb 2013, 17:01

Rosco Vantini

Also, Alessandro Nannini.

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 19 Feb 2013, 17:02

J.R. Hildebrand, despite not actually winning.
Jean-Pierre Jabouille, despite winning twice.
Giancarlo Baghetti.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 19 Feb 2013, 17:31

dr-baker wrote:
Wallio wrote:F1:
Desire Wilson - Only woman ever to win an F1 race, only to have it not count

It does count, but only because it was a British Aurora F1 championship win. Or was there some official championship race that then got stripped of its championship status at a later date that she won?

Oh, and Jean Alesi should have won more races than he did in reality...

I meant not count as in the Championship. It was a legit A/FX round but not a "proper" F1 race.

darkapprentice77 wrote:
Also, Alessandro Nannini.

Yes and in that vein, Moreno, not only for his win but also for Monaco '92. How in the hell did he do that?

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 19 Feb 2013, 17:37

darkapprentice77 wrote:Rosco Vantini

F1RWRS James Davies.

How about Peter Gethin and Ludovico Scarfiotti?

Post by **tommykl** » 19 Feb 2013, 17:41

Wallio wrote:
darkapprentice77 wrote:
Also, Alessandro Nannini.

Yes and in that vein, Moreno, not only for his win but also for Monaco '92. How in the hell did he do that?

Win? What win? :cry:

pi314159 · Post by **pi314159** » 19 Feb 2013, 17:42

Jacques Villeneuve - after 1997 he didn't win any race

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 19 Feb 2013, 17:43

Jan Lammers

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 19 Feb 2013, 17:46

tommykl wrote:
Wallio wrote:
darkapprentice77 wrote:
Also, Alessandro Nannini.

Yes and in that vein, Moreno, not only for his win but also for Monaco '92. How in the hell did he do that?

Win? What win?

BAH you're right! I always think he won a race for Benetton, but no, its a second place. Reject post of the week for me!

Post by **Londoner** » 19 Feb 2013, 17:46

pi314159 wrote:Jacques Villeneuve - after 1997 he didn't win any race

It's worse than that, he never even led another lap in F1 after 1997! :lol:

Post by **Nuppiz** » 19 Feb 2013, 17:47

pi314159 wrote:Jacques Villeneuve - after 1997 he didn't win any race

In fact, he never even led a lap after that. And only finished on podium four times.

ibsey · Post by **ibsey** » 19 Feb 2013, 18:28

I think autosport are currently doing a feature, simliar to this thread here...

http://plus.autosport.com/premium/featu ... 1-wonders/

Since I'm not a Autosport plus subscriber I cant tell you more unfortunately. However there is a picture of Alessandro Nannini who of course is famed for winning the controversial race that was the 1989 Japanese GP.

Also should we count Kubica for this thread yet?

takagi_for_the_win · Post by **takagi_for_the_win** » 19 Feb 2013, 18:40

Fisichella picked up more than one win, but IMO he should be considered for this thread regardless

pi314159 · Post by **pi314159** » 19 Feb 2013, 18:45

Tiago Monteiro's podium :lol:

girry · Post by **girry** » 19 Feb 2013, 19:59

Alesi, Kubica, Trulli, Panis, Nannini, Nilsson, Cevert - 'only' one victory
Kovalainen, Brambilla, Mass, Gethin, Scarfiotti - 'one win wonders'

those I remember from rallying until it got crap - Harri Rovanperä, Jesus Puras, Francois Duval

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 19 Feb 2013, 20:55

Wallio wrote:
Indycar:
Mario Andretti - Let me explain, all anyone talks about is his one 500 win. Thats it. Even people who should know better just say "he raced for Granetelli right?"

Any others?

Mario also had One F1 title, one class win at 24h LeMans, and one win at the Daytona 500.

it's as if he had a checklist for his racing career. Pretty much all the basic points except Monaco.

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 19 Feb 2013, 22:01

The BBC Grand Prix guide for 1993 ran this exact feature - and listed all of the one-hit wonders to that point - except one.

Matthew Carter in the GP93 magazine wrote:There were no one-hit wonders in the 1980s, the decade so dominated by Piquet, Prost, Mansell and Senna that few other drivers got a look in. But there has been one this decade. Whether or not our 17th one-hit wonder stays stuck with one victory to his name remains to be seen... but I've a feeling that Michael Schumacher, who scored his maiden, and to date only, GP win in Belgium last year, will add to that score before very long.

And, of course, he did. But the Red Baron was the 18th one-hit wonder at the time, because there was Alessandro Nannini in 1989.

So the title of 18th one-hit wonder passed to Jean Alesi. Then we had Olivier Panis, and Jarno Trulli... Jenson Button looked very likely to be number 21, until the 2009 season, and so the current 21st one-hit wonder is Robert Kubica. Who knows if 22-24 (that's Heikki Kovalainen, Nico Rosberg and Pastor Maldonado) will have to give up their slots on the list...

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 22 Feb 2013, 23:10

Wallio wrote:Ok so watching the Daytona 500 qualies (because I have no life) and Michael Waltrip is on blathering about this that and the other thing. And it hit me, he's only famous for wimming the Daytona 500. That's it. His career CV is pretty bare otherwise. He even freely admits it! It got me thinking, who else is a "One Win Wonder" in other series? (Yes I know Mickey won more than one race, but he's only know for his 500 victories).

Michael Waltrip's career only existed because of his surname. He really was a cucumber for his whole career until that point. When I started watching NASCAR (1993-1994), I mostly remember Waltrip for being the guy who would run midpack in a frontrunning car and cause some really dumb crashes every now and again. I'm serious. If the Daytona 500 required more driver talent than car to win the race, Waltrip never would have won a NASCAR race.

Wallio wrote:Danica Patrick - One Victory at the split field in Motegi

Danica beat the good half of the field. The Champ Car teams weren't competitive until midway through that season anyways. It's a fact that her detractors conveniently overlook.

Wallio wrote:Mario Andretti - Let me explain, all anyone talks about is his one 500 win. Thats it. Even people who should know better just say "he raced for Granetelli right?"

Mario should have been a four time winner of the Indy 500, because he was always a threat for the win but something would always go wrong aside from 1969.

Onxy Wrecked · Post by **Onxy Wrecked** » 23 Feb 2013, 04:37

More NASCAR
Lake Speed, 1988 TransSouth (now the Southern) 500 in his own car as an owner-driver more as a how didn't he win more considering he beat Ayrton Senna in a carting championship.
Ron Bouchard, 1981 Talladega 500
Jody Ridley, 1981 Mason-Dixon 500 only won as Neil Bonnett, Cale Yarborough, Richard Petty, and David Pearson (the only others to lead laps) all retired from the race with mechanical failures and Darrell Waltrip was off pace by 20+ laps.

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 23 Feb 2013, 11:04

Onxy Wrecked wrote:Lake Speed, 1988 TransSouth (now the Southern) 500 in his own car as an owner-driver more as a how didn't he win more considering he beat Ayrton Senna in a carting championship.

Well, the name Speed must be a curse in top-level racing.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 23 Feb 2013, 16:28

Cynon wrote:

Danica beat the good half of the field. The Champ Car teams weren't competitive until midway through that season anyways. It's a fact that her detractors conveniently overlook.

Maybe. But if she was racing the "bad half" as you put it, she'd have been in the DP01 (which she never drove) on a road course (which she's awful on). So the arguement doesn't really hold up.

anther one win constructor was Penske. Depending on How you feel about the Gurney Eagles, it makes America a one win country.

Onxy Wrecked · Post by **Onxy Wrecked** » 23 Feb 2013, 16:45

Klon wrote:
Onxy Wrecked wrote:Lake Speed, 1988 TransSouth (now the Southern) 500 in his own car as an owner-driver more as a how didn't he win more considering he beat Ayrton Senna in a carting championship.

Well, the name Speed must be a curse in top-level racing.

Indeed, although Lake probably took what would later become questionable advise when carting is more along the lines of IndyCar or F1 success than NASCAR in both engine configuration and nature of wheels on the body with no fenders.

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 04 Jul 2013, 08:42

By the way, Rosberg is no longer a "One Win Wonder" because he has recently won in Monaco and Silverstone. Hooray!
Given how flukey Pastor's win was last year, I dare say that will be his only victory in F1.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 04 Jul 2013, 16:02

At this point I'm thinking Regan Smith will forever remain a Sprint Cup one-hit-wonder.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 04 Jul 2013, 16:11

Stramala wrote:At this point I'm thinking Regan Smith will forever remain a Sprint Cup one-hit-wonder.

He's still 29, that's plenty of time for him to win another Sprint Cup race. He's got Hendrick's attention - he replaced Dale Jr. when he had to sit out a couple races last year, and although he's not in Cup full time, he's running for the Nationwide title with JR Motorsports, which has Hendrick backing. If they give him a shot in Cup, I'm sure he could deliver.

Pieman · Post by **Pieman** » 05 Jul 2013, 13:36

In WRC I have to nominate Kyosti Hamalainen. Won the 1977 1000 Lakes outright as a one-off privateer, never even scored another WRC podium and was never really heard of again.

Yannick · Post by **Yannick** » 05 Jul 2013, 14:52

Heikki Kovalainen - "first of many" (quote: Ron Dennis)

Jean Alesi - I couldn't watch this race because I was at my love interest's birthday party ... there could not have been a better reason to miss this one, despite the two of us never actually having gotten together

Jim Guthrie - the king of one win wonders, he mortgaged his house to participate in the race that got him his sole IRL victory

Gerudo Dragon · Post by **Gerudo Dragon** » 05 Jul 2013, 14:55

Buzz Calkins - Won the IRL's first ever event, did nothing afterwards and is only remembered because his name sounds like Buzz Lightyear.

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 05 Jul 2013, 15:32

darkapprentice77 wrote:Buzz Calkins - Won the IRL's first ever event, did nothing afterwards and is only remembered because his name sounds like Buzz Lightyear.

He is also the 1996 IRL Champion. Not bad for someone who's only won one race...

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 05 Jul 2013, 15:34

Yannick wrote:Heikki Kovalainen - "first of many" (quote: Ron Dennis)

Oh, it got better than that. "Welcome to the world of winning," as the team radio said.

Gerudo Dragon · Post by **Gerudo Dragon** » 05 Jul 2013, 15:35

JeremyMcClean wrote:He is also the 1996 IRL Champion. Not bad for someone who's only won one race...

Not hard when there's only 3 races in the season

Onxy Wrecked · Post by **Onxy Wrecked** » 05 Jul 2013, 18:58

Salamander wrote:
Stramala wrote:At this point I'm thinking Regan Smith will forever remain a Sprint Cup one-hit-wonder.

He's still 29, that's plenty of time for him to win another Sprint Cup race. He's got Hendrick's attention - he replaced Dale Jr. when he had to sit out a couple races last year, and although he's not in Cup full time, he's running for the Nationwide title with JR Motorsports, which has Hendrick backing. If they give him a shot in Cup, I'm sure he could deliver.

The problem is that Hendrick already has a development driver with a big name and good talent in Chase Elliott. Unless Jeff Gordon and Dale Jr. both retire soon, Regan will be the odd man out. Dale Jr once said he'd retire at age 40, and Dale Jr. is 38.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 05 Jul 2013, 19:05

Onxy Wrecked wrote:
Salamander wrote:
Stramala wrote:At this point I'm thinking Regan Smith will forever remain a Sprint Cup one-hit-wonder.

He's still 29, that's plenty of time for him to win another Sprint Cup race. He's got Hendrick's attention - he replaced Dale Jr. when he had to sit out a couple races last year, and although he's not in Cup full time, he's running for the Nationwide title with JR Motorsports, which has Hendrick backing. If they give him a shot in Cup, I'm sure he could deliver.

The problem is that Hendrick already has a development driver with a big name and good talent in Chase Elliott. Unless Jeff Gordon and Dale Jr. both retire soon, Regan will be the odd man out. Dale Jr once said he'd retire at age 40, and Dale Jr. is 38.

Gordon also said he'd retire at 40. I believe he's still racing. Either way, I think it's too soon to think about moving Chase Elliott to Cup. He's good, but he needs 3 or 4 more years of development before making the step up. But either way, if Hendrick doesn't give Regan Smith a shot, I'm sure somebody else will take a punt on him.

Onxy Wrecked · Post by **Onxy Wrecked** » 05 Jul 2013, 19:10

Salamander wrote:Gordon also said he'd retire at 40. I believe he's still racing. Either way, I think it's too soon to think about moving Chase Elliott to Cup. He's good, but he needs 3 or 4 more years of development before making the step up. But either way, if Hendrick doesn't give Regan Smith a shot, I'm sure somebody else will take a punt on him.

The only way Smith gets into that ride is if Jr. keeps his word and retires before Chase is ready.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 05 Jul 2013, 20:37

Together with Panis and Trulli, we can also add Beltoise to the Monte Carlo One Win Wonders

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 06 Jul 2013, 10:00

This wrote:Together with Panis and Trulli, we can also add Beltoise to the Monte Carlo One Win Wonders

Even more Monte Carlo One Hit Wonders;

Piero Liatti (1997, only WRC win)
Bryan Bouffier (2011, only IRC win)

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 06 Jul 2013, 11:31

Not sure if it fits the spirit of the thread, but here is the list of 1 win only GP2 drivers.

Jose Maria Lopez - 2005 Spanish Sprint Race
Clivio Piccone - 2005 European Sprint Race
Michael Ammermuller -2006 Valencian Sprint Race
Kamui Kobayashi -2008 Spanish Sprint Race
Mike Conway -2008 Monaco Sprint Race
Edoardo Mortara -2009 Spanish Sprint Race
Alberto Valerio -2009 British Feature Race
Dani Clos -2010 Turkish Sprint Race
Giacomo Ricci -2010 Hungarian Sprint Race
Tom Dillmann* -2012 Second Bahrain Sprint Race
Jolyon Palmer* - 2012 Monaco Sprint Race
Robin Frijns* - 2013 Spanish Feature Race
Jon Lancaster* -2013 British Sprint Race

*Dillmann, Palmer, Frijns and Lancaster all taking part in the 2013 GP2 season and may add to their win tally yet.
An interesting blend of characters of various levels of experience. Only Valerio and Frijns took their win on a feature race, the majority taking advantage of reversed grid places to take their only victories.

Now for a stat attack!
How long it took the drivers to win their race:
Edoardo Mortara 2 races (20 appearances)
Michael Ammermuller 2 races (27 appearances!)
Kamui Kobayashi 2 races (40 appearances!)
Robin Frijns 3 races
Jose Maria Lopez 4 races
Tom Dillmann 6 races
Clivio Piccione 7 races
Jon Lancaster 8 races
Giacomo Ricci 19 races (It was also his final race and for back markers DPR!)
Jolyon Palmer 26 races (50 races) (Should he complete the season winless he will goto 62 races)
Alberto Valerio 26 races (53 races)
Dani Clos 26 races (61 races)
Mike Conway 29 races