When I decided we should do the Jalopnik Film Festival I knew if we could get RUSH we'd have to get SENNA and Grand Prix. And if we could get all that to happen, I prayed we could get SENNA director Asif Kapadia to come. Sometimes dreams do come true.
The Jalopnik Film Festival is just a week away and there are, as of this writing, only about a dozen tickets left (buy them here). If you're in NYC next week you're going to want to be there.
Why do you want to come? Besides all the films and the free food, we're going to have an amazing panel after the awesome double feature of SENNA and Grand Prix.
As you already all know, SENNA is the much written about, much loved, award-winning documentary by Kapadia that chronicles the life, death, and impact of Ayrton Senna. It will make an entire room of tough gearheads cry manly tears next week.
Grand Prix is the fun, John Frankenheimer-directed (the guy who also brought us Ronin) F1 romp that follows a season in F1, starring James Garner and Eva Marie Saint with a host of cameos from Phil Hill, Graham Hill, Fangio, Jim Clark, Bruce McLaren, Dan Gurney, and everyone involved the '60s racing world.
These films will be shown back-to-back, followed by a panel moderated by our lead-footed Deputy Editor Travis Okulski featuring these luminaries.
Asif Kapadia — Filmmaker If I listed every award British filmmaker Asif Kapadia won I'd have no space for the other panelists, so I'll just say he's made a few films in his life and they've all gone over very well. His work has covered a wide range of subjects, including his debut feature film The Warrior about a warrior in feudal India who throws down his sword, and of course the BAFTA-winning SENNA.
Greg Tracy — Racer, stuntman There is nothing that Greg Tracy can't drive in, over, under, or through. As a six-time Pikes Peak champion, the only thing more impressive than his car control is his stunningly masculine, often Selleck-esque facial hair. He's whipped cars around as a stuntman for The Bourne Ultimatum and event did a full-sized double loop in a full-sized Hot Wheels car. He is, for so many reasons, one of our favorite people.
Robb Holland — Racer There are three facts that make Robb Holland a truly exceptional human being: (1.) He lives on the Nürburgring (2.) He's the only American to race in the British Touring Car Championship in 37 years (3.) He has a card that gives him free Ben & Jerry's ice cream for life. He's recently raced to victory in VLN in his ridiculous Audi TTRS and is prepping a Ford Focus for WTCC. He loves grocery getters.
Leo Parente — /DRIVE host, retired racer You've seen Leo Parente talk about cars with exceptional knowledge and an exceptional accent on /DRIVE's Shakedown, but where does that knowledge come from? Not only did Parente work for both Toyota and Ford, he also raced professionally in the Formula Atlantic Championship.
Travis Okulski — Moderator, Deputy Editor, Jalopnik Travis Okulski got his start in the automotive journalism racket at Business Insider before we scooped him up, but his love of F1 goes back to since before he was old enough to walk. While he'll never race in F1, Travis did get his start racing karts nationally and is way too interested in Miatas.