While most students and faculty are absorbed in football, baseball, and basketball, another very popular sport goes largely unnoticed—car racing. SCDS fans of the sport are few and far between, but do not hold back their enthusiasm.

Freshmen and seniors in Daniel Neukom’s history classes frequently hear updates on Formula One (Grand Prix) auto racing, Neukom’s favorite sport. Introduced to the sport by his brothers in the early 1960s, he has been an avid fan ever since.

Currently, Neukom’s favorite driver is Louis Hamilton, a young Englishman. “He narrowly lost the world championship in his rookie season, he’s well-spoken, and he’s a black Englishman in a white European sport,” Neukom said. “The guy is very talented.”

Neukom has three favorite drivers of all time, who are frequently answers to bonus questions on his history quizzes: Graham Hill, Mario Andretti, and Nigel Mansell.

He believes Andretti, who won the World Driving Championship, Indianapolis 500, and Daytona 500, was the most well-rounded driver in history. Neukom has traveled to Phoenix, Ariz., to see him race, and has even met him in person.

After 45 years of watching, Neukom’s favorite racing league is still the same one he was introduced to—Formula One, often known as “F1” racing.

“The technical sophistication of F1 is unmatched,” Neukom said. “They also travel throughout the world; it is an international sport.”

Freshman Paul Kessler is also an avid follower of racing. He has been interested since he was just five years old.

“My cousin raced go karts, and I was enthralled by that,” Kessler said.

Kessler’s cousin, who also introduced him to NASCAR, is now a semi-professional stock racer in Minnesota. Kessler does not race cars himself, but, like any fan, wishes he did.

Kessler and Neukom share an interest in Grand Prix racing, which they frequently discuss at school. The two sometimes even have a friendly rivalry over races.

“He likes Fernando Alonso, and I don’t,” Kessler said.

Kessler’s favorite Grand Prix driver is Kimi Raikonnen, whom he likes because Raikonnen drives a Ferrari. Neukom is not a big fan of Raikonnen, but does not feel any major hatred for him.

“It’s not like Cal-Stanford or Yankees-Red Sox,” Neukom said.

Unfortunately, Kessler has no other SCDS students to discuss car racing with.

Kessler has traveled overseas to cheer Raikonnen on and see him race.

“I went to the Grand Prix in Europe this summer in Germany,” Kessler said.

Kessler has also attended NASCAR’s California 500 in Southern California and qualifying for NASCAR races at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma County. His favorite driver is Jeff Gordon.

Neukom does follow NASCAR, but believes F1 is superior.

“NASCAR’s great because of how bunched the field is, but they’re mostly on circle tracks,” he said. “The cars have fewer differences among them. In Grand Prix, you have Mercedes against Toyota against Ferrari and other manufacturers.”

Like Kessler, Neukom’s favorite NASCAR driver is Gordon, whom he likes due to his well-spoken manner, local roots (Vallejo), and talent. Neukom has backed Gordon since 1993, his rookie season.

Because Neukom believes that the only way to experience a race is in person, he can understand why many do not find racing exciting on television.

“The color is vivid, the noise is incredible, and the speed is—you have to be there in person,” Neukom said.

Neukom has seen racing at Infineon Raceway, but advises against going to the NASCAR Sprint Cup race held there every year due to very heavy traffic.

Neukom’s wife, teacher Patricia Fels, endures Neukom’s rooting interests just like every racing fan’s wife in America.

“It amuses her, but she is good about it,” he said. “She realizes that when race results please me, I will be in a better mood.”

Fels’s lack of knowledge of the sport (and of Spanish) was revealed on a 1994 trip to Mexico, when she attempted to provide news on the latest race.

“We saw a news break on the sports channel in Spanish,” Neukom said. “Fels told me Mansell won the race.”

Actually, Mansell had simply qualified for pole position (starting at the front of the pack). Fels believed seeing the Spanish word “primero” next to Mansell’s name meant he had won.

Neukom partied that night to celebrate the victory but then found out the truth in the paper the next day and realized he had celebrated over nothing.

“It was false happiness,” Neukom said. “I was very, very disappointed.”

Mansell then pulled out of the race due to mechanical problems with his car, but Fels still believes the celebration was worth it.

“We had such a good time. What difference does it make?” she said.

Occasionally, Neukom and Fels still joke about the incident.

“It’s a reflection of Ms. Fels’s Spanish knowledge and my involvement in the sport,” Neukom said.

In the end, Neukom’s favorite drivers earn his support due to their good personalities and character. He wishes he could know and appreciate the personalities of sports heroes, such as LeBron James, as well.

“We’re lacking that a lot in sports these days,” he said.