Craigslist Car Places in WRC Event

26Mar10

Every so often in life, you come across a story that truly inspires you. Sometimes it is a story of triumph in the face of death or a struggle against inequity, but not all inspiration is derived from life-changing circumstances. Sometimes a story just resonates with you personally in a way that few people can understand. The story of Bill Cassidy’s third place finish at the WRC Corona Rally in Mexico is one such story.

Into a field of $400,000 super-tuned rally machines rolls a 1991 BMW 318i. A $500 BMW 318i. From Craigslist. What?

Yep. A Craigslist car in a WRC event. Let that sink in for a second.

Not only was Mr. Cassidy ballsy enough to enter the beater he tuned himself in a WRC event, but he took to the course without a proper navigator or even his own notes on the turns. And he personally fixed his car at every stop and after every breakdown. And he spent hours signing autographs for fans whenever he could – something most rally drivers avoid like the plague.

This guy has balls of steel and a heart of gold. He had the drive to take the dream of every weekend gearhead and car-nut and make it a reality — all for the fun of it. In the most basic sense, he went out and lived his life, giving no heed to limitations or obstacles in his way. I may be making him out to be some God, and this event to be too big of a deal, but I am honestly amazed by this guy’s outlook on life. Few people go out and reach for their dreams in such a direct and unrelenting fashion, and an automotive modern-day David vs. Goliath story such as this deserves to be told and retold.

Read the full story at Jalopnik.com (the link is at the bottom) as they tell it better than I do.