Stig of the dump
Saw something concerning this on TV this morning and haven't seen it posted yet - plus I have some relatively tenuous insider info that may or may not be Dunplop - when Top Gear did their 24hr race in a BMW in the season before last, there were actually 4 (COUNT 'EM) "Stigs", all dressed in white, that were used at different stages of the race. Makes sense if they need someone available each week that they use the faceless "Stig" as an alter ego and have a variety of professional drivers come in as him/her. So this chap may be one of the four, but there must be others...
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Mster Johnny Ekstrom, now that's a name, Wed 21 Jan 2009, 16:18,
Reply)
My theory is that
the stig is the generally the manufacturer's test driver. That's how they get manufacturer's to go allong with the test lap and also ensures that the car will be driven as best as it can be. It's also why the Stig's build is different in almost every show.
That's just for the test laps, mind, and is a complete guess.
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thiswasmyclone, Wed 21 Jan 2009, 16:25,
Reply)
What?
The Stig is The Stig. There is no more to it than that. All this "Oh, it's really someone you might have heard of" is just misdirection.
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Kamikaze Stoat £4.09, Wed 21 Jan 2009, 16:29,
Reply)
Ben Collins has been known to be the Stig for years
It's been an open secret available to anyone caring to bother Googling 'Stig'. A couple of days ago a friend also told me about a father and son pair who are two of the backup Stigs, spoiler being the business website of the son.
Not a big surprise really, and maybe the time has come to find another way to add mystery to the character.
Oh, and there's no Santa Claus, and the tooth fairy is just your granny repairing her dentures.
(, Wed 21 Jan 2009, 16:30, Reply)
Nah, the Swifts are autotest drivers,
not racers. It doesn't make sense that they'd do the test laps.
They have however, been involved in the 'Car football' (Toyota Aygo/VW Fox) show as drivers and in one of the Caravan/Bus/Winnebago racing segments, along with a number of touring car drivers)
(, Wed 21 Jan 2009, 16:43, Reply)