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HELLISH IOWA
French writer/philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy visits Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway, home of the Knoxville Nationals, and encounters—or, rather, “senses”—fierce American bloodlust:
Like Achilles and Hector before the ramparts of Troy, the heroes really speed up in earnest, in bunches of eight or ten, in a deafening, hellish roar; when the real champions detach themselves and, with the crowd holding its breath, confront one another in a swift and violent duel that never lasts more than a few dozen seconds, the match takes on the feeling of a joust, an ordeal, an epic and merciless tournament. And then one senses that it is death that is leading the dance—one senses that the drivers are taking all the risks and that the spectators, excited but still silent, deep down both dread and hope for an accident. Theater of cruelty. Waiting, as in duels or at public executions, for the moment of first blood. This ferocity, this violence, which Europe grants—and then halfheartedly—only through marginal ceremonies like bullfighting and boxing, here continues to hold full sway. Knoxville, or a taste of the hellish side of American society.
One senses that our philosopher pal is unaware of European participation in the “ferocity and violence” of motor racing. In fact, the very first motor race was held in France 110 years ago. The French Grand Prix is the oldest on the Formula One calendar. The international headquarters of motorsport is located at 8, Place de la Concorde, Paris, France. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the worst accident in motor racing history—at Le Mans, France, in 1955.
Eighty spectators were killed. The race wasn’t stopped. Theatre of cruelty! It continued to hold full sway!
UPDATE. On the subject of Iowa, please send best wishes Iowahawk’s way.
Between this and the New York Times Magazine take on NASCAR, it’s enough to make me take up…driving?
Posted by chinesearithmetic on 2005 06 15 at 12:11 PM • permalinkYeah, those European soccer games are a model of genteel civility.
Latino, you beat me to the Isle of Man point. The races were held last week. One correction - while drunk bikers may be getting themselves killed, the racers are also dying, to the tune of three or four per year. Alas, they will probably not run the TT after this year, so it’s just the soccer, then. And the various LeMans and Gran Prix.
AT AN IOWA COUNTY FAIR
Bernard-Henri LévyLike Agamemnon acquiring as his concubine Cassandra after the sacking of Troy, the Allis Chalmers belched its hellish spew of diesel bile as it careened violently down the filth crusted fairgrounds track, dragging in its wake the transfer sled, the spoils of its mechanical tractor pull rape-conquest. I turned around in horror to witness a melange of rustic voyeurs silently munching on funnel cakes, awaiting the tractor’s orgasmic release as it drags its unwilling quarry beyond the 300-foot (91.5 metres) line. Suddenly the Coloseum erupts in a lusty violent cheer, a primal encouragement to the orange beast for vanquishing its helpless and prone victim—which is dragged silently back to be gang-ravaged by an endless succession of Farmalls, John Deeres, Massey Fergusons.
I am repulsed and numb. I leave silently to return to the midway for an introspective ride on the Tilt-a-Whirl.
One Jimmie Jeffries from Mexico offers this recollection of the Le Mans disaster:
American GIs who were in attendance did all the rescue work.
There were no ambulances. I didn’t think much of the French response.
Posted by Paul Zrimsek on 2005 06 15 at 12:59 PM • permalinkI’ve been reading Levy’s Sneering Condesencion Tour updates in Atlantic Monthly and I did not believe I could care any less what the French think of us, but it turns out I can.
‘hawk, them Fords always lose. Don’t never bet on them Fords in a pull.
But then you know that.
Posted by spongeworthy on 2005 06 15 at 01:32 PM • permalinkThe whole series of articles by Levy in the Atlantic are unintentionally hilarious. I half-suspect it’s really Iowahawk doing a send-up of a French intellectual visiting the midwest. In fact, they pretty closely track his “WaPo reporters in search of Red States” piece from a few months back.
Someone smart in Hollywood should sign the rights to Levy’s articles for a comedy and cast Bruce Campbell as the Snooty, Clueless Intellectual.
Posted by Ernst Blofeld on 2005 06 15 at 02:10 PM • permalinkJust more proof you can be smart and stupid at the same time. I’ll be the locals sat him in a turn, real close to the track so he could get a full taste of the hellish side of American life as it splattered in his face.
Posted by Gary from Jersey on 2005 06 15 at 02:17 PM • permalinkThat’s “I’ll bet the locals…”
Preview is my friend.
Preview is my friend.
Preview is my friend.Posted by Gary from Jersey on 2005 06 15 at 02:29 PM • permalink>Yeah, those European soccer games are a model of genteel civility.
I was in France for the 1998 World Cup. One the way to the US-Germany game (Burns guard your %^$#@# POLE NEXT TIME) there was something of a batte between the French police and some German fans. More to the point, the French Police in full riot gear (including pexiglass shields) were running away from an equal number of drunk German fans.
(Insert joke here).
My God, don’t let him near a show where WrestleMania is playing, his head will explode!
Posted by Bill Peschel on 2005 06 15 at 04:49 PM • permalinkThis ferocity, this violence, which Europe grants—and then halfheartedly—only through marginal ceremonies like bullfighting and boxing, here continues to hold full sway. Knoxville, or a taste of the hellish side of American society.
I’m guessing Bernard wasn’t around for WWII, aka the hellish side of European society.
If he’s this traumatized by a tractor pull, we GOTTA get Froggy to a Monster Truck Rally!
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 06 15 at 08:34 PM • permalinkEither Bernard-Henri is a philosopher first and a writer second, or he should fire his translator. “Theater of cruelty” is not a sentence.
His metaphors are weak too. One wonders what Hector and Achilles were driving when they sped up in earnest before the ramparts of Troy.
Posted by blandwagon on 2005 06 15 at 09:38 PM • permalinkOK, cut-and-paste this:
http://www.btccpages.com/photodisplay.php?gallery=2004/040207andros&picture=sprintcars1
I thought we could keep that theater of blood known as the Knoxville Raceway secret. Now Amnesty is going to be all over our collective ass. Neighboring senator Chuck Hagel will pitch a fit in the Senate. That carefully cultivated field-of-dreams Madison-County image is lost forever due to this Frenchman. Damn you, Bernard-Henri Lévy, damn you to hell!
Posted by Tommy Shanks on 2005 06 15 at 10:50 PM • permalinkIowahawk - Good luck to your loved ones. Hope to see you blogging again soon - my cheek muscles need the exercise.
Posted by Tommy Shanks on 2005 06 15 at 10:57 PM • permalinkHe’s writing about a regular race, right? For a moment, I thought he’d stumbled upon a demolition derby or something. :)
Posted by Patrick Chester on 2005 06 15 at 11:44 PM • permalinkIt’s true that Iowans love sprintcar racing, but that’s partly because of the bad influence of lead-footed Aussies.
“Knoxville, Iowa (April 26, 2005 ) - For the second year in a row, World Series Sprintcars (WSS) point champion Max Dumesny of Australia outpointed fellow Aussie Robbie Farr to earn the Australian Sprintcar Poll (ASP) ‘Driver of the Year’ title.”
I don’t know the history of sprintcar racing, but I’ll bet it’s a legacy of racing colonialism foisted on us by an evil axis comprised of the French, English and Australians.
I can see how Tim and other racing fans took umbrage at B-H Levy. But my experience with his writing is that he is quite heavily pro-American (and he’s anti-most freaking French intellectuals). Don’t know what he’s up to now, writing with such reported condescension
in the ‘Atlantic’ series.Anyone else notice the contradictions?
Oh, and Iowahawk, that was REALLY funny.
Gerry
Anybody who’s ever been on the German Autobahn knows American race tracks are a cake walk.
Anybody who’s been on Chicago’s Dan Ryan Expressway knows Germany’s Autobahn is for little girls.
Posted by Darth VAda on 2005 06 16 at 10:32 PM • permalinkBernard-Henri, your insightful post-modern examination of the American condition leaves me writhing in embarrassment and self-loathing. I see now how empty and bleak my existence truly is.
Now, gimme your wallet before I break both your legs.
Posted by Darth VAda on 2005 06 16 at 10:37 PM • permalink
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Let’s not forget the Isle of Man TT motorcycle races held yearly on the public roads, where bikers are permitted to ride the course and many drunk riders kill themselves.
Oh, I forgot. America has the monopoly on death. Nevermind.