Webbo saddles Rainey's legendary wheels

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Mark Webber was in Monterey last weekend for Car Week, and the nine-time Grand Prix winner dropped in on local resident and motorcycle legend Wayne Rainey to talk a bit of shop.

A three-time 500cc world champion with Yamaha from 1990 to 1992, Rainey's career was tragically cut short at the 1993 Italian Grand Prix at Misano when the American slid into the gravel and suffered permanently paralyzing injuries from the chest down.

Like a kid in a candy store, Webbo admired the stunning collection of bikes and opted to try out for size Rainey's championship-winning Yamaha, remembering watching on TV as a young teen in Australia the bike and its legendary rider during their prime.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.