Motoring's funniest names
11 August 2009
Theodore Slotover
F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz presumably decided his real name would be too much of a mouthful in his chosen career.
Tokyo Sexwale
South African A1GP boss and sometime ANC politician, Tokyo Sexwale reportedly changed his first name due to a childhood love of martial arts. His surname is the one he was born with…
Lord Adonis
Lord Andrew Adonis is the current secretary of state for transport, not the Greek mythological figure of his namesake.
Dick Trickle
The 1980s and 90s NASCAR driver reputedly inspired the naming of Cole Trickle, Tom Cruise’s fictional Days of Thunder character.
Gallery: Put a face to the name
Dick Seaman
A 1930s British Grand Prix racer, Dick drove for the Mercedes Benz team. He died while leading the 1939 Belgian Grand Prix.
Felix Wankel
Wankel was born in 1902 and his name will forever make car lovers smile – he invented the rotary engine, a system still used by Mazda today in the RX8.
Will Overhead
A newspaper error declared ‘Will Overhead’ to have won the 1933 Indianapolis 500. Will never existed – the editor misunderstood a message saying the reporter would telegram, or ‘overhead’ the real winner’s name later.
Ian Dyk
Dyk’s name could yet get bigger – the 23 year old Australian has finished on the podium in the A1GP series.
Stephen Ladyman
Stephen Ladyman might have been the transport minister from 2005 to 2007, but he’ll perhaps be best remembered for driving a Suzuki Liana around the Top Gear track in 1min 48.8secs.
Will Power
Power currently earns his keep as a driver in the Indy Car racing series in America. This year he’s won one race and taken pole position twice.
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