Three-time Le Mans winner Hurley Haywood offers his unique view of Le Mans, both as a spectator and as a driver.

The year 1996 marked the first time in fifteen visits to Le Mans that I was not driving. I wasn't all that happy about the situation. God, I felt like a fish out of water. Even so, a thought brought a smile to my face. I was going to get to do all the traditional Le Mans things I've heard about for nearly twenty years but never had a chance to check out. I thought I'd check out the circuit. You know, the places I've spot by at 200-plus miles per hour but never had time to visit. The Hotel de l'Hippodrome sits near the 300-meter mark entering the first chicane on the Mulsanne Straight. I showed up at about 7 o'clock the night before the second day of practice and qualifying. The man at the desk recognized me almost instantly. I felt much better, thank you very much. We almost ran across the dining room to a table twenty feet from the racetrack. I ordered a glass of red wine, some cheese, and some French bread. I sat back, ready for the new experience. I noticed my palms feeling a bit clammy. The first car flashed past, causing a ripple effect on the wine in my glass. I stared out the window in amazement as the cars rushed by at well over 200 mph. AM I CRAZY?! I quickly drank my wine and left. I know what can happen at that speed, and waiting for it twenty feet from the track made me nervous. I trudged back to the Porsche camp for dinner, waiting for dark to fulfill my next adventure. Nightfall came at 10:30, and I headed out to the section called Esses de la foret. There sits something I have trained myself not to look at for fifteen long years -- the Ferris wheel. The line was long, but I finally boarded. The view was incredible, and the sounds, sights and smells captured the essence of Le Mans. I have always thought driving at Le Mans was a lonely affair. My next goal was to recreate that same feeling, but this time outside the car. I realized that it might be difficult with the 200,000-plus fans here. It wasn't. I found my moment in the Porsche curves, standing in the woods with my eyes closed. every sense in my body was turned to full boost. My ears grabbed the first full howl of 8000 rpm and the downshift for entry. I stood and waited. Experience dictated what would come next. It was almost like driving myself. God, I love driving. -H.H.