BEHIND THE HELMET

You might not recognize him if he walked past you on the street, but CRC Speedshow’s special guest for the 2018 event is one of the best known motoring personalities in the world. Don’t say you’ve never heard of Perry McCarthy before … OK, maybe not, but you’re sure to know his anonymous alter ego, The Stig, from the earlier seasons of Top Gear. McCarthy’s Formula 1 experience is the stuff of legend, or maybe nightmare, but he can see the funny side. From a period that contributed to him being dubbed the world’s unluckiest racing driver, through to his commercial success as The Stig, he’s certainly lived some kind of motoring dream. As the Top Gear crew’s ‘ tame racing driver’ he helped propel the show into a mustwatch for most of the world’s petrolheads, and he will be visiting New Zealand for the first time this year for his Speedshow appearance. McCarthy will be on hand all weekend to meet exhibitors, talk about his experiences as The Stig, as a racing driver, and the Top Gear phenomenon. “Stig never said much, as we all know,” explained Perry. “But I will definitely be spending lots of time chatting with visitors to the show … Meeting people and having fun is what it has always been about and CRC Speedshow will bring plenty of that.” CRC Speedshow gets underway on Saturday, 22 July at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland, and you can find out more at speedshow. co. nz.