What I'd Do Differently: John Buffum

From the June 2017 issue

C/D: Early in your career, you had a reputation for crashing frequently and even earned yourself a nickname—Stuff ’em Buffum. Was there an occurrence that made you transition into a more mature and faster driver?

JB: No, it was an experience thing. I wanted to go fast and I crashed because I was going faster than my skill and experience level would allow. I believe that’s the correct way to go. Going fast to start and then gaining experience and tempering yourself as you mature makes you faster in the end.

C/D: Did you ever drive on emotion and make errors that you wouldn’t have made otherwise?

JB: No, I don’t think I was an emotional driver. I think I am an emotional guy because I cry at some movies, but no, I don’t get jacked up and have road rage. I drove to win.

C/D: Who was your biggest rival?

JB: That’s easy. Rod Millen. He was right there from the late ’70s until I stopped in the later ’80s. He would push me to go faster and to get better. And it was the same for him. We ratcheted each other up.

C/D: What was your proudest moment as a driver?

JB: It’s a tossup between the fifth place at Acropolis, a World Championship event, and winning Cyprus. Ferdinand Piëch, the Audi head of technical development at the time, gave me his Audi jacket to wear to the awards ceremony at Acropolis. That was an honor. I still have the jacket. Cyprus was a win, but it was a European Championship event, a step down from a World event.