Ben Collins' (The Stig) IRL Racing Career

[@derosiflo6524]

When Fernando Alonso thinks you're good, you're goddamn good

[@korjodaraccoon]

Probably the best compliment a driver could ever get

[@CarlosReyes-q2z]

⁠@@korjodaraccoonid say from schumacher or senna would be the best but alonso complementing you is crazy

[@awakeandwatching953]

the fact stig/ben now dose sim racing content is a dope character arc for us fellow sim racers

[@CarlosReyes-q2z]

@@awakeandwatching953 fr

[@mobyhuge4346]

​@@CarlosReyes-q2z imo I can't really say that considering you know... one is dead and the other is a vegetable... and Alonso is currently iirc the only GOAT level F1 driver that has his own karting school so currently a compliment from Nando is the best kind today

[@AKK5I]

Some say...

[@asreimations7527]

A CIA experiment went wrong and he only eats cheese...

[@rolandhazuki8787]

I heard that with Clarkson voice in my brain 😅

[@Lightinl_34]

​@@asreimations7527All we know that he's not the Stig....

[@Ramonatho]

Some say the gas from his farts accelerate faster than a Bugatti Veyron...

[@caledonianrailway1233]

He know 7 facts about ducks and all of them are wring

[@bertensap5533]

Fun fact about Ben Collins: According to TVTropes, when the news of him being the Stig was revealed, paparazzi gathered around his house and were met with hot tea and umbrellas served by Collins himself because it was cold and wet. So one of the main reasons he was the Stig (apart from being fast) was that he was a very kind man and therefore very patient in teaching the celebs how to properly drive the car. Hence why they all talked about how amazing the Stig was. Hell, Collins even came back after the "betrayal" in season 17 to teach the wounded ex-soldier crew that wanted to participate in the Dakar Rally (that they finished) how to drive the Wildcat. As angry the Top Gear trio were at him at first, they apparently weren't angry for long.

[@mrctuned2844]

When you listen to all the podcasts Ben has done, you can just feel that he's a genuine and nice man. This is backed up by the strong majority of guests on Top Gear that made sure to comment just how great and how patient "The Stig" was. It just makes me like and respect him even more. I really like Ben Collins and he's had a massive effect on car culture as a whole.

[@satolatifi24]

Whats the betrayal

[@ak42069]

@@satolatifi24Schumacher revealed to be the “stig”

[@joshuachandra6677]

Thanks for that insight 🤝

[@ray.shoesmith]

He first got found out when the 4 of them entered a car in an actual 24hr race and he had to put his real name on the registration form. When he turned up in white overalls the game was up.

[@deltari147]

This guy’s career feels like a Toca Race Driver game, such versatility

[@realMaverickBuckley]

And alot of people don't know he was in the SAS for half of it.

[@storyexe243]

Can't believe THE Roflwaffle was the stig this whole time

[@somerandomdude2085]

Fucking knew it! I've been telling people that Roflwaffle is actually the Stigs online alias for months, but people always thought that I was crazy!11!

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

​@@somerandomdude2085people always think you're crazy when you figure out the truth man... The sheeple can't imagine a world beyond the shadows on the cave walls.

[@venomsnekko]

One of my favourite moments on Top Gear was when they got a bunch of touring car drivers together to destroy some caravans (I think), and Ben was one of them. Every other driver got an introduction including their racing accolades, while he was simply introduced as "Touring car driver, Ben Collins."

[@samuelgarrod8327]

That didn't happen.

[@michaelshenny]

@@samuelgarrod8327it did. It was the Toyota Aygo football episode, James and Richard are picking their teams and when they get to Ben Collins, they’re a little sheepish.

[@abfallgefreiter7681]

​@@michaelshennyI just checked because I was curious. It is true it's even in the official top gear KZbin upload of the Aygo game. Thx for clarifying that, it is a amazing piece of trivia

[@Ironcan-kw9ls]

I just realized Ben Collins' is the Race Driver Grid protagonist all this time

[@RallycrossGT]

BRUUUUUUUUHHH

[@purpleneons]

ToCA Race Driver 2 and 3 as well, kinda mad Codemasters had no clue who he was because those games fit his career like a glove

[@Amx30Drecoverytank]

fun fact. my ex boss is current multi time ginetta champion colin white (CWS Racing) (the lead car at 10:46 and the man on the right at 11:25) who raced agaisnt him at rockingham, on his garage wall is the bonnet from one of bens old oval cars after they crashed during a race ben gave it to him as a gift. The dude is an weapon and recently recovered from massive leg injury from a crash. the dude is 67 and still winning in endurance racing.

[@captainnutnut6077]

I remember seeing him racing a VW Scirocco(?) at Hendo in his National Hot Rod days. As a BriSCA F1 fan, I didn't pay too much attention to the hot rods, but he and his car caught my teenage eye way back in the late 90s/early 00s. It's awesome to hear he is still racing and winning. Legend.

[@charlieclarke2303]

Colin is now teammates in British GT with Thomas Holland who was Bens teammate in British GT in the Ginetta

[@LeeCorne]

I watched many ASCAR/Days of Thunder races with Ben and Colin White at Rockingham! Glad to see Colin overcame his brush with cancer at the time and is still going well. I didn't realise he was still racing until I saw him at Bathurst earlier this year on the live stream! I'll always be a Colin White/CWS fan! :D If you see him, please pass on my best wishes to Colin :)

[@williambeckey4506]

My dad was crew of the Darkness sponsored car, it was a pretty open secret/romour that Collins was the stig in the paddock. Allegedly he'd get a bit merry at parties and let slip.

[@captainnutnut6077]

@williambeckey4506 That sounds plausible to me, given his personality. At least, in my opinion.

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

He wasn't just the Stig, he was us at home. We could imagine ourselves as this character racing cars over the world like it was Gran Tourismo, Sega Rally etc. It was genius and he really played into it on the show.

[@joshuachandra6677]

Bravo underrated comment honestly we all imagined ourselves in his shoes

[@CB-L]

Why do I still clearly remember Stig photocopying his face in insurance episode XD

[@taomasterwaka6287]

He kind of reminds me of Keiichi tsuchiya or ken block. Drivers who had respectable careers in racing but are more well known for their achievements outside of racing.

[@clumsygarage1578]

I believe that Nigel Mansell originally beat Ben’s time in the Suzuki on Top Gear. There’s an interview where Ben says that when his time was beaten, he was told to go back out and set a faster time. He said that it felt ridiculous being asked to beat a childhood hero of his, but he did it. He is also still jokingly bitter about being beaten by Rubens Barrichello, saying that the track being widened around the last 2 corners made all the difference. Also I think the identity of The Stig now is less interesting is because they don’t have just one any more. I forget where I heard this, but I think that since Collins left the show, many drivers have been used for the role. Probably switching between episodes based on who is available.

[@SnoodyMcFlude]

Pretty sure after Ben they went to mainly just one guy, there's some interview with Mr Wilman where he talks about the subsequent Stig just being grumpy. Rumour is that it was Phil Keen

[@sdx3918]

He may not have achieved much but his racing career along with his gig as The Stig must have been such a vibe considering how many cars he was able to drive and race in.

[@millennialchicken]

Ben Collins' always seemed like a top lad whenever he was on camera, and from his YT exploits, he does seem like a top guy. And he's had the chance to drive some top metal too in his time driving.

[@mrdorifto]

You said the word "top" 3 times lol

[@JSparrowist]

@@mrdorifto hurr durr?

[@spacedoutcowboy5211]

Oi oi oi

[@RonaldRegain]

Really happy to hear Stig does well and Roflwaffle started real life racing :)

[@Diskord1982]

Still one of the most underrated channels on KZbin. Roffle deserves to have a few million subs easily.

[@scottgregory6129]

21:00 I submit that if Ben Collins was not self aware as a young competitor, we never would of had the Stig. Understanding the odds and utilizing your talents to create a once in a generation character is significant.

[@Exponaut_R-01]

This man finishes 4th like Super GT finishes 6th in Gran Turismo multiplayer...

[@TheBadBunny87]

He also appeared as himself on Topgear a few times. One time that stands out is the time they landed a guy in a parachute into a moving convertible Mercedes, he was the driver.

[@GTRufus]

loved the episode where they put schumacher as the stig

[@SanMotoríX]

No way that you're here!, good to see you GTRufus!

[@sandernaulo9994]

Wen I saw that i thougt: ooo thats why he’s so fast, and then this video💀

[@irishwristwatch2487]

It must've been his racecraft, the dude was seriously quick. He'd probably do great in time attack or hillclimb

[@NZNASCARproject]

11:38 Neil Cunningham was a New Zealander who competed in the ARCA stock car series 3 times from 1997 to 1998. He did stunt driving in James Bond Quantum of Solace, and was himself The Stig at several Top Gear Live events. Cunningham passed away in 2016 from Motor Neurone Disease (MND)

[@aojracing4885]

Huh. So they both drove stock cars, were stunt drivers in Quantum of Solace, played The Stig and shared a car. I'm guessing the two kept recommending each other to their employers.

[@xX_Gravity_Xx]

It almost seems like he enjoyed being the underdog. I guess you can get away with doing so when you have the talent to back it up 😂. Dude is underrated as a racing driver for sure, even if he is a driving legend.

[@DataRew]

"I'll get you, Broadbent!" *YT rising*

[@CeDaProductions]

met him at nottingham car show, very down to earth guy and was showing off a jaguar!

[@PescaraProductions]

One of Britains great Motorsport all rounders of the 2000's. Really, the perfect man for the job of being the Stig. Certainly had a humble start too in Formula First (seriously try and find a picture of what one of those looked like, they are hideous! Like a Formula Ford with a picnic bench strapped to the back) I do wonder where he'd be today without Britains maybe last great flash of sportscar manufacturers popping up in racing. In F3 he got pretty unlucky, coming up against some great raw talents and it never seemed to fully click for some reason. Without the sudden emergence of a fairly competent Ascari Team, he might have faded into something like national touring cars (which bare in mind by 2000 was about to struggle for a few years) or just became another Motorsport instructor like so many do. Without the experiences at Ascari I can't quite see him being picked for the role Always wondered who the almost unknown guy was that was winning all the ASCAR races I watched growing up was. Only took about 7 years to find out...

[@blanket444]

I remember a news story down here in Australia announcing Ben Collins as a Kelly Racing driver for the enduros, and they did mention that he was the Stig. I believe i saw a video of him talking about that Britcar 24 Hour where he had to put his real name on the entry forms.

[@ethanwayne6973]

YES, LET'S GO STIG DOCUMENTARY!!!

[@FakedAlaska]

WE REVEALING THE STIG WITH THIS ONE 🔥🔥🗣🗣 (For real tho Mr. Waffle. This is a very high quality video. Really hit the spot.)

[@LTLGamer1]

Ben Collins helped develop the physics engine for pCars 2, most notably the tyre model. Also, Jeremy Clarkson revealed that the second white Stig (till at least the end of 2015) was Phil Keen.

[@RolfSAMA]

Managed to ask him a few questions during a book meeting in Warsaw. Gr8 guy, even signed my book, as I was the1 asking him the most questions at the meeting :]

[@Oldguynotbald]

He raced, he was the Stig, he has a successful KZbin channel, he just bought a farm (because he was raised on one) has a beautiful wife… I would say Ben has done quite well for himself.

[@Axle0Bullitt019]

In hind sight its really funny that Rubens is one of the only drivers t beat the Stig at his game considering he went on to compete in Stock Car Brazil which uses drastically supped up small sedans.

[@The_BenboBaggins]

Some really important points to consider for the many that 'weren't quite good enough' •Natural ability and speed account for 10% of the recipe at best! - BC has buckets of natural ability and speed! •There's a huge element of luck, being in the right place (car/team), at the right time - across almost all levels of motorsport the gap between a top team and the rest is massive... - how many times in this short video did you say that the car didn't finish, or didn't start... •You got to know the right people, and some people look like the right people, but there's lots of con-artists in the game! - maybe he did know the right people, he defo did for the film and TV work. •The other 80% is MONEY! I don't think Ben ever had a big backer?

[@PlatinumNath]

Yeah it seems like he has encountered teams with financial issues a few times. Not only he's participating in a team with financial issues but also doesn't have really big sponsors to continue his open wheel racing, it happens to his GT experience too it seems. Add to that he's been given either fast but hard to control cars, or underpowered and unreliable cars for the most part.

[@thomasholland74]

I remember that Donington British GT weekend well, it was a shame it ended how it did as we would have had a good result in a season for me that was eventful to say the least. Ben is amazing to work with and I will never forget that weekend. Awesome video Roflwaffle!!

[@JOHANNESwhoelse]

I really appreciate the use of the Enthusia soundtrack. If you made a video about that forgotten gem of a game one day, it would be appreciated even more!

[@Omar_ZX]

Some say he spent all the money from the company card for a boat full of coal, well he's the stig

[@MK-1010]

Great video!! Long time fan of the Stig.

[@mandst5466]

I met him a few times when I worked at Dunsfold as part of the safety crew during track filming. Bloody nice bloke, good sense of humour. He said he always had trouble remembering his (speaking) lines ! 😂

[@adamstilldrives]

Could you do a video about the gran turismo fonts through the years. I'd love to know more about the changes as the graphics got better with each title. Love your work. Thanks

[@brdllc]

Great video man, I’ve always wondered how legit he was compared to other race car drivers when I was a kid, wondering why he didn’t race anywhere 😂😂 also v8 supercars mentioned!! It would be great if you put out some videos on that series, some of my all time favorite racing, plus the cars are absolutely awesome

[@Flickso]

Props for using the grid 2008 ost as background music

[@rubberwoody]

I remember feeling so giddy when they brought the Stig to the brit 24 hours endurance race.

[@bk_nreynolds3278]

Just in time for my 3 hour commute to my new account. Thank you legend

[@bencesilling5862]

My man was playing Race Driver: Grid irl

[@alecrl1]

Ben may not have been an F1 Driver or LeMans winner but has enjoyed what he has done. It is very difficult to make a big impression in motorsport without a massive budget.

[@R3V0LV3R45]

He also raced in the Bathurst 1000 with Rick Kelly one year as well.

[@davethebrave.]

The stig is a great example of his career.

[@ic3man]

I love how the post top gear music you chose is the grid race driver theme after you upgrade to a two car team

[@fundude9938]

Some say he hangs upside-down like a bat, and that his eyes blink sideways. All we know is, he's called the Stig!

[@rynosraceroom66]

So nice to hear a human telling a story ,thank you 🤘🏻🏁

[@LordVader-ko7js]

Really good Video

[@gamingninja5196]

Wait The Stig raced at the Bathurst 1000. Wow, I did not know that. Now I just want to rewatch the 2009 Bathurst 1000 and watch him race in our mighty V8 Supercars.

[@JoshuaC923]

Great video! Very interesting

[@klayshotter]

Okay I had no idea Ben raced in V8 Supercars that’s awesome!!

[@jcptudor1]

Really enjoyed watching that. 😊

[@matt99is]

Missed out his time in 90s British GT racing against the famous lister storm

[@BlackKyurem5]

I was familiar with Ben Collins as a name in the PSP NASCAR game. He drove the 187 Psi car in the NEXTEL Cup serving as a replacement driver on a few races. Compared to other replacement drivers, his A.I was really good rivalling the actual drivers In career mode, replacement drivers can take over the main drivers for the fill season and got a bit of a power boost. If Ben Collins was one of them, he wins almost every race youre not in

[@cornovii3012]

The stig was not about being the fastest on the planet but being consistent in all cars to fairly compare cars.

[@UncleBuckRodgers]

Great video!! I know you had to search hard for those clips. I've searched for them and found very little by using his name in the search.

[@shaunmcewan5940]

Great vid. Thanks 👍

[@bucketslash11]

"let me introduce him" and then doesn't start with "some say.." edit: imagine Ben commenting this video

[@tosemcriatividade6449]

Fun Fact: Rubens Barrichello is making regular fast laps like The Stig did in Top Gear! It's called @Acelerados great show but only in Portuguese

[@andrewcarter9649]

I wouldn't be surprised if Collins is right about being the fastest guy on track at Le Mans in 2001 at night, I watched that race and the Ascari's were absolutely flying in the wet. It's actually impressive that the car was remotely competitive by that point, it was basically a Lola T92/10 Group C car with the roof cut off, it was approaching 10 years old at that point.

[@Poorgeniu5]

I feel kinda bad for him for the mishaps that happened but considering his time as the Stig and also juggling his racing career at the same time balances out!

[@davidtydeman1434]

That is quite a broad range of races👏👏👏

[@Gobinator232]

Its been such a long time since i watched top gear that i didnt recognize him in thr thunbnail 😭😭

[@TheOneHi-C]

I remember The Stig getting pulled over in a Caterham 😂

[@35dononeill]

He also appeared in Top Gear as himself for the Toyota aygo football challenge.

[@irmankhajehvand1179]

13:30 Fun fact, these are pug 206's morette headlights

[@TheSameGuySeenInPS4]

Holy crap he did it 😮

[@lesklower7281]

Mark Webber new who the Stig was and new Ben Collins raced at Bathurst

[@Pri11-k7l]

Edit: he did appear in a game show which took place In Cape Town South Africa which contestants had take to him in a driver duel where the contestants had to drive a Toyota GT86 as a leader , where The Stig can Whip out any high end car and overtake the contestant as a follower The contestants must a hold a lead before The Stig beat them to the finish line

[@revenanke3132]

Wow, you should make one of these for every current F1 driver!

[@Pri11-k7l]

He is a 4 time winner Le Mans he once appeared in Jay Leno's garage and revealed he was The Stig Funny part is that he said before he took the role as The Stig he had to a hot lap in a hot hatch Not sure if they gave him a lap time through

[@arigato7788]

Sounds to me like he was the perfect man to be the Stig, at the end of the day. With his knowledge of racing in an extensive array of very different racecars and very honorable results, he was probably the most well rounded and reliable jack of all trades the BBC could pick. The only other option for the BBC would have been to commission multiple racecar drivers, which could have become a logistical headache.

[@PlatinumNath]

Rumours has it the latter is what BBC does right after Ben Collins exited Top Gear. Higher costs overall and more difficulty since they have to source just about anyone available rather than a constantly available one driver, but it makes the newest Stig harder to guess at the same time

[@MuscleCarLover]

Before the reveal, my father thought that Nigel Mansell was The Stig

[@testopatia106]

Bens the man.

[@birdgamerman]

Honestly, revealing a big secret always comes with a fall off in interest aka Dream when he revealed his face etc. But man, that dude drove literally every fun car under the sun, and i can respect that.

[@edwardwong654]

The Stig is a great driver, there is no doubt.

[@FurryestX]

The man that the FIA Fears, The STIG

[@paddycoleman1472]

It is like many disciplines, the difference between the top and very good is not huge. The variance often comes down to luck, equipment, consistency, mental agility and the ability to deal with pressure and adversity. By normal standards, Ben is an exceptional driver and very good in motor sport but alas this is not always good enough.

[@OuroborosChoked]

Ah, RIP Justin...

[@Mudweisertj88]

omg lando in that pic 😆😆😆😆 21:25

[@MartinBahls]

Guess I'll play some FH4 later tonight 😂

[@ray.shoesmith]

14:59 He didn't. This is how news first came out that Ben Collins was the Stig. He had to put his real name on the driver registration form and of course people put 2 and 2 together. It was well known in racing circles before it hit the wider press.

[@King_Ears]

That old photo of dixon 😂 looks like a version wish would sell

[@SuperMcgenius]

If you are in the top % 20 of any sport your good.

[@Wafflecombo54]

Legend

[@Jacky5299]

Ben should be the next James Bond!!

[@crilauriola]

incredibly a video shorter than 30 minutes finally

[@johannessturzer1503]

This video could have been 30 sec by you saying he's washed cause he lost against a man living in a shed. (Jimmy Broadbent) Joking aside, really good video about a very unusual but exciting career.

[@acebirdjohn]

I thought the Stig was multiple people.

[@gwcrispi]

There are a TON of good drivers that never get a chance because they don't have the money to buy a good ride for enough time to show their stuff.

[@sageanimist48]

He was just unlucky with the racing due to accidents, team mates etc, as for the Stig it was well known who they all were from the beginning. Most Track Marshals all knew he was the Stig

[@itsdan722]

Didn't he train SAS troopers how to drive fast too? I'm sure i heard or read that somewhere

[@KevinNovaMST]

13:37 THE STIG IN ROMANIA?!? WHY I DIDNT MEET HIM!!!???

[@aaronfarr8014]

The stig German cousin(the stig)

[@AuxenceF]

Well he has won 7 f1 world championships... That has to count for something...

[@someonecalledeulogio2280]

I need a video of perry the platypus mcarthy

[@eurosonly]

Honestly, I think that if he wasn't such a diversified driver, he probably would have never gotten the job as the stig on top gear. Although, having been sponsored by them in the past is probably what got him the job, really. He sounds like an average driver or a bit above the average but he also does show to be better in some race types than others. I'd imagine if he stuck to those for a while, he'd land a few wins. I wonder if he just gets bored of doing the same style of races for too long.