We are August 27th, 2005, it is 6 o’clock in the morning.
I begin early for a big workday because I am late for my delays of documents delivery. At about the 9 am, I switch on the computer to verify a coast (I am a industrial draughtsman) and, as usual, first reflex, I glance on Jacky Ickx’s site because Julien has always something to tell.
In a window on the right of the screen, the name of Castle Lastour draws my attention. I read the small article and I learn that Jacky Ickx will be this same day in this domain to give the departure of the”First Trophy Richard Sainct“, organized in homage to the pilot(s) regrettably disappeared these last months.

Alert. My Idol is at the moment at 250 km from my home ! I can not ignore this unique and unhoped occasion to meet him (maybe). Nevertheless I hesitate, my work must be carried out. I go there, I go there not?
My mother, who since she put me in the world had heard the name of this Belgian driver a million times and more, deeply encourages me to go there. My wife pushes me too, and then I’m heading for the Corbières, my native area.

The journey is really bad : rain, accidents, slowings down, but I arrive finally in the paddock at about 12:30 am.
Among about 500 persons, my eyes look only for a single face but do not find it. I guess that at the present time, if Jacky is in Castle Lastour today, he has to be in the restaurant. I thus sit down in front of the restaurant’s door and I wait.
At about 2 pm, people begin to leave tables, then the movement accelerates because the departure is foreseen for 3 pm. The more the seconds pass by and the more my heart begins beating hard.

At 2:20 pm, it is breathlessly that my eyes are riveted on the silhouette which comes out of the restaurant. Jacky Ickx, in flesh and bone, says hello to some friends that he crosses, and pass slowly in front of me. He is there, and well there, “my Friend”!

There are 35 years that I’m waiting, but also that I dread this moment because now, the hardest has to be done : it is necessary to accost him. What sentence am I going to find to make him understand that I do not say hello to him because we crossed ourselves on a road of scrubland and because by recognizing him I greeted him ? He has to know that I am Claude Millabet, one of his most faithful fans since 1968, the fan the most crazy about this unique person. How will he react? Is he going to cut down in my interception ? The seconds pass by, he goes away, I have to regain self-control. My legs are in cotton and almost unconsciously, I join him.

– Mister Jacky Ickx, please (he looks back slowly), allow me to shake your hand. I am your
  most faithful admirer and I came specially from Nîmes to see you… You !
He smiles to me :
– But it is very kind of you and I am very touched. And at what moment or in what occasion
  did my career fascinated you ?
– From your first exploits, at Spa, Nürburgring etc. etc.
– Ah yes, because we are certainly of the same generation etc. etc.

He presents me to Khadja Nin, her too, invited by the organizers (there is also Vatanen, Metge, Schlesser…). The dialogue continues.

– What is your profession?
– I have a research department in metal constructions.
– Ah! Very well.
And there, he is passionate :
– Then, it seems that now under the beams of roofs one puts bootstraps in cable or iron
  round to strengthen elements, there are carrier straps to allow adjustments…”
I answer :
– Effectively, we so avoid the push on walls…
Legendary curiosity of Jacky Ickx is real !

I explain him that beside the wish to meet him, I would like to show him a book which I had write on his career, and he accepts. I take out the manuscript from my bag and by seeing the cover page he lets escape :
– Oh, very well !
I notice his admiring and interested glance. I go through some pages, and from time to time he stops me :
– Oh, this photo… , Ah there, it is when I was …
He continues :
– It’s good, there is many text, it is clearly presented, this must have been a lot of work…

With his arm he surrounds my shoulder, and I feel his frank and sincere embrace. Nevertheless the emotion gains me, my hands are shaking, my throat is formed. I try to continue the dialogue but I lose control. A dream of 35 years is coming true, with a welcome which I was far from imagining. My emotion is going to turn ridiculous and Jacky notices it, he says :
– What is your first name ?
– Then take it easy Claude, otherwise you are going to make me cry. Let us take advantage
  of it, we are here both, quiet, we have all our time. I am going to give the departure of the
  race, and later, we shall have the afternoon to chat and speak about your project.

This break will appear saving and beneficial. Jacky gives the departure of the race and talks with some personalities. In the shade of a pine, I sit down on a slope and enjoys already this first contact. How will I make now to approach Jacky again without importuning him? While I am walking round, here and there, behind me a female voice makes me jump. It is Khadja Nin :
– With Jacky, we had seen you on the slope, and we come to chat a small moment with you.
A hand settles on my shoulder and I hear :
– Then Claude, if we resumed our conversation, tell me about your project.
I turn around and Jacky is in my side. It is Him, Mister Ickx, who came to look for me to speak! He does not look if I am in suit and collar, if I look nice, if I am rich. It is not the most mythical character of car-racing, it is not the greatest racing driver of all the time, it is not “Mister Jacky Ickx” who discusses with the simple little chap that I am, it is Jacky who discusses with Claude. Emotion gives place to an unexpected freedom of contact. I feel him free, relaxed, calm, charming. We could describe the glance of Jacky as a thread which connects his pupil to your. You feel that he speaks with you and not that he pretends (by looking at the same time to the right or to the left). He does not hide behind dark glasses. His glance is straight, frank and honest. He listens to you, thinks, advises. His glance impresses me of sincerity. He talks again about my job, we evoke some races of former days. He tells me that the race does not miss to him, on the contrary he always looks forward to discover new horizons, a new life.

We come back to my project. Long ago, I had written a book on Jacky Ickx’s career, and not being able to make it publish, I had intended to transform it into an Internet website so that everybody can take freely advantage of my work. We could so make a return on the career of this driver of exception and discover or rediscover all the moments which made him famous. Jacky is sincerely seduced by my idea and encourages me to pursue it. I feel more and more comfortable. He is really good to live and to discuss with him… So much that, when Khadja Nin proposes :
– We can we drink ?
Immediately Jacky asks me :
– What do you want to drink ?
I remember having roared and raised arms to the sky, by saying :
– Ah no Sir, it is me who offer you to drink, it is an honor for me to offer a drink to my Idol!
– But no, he says to me, you came from Nîmes, it is me who offer it to you.
During a good minute, by raising the tone and by remaining hands in hands, we bickered as kids, as two good old friends in front of a bar… it is him who paid (he was always the winner!). Moment of total happiness!

Other memory :

We were talking of this and that, when a friend of Jacky arrives. He presents me his friend and, taking me by the shoulder, says to him :
– This man is an fan who came specially from Nîmes to meet me!
Another friend arrives, the same scenario and the good old memories begin “to come out the drawers”. Then the discussion becomes more professional and I step back by discretion. Jacky moves towards me, and of the hand, makes me sign come back to my place ! An attractive sign of respect! Exemplary, No ?

All the good things have a end, and even if I have some more of things to say or to ask him, I left of my Idol. His handshake made me understand that he too had just spent some warm hours together during an unexpected meeting, I think. We wished good return, good health, and “see you soon” … See you soon ? You said? Oh yes for sure !

Well Here we are, 35 years of hope for an afternoon of happiness, the time ratio is as huge as the Talent of this Great Man whom is Jacky Ickx. Thank you Mister Jacky Ickx for this the unforgettable afternoon.

MESSAGE TO THE FANS OF JACKY ICKX

I consider myself now as being a part of privileged fans who were able to be spent some moments with the greatest racing driver of all time : Mister Jacky Ickx.
I was maybe a little bit long in this article, but I wanted to share a moment which I lived, while a lot of people hopes to live it one day.
You read it, I reassure you, Jacky Ickx is Such as I described him to you and it is really pleasant to be in his company.
The only problem: I needed one week “to return feet on earth”.
Thank you also to Khadja Nin and to the friends of Jacky, who by their simplicity and their cheerfulness, knew how to create an atmosphere of well-being and confidence.

To finish, thank you especially to Mister Julien Garnier naturally. Incredible Julien who by inserting this small article was far from suspecting that he was going to upset the life of one of the greatest fans of Mister Jacky Ickx. Thanks to you, Julien, I realized a dream : I met Mister Jacky Ickx. The dream is now transformed into reality.