Of course, my hero at the time . .
. . was a Belgian race car driver named Gendebien. One year he was competing in the Monte Carlo Ralley. The times for the portion through the Alps was set the day before the run. That night it rained, and then froze.
More than half the cars were disqualified for being late. No car made time. Gendebien was disqualified for being early. He did not have good timing information because his navigator spent the trip curled in a fetal position on the floor boards.
Public outcry eventually forced the race organizers to award him a substantial prize dispite the disqualification.
