Bob Jennings

The eighth running of the "Brickyard 400" at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway goes this coming Sunday August 5. But I'm just beginning to go into detail about the three weeks of racing at the Speedway this past May that made up the story of the 85th "Indianapolis 500." It's fortunate I only have to comply with personal and not professional deadlines. Otherwise I'd be in big trouble. But I never claimed this to be a racing news website. Bob Jennings' World O' Racing is a personal collection of photos, memories and opinions. The fun part is I get to select where I focus my attention when I add content.   

I say better late than never. I enjoyed the "500" experience this year - that's not unusual - I always do - so what. As much as it made me unhappy to have the two cars entered by Roger Penske finish first and second, I think the 85th "Indianapolis 500" and the accompanying activity leading up to the race were interesting. There were some disappointments but there were some unique and positive things going on at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway too. There were more personal interest stories surrounding the 85th "Indianapolis 500" than I can recall for a long time, always something to pay attention to. 

It was a good May for the most part. I wasn't sure what I'd be doing to make a living after the "500" until a few days before the race. That I was able to enjoy myself with that on my mind most of the time speaks for the entertainment value of what was happening at the Speedway.

Among the biggest stories surrounding the "Indianapolis 500" in 2000 were the return of Al Unser Jr. and the CART championship Chip Ganassi Target team. Little Al's "500" comeback was a disappointment as he was knocked out of contention and eventually the race in the first 250 miles by debris from the earliest of Greg Ray's two crashes. The Target team fared much better. 1999 CART champion Juan Montoya led 167 laps on the way to a dominant victory while Jimmy Vasser in the other Target G-Force - Oldsmobile finished seventh.

If May 2000 was like a family reunion at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway then this past May was like a homecoming football weekend at a major university. At the start of this year Roger Penske announced his plans to return his racing team to the "Indianapolis 500" for the first time since 1995. Within a few days of Penske's announcement two-time "Indianapolis 500" winner Arie Luyendyk confirmed the rumors he would come out of retirement to race at the Speedway in May. The return of the Penske team and Luyendyk's comeback had been anticipated for months. Michael Andretti's "Indianapolis 500" comeback was less certain and made a bigger news item than the Penske and Luyendyk stories when it was confirmed in early April. 

As if that wasn't enough the comeback stories hit their peak the week before practice opened for the 2001 "500" on May 6. Ever the competitor Chip Ganassi was not to be out done. Robin Miller told Dave Calabro that Tony Stewart would be driving for Chip Ganassi in the "500" on Indianapolis TV station WTHR in mid-April. Curt Cavin reported in The Indianapolis Star about stories coming from the Winston Cup race at California Speedway on the final weekend in April that a Stewart - Ganassi deal was in the works. 

Tony Stewart acknowledged as he was preparing for the Richmond Winston Cup weekend that he and Ganassi were talking but said a deal wasn't completed. The issues involved Stewart's Winston Cup sponsor The Home Depot and Ganassi's longtime sponsor Target. Finally, on Friday May 4 two days before "Indianapolis 500" practice opened it was announced there would be a news conference at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the following Monday.   

Tony Stewart was doing a flip flop. After stating he wouldn't make another attempt at running Indianapolis and Charlotte the same day after he did it in May 1999, Stewart changed his mind. He was returning to race in the "Indianapolis 500" and he was going to drive for the team which had won the race the previous year. Hurray! I may be dumb but I'm not completely stupid. I'm as big an Indy Racing League fan as there is. However if driving for Chip Ganassi will get Tony Stewart an "Indianapolis 500" victory then he has to do it! 

So we had all that to think about as official practice for the 85th "Indianapolis 500" got underway. But there was more. We had four practice days and one day of qualifying added to the schedule. This made things seem more like traditional Mays in years past in which the month was full of "500" activity. There was the prestige of knowing Toyota would be joining the Indy Racing League competition in two years. There was the hope that a longer thirteen race schedule featuring five races within an eight hour drive of Indianapolis (in addition to the "Indianapolis 500") would bring crowds to the IRL races in much larger numbers. Judging by the big crowds in Kansas and Nashville it appears the Midwest strategy is working well. In fact judging by attendance since the race at Texas early last month, a seat for an Indy Racing League event is becoming a "hot ticket." The crowds at the season opening races at Phoenix, Miami and Atlanta were disappointing but Tony George has to like what he sees with race attendance, beginning with the event at Texas Motor Speedway on June 9.  

Coming into Indianapolis Sam Hornish was the new Indy Racing League "poster boy." Not since Tony Stewart's Indy car debut at the IRL opener at Walt Disney World in January 1996 has a new driver been so impressive. Young Hornish kicked butt at this season's opening race at Phoenix International Raceway on March 18. Hornish's yellow Pennzoil Panther Dallara - Oldsmobile had everyone beat at Phoenix including Roger Penske's two cars and led 140 laps on the way to his first IRL win. Sam was as good at the next race in Miami. He led 142 laps in his winning drive. Greg Ray led 184 laps to dominate at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hornish finished fourth.

But what were Al Unser Jr.'s prospects as teams unloaded in the garage area at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? How did it look for Little Al? 

Unser had one win (Las Vegas) and another couple near misses at Texas Motor Speedway during the 2000 Indy Racing League season. Al also had good runs at Phoenix and Atlanta last year. Rick Galles added Budweiser to Unser's Starz G-Force - Oldsmobile as a secondary sponsor for 2001. Galles also put together IRL programs for rookies Didier Andre and Casey Mears with both drivers bringing substantial sponsorship to the team. It was being written Galles had secured a larger  sponsor budget for the 2001 season than any other IRL car owner. The mood should've been encouraging for Al Unser Jr. as he prepared for his 14th start in the "Indianapolis 500." Right?   

Wrong? Looking back it seems as if Al Unser Jr.'s problems began at the pre-season test at Phoenix. This was the first opportunity Unser had to try the new IRL update package on the Galles team G-Forces. Unser was uncomfortable with the package immediately and said so. 

Considering what has taken place this season in terms of results by chassis in the Indy Racing League Little Al's unhappiness with the G-Force appears to be understandable. A Dallara has won each of the nine races this season. Jeff Ward won the pole position at Miami driving the Heritage Motorsports G-Force. Felipe Giaffone's second place at Texas is the best finish for a G-Force in 2001. The closest a G-Force has come to winning this season was at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Tony Stewart led the "Indianapolis 500" with 52 laps to go. He gave up the lead to winner Helio Castroneves when he was called to the pits by car owner Chip Ganassi. Robbie Buhl's Infiniti powered G-Force was the final challenger to Castroneves before he spun in turn two on lap 166. That's basically been it for the G-Force chassis in the 2001 IRL season.

Al Unser Jr.'s problems go deeper than the lack of performance in the 2001 G-Force package. Engine problems ended Unser's race at Phoenix after 104 laps. Electrical problems took Al Jr. out at Kansas City after 82 laps. Reliability has been an issue but lack of speed is a bigger problem. 

Occasionally Little Al is able to overcome the relative lack of speed in the black and white Starz G-Force in the traditional Al Unser (Sr. and Jr.) manner. He was able to play the strategy game that has served both he and his father well so often throughout their respective careers at Miami, Texas, Pikes Peak and Richmond.

At Miami Al Jr. actually led one lap during the race, the only time that has happened this season. He was running strong in second place catching leader Sam Hornish after starting the race from 19th on the grid. I was thinking Little Al was going to win but a pit stop penalty moved him back to a sixth place finish. At Texas Motor Speedway he finished on the leader's lap in eighth. A big embarrassment for Unser Jr. had to be the IRL race at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Near the end of the race Little Al was passed for tenth place by Sarah Fisher. Al Unser Jr. had his best race of the 2001 season at Richmond on June 30. On a slippery track which required a lot of savvy Unser became faster as the race progressed. He poured it on in the closing laps trying to catch Sam Hornish for second place. At the finish Little Al was on Hornish's tail to finish third.

Perhaps the best way to describe what the lack of performance from the Galles G-Force package means to Al Unser Jr. in the year 2001 is to look at where he qualified for each Indy Racing League event. Unser qualified 23rd at Phoenix. He was 19th on the grid at Miami. Little Al qualified 14th in Atlanta. He started 19th in the "Indianapolis 500." Since Indianapolis Unser has qualified eleventh (Texas), 17th (Pikes Peak), eleventh (Richmond), 15th (Kansas City) and 19th (Nashville). What starting in the middle or the back of the field means is that a driver has to pass a lot of cars to get the front. In the tight confines of wheel to wheel competition prevalent in the Indy Racing League that means there is a big potential for trouble.

In the races at Atlanta, Indianapolis and Nashville Little Al was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was caught up in someone else's wreck because he had no place to go. Both Unser and Casey Mears were in the middle of the violent multi-car crash at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In the "Indianapolis 500" Unser was unlucky to be behind Sam Hornish on a restart on lap 18 when Sam spun on cold tires. Little Al had nowhere to go and was squeezed into the outside wall coming out of turn four and taken out of the race. In the recent IRL race at Nashville Al was directly behind Donnie Beechler challenging for sixth place when Greg Ray and Eddie Cheever came together. That set off a chain reaction. Airton Dare's car nearly decapitated Mark Dismore. Beechler spun directly in front of Unser and Al was out of another race. 

That's been the disappointing story of Al Unser Jr.'s 2001 IRL season. But on Sunday May 6 as I drove to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to catch the final three hours of opening day practice for the 85th "Indianapolis 500" I still had high hopes for Al Unser Jr. I'm sure Little Al did too.  

Tony Stewart won the Winston Cup race at Richmond the previous night. Chip Ganassi's Target cars were running at Nazareth on Sunday May 6. The official announcement that Stewart and Jimmy Vasser were going to replace Ganassi's two CART rookies in the "Indianapolis 500" wasn't going to be made until the next day. So I knew I was looking for Al Unser Jr. on the opening day of practice for the "Indianapolis 500." I wanted to concentrate on pit photos of Al's Starz G-Force number 3. As you can see from the photo on this page I was successful.

In the days leading up to "500" practice I saw billboards on the interstate and cardboard cutouts in groceries and convenience stores around town featuring Little Al and Casey Mears advertising Budweiser. That suggested Al Unser Jr. remains a big name in Indianapolis.  

"500" practice opened with a ceremonial four abreast lap "Past Champion's Lap" featuring Arie Luyendyk, Al Unser Jr., Buddy Lazier and Eddie Cheever. Had I known about that I would've gone to the Speedway earlier to get that photo. I screwed up.

When I got to the pits at the Speedway I saw the Unser Starz G-Force parked. I like the black and white graphics on the Galles cars. It's a striking look, not as pretty as Little Al's Valvoline cars but it stands out. I can spot Al Jr. from nearly any point on the race track in that car. As I got close to his pit I saw Little Al talking to Bill and Skip Mears who were seated on a scoring stand, presumably to watch grandson Casey Mears. There wasn't anyone else around which seemed kind of strange. The Galles team was no doubt busy trying to repair the two team cars which had been wrecked at the Atlanta race the previous weekend. 

Tom Carnegie interviewed Al Unser Jr. on the Speedway public address. I was able to watch the interview on one of the numerous video screens which have popped up all around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in recent years. Carnegie teased Little Al that he wasn't known for his qualifying performances. Junior responded that he'd been on the pole position at the Speedway before (1994).

It was a nice day. There was a slight cloud cover but there was enough sunlight for decent photos. I would've thought there would've been a good opening day practice crowd. There had been a lot of  excitement in the local media about the return of this person and that. The local "buzz" about the "Indianapolis 500" had been going on for several weeks around town. I anticipated big crowds to return to the Speedway for "500" practice. Of course by now we know that practice and qualifying crowds were smaller than ever in May, so much so that Tony George publicly acknowledged disappointment and concern. We didn't know that on May 6 however.

I heard a stir in the crowd (what there was of it) and looked up to see the two Penske Marlboro (on that day anyway) Dallaras number 66 and 68 towed to the pits. Neither Gil de Ferran nor Helio Castroneves seemed to draw much attention but Roger Penske did. In fact Penske got more attention than Unser Jr. In May 2000 on the opening day of "500" practice Little Al was cheered loudly by the crowd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was a lot like the enthusiasm A.J. Foyt used to get from the fans seated in the old Tower Terrace when he came out to practice. This year hardly anyone seemed to notice Al Unser Jr.

Eventually the Galles crew came to the pits and Little Al did several laps in his primary car 3. He probably didn't have a backup car ready on that day because of the wreck at Atlanta. His best lap was 216.639 mph which was 13th fastest. Is that typical  Al Unser Jr. or what? But it didn't bother me too much. It was early. After all Helio Castroneves only did 216.608 mph the same day. Sam Hornish (216.878) was barely faster than Little Al. Other drivers went faster however.

Greg Ray is usually the fastest driver on most any given practice day in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It's been that way since Greg Ray replaced Tony Stewart on the Menard team beginning with the 1999 season. It was the same situation Sunday May 6, 2001. Ray's bright blue Johns Manville/Menards Dallara - Oldsmobile had a top speed of 224.301 mph.

A total of 33 drivers in 38 cars turned 874 laps of practice on Sunday May 6. Eddie Cheever turned a lap at 220.968 early in the day in his number 51 Excite@home Dallara - Infiniti. That stood as second quick on the day. Third quick was Buddy Lazier at 220.221 in Ron Hemelgarn's Dallara. Scott Goodyear in Cheever's other Dallara - Infiniti was fourth fastest with a lap at 220.084 mph. Billy Boat was fifth on the day at 219.765 mph in the CURB Records Dallara. Arie Luyendyk had the fastest G-Force (219.481). Reigning CART champion Gil de Ferran had a lap at 219.243 mph in one of the Penske cars.   

As it got later in the afternoon the haze in the sky was replaced with rain clouds. I was walking to my car when it began raining hard bringing action on the track to an end six minutes early. I was satisfied with the day. It was great to be at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway again walking the pits and taking photos of Al Unser Jr. while the story of the 85th "Indianapolis 500" began to unfold.