Bob Jennings

Al Unser Jr. has a good friend - Tony George. Little Al appeared to be on the sidelines less than two weeks ago as the Indy Racing League prepared to embark on its seventh (and biggest) season. Left without a ride when Budweiser supposedly backed out of a deal and Rick Galles failed to secure enough sponsor money to go racing this year, Al had to search for a job. Unser called Fred Treadway in December but apparently there wasn't any money. Robin Miller wrote recently on the ESPN website that A.J. Foyt and John Menard both passed on Little Al. That's surprising because Menard and especially Foyt are very close to Tony George, who is reported to be paying Unser's salary as part of the multi-year agreement which brought Al Jr. to the Indy Racing League in 2000.

It looked like Unser's best chance was with Eddie Cheever's team. That might've been Al Jr.'s quickest opportunity for success because I think the Red Bull Dallara - Infinitis are going to be strong this year. But Tomas Scheckter tested with Team Cheever and blew everyone away with his laps at California Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway. 

Little Al thought he was going to get the Cheever ride until he watched Scheckter, who became the sensation of the IRL "Test in the West." Jody Scheckter was one of my racing favorites and I'm excited about his son being in the IRL this season too. After seeing young Scheckter's prowess so early in his introduction to running high speed ovals, Unser realized he'd lost the ride in the electric blue Red Bull Dallara - Infiniti number 52. So far the Cheever cars impress me the most in 2002. It would've been a nice ride for Little Al.

Chip Ganassi chose Jeff Ward instead of Unser for his new full time Indy Racing League entry. Despite earlier denials by Tom Kelley, Little Al got the ride in the number 7 Dallara - Chevrolet. According to Robin Miller, someone on the staff at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway worked hard to come up with a $2 million sponsor package from an after market auto parts manufacturer named Corteco, Inc. The combination of a couple million dollars in Corteco's money plus the fact that Tony George is paying for Unser Jr. must've been enough for the Kelleys because Greg Ray got the boot before he ever started one race for the Kelleys. 

Ray was under the impression he had a deal with Tom Kelley even if he couldn't secure sponsorship. Greg should've remembered what happened to Mark Dismore, who was let go by Kelley because he couldn't come up with sponsor money and he was the first member of the Kelley IRL racing team and a personal friend. What made Greg Ray believe things were going to be different in his case? Admittedly Ray has been one of the stellar performers in the IRL, but he also blew three great opportunities in three consecutive years in the "Indianapolis 500" as the featured performer on John Menard's team. 

This is IRL racing in the current era. Even if your name is Al Unser Jr. or Greg Ray, you have to bring money if you want to race. There are a handful of drivers in the IRL right now who don't need to bring a bag of money with them to go racing. Sam Hornish, Buddy Lazier, the two Penske drivers, Jaques Lazier, Scott Sharp and the new sensation Tomas Scheckter appear to be exceptions although even in their situations, the sponsors must like them well enough to back their respective teams. Otherwise you pay to play. It's just the way it is in the year 2002.      

The day before the Unser - Kelley - Corteco deal was announced, Dennis Reinbold, one of the owners of Robbie Buhl's number 24 Purex G Force - Infiniti expressed disappointment he couldn't sign Little Al. That was the first time I heard anything about the Dreyer & Reinbold team as it regarded Al Unser Jr., but it's nice to know there were other options. I guess Brad and Buzz Calkins were also talking to Unser.

Little Al's deal with Tom Kelley was good news. I figured Unser would be in somebody's car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May. But I was beginning to think I'd have to find someone else to focus on in the other IRL races this season.  

Unser contacted Eddie Cheever during the holidays, looking for a ride in car 52. Cheever told Unser he was too fat. Look at the photo on this page. So Al went into an intense training program, working with a conditioning expert recommended by Eddie, and lost 25 or 30 pounds. Robin Miller, who wrote that  Unser's face and body were "bloated by hard living," was correct. I remember when I first noticed that Little Al was getting big. It was in 1994 when he went to drive for Roger Penske. It seems like he's gotten bigger on a gradual basis since then.

Al Unser Jr. looked pretty good in his first Indy Racing League season in 2000. He was lucky to win at Las Vegas, but he was fast in both races at Texas World Speedway and was third on the season in laps led. Little Al's win last August at Gateway International Raceway was superb. But there wasn't much else to cheer about. Apparently many of the members of the IRL community weren't too impressed with what Unser has accomplished since he joined the series. 

Tony George is an astute businessman, but he also has a loyalty to the heroes of the "Indianapolis 500" and Al Unser Jr. is certainly one of those. Now it's up to Little Al to show whether he's still a racer, worthy to be considered a big time player in the IRL and deserving of help from Tony George. 

Unser Jr. looked like a real racer in the IROC event last month at Daytona International Speedway. I don't pay much attention to IROC anymore, but the most recent event in the series grabbed my attention because my two favorites Tony Stewart and Al Unser Jr. scrapped and fought for most of the race like a couple 15 year olds at a neighborhood kart track. It was riveting entertainment for me, even though I already knew Tony had won the race when I watched the replay on ESPN. I know how good Tony Stewart can race. He's the best race driver this side of Michael Schumacher. What turned me on was that Little Al didn't give an inch throughout. Stewart and Unser, raced side by side lap after lap around Daytona. Had it not been for Unser being caught in the wrong lane in the closing laps, because Stewart received a push from Sam Hornish, Tony and Al Jr. would've probably run two abreast to the checkered flag.

I came away from the IROC replay impressed with what Al Jr. can do with a race car when he wants to do it. Today in the Indy Racing League season opening race at Homestead - Miami, Little Al makes his debut in a Kelley Racing Dallara - Chevrolet. Unser qualified thirteenth yesterday in Miami at 198.551 mph in the Corteco - Bryant number 7 Dallara. That's not too bad considering Al was only two grid positions behind Scott Sharp in the Kelley Delphi Dallara at 199.369 mph. Remember this is Al's first time in a Dallara and Thursday practice was the first time Unser worked with crew chief Thomas Knapp and the rest of the Kelley team.

I'm not sure what to expect from Al Unser Jr. today at Miami. My guess is he'll take things easy during the first half of the race and then if the car feels good, he might see how well he stacks up against the faster cars. Since this is his first race with the Kelley team that would be reasonable. If by some chance Unser out runs teammate Scott Sharp today, that should be classified as a decent start.        

However, it should be noted that although Corteco and Tom Kelley have a three year deal, Unser's agreement is only for this season. I also believe Al's personal services contract with Tony George expires at the end of 2002. So Al Unser Jr. is in the "hot seat" and the pressure is on. My take on the situation is that it's basically now or never. Otherwise my expectation is that Little Al will gently fade away like other past Indy champions, perhaps hanging on to pick up an occasional ride here and there. But he'll no longer be part of the mainstream of Indy car racing which would be a damn shame.   

Despite the negatives, I still have hope for Al Unser Jr. I believe he'll respond and give us some reminders of what he used to be, on a more frequent basis. I can even clearly visualize a "Cinderella" story materializing one of these Mays in the "Indianapolis 500" for Little Al, given a certain fairly common set of "Indianapolis 500" circumstances. However unlike the A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr., Mario Andretti era in Indy car racing, the sport is a young man's game today, just as it is in Formula One and CART. Veteran drivers face an obstacle. Although Al Jr. is only 39, unlike his father who remained part of the elite group through 1984 when he was 44, Junior is at an age disadvantage because there's too many hot young chargers (like Sam Hornish, Helio Castroneves, Jaques Lazier and Tomas Scheckter) carrying bigger loads of testosterone than Unser, who are each willing to put their life on the line every time they race into a corner. That's what it takes now.   

Come on Little Al show your fans today that you still have what it takes to be one of, if not, the best. Nothing would please me more.

Speaking of Al Unser Jr., I caught some footage Thursday from Miami on the "RPM 2night" program on ESPN2. He has lost weight. You can see it in his face. Gone is the caricature baby face, which has been replaced by a lean, mature look. Regarding the Kelley car, it's not nearly as striking in appearance as the recent Galles cars. The colors are basically the same, black, white and red but the Corteco - Bryant number 7 closely resembles Mark Dismore's cars prior to last season, when Mark carried separate sponsorship from Scott Sharp. But that's okay. I'm sure Little Al will gladly sacrifice a good looking race car for a fast one.

I believe the Kelley team is one of the best outfits potentially among the "old line" IRL teams. However Scott Sharp and Mark Dismore both experienced problems on a frequent basis over the past three or four seasons which I feel could've been avoided had the team been sharper. 

I also believe Tom Kelley made a huge tactical error recently when it was announced he would be joining Toyota for the 2003 IRL season. Chevrolet had to love that! There have been stories the Kelley team has had problems getting spare engine parts and Scott Sharp doesn't seem nearly as fast at Miami as you'd expect. However the damage may be minimal if the IRL engine rules do what they're designed to do and Roger Penske tells Ilmor to provide good power for the Kelley team. 

In today's The Indianapolis Star, Curt Cavin reports that Tony Stewart has yet to sign with Chip Ganassi for the "Indianapolis 500." I thought that deal was done a long time ago. Seeing Tony Stewart win the "Indianapolis 500" is as big a priority as having Al Unser Jr. return to the ranks of Indy car "front-liners." What the hell is going on?

On the flip side of that, Cavin also reports Roger Penske is a member of the board at The Home Depot and is possibly running three cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The notion of Roger Penske and Tony Stewart together in the "Indianapolis 500" conjures up some intriguing prospects doesn't it? Too, the Ganassi garages are going to be crowded at Indianapolis in May, with Kenny Brack, Bruno Junqueira and Jeff Ward all hanging around. Stewart expressed some displeasure last May when Ganassi put Junqueira and Nicolas Minassian into the Target spare cars after Tony and Jimmy Vasser qualified for the "500." Perhaps Ganassi's plans this May upset Tony.

I don't really give a damn who Tony Stewart drives for in the "Indianapolis 500" if he can get his face on the Borg Warner trophy. It could be the PDM team if that's what it takes. 

Let's see. It's 11:40 AM. The Miami race begins in one hour, 20 minutes. I need to put on a lid on this baby.

Al Unser Jr. aside, the Indy Racing League looks great for 2002 and I'm psyched up. We have some good boys getting ready to go. Even though Sam Hornish and Helio Castroneves (who look like the best bets for this year's IRL championship) sit on the front row today at Homestead - Miami Speedway, the cars I'm most excited about are the Cheever Red Bull Infinitis starting from row two. I think Eddie Cheever has done a good job getting ready for this season and the Infiniti engine package looks fast. The other two Infiniti powered cars in today's race, driven by Robbie Buhl and Laurent Redon, line up seventh and ninth respectively.

What I'm really anxious to see is how Tomas Scheckter looks in his first oval race. Scheckter has prompted more excitement than any Indy Racing League newcomer I can think of, including Tony Stewart in 1996. The kid is only 21. If he hadn't crashed his primary Red Bull Dallara - Infiniti number 52 in practice and had to jump into his backup, I believe Scheckter would be on pole today.   

I'm anxious to see how Scheckter compares to Hornish, Castroneves and Jaques Lazier once the race begins. But we shouldn't forget about those IRL mainstays Eddie Cheever, Scott Sharp and Buddy Lazier either. I'm also interested to see how Jeff Ward runs today in the IRL team put together hastily by Chip Ganassi and also how well Billy Boat can run, given that the CURB/Agajanian/Boat number 98 has been fast so far this week in Miami. I guess I shouldn't forget about Gil de Ferran either, even if the two-time CART champion appears to have misgivings about racing exclusively on ovals this season. 

Okay Indy boys, it's time to go for 2002!