INDIANAPOLIS -- Al Unser Jr. returned to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday afternoon and he wasn't driving, signing autographs or being cheered by fans.

The Speedway was empty and Unser was sitting a hundred yards from Victory Lane but, in many ways, it could have been the biggest triumph of his career.

The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner finally faced his demons, admitted he had a serious alcohol problem and would seek immediate treatment at a substance-abuse center.

"It seems like we won a race with this one. I am totally happy to hear Little Al is finally going to get some help," said Bobby Unser, Junior's uncle, upon learning of Thursday's news.

"His dad and I have been trying to get him to go to a rehab center for a long time, but you can't force somebody to get help. He had to make that decision himself."

With, undoubtedly, a firm push from owner Tom Kelley, his sponsor, Corteco, Indy Racing League founder Tony George, attorney Jim Voyles and the reality of the situation.

When Unser was arrested July 9 after allegedly drinking heavily, striking his girlfriend and leaving her by the side of Interstate 465, those people mentioned above were forced to make some decisions.

	Al Unser Jr., right, will have throngs of friends like car owner Tom Kelley, left, in his corner.

They couldn't condone this type of behavior yet they didn't want to abandon Unser in the most critical time of his life. So they did what friends and family had tried -- but failed -- to do.

"Little Al never paid attention to us," said Bobby Unser, whose oldest son, Bobby Jr., overcame substance abuse problems 20 years ago and now assists Shelley Unser (Al's ex-wife) with her four children by the two-time CART champion. "Nobody could tell him the truth because he wouldn't listen.

"I should have opened this trap a long time ago but, like I said, we were all in denial."

Unser's history was full of great races and sad stories about his behavior off the track. But it wasn't until his arrest that Steve Schweissgut (his former motorcoach driver), Bobby Unser Jr., Shelley Unser and Bobby Unser finally went on the record to address all those past and current problems.

Toyota, the manufacturer that will power Kelley's team in 2003, is said to have voiced its concern about Unser's professionalism and stability, reportedly along with a couple of Indy-car owners who compete in the IRL.

All those dominoes came down around the kid we used to call Opie and he really had no other choice than to get help.

To his credit, Unser faced the music and the media in the place he referred to as his "church." His confession took about as long as it does to qualify, but trust me, this was his toughest five minutes ever at the Speedway.

He didn't look like one of the most beloved, versatile and talented drivers of the modern era Thursday. He looked more like a troubled soul at the crossroads of his life who may finally be headed in the right direction.

Nobody was more respected or liked than the only son of the four-time Indy winner. And everyone in the IRL and CART community is pulling for this 40-year-old veteran to put down his glass and pick up his life.

"Alcoholism is a disease, not a problem," said Bobby Unser, whose third wife (Marcia) battled the bottle and won. "Al will go to a good place, but they don't care who you are, they treat everyone the same.

"He's got to stay in there for the whole month. He can't leave early."

It is pure conjecture to say how much his drinking may have affected Unser Jr.'s performance the past few years, but Uncle Bobby knows there can be life after 40 for a racer.

"When Al's head was clear and he was in good physical shape he was one of the three best drivers on this planet," said the patriarch of the Unser family. "Hell, when I was 40, I was just getting good, so he's got a lot of time left.

"If he works it right, he'll come out of this a better person and that's what we're all hoping."