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Friday, January 3  Cheever lists favorite moments By Eddie Cheever Jr. Special to ESPN.com
So here is the list of my top 10 experiences of 2002:
How cool was this? As I stood in the first turn at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on a frigid winter morning in January 2002, I took the Olympic torch from Tony George, one of the people I respect most in racing. There I was, on the mother of all tracks, with the Olympic torch in my hand. I felt proud and patriotic and humbled. This was a very special moment, one I'll never forget.
After all was said and done following 9/11, the members of our armed forces were the ones who put themselves in harm's way to protect our freedom. With a group of American racers, I was invited to spend an evening aboard the U.S.S. George Washington aircraft carrier. I was amazed at how they managed to make that big city on the ocean run so smoothly and the skill of the pilots having to land on that tiny runway. Anybody dumb enough to cross our guys deserves a proper butt-kicking.
For a time at the start of the Indy Racing League, progress felt as if it were happening at a snail's pace. In retrospect, we were building a strong foundation. Then, all of a sudden, Toyota announced its plans to join the IRL, with Honda following. The impact of these engine manufactures will be felt for years to come. Two Japanese manufacturers are now in position to win the Indianapolis 500, something that's never happened. Don't think for a second that General Motors is going to allow its Chevy brand to be trampled. I get the feeling the racing managers from both Honda and Toyota don't really like each other. Hang on. This is going to be fun.
Maybe it's all the beautiful weather, the beautiful women or the surfing. I'm not sure what it is, but I love California. The IRL raced at Fontana for the first time in 2002. I believe that -- given time -- the Cali race will become one of our most important events. We are going to have to romance the California fans, though. I've volunteered for that duty.
I still remember that first crazy race in Texas -- the one in which we all raced two abreast, four rows deep. Now, it seems that just about every race we hold is like that. It just keeps getting harder and harder for anybody to break away. I have no idea what it looks like from the stands, but I can assure you that it is busy in the cockpit. So much talent in so many equal cars. It's breathtaking.
Not many people are aware of it, but Indianapolis has been the leader in safety developments, many of which have become standard equipment in everyday driving. The first rear view mirror appeared at IMS. Safety belts emerged there, as did racing helmets and suits. In May, the Speedway introduced an energy-absorbing wall, the most significant advancement in racing safety in years. Tony George and his staff could have taken a rest after achieving their dominant position in open-wheel racing. Instead, IMS and the IRL continued its tradition of developing new safety systems.
Lucky little Helio. In spite of the controversy -- even because of the controversy, the 2002 Indianapolis 500 was a fabulous race. It contained all the elements of great Indy 500s of the past: Surprises, mystery, disputed finishes. Helio became the first back-to-back winner since Al Unser Sr. did it in 1971. And The Captain -- Roger Penske -- scored a record 12th Indy 500 win. He's the best for a reason, folks.
Not only did Cool Hand Sam win the IRL title over two Team Penske aces, he did it in dramatic, last-race fashion. On top of that, he plans to stay in open-wheel racing in spite of the lure and money of NASCAR. Hornish has the potential to be an Indy car star for years to come.
Five of the 10 closest finishes in IRL history took place this season. The top three: 1) 0.0024 seconds, Sam Hornish and Al Unser Jr. at Chicagoland; 2) .0.0096 seconds, Sam Hornish Jr. and Helio Castroneves at Texas, and 3) 0.0111 seconds, Jeff Ward and Al Unser Jr. at Texas. By the end of the season, stories were written not about the IRL vs. CART, but about the IRL vs. NASCAR. That is truly amazing.
What a weird year it was. We had poles, fastest laps in races, led the Indy 500 and threw it away, and of course, produced the great 1-2 finish in Michigan. Now, as we prepare for 2003, we do it with an old friend. General Motors is on board, supplying engines for Red Bull Cheever Racing, and I like our chances. Frankly, we couldn't beat 'em, so we joined 'em. With Buddy Rice, we have one of the hottest American drivers out there. With Chevrolet, we have the classic American engine. The upcoming season has all the elements of drama. I, for one, am looking forward to it. IRL driver Eddie Cheever Jr. owns and drives the No. 51 Red Bull Cheever Racing Infiniti car. He provides a diary to ESPN.com. Cheever's team Web site can be found at www.cheeverindyracing.com.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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