| | It wasn't five minutes into the conference call when Eddie Cheever had to interrupt his fellow driver on the line.
"Don't try that rookie (expletive) on me," snapped Cheever. "I'll be nice to ya, but don't try that rookie stuff on me, because it's not going to work. The other guys may believe that, and I hope they do, but I'm not."
|  | | Al Unser Jr. won 12 races and his second Indy 500 with Team Penske. |
"No, no ... we're rookies, we're rookies," pleaded the voice on the other end of the line. "Be nice to us, Eddie."
The other voice belong to Al Unser Jr. -- a 16-year veteran of open-wheel racing, two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and one of the most recognizable names in American Indy car racing. But in the world of the Indy Racing League, the 37-year-old driver who still goes by the name "Little Al" will happily be considered a rookie for as long as he can.
Again, Cheever wasn't buying into that talk: "To call Al a 'rookie' is a bit of an oxymoron."
True, but as the IRL begins its fifth season Saturday in Orlando, Fla., Unser is at a crossroad in his career. After nearly two decades of success in PPG racing and then CART, Unser is putting his faith in an old friend and a new series still searching for star power.
No, Unser may not be a rookie. But he is starting over.
"It's an exciting time for me, to come in and be on the ground floor of a series that is definitely gaining popularity and growing," Unser said. "When you are part of this growth, you feel real good about it inside. You feel like you can contribute to something that is going to be a big and great thing. When you are able to do this it gives you a good feeling."
To hear Unser say he feels good again says all you need to know about his mindset heading into Saturday's Delphi Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway. If nothing else, a fresh start was needed after two-plus seasons of frustration. Unser, winner of 31 career Indy car races, hasn't tasted victory since 1995. After six seasons, including 12 wins and two PPG Cup titles, Unser and Team Penske needed a change.
Enter an old friend, Rick Galles, and the chance for Unser to "go home again."
Unser broke into open-wheel racing with Galles Racing back in 1983. The team grew up together and by 1990 was a championship program with Unser winning the first of his two PPG Cup titles. In 1992, the team reached the pinnacle of Indy car racing when it won the Indianapolis 500. Unser left Galles following the 1993 season to drive for Penske in '94, which resulted in a CART record-tying eight wins, his second Indy 500 triumph and second PPG Cup title.
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“ |
Any
time Little Al is sitting behind a racing car,
especially when they are turning left, he is a contender. He can try this 'rookie thing' on
for as long as he wants, but I'm not buying into it. ” |
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— Eddie Cheever |
Four more wins in 1995 was the last real success Unser would taste in CART, as over the next four seasons success slowly faded from Unser's view.
He failed to qualify for the '95 Indianapolis 500, which he had no idea at the time would be his last trip to the Brickyard in the '90s. He would slowly fall from the top of CART racing, dropping all the way to 21st last season. Turmoil both on and off the track had drained any fun out of racing by the end of last season.
The reunion with Galles has all the signs of reviving Unser's career.
"It was real frustrating, but we are on to new and better things," Unser said. "We'll take what has happened over the last two or three years and learn from it and get better.
"We're back home again (with Galles). The last time we were together we won Indy and all that. The team is doing a great job, the car is running good. We just need to get to know it."
The learning process continues this weekend in Orlando. Unser has a few private test sessions and all of four days of open testing at Orlando in the Galles machine heading into this week. He will get a few more practice laps in this week before Friday's qualifying. Then it's on to race day and another chapter in his racing life.
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LITTLE AL'S FILE
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Here is a look at Al Unser's career highlights in CART racing.
Career Starts: 276
Career Victories: 31
Career Poles: 7
PPG Cup titles: 1990, '94
Last win: '95 Long Beach GP
Enjoyed a career year in 1994, winning a series-record eight races -- including Indy 500 -- in first season driving for Marlboro Team Penske. Grabbed a career-best four poles and captured second PPG Cup.
Won 1992 Indy 500 to become third member of his family to win the race, joining father Al Unser Sr., and uncle, Bobby.
Won 1990 PPG Cup while driving for new Galles-Kraco operation to become the first second-generation champion in the series. Won a series-high six races, including a CART record four in a row.
Captured first CART pole of career in 1989 Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Finished second to father in the 1985 PPG Cup championship -- losing by a mere point in the closest CART championship finish.
Won first career Champ Car race, capturing the Portland event.
Made his debut in Champ Car racing in the 1982 California 500, finishing fifth for Forsythe Racing.
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Expectations? Sure, Unser has a few. Topping the list is a third Indy 500 triumph.
But Unser quickly cautions his fans to be patient. A victory this weekend? That would surprise even Unser. But winning one of the other two races in Phoenix or Las Vegas on the way to the Brickyard is part of the agenda.
"The main thrust is to win a race. It's been three or four years since I've won a race," Unser said. "In order to win Indy, you have to start knocking down some races prior to that. It's kind of like a domino theory. Once you start knocking a few down, hopefully Indy falls right in there. Our main job is to win a race before we get to Indianapolis.
"Give us a little bit of time. Orlando is new to me. But every day is a countdown to Indy. We have to get out there and know who the enemy is and who the competitors are."
While Unser may preach patience, over the course of the season Unser does expect his team to once again mature into a championship contender. Unser is, after all, a driver with more than 270 career open-wheel starts, and Galles is an established IRL team. At some point this season Unser figures to realize the IRL is just another name for what he has done all his life.
"I'm feeling more and more comfortable in the car. I'm gaining more and more confidence in it," said Unser, who compares the IRL package he's running this season to those of the Indy cars he ran in 1987 and '88. "It's almost to the point where we can say, 'Shoot, we've been here before.' Things are starting to fall into place like normal single-seat, open-wheel racing does. So we feel good about (starting the season)."
But leave it to Cheever, the 1998 Indy 500 champion and two-time winner at Orlando, to set the record straight about Unser and his effect on the IRL.
"Any time Little Al is sitting behind a racing car, especially when they are turning left, he is a contender," Cheever said. "He can try this 'rookie thing' on for as long as he wants, but I'm not buying into it. I know at the start of the race he may not be out front, but you can bet that if his car is under him at the end, he'll be near the front at the end. He's done that throughout his career.
"Al is a great addition to the Indy Racing League. He's going to be a very hard contender. I've always said there is one royal family in oval racing in America -- and it's the Unsers. They know how to race on ovals. I'm telling everyone on my team that this is one car we have to look out for at every race." | |
ALSO SEE
Klain: Will Unser finally boost IRL into spotlight?
Little Al's Diary: Ready for IRL debut
Delphi Indy 200 Breakdown
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