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Posted By	Discussion Topic: Indy 500
NYR2119935	posted on 05-07-2001 @ 3:48 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	http://espn.go.com/rpm/2001/0507/1192394.html INDIANAPOLIS – Car owner Chip Ganassi, who won last year's Indianapolis 500 with Juan Montoya, replaced two rookies with Tony Stewart and Jimmy Vasser as his drivers in this year's race. Ganassi lost Montoya to Formula One this season and originally entered rookies Bruno Junqueira and Nicolas Minassian. They finished 1-2 in last year's European Formula 3000 championship but have never raced on ovals. At a news conference at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, Ganassi announced the switch to Stewart and Vasser, former series champions in the Indy Racing League and CART, respectively. "The decision was not made because Bruno or Nicolas did or didn't do something right," Ganassi said. "Our team has proven we can train rookie drivers. But right now we need Bruno and Nicolas focused on their development in the CART series. "When we originally put our plans together, our thinking was the experience they would gain at the beginning of the season would be sufficient, but with the cancellation of the race in Texas, we decided to bring two veterans back to the race," Ganassi said. "Certainly these guys know their way around this place." Stewart, who started from the pole as an Indy rookie in 1996, now drives in NASCAR's Winston Cup series and will have to fly from Indianapolis to Charlotte, N.C., immediately after the May 27 race to drive in the Coca-Cola 600, as he did in 1999. Stewart won the Pontiac Excitement 400 on Saturday night, his 10th victory in 79 career starts, and moved up to seventh in the Winston Cup standings. Vasser, who finished seventh for Ganassi at Indianapolis last year, joined CART's Patrick Racing this season and was fourth in Sunday's Lehigh Valley Grand Prix at Nazareth, Pa. "It seems a little funny to come back after what's gone on," Vasser said of leaving Ganassi after last season. "But I'm stepping into one of the cars that has the best chance to win the race. It's as simple as that." Stewart, a native of nearby Columbus, Ind., and the 1997 IRL champion, called it "a great thrill to be back at Indy." "We've got a great combination. We didn't want to just come back and race," he said. "We wanted to come back and win." Besides the Ganassi team, former CART champion Michael Andretti and car owner Roger Penske, whose drivers have won a record 10 Indy 500s, also are returning for this year's race. Two-time winner Al Unser Jr., who left CART for the IRL's Galles Racing last year, also is back. Unser was 29th last year, his worst finish at Indianapolis and only the fourth time in his 13 starts he ended up out of the top 10. He said the switch to the IRL from the rival CART series, which began a boycott of Indy in 1996, played a part in his less than impressive comeback. "We're definitely used to the (IRL) cars more so than last year," Unser said of his second season with Galles Racing and his bid for a third Indy 500 victory. Unser was among some three dozen drivers on the track on Sunday's opening session of practice and had a top speed was 216.639 mph. "I'm not with a new team this year and hopefully we'll be able to take some shortcuts with the car setup," he said. "So, yeah, I think our chances of doing well are better than last year." CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
NYR2119935	posted on 05-07-2001 @ 3:52 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	http://espn.go.com/rpm/irl/2001/0505/1191859.html INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis 500 is back, ready to reaffirm its status as the most famous race in the world. Just five years after the first shots were fired in the war between CART and the Indy Racing League, the Indianapolis 500 has endured. And this year's race may have all the glamour, luster, intrigue, intensity and interest as any race since the 1996 split. "There is no race bigger than Indy, don't let anybody kid themselves," said Roger Penske, the winningest team owner in Indy 500 history with 10. "The benefits that accrue out of winning Indy for our company and our people over the years, you can't add it up. The Daytona 500 is a great race, but there is only one Indianapolis. "In NASCAR and in Formula One, there is nothing that has the crowd, that has the two weeks ahead of it with the qualifying drama. To me, it's the biggest race. That is why we decided as a group that we want to go back there and compete again." Practice for the 85th Indianapolis 500 begins Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Penske is back for the first time since his drivers at the time -- Al Unser Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi -- failed to make the field in 1995. Defending CART champion Gil de Ferran and Helio Castroneves will race for Marlboro Team Penske this year. When Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Tony George created the Indy Racing League in 1996, critics vowed it would mark the end of the Indianapolis 500 as the world's premier race. But in the five years since Buddy Lazier won the 80th Indianapolis 500 in the IRL's first season, the race is back to being the most anticipated motorsports event in the world. It has all the ingredients that made the Indy 500 so grand before CART teams decided to stay away. Consider that three of CART's best teams -- Marlboro Team Penske, Target/Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Green -- are competing this month. Chip Ganassi returns as the winning team owner, although 2000 victor Juan Montoya has moved on to Formula One. And for team owner Barry Green, the last time he competed here in 1995, he finished in victory lane with driver Jacques Villeneuve. When CART team owners voted in December 1995 to stay away from the Indianapolis 500 and stage a rival event -- the U.S. 500 -- they were convinced the Indy 500 would be tarnished and viewed as a "second-rate" event. For sure, the Indianapolis 500 suffered through difficult times in 1996 with a field of teams and drivers that was short of money, talent and experience. In 1997, the race was the first with a new chassis and engine formula, which included 4.0-liter normally aspirated engines -- some that blew up on the parade and pace laps. But Arie Luyendyk was able to win a highly competitive race as the top five finishes were all on the frontstretch when the checkered flag waved. When Eddie Cheever won in 1998 and Kenny Brack won in 1999, it continued to solidify the IRL and help reaffirm the status of the Indianapolis 500. Last year, Ganassi decided to break ranks and run Montoya and Jimmy Vasser in last year's race and team owner Derrick Walker opted to run full-time teams in CART and the IRL. It proved the only way to compete at Indy was Tony George's way. So, five years after CART split, teams have realized the importance of competing at the Indianapolis 500. During that time, the IRL has grown. And after some rocky times and embarrassing moments, it finally is showing signs of growth, boasting its biggest schedule with 13 races in 2001. "This year's 500 is going to be extremely exciting and what is making it that is all the tough competitors in the IRL," said Unser, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner. "We have Arie Luyendyk coming out of retirement, the Penske team bringing his drivers here and, of course, Michael Andretti returning. I've heard rumors that Jimmy Vasser might be back, also. "What can I say? These guys are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It took me a little bit to realize that, but it didn't take me very long. Indy is where it's at and it's what auto racing is all about. We want to take on all comers, so bring them on and let's go racing." Over a matter of time, it was obvious that some of the great names in racing had to come back to Indianapolis. This year, many of them are back. When the IRL began operation, there were far too many people in both CART and the IRL who thought the tide would turn immediately. In all respects, however, it was going to be a matter of time before the IRL could have a significant impact. "I'm sure everybody has a different timeframe in which they thought things would happen," George said. "I guess I'm not surprised it is taken this long to see some start filtering back. I certainly didn't expect there to be one big wave of participation since the decision in 1996 not to come. They had pretty much decided that they did not want to be a part of the (IRL) from the outset and they certainly had their own business and their own series to run. "Over time, I think we've had to earn the respect of not only the CART owners but also the drivers to get to a point where they felt comfortable coming back. More and more, they are becoming comfortable." It was only two years ago that members of CART offered George a chance at unifying the two series. Many believed it was an offer too good for George to refuse and it was one in which he would have a significant amount of impact and influence over one unified circuit. In the end, however, George decided to stick it out with the IRL rather than abandon his philosophy. Since then, the IRL has stabilized while CART has endured a series of setbacks that threatens to erode the base of the organization. "We thought we were on the right track and if we stuck to what we were doing, all things would improve -- manufacturer support, sponsor support and the support of owners and drivers," George said. "We have a pretty healthy situation right now. We have pretty good car counts, week in and week out. There are some that are in and out, but for the most part we have been able to sustain some very solid fields. "It was always more complicated than taking what CART had to offer at that time, so, no, that was not a temptation." There remain plenty of shortcomings in the IRL, but many are being addressed. "We haven't built and sustained the number of races I would like or we need in order to be considered an established series," George said. "I think we are on our way there, especially this year with 13 races and the prospects of growing it more next year. We are really at a good number, that teams and sponsors and the public are starting to recognize it is a major franchise. Once we have a good schedule established, we will see more sponsor support. It all builds from having a good, solid schedule." The month of May at Indianapolis has forever changed. Practice and qualifying crowds are down, but George said the trend actually had begun well before CART teams left after the 1995 race. "There are so many things that have affected that, it's hard to put your finger on any one and say that is the major cause," George said. "Even the changes we have made from an infrastructure standpoint, with all the construction we've had going on, the limited parking inside the track, the access that people were accustomed to having, I think all of that has changed. It's taken a little bit more effort to come out and sit in the infield or hang out in the Tower Terrace for the afternoon. "A lot of that has changed and it's going to require us to settle in and start rebuilding all of that. As far as the enthusiasm and the level of interest, that has continued to build over the last two or three years. This year, there seems to be as much interest around town as there has been since 1996, but whether that will translate into larger practice day crowds, I don't know." When George created the IRL, he wanted to return Indy car racing to its heritage as an all-oval racing series that would promote grass-roots American drivers. Although many IRL drivers have American roots, the sport continues to have a strong Brazilian influence. But George believes that if he never created the IRL, causing CART to leave the Indianapolis 500 en masse, many of the same problems would still exist. "I don't think anything we have done has really damaged it," he said. "I don't think there would be any more driver recognition than there is today. I think NASCAR would still be as strong as it is today. I don't think the split in any way helped NASCAR to the extent that some people would like to believe. NASCAR's momentum really started building prior to 1996 and it goes back to 1994, when it was really starting to build. "Having just maintained status quo, I don't think we would have found ourselves in any different position. The trend in decline in attendance had begun at many race venues and with television ratings before the split." This year's Indianapolis 500 also can benefit from the Indiana Pacers being eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Indy now rules May in Indianapolis. The Indy 500 now can dominate the sports section of The Indianapolis Star and on local television. "It potentially eliminates one of the things that divides people's interests in Indianapolis," George said. "We still have to continue to do things to promote the 500. Some of the things we are doing are retro in some respects to the way they promoted the race in the 1950s. We are trying to get more of the promotion going on and the energy building in the outlying communities. We'll have to just see what kind of general interest there is from the public with Penske and his drivers coming back, with Ganassi and his drivers coming back and with Michael Andretti's return. "Around Indianapolis, there seems to be more excitement. People are saying, 'You stuck to your guns and they are all back now.' What's all? It seems that Penske and Andretti are all that they focused on. The whole month of May should be very exciting, very competitive, interesting seeing what the competition of the field is." There are many IRL drivers who have been loyal to George's cause since the first race at Walt Disney World in January 1996. One of those was Lazier, who won the pole for that event and captured the Indianapolis 500 just two months after suffering a broken back in a crash at Phoenix International Raceway. The IRL has helped Lazier show his ability as a racer, having won four IRL events and arriving as the series' defending champion. Lazier also was inished second in last year's Indianapolis 500 when Montoya gave CART bragging rights by winning. Those who say this year's Indy 500 is back to the way it used to be only because of the presence of CART teams does not give credit to some of the IRL's top drivers and teams. "Put it this way, some of the guys who haven't been there, they have a lot of respect," Lazier said. "But I think we deserve some respect, too. We are all very accomplished and very capable. We have some very capable racing teams here. Certainly, they have some capable teams that are coming to the Speedway. "It's going to be a very competitive race. We are all excited about the way the series is growing and we all have pride in what we do. When you are a race driver, you want your guys up front. We were proud of the way we performed last year because we could have won, but ultimately, we didn't achieve the goal that we wanted. Hopefully, this year, we can take it the next step and win it. You're going to see all kinds of IRL guys who can win this race this year." During the split, drivers like Andretti made some disparaging remarks about the Indy 500 and the IRL. Now that he is back at Indy, Andretti has apologized and acknowledged the IRL is "here to stay." Some of those remarks have not been forgotten, however. Unser admitted that in 1996, he was under pressure from his team and sponsor to stand up for CART and criticize the Indy 500 and the IRL. He admitted that was among the most difficult things he had to do in his career. "From an IRL competitor's point of view, all you do is keep your head down, ignore what people say and keep doing what you are doing because you believe in it," Lazier said. "This is an awesome race series. It's the future. "It's disappointing that more people haven't realized that sooner, but they are starting to catch on now." Two years ago, George said he was disappointed that some media members spent so much time talking about the drivers who weren't in the Indy 500. The names most often mentioned were Unser and Andretti. Unser returned to Indy last year and Andretti followed him this year. Now the talk in racing is about the drivers who are in the Indianapolis 500, giving it a positive spin for the first time in years. "The trend has turned, at least it has for this year," George said. "There is a general feeling of excitement for the way the month of May is shaping up. We are also off to a great start of the season for the league and that has helped add to the excitement and participation." It also has proven that those teams and drivers who want to run the Indianapolis 500 must do it under the rules and regulations established by the IRL, not CART. "Penske having won 10 Indy 500s will validate even more the tradition," said Eliseo Salazar, who drives for IRL team owner A.J. Foyt. "We will have the last five winners of the CART championship -- four times for Ganassi and Penske this last year. We always thought the Indy 500 should be the Super Bowl, where you get the best of both series. It won't be more evident than this year." CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
Faceman ...And now the battle between us and them has begun. JYD-4-LIFE.	posted on 05-07-2001 @ 3:52 PM
O&A Board Veteran Registered: May. 00	well now that stewart is in the 500 i have a reason to watch now. :) it couldnt come at a better time either. his last 3 races have been pretty impressive, good luck to tony:) This time I'm 'a let it all come out This time I'm 'a stand up and shout I'm 'a do things my way It's my way My way, or the highway
NYR2119935	posted on 05-10-2001 @ 6:19 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	Has anyone else been watching Indy 500 practice all week on ESPN 2? Speeds are raging from 215 - 226. Most guys are trying to get into the 222 area CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA

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