A Checkered Past

Al Unser, Jr. was one of my favorite drivers growing up. I remember him driving Galles Racing Valvoline car to Penske Racing Marlboro car dominating in late 80s through early 90s with two CART championships and two Indy 500 victories along 27 wins during that stretch. Late 90s happened with the open wheel split and he was no longer winning and struggling to finish inside the top 5. At twilight of his career he would jump to IRL in 2000 getting three victories in four full time seasons. But during that time news of his personal demons became public. He would call it a career with his final race in 2007 Indy 500.

He wrote his autography and released it late last year. I picked it up and was it a ride to read. Al Jr. exposed his soul throughout the entire book. The first chapter starts off of him at his darkest period contemplating on committing suicide. He would talk about his personal life growing up in a racing family with his famous father (late Al Sr) and uncle (late Bobby), getting into racing, the good and bad times with late ex-wife, the elation of victories and the agony of defeat and disappointments especially not qualifying for 1995 Indy 500. The big one was his alcohol/substance abuse on when he started dabbling it to getting to a point of spiraling out of control and hitting rock bottom. One of his admissions that surprised me was he and his late ex-wife partied for four weeks straight on drugs going into final race at Miami where he had a shot at the CART championship in 1985. He end up runner up in the championship behind his father the late Al Sr. There be times he didn't show up in testing or be hung over if he did. His drinking and partying became open secret in the CART paddock. In his later chapters he talked about alcohol addiction and how difficult to stay sober. He admitted to having a relapse just hours after getting out rehab. The hits kept coming with DUIs arrest as well domestic violence, broken relationship, and suicidal depression. Yet he fighting back his demons spiritually knowing the struggle is still there while he's clean and sober.

It's depressive but informative read. Away from being a race car driver Al Unser, Jr. showed he's a flawed human being just like everyone. Hope he's strong enough to get away from his vices for good. I also hope he's doing fine after losing both his father and uncle last year months apart. If you a race fan its a good pick up.

You can order his book from a link down below.
https://octanepress.com/book/al-unser-jr-checkered-past

Open Wheel Brave New World

Roger Penske buys Indycar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I expect this to be April 1 headline. Turns out the date was November 4, 2019. A press conference later the news sent shockwaves throughout auto racing world. "The Captain" Roger Penske, the man who started CART with the late Dan Gurney, the most successful auto racing owner with multiple CART/Indycar, NASCAR, IMSA Sportscar, and Australian Touring Cars championships with major victories at hollow grounds of Indianapolis and Daytona, the man with successful business ventures, now owns the top open wheel series in America AND the famous 2.5 mile track of Indianapolis. If the track was to be sold he's the perfect guy to own and run it. He been around the twists and turns of the on track and business side of the racing world for over 50 years. Not only racing but the automotive industry as well held The Captain in high regards and respects. Days before the announcement of the sale he called every Indycar owner as well NASCAR to let them know of his plans. They gave them their blessing. In the press conference Roger Penkse will step down from calling racing strategy from the pits to avoid conflict. Now he hopes to open more opportunities for the series and the speedway with potential thought of Indycar/NASCAR double weekend to having endurance sports car race on the road course.

Give Tony George credit. Still dislike and resented over The Split, when the time to come sell the speedway he could have sold it to anyone even to NASCAR or Liberty (who owns Formula 1). Instead he chose to sell it to the only person who been through trenches of open wheel racing from its growth to fall to regrowth: The Captain, himself, Roger Penske.

With The Captain now running the ship in Indianapolis what more opportunities can he open up? On this day forward open wheel racing heading to brave new world.

McLaren Spectacular Indy Failure

Famed Formula 1 McLaren team try their hand at Indy this year and failed miserably in spectacular fashion as their driver, two-time Formula 1 champion, Fernando Alonso failed to qualify for the race. The team struggled the entire week getting up to speed going into the weekend. Alonso totaled a car during practice. Come qualifying Saturday they couldn't able get themselves locked in top 30 forcing them qualify for final three spots of the field with six cars gunning for it in one shot on Sunday. Alonso qualified in the field only to get bumped out by the last car on track, a sponsorless cash-strapped Juncos Racing team driven by 2017 Indy Lights champion Kyle Kaiser.

How could this happen to well-known world racing team pumped with full of money failed miserably? I been reading articles and listening to podcasts on the subject that came out afterwards. It was series of follies that started when McLaren announced their running of the Indy 500. 

The big difference from their run in 2017 to this year is that they had partnership with Andretti Autosports, who have years of running Indycar, in their 2017 run. McLaren decide go at it alone with upstart Carlin Racing providing support. Originally they approached Ed Carpenter Racing to partner up, but they declined. Another note Andretti uses Honda engines while Carlin uses Chevy. Why is this important? Cue back to 2015 to McLaren Formula 1 season where they are in their downward spiral stretch of a difficult season along rocky relationship with Honda. After a race in Japan, their driver Fernando Alonso called the engine a "GP2" (lower tier series) pissing off Honda. When McLaren and Honda split in Formula 1 they will work with team in the future, but not with Alonso driving. Cue to late 2018 where they announce running the only engine available to them, a Chevy, for this year's Indy 500.

There is their preparation going to Indianapolis. McLaren arrogantly thought they can drive in and waltz through the field expecting to win. They end up learning the hard way what they can do in Formula 1 does not work in Indycar. Here's a small rundown on McLaren road to Indy follies....

- order a steering wheel for the car, but did not order the required paddle shifters for it because the team said they do not need them.
- electrical issues plagued their Indy test. Instead finding the problem they removed member of the team. The electrical gremlins continued, but this time it was on week on Indy practice to qualify losing valuable track time.
- purchased a backup car from Carlin and complained about orange paintjob isn't "papaya orange." The car sat in Carlin's shop being repainted and not ready when Alonso crashed in practice. Meanwhile other teams get backup ready in few hours (see James Hinchcliffe and Schmidt-Peterson Motorsports) Alonso sat by wayside for almost two days, yet again losing much valuable track time.
- poor car setup with very low ride height as bottom of the car scraping the track at times.
- couldn't converted inches to metric system.
- couldn't set up gear ratios

Fans surprised to see McLaren bombed badly, but not for those within the garages and paddock area. They knew its was going be trainwreck a mile away. The teams who been around Indy know how they must work as cohesive unit taking steps at time with setups and input to get car running in practice and make necessary changes during the time before going to qualifying. Even the brand new DragonSpeed team did it to reach their goal of qualifying for Indy 500. Juncos Racing, despite a setback, went to work repairing the wrecked car and got in the field. McLaren team turned into comical disorganized chaos with too many chiefs running it with no direction from beginning to end. The team's road to Indy run will go down as one biggest qualifying disasters at the speedway.

I bought this at COTA during Indycar race weekend. Let's say I own a piece of "reject" merchandise.

Indycar Classic Weekend - Day 1

Last week I spent my weekend at Circuit of the Americas for the inagural Indycar race complete with paddock pass. Glad I got the paddock pass the day tickets went on sale as it was quickly sold out. It's my first race since 2017 being at Texas Motor Speedway for wild Indycar night race.

Got to the track early Friday morning to checking out Indycar Village featuring promotional booths, vendors, and shop tent. Firestone booth showing off their tires along Mario Andretti 50 years in racing (you can step behind and pose with your head), and promotional Dallara car. Pick up few items at Penske Racing trailer and Indycar shop tent.

Autograph signing at noon split into two groups. I got in line hour and half before it took place after talking to a fan on the way to track who was at the first race of the season (St. Petersburg) mention the lines were long and was the few lucky ones who got in before the cutting line. The group I chose feature Penske drivers Will Power, Josef Newgarden, and Simon Pagenaud along with two of Andretti Racing drivers Zach Veach and Marco Andretti, AJ Foyt drivers Tony Kanaan and Matheus Leist, Carlin drivers Max Chilton and Patricio O'Ward who is making his first race of the season, Kyle Kaiser, and Spencer Pigot. Caught of photo of defending series champion Scott Dixon chatting up with Power and Pagenaud. Paugenaud would have his lunch (he didn't like it) and having fun with Newgarden. Speaking of Newgarden he would take off his shirt for a fan.

I got Veach, Kanaan, Newgarden, Pagenaud, and Power sign diecast cars. Chilton signed a personal photo I took of him at Texas Motor Speedway and gave me one of his promotional cards. Marco, Leist, Patricio, and Pigot sign on their promo cards.

 Made my way to the main grandstand which is a good near mile walk on other side of the track.

I saw Indy Lights qualifying for race 1 then Indycar practice at 2 PM. Colton Herta didn't take part after blowing engine in the morning. Friday are good time to get pictures of race cars due to fewer amount of fans in the stands and moving around freely. Got a good zoom on the camera to get these shots.

After practice I ventured out to the paddock for first all weekend. If you are a race fan going for full weekend I suggest spurging on a paddock pass. Indycar is great being up close and personal watching mechanics popping in and out of the trailers tuning up the cars. You have drivers and owners being out in various places. I saw 3-time CART Indycar champion Bobby Rahal and got his autograph. I got also car owner Dale Coyne sign on 1991 All World Indy Racing card. You see cars from the main and support series. For that weekend it was Indy Lights, Stadium Super Trucks, and Madza MX-5 Cup. There be teams offering promotional driver cards which I picked up.

I ended first day complete with a pit walk posing in front of AJ Foyt's famed no. 14