February 26, 2001 -
Two-time CART champion and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. talks to NYAutoRacing's Kevin Ma about the 2001 season, the situation between CART and IRL and his memories of the late Dale Earnhardt.
KEVIN MA: What's the progress been link during the pre-season testing?
AL UNSER Jr.: Testing is going really well for us right now. We are somewhere in the Top 10. The days are really hot down here (in Miami) so it is really a good indication for the race day.
KM: What's your prospects for the 2001 season?
AU: Hopefully we can win the Indy Racing Northern Light Series and win the championship. There is a million dollars up for grabs and we also want to carry the number 1 on the car next year, and that's our goal.
KM: There have been many changes during the offseason, including a flood of new drivers coming to the series. Your team, Galles Racing, expanded its operation to a 3-car team with you, Casey Mears and Didier Andre. What's your view on all the recent changes?
AU: I think the changes are very good for the team. It shows the Indy Racing League is definitely growing. My team has definitely grown, I think it is better for Indy Racing League, I think it is better for Galles Racing, and it is better for everybody, so I look forward to it.
KM: It is not an easy task to expand a team in a short period of time. Is the team ready for that? Are you ready for that?
AU: Certainly. It is definitely a battle and a big undertaking, but the management of Galles Racing is definitely capable of handling this. Myself, I am in a position now to help some young drivers to come in to our sport. It also gives Galles Racing a better chance to win the championship. With three drivers out there, Galles Racing is looking good to win the championship.
KM: Going back to your new teammates, they both graduated from Indy Lights. With few Indy Lights races being supporting events this year, tell me, what' s the dynamic behind this idea?
AU: Nothing really other than just expanding the race team and giving Galles Racing a better odd winning the championship. Indy Lights joining some of the IRL events is a great thing because they are basically born in CART. With the Indy Lights starting with the IRL, it might be an indication that they want to get back together and everybody that used to run in Indy 500, now they may have an opportunity to do so.
KM: Switching gear to CART. Does the move of Indy Lights give us some hints that CART and IRL and trying to work something out? As far as I know, there are major issues between the engine manufacturers. As a veteran of Indy Racing, what's your opinion on this subject?
AU: It is tough for me to answer that one. The engine manufacturers have chosen what they want to do. There are still a lot of issues between two organizations, which is what made me do what I did last year as far as leaving CART and joining the IRL. I definitely did not want to leave CART but I wanted to get back to the Indy 500 and I saw the races going on in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series and I wanted to be a part of it. CART is going more and more European and now they are traveling to Europe and so on, although the IRL has the aspiration going to Europe to race on the ovals over there, but first thing to myself I love America, I want to stay in America and do my racing here.
KM: There are rumors that both series will exist in any case where CART will run exclusively on road courses and IRL on ovals where Indy 500 will be a race both series can participate. Your thoughts?
AU: That would be wonderful. I think America definitely needs a Formula One World Champion, the last one who won was Mario Andretti in 1978 and I truly believe that Formula One doesn't rate American drivers highly. There is plenty of talent and if they get the right car and an American champion, that should be the case. CART dominantly runs on road courses and an American Formula One champion would come out of that car. But NASCAR has set the standard for what the American public watch and what they are interested in – wheel-to-wheel races after 500 where twenty guys are going for the win. That sets the standard for the American public and that's why the IRL is so important in America being the all oval racing series. The best shows in America are done on ovals, so I think it is great the Indy Racing Northern Light Series is all oval racing.
KM: What do you think about having just three or four American drivers in CART?
AU: I think it is sad. Quite honestly in CART I think it all comes down to money. You can see how many Brazilian drivers are in CART and because the sponsorships down in Brazil are with single seat open wheel racecars – Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi, these are great racecar drivers out of Brazil. Here in America, the sponsors are predominately in NASCAR and it makes it very tough for a single seat open wheel American driver to get sponsorships to raise money to get into CART because the budget is so big. It is a lot easier for single seat open wheel American driver to get into the Indy Racing Northern Light Series because it is quite a bit less expensive to purchase the car and run the car.
KM: Do you missing racing on road courses?
AU: I do not. I am 38 years old and I'll be 39 in April, and I have spent more of my career on road courses, and quite honestly those are young man type of racetracks, so the road course I don't miss at all.
KM: You did race the Porsche Super Cup last September.
AU: I was there just to have fun. I had great aspirations about running up front, and once the rest of the competitors got there, I did not have the car to go up front. It was really obvious with Paul Gentilozzi, Mario Andretti and myself that we were in a series that quite a difference in the cars. I was there to have a good time, to be a part of the inaugural Formula One event that will hopefully go on forever at Indy. I got to race on the racetrack that Formula One races on and that I was excited about being a part of the spectacle.
KM: Going to season opener in Phoenix, you will face Roger Penske's two car entry for the first time since you left the team for the IRL. How do you feel about competing with the Captain?
AU: I am really looking forward to it. Roger Penske is a great man and his team is a great team. The whole team is friends of mine and Roger himself. I think it is wonderful, and again, it is a sign that Indy Racing Northern Series is here to stay, and is gaining in popularity. The strong competitors that were once very against the series join the series. I think this is wonderful.
KM: Who is Rick Mears going to root for? The Penske team or Casey Mears?
AU: I think he will be rooting for whom he works for. Of course he wants Casey to do very well but first he is going to be loyal to his team and his cars and if anything happens to [Gil] de Ferran or [Helio] Castroneves cars, he will be in our pit cheering for Casey.
KM: How do you feel about having another legendary name (Mears) as your teammate this year?
AU: Casey is a great young man and he's really got a good head on his shoulders, he is learning a lot right now and doing the best job he can do. So far in the two tests we ran, he's been right there with my same time I've been running. I look forward a great season with Casey.
KM: You raced Dale Earnhardt in the IROC series, what's your memory of the stock car legend?
AU: What can I say. Dale Earnhardt was the one when I first came down in the IROC series in Daytona in NASCAR, who made me feel comfortable, it was Dale Earnhardt who welcomed me into NASCAR country, it was Dale Earnhardt who showed me the fast way around the race track, and it was Dale Earnhardt, who took me out [during the race] a couple of times and went on to win. He and I were very good friends, we didn't spend much time together outside the race track but whenever I came to the race track in any of the NASCAR events, it was Dale who welcomed me the most. He gave me the best time, he gave me the hardest time, and he was just always there for me, and I am going to miss him a great deal.
KM: This year's Indy 500 is going to be a packed house with Arie Luyendyk and Scott Goodyear coming back for one race, Penske's de Ferran and Castroneves, and even a possible Michael Andretti return…
AU: Andretti is not there yet. The rumor is not a good one. I want Michael there, Michael of all people needs to be there. In 1992 when I won the Indy 500, it was Michael who dominated the day, it was because of the engine failure that kept him out of the victory lane. If anybody needs to win that race or deserves to win the Indy 500, it's Michael Andretti.
KM: Do you think this is a critical year for both CART and IRL series getting back together?
AU: I don't think it is real critical this year over last year or any other years in the past. The Indy 500 is the greatest spectacle in racing and it will always be the greatest spectacle in racing. For the guys who want to be there, they are there and the guys who don't want to be there, they miss out the greatest spectacle in racing.
