Motorsports

Andrettis chase a dream for two

Michael Andretti runs alongside Marco; two more veterans have other reasons for unretiring.

By BRANT JAMES
Published May 20, 2006

The thought has invaded each of their minds. They subtly admit as much in their own way, Marco with a nervous laugh; Michael with a sigh, Mario with a pause that suggests he'd like to be a bigger player in the dream.

The fantasy goes something like this, give or take a detail: Marco Andretti, the 19-year-old rookie, tears around Turn 4 on the last lap of the Indianapolis 500 May 28, miraculously in position to contend for the podium or better in his first try at racing's most storied event.

Alongside is Michael, 43, the father and team owner who has come out of retirement after three seasons, seeking the victory that eluded him in an otherwise remarkable career.

Somewhere on the pit box is Mario, 66, the legend, the patriarch of one of racing's most successful families, tussling with his emotions. He would very much love to see either his son or grandson win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time. And he wishes more than anything that he could be fighting to win the race for the second time since that long-ago May day in 1969.

"Yeah," he admitted. "I get that urge. I guess I'll have to resist it. But seeing them out there going at it at Indy ... I'm going to enjoy every second of it."

There will be plenty of nostalgia for everyone in the 90th Indy 500, and not just around the Andretti Green Racing pit box.

Andretti, who has led more laps than any non-winner at Indianapolis, two-time winner Al Unser Jr., 44, and 1998 winner Eddie Cheever Jr. all have emerged from retirement.

Though each had his reason for returning, the underlying lore of the yard of bricks was ultimately too much for each to resist. Andretti's, he said, is designed to help Marco - and give him something to do rather than fret with Mario during the race. Unser couldn't find the thrill in golf he got from 34 open-wheel wins in 23 seasons. Cheever, 48, who has not raced since 2002, needed a driver he could trust for the team he owns after Red Bull's pullout as sponsor preceded the exit of drivers Alex Barron and Patrick Carpentier.

"When this opportunity came my first thought was, "I never thought this opportunity would happen so soon,' " said Michael Andretti, who won 42 open-wheel races and the 1991 CART title. "Then I said, "You know what? I think I can still win this race.' I think I'd regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't take this opportunity to get in a car and drive with Marco on the same team because I'm a person who's very lucky to be able to say I've driven with my father on the same team and to say I was able to do it with my father and my son, it's something no one has ever been able to say.

"That was my original reason and motivation, but the moment I decided that's what I wanted to do, then the competitive itch kicked in, the competitive side."

Unser, who raced against his father Al Sr., knew from the way he yelled at the television during races he still had a competitive desire. He finished 21st of 22 for a weak team in his last IRL race in June 2004, but was signed as a second driver by Dreyer & Reinbold for one race this season.

"The past is the past," he said in a teleconference. "There was a time there that I wasn't loving what I was doing. Since I got out of the car, I've gotten into a real estate partnership. I played some golf. My wife and I, we've picked up tennis. It's just not doing it for me. ... The Indy 500 is my true love."

Unlike Andretti and Cheever, who own their teams, he had to prove his worth, so he headed to Saddlebrook resort in Wesley Chapel to get in shape with trainer Pat Etcheberry, who has worked with Pete Sampras and Jim Courier. All three drivers have been down the speed charts in practice this month.

With the Indy Racing League still fighting for its slice of America's attention, even on its most important day, an influx of legendary names would seemingly be a boon because NASCAR - racing's current alpha male - has the clear advantage in name recognition. But IRL founder and CEO Tony George said he is unsure if the legends will add to the Indy 500 buzz.

"Over the last five or six years, I think we've done a lot of growing and building without those names being involved," he said. "Having Al Jr. and Michael and Eddie back, I think it's neat, (but) I don't know how much it really resonates with fans today. I think there are fans that have been following this series for quite a while now without them being involved."

As for that fantasy finish, Michael Andretti is torn. Al Unser Sr. chasing down his son in the final race of the CART season at Miami in 1985 to steal away the driver title by a point is an amazing but bittersweet moment in racing history. Part of Andretti wants to finally capture a prize that has eluded him 14 times. Another tells him and anyone that asks that he is doing this for his son.

"God, I don't know," he said. "That would be such a dream and I don't care which way it would finish. From a father's standpoint, if I did get beat and he beat me, that would be an incredible thing. I think that would be just as good as winning for me."

[Last modified May 20, 2006, 01:58:12]