Start your engines!
Play RPM.ESPN Stock Car Challenge!
Win a Honda S2000!
Play The CART Challenge powered by Honda!
|
|
Tuesday, March 27
Andretti provides necessary star power
By Robin Miller
Special to ESPN.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- Buddy Lazier, Arie Luyendyk, Eddie Cheever, Kenny Brack and Juan Montoya can claim they beat the best in open-wheel racing since they've captured the last five Indianapolis 500s.
Yet their victories were somewhat tainted because arguably "the best" of this breed wasn't even in the lineup.
|  | | Michael Andretti will carry his CART sponsor and number into the IRL's Indianapolis 500 this year. |
But that's finally going to change in May.
As first reported seven weeks ago on ESPN.com, Michael Andretti is returning to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He made it official Tuesday.
And that's good news for several reasons.
First off, it's good to see one of America's most accomplished racers back where he belongs -- in the greatest forum for open-wheel racing.
It's good for the credibility of the Indianapolis 500 because, in addition to defending champion Target/Ganassi Racing and Team Penske, now this once-cherished event again has the star power of an Andretti.
It's good for open-wheel racing because it takes away the confusion of the Indy Racing League and Championship Auto Racing Teams. Andretti and Indy are synonymous.
It's good for Team Green and Panther Racing because they'll receive miles of positive press before the race even starts.
It's good for the fans because they now have a big name they can either cheer for or against.
"I'm thrilled, we all know Michael belongs in that race and it was tearing him up not to be part of it," said Mario Andretti, whose prowess at the Brickyard helped launch this family's reputation.
Michael Andretti admits that watching Montoya's dominating drive a year ago really lit his pilot light.
"It's been really tough, especially the last couple years," he said. "Watching Juan run out front was really depressing because if I'd have been there I could have kept him honest."
Before heading to Formula One, Montoya showed his amazing abilities for two seasons in CART. He and Andretti clashed early on, but the kid earned a healthy respect for the 38-year-old veteran.
After beating Michael by a foot in their thrilling 235-mph duel at Michigan last summer, Montoya marveled at how hard this old guy still drove every lap.
"Michael is still as enthusiastic as he was when we first worked together in 1985," said Barry Green, whose CART sponsors Motorola and Archipelago made this Indy deal a reality.
"That hunger, desire and intensity ... I still see that today. He's a very rare breed."
There are two astounding statistics regarding Andretti and Indianapolis. Mario led 556 laps, yet only scored one win. In 11 starts, Michael has led a whopping 382 laps but never made it to Victory Lane.
"I've definitely got some unfinished business at Indy and my clock is ticking," Michael said. "I signed a three-year deal with Barry and I don't know if I'll be driving much longer than that.
"That's why it was so important to get back to the Speedway this year. I pushed hard and I pushed Barry hard and it was on and off a couple of times. But Jerry Putnam of Archipelago really was instrumental in making it happen."
The IRL vs. CART theme brings some much needed emotion back to Indy and, even though Michael is working with the Panther IRL squad, the battle lines are clearly drawn. Especially after Montoya spanked the IRL last May -- leading 167 of 200 laps.
With the presence of Penske, Ganassi and Andretti, Indy will be that much closer to the real deal.
"I tested an IRL car on Sunday and Monday at Homestead and it doesn't have the horsepower or the knife-edge feel of a champ car, but it's got its own set of challenges," said Andretti, who will carry his CART number (39) at Indy. "The IRL car is all about momentum.
"And we're not kidding ourselves that we're only racing Penske and Ganassi at Indianapolis. We're focused on the whole field, not just a couple of cars."
But the main focus of the 85th Indianapolis 500 will be on Michael Andretti. As Indy and USAC historian Donald Davidson said Tuesday: "This is big." Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
|
|
|
|
