Cheever

FOUNTAIN, Colo. -- We've been fast, but we've achieved nothing.

This is perhaps the most frustrating circumstance for a driver. The car is fast enough to win races, but it's not winning. We're proving again and again that we're capable of leading races and winning poles. We have yet to prove we can win. To put it politely, I'm not pleased.

To put it optimistically, I'm not giving up.

As Red Bull Cheever Racing prepares for Sunday's Radisson Indy 225 at Pikes Peak International Raceway, my emotions and thoughts are a jumble. I'm disappointed yet enthused. I'm confident yet confused. I'm tired of losing yet convinced we're about to win. In short, I'm keeping the faith.

We've really gotten nothing out of this year's season as far as concrete results and points. The frustration culminated in the last race, when my teammate Tomas Scheckter and I started on the front row but failed to finish. So far, we have two poles, 156 laps led -- including nearly half of the Indy 500 -- and zero victories. It's beginning to annoy me.

To every track, we bring a list of things we try to achieve. So far, we've accomplished all of them. Except winning races. I'm scratching my head trying to figure out how to make the team succeed. There has been a lot of promise since the start of the season. The same promise will be there this weekend. Whether we fulfill the promise remains to be seen, but this much I know:

We need to win a race.

We've tried to get the cars as fast as we can, and we've accomplished that. You want to have the fastest cars in the race, and we had the fastest cars in the race. We've made it a point to have very good pit stops, and we've done that. We've tried to lead as many laps as possible, and we've done that. But some little thing always manages to find its way into the system.

Sometimes it's just dumb luck. Sometimes it's mechanical failure. Sometimes it's pilot error. The pattern has become rather disturbing, but we continue to put forth our best effort. We continue to prepare meticulously. If one thing gives me hope, it's that we've done that. We've arrived at every race prepared and thorough.

At the Indianapolis 500, we were on top of our game. We had good starting positions (sixth, 10th and 18th) and Tomas led 85 laps before his car broke. I finished fifth, but I wasn't pleased. With just ounces and inches more, we could have won that race.

So we worked even harder and sharpened our tools even more. We went to Texas and put both cars in the front row. Everything was going well, and then it happened. Boom, boom. We both eliminated ourselves. After all the promise and speed this season, we're currently 13th and 18th in IRL points. Not good enough.

This is the point at which a team owner takes either the positive or negative road. I'm choosing the positive road. We've proven that the Infiniti engine is fast. We've proven that it's reliable. We've proven that we can lead races. All that's left is to prove we can win them. I have to emphasize the positive to this team. They've worked relentlessly. It's inevitable that we will win races. Don't let up. It will happen.

Another reason for optimism is the venue. Like a golfer whose game suits a certain course, our game suits PPIR. In 2000, we won here, giving Infiniti its first win. The track -- a screaming one-mile tri-oval -- is challenging yet forgiving. I like our chances.

The trick here is altitude, and its effects are two-fold -- man and machine. Whenever we race in Colorado, I arrive a week in advance to train and get used to the lack of oxygen. Higher-compression engines perform better at high altitude, so we have the advantage there. When you first go out on the track, it feels as if you've lost a cylinder. Making the car perform at altitude is our forte. We know the tricks.

We also know the tricks of the track, which suits both of our driving styles. Pikes Peak is a short track that races like a superspeedway. While Tomas hasn't raced on it before, I know it will fit his characteristics. The good thing about Tomas is that you never have to worry about him being competitive. He'll be fast here. No question.

The real question is this: When are we going to win? For that, I have no answer. Except maybe this:

We're very, very close. Stay tuned.

IRL driver Eddie Cheever Jr. owns and drives the No. 51 Red Bull Cheever Racing Infiniti car. He will be providing a diary to ESPN.com throughout the season. Cheever's team Web site can be found at www.cheeverindyracing.com.