Unser Jr. looks and feels better than he has in years. (LAT)
There are many candidates for the feel good story of 2009 in motorsports: Tony Stewart and Mark Martin in NASCAR, Jenson Button and Ross Brawn in Formula One and Justin Wilson and Dale Coyne in IndyCar.
But I think my nominee would be Al Unser Jr.
Considering how far he fell and how well he’s recovered from alcohol and drugs, Junior’s performance rivals anything he ever did on the track.
The two-time Indy 500 winner, who hasn’t had a drink in more than two years, has embraced sobriety and his second chance at making a living in auto racing.
He’s working in Race Control for IndyCar and is taking an active role in driver development. He looks good, his sense of humor is back, he’s engaging to talk with and he’s no longer hiding behind the bottle.
“Here’s the truth, when you drink you lose your self-confidence and isolation sets in,” said Unser, who was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame on Wednesday night in Detroit. “At the end of my career, I would seldom go out in public and. when I did go to a function I’d leave as soon as possible because I couldn’t hold my head up.
“It’s tough to label yourself an alcoholic because the stigma is that alcoholics are failures, which they are when they’re lost in their disease.
“So you have to decide to get help, work on a program and get therapy. When you can quit drinking, then you’re a winner, a champion.”
Which describes Unser to the T from 1983-1994. He was jaw-dropping impressive from the first time he drove an Indy car and took the lead at Riverside in 1982 to 1994 when he scored eight victories and his second CART championship. He amassed 34 wins and a huge following as he raised his famous family’s profile.
That’s what made his demise so tough to watch. He’d lost that combination of smarts and savvy and speed by the late ‘90s to his demons. Roger Penske got rid of him. He’d also lost the respect of his kids and his way.
Rick Mears tried and failed to convince Unser to get help. Ditto for his father, mother and Uncle Bobby. It wasn’t until he decided to seek help that it happened.
“I can tell you that winning two Indy 500s and two championships takes 24/7 dedication and I have to do the same thing with my sobriety,” said the one open wheel guy NASCAR never wanted to see in a stock car full-time during his heyday.
“But the difference is that I can’t win any more Indy 500s or titles but I do have a chance for a third, a fourth and fifth year of sobriety and it can keep going.”
Watching Unser go through the IRL paddock is as cool as knowing he’s repaired his relationships with daughter Cody. He stops and talks to friends, old fans and new ones. Last May he gave one of the most entertaining talks I’ve ever seen at a luncheon and he’s more than ready to become the color analyst for IndyCar races.
“Elton Alexander (the motorsports writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer) came up to me last week at Mid-Ohio and said, ‘Al you look good,” recalled Unser with a chuckle. “I said thanks. He said, ‘No, I mean you REALLY look good. And I said, well thank you Elton.
“When I was driving in the Toyota Celebrity Race this year at Long Beach I was laughing and having fun just like I did the first time I ran it back in the ‘80s. I feel like I’m in my 20s again.”
The timing for his HOF induction couldn’t be better because he’s again comfortable in his skin, thankful for his career and respectful of his second chance. Tony George and his sisters, Josie, Nancy and Cathi, made the trip to honor Junior along with Big Al and Bobby Unser.
“Big Al got up to induct Al and he got all choked up and didn’t say much,” related Bobby U, who never has that problem. “But Little Al’s speech was very, very good, very honest and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place when he got done.
“I’m really proud of him. It’s great to have him back.”
RUMORS & OBSERVATIONS
The rumor that won’t go away: AGR is splitting up. Hearing that Michael Andretti and Gary Peterson (who funds AGR’s Indy Lights program) may be striking out on their own in 2010 with Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti, providing they can find him a sponsor. Not sure what that means for AGR partners Kim Green and Kevin Savoree but some people figure Barry Green might get back into racing to help his little brother (doubtful, he’s way too smart).
Rob Edwards, who spent 15 years as Derrick Walker’s engineer/team manager/BFF, has left to go to work for a new team being started by Jim Fruedenberg and Alex Tagliani. They've just purchased Mad Dog Marty Roth’s Dallaras.
Adrian Fernandez and Tom Anderson are actively seeking sponsorship to re-join IndyCar in 2010. “We want to get back into the IRL and I want to go back to Indy, but not as a driver,” said the 46-year-old Fernandez.
Gil de Ferran’s short list in IndyCar should include Simon Pagenaud. Sure he’s a damn fine sports car driver but don’t forget he won the Atlantic title and was impressive as a Champ Car rookie with Derrick Walker.
Last weekend’s crowd at Mid-Ohio was kinda like the good old days of CART and Can-Am: not quite that big, but damn good. Yeah, I know Honda and Penske gave away thousands of tickets, but who cares? People showed up. And they had to like the packed program since it was non-stop: Atlantics, Indy Lights, SPEED World Challenge, ALMS and Indy Cars. Hopefully, IndyCar officials took notes about how to keep the crowd entertained: don’t make them sit around until 4 p.m. like Edmonton with no support shows.
NO excuses, just make it happen.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, SPEED, FOX, or NewsCorp.
Robin Miller became an Indy-car junkie in late 1950s and stooged for his hero, Jim Hurtubise, at the 1968 Indy 500. He went on to work as a vent man and board man on Indy pit crews from 1971-77. Miller bought a Formula Ford from Andy Granatelli in 1972 and raced it in SCCA until 1974 when he purchased a midget from Gary Bettenhausen, competing in the USAC midget series from 1975-82.
Robin flunked out of Ball State College in 1968 and began working at The Indianapolis Star sports department in 1969, covered motorsports there from 1969-2000.
In addition to his broadcast work. Miller's also covered IndyCar racing for Autoweek, Autosport, Car & Driver and On Track magazines over the past 35 years.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator
and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
