THE CHECKERED FLAG; LEGEND RAHAL RETIRES, ZANARDI MOVES ON AFTER TODAY.Byline: Bill Schlotter Daily News Staff Writer Transition. It happens to everyone. A guy goes along his way season after season, year after year and then one day - one very special day - everything changes. Something old comes to an end; something new begins. Such days are the mileposts that lend our lives perspective. And we look at them with mixed emotions: sadness for all that is finished, excitement for all that lies ahead. Today is such a day for race stars Alex Zanardi Alessandro "Alex" Zanardi, (born October 23, 1966 in Bologna, Italy), is an Italian racing driver. He won two CART championship titles in North America during the late 1990s. He also had a less successful career as a Formula One driver. and Bobby Rahal Robert "Bobby" Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953 in Medina, Ohio) is an American auto racing team owner and former driver, spending most of his driving career in the CART open-wheel series, winning three championships there. . Today at California Speedway The California Speedway is a two-mile, low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California, similar to that of "sister track" Michigan International Speedway. It is located approximately 40 miles east of Los Angeles on the site of the former Kaiser Steel mill. they will race for the last time in the series that made each a star, a champion and a millionaire. Zanardi's racing days will, of course, go on. The 32-year-old Italian, who resurrected his career during a three-year CART run, will return next season to Formula One, considered the ultimate racing series by most European drivers. Zanardi bounced around as a part-time driver between a variety of Formula One teams in the early 1990s. But he was without a ride when he accepted an invitation to test with CART's Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in NASCAR, IRL, and Grand-Am racing. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. The team is based in Concord, North Carolina, which is a suburb of Charlotte. team in early 1996. In the three years since, he has become one of the world's racing stars, winning 14 of his 50 starts and the 1997 and 1998 series championships. Zanardi said there won't be a lump in his throat as he begins his final CART race today. ``I'm not going to be sad or nostalgic because I don't have anything to be sad about,'' Zanardi said. ``I've had a fantastic three years here. Maybe my feelings will change when I actually fly off for the last time and when I say goodbye to all my friends here, but I won't be thinking about those things before the race.'' For Rahal, today is the end of a 17-year CART career, the last ride. And he admitted it will be an emotional time. ``I have never had trouble sleeping before a race, but I have a feeling that Saturday night I will,'' Rahal said. ``It's going to be obvious that isn't just another Saturday night before a race.'' Saturday night was Rahal's 264th night before a race. On 24 occasions he won the following day, including the 1986 Indy 500. Three times, in 1986, 1987 and 1992, Rahal won season titles. He would love to win one last time. ``I haven't given up yet,'' said Rahal, 45, who last won a race in 1992. ``I still have one shot. In a 500-mile race, I tell you, anything can happen.'' Though he has gone 101 races without a victory, Rahal is still far more likely than most of the 28 CART regulars to visit Victory Lane. He qualified fifth for today's race and is 10th in season points. And despite a recent poor run (25th at Vancouver, 16th at Laguna Seca, 23rd at Houston, 25th in Australia), he had third- and fourth-place finishes earlier in the season and is still respected by fellow drivers. Rahal said that is very important. ``I wanted to go out while I was still competitive,'' Rahal said. ``We've all seen athletes who hung on too long. They struggle and they become angry and bitter. I love this sport too much to ever want to come to the track hating it.'' Another consideration, Rahal said, is his desire to spend more time with his wife and four children. ``My wife and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary recently,'' he said. ``We joked that it was really only our ninth anniversary because I've been gone half the time.'' Rahal will also stay highly involved in racing. Owner of his team since 1992, he will continue as such, campaigning cars driven by Bryan Herta Bryan Herta (b. May 23 1970, Warren, Michigan) is an American race car driver. He currently drives for Andretti Green Racing, which is co-owned by former CART and IRL driver Michael Andretti, in the ALMS, although his career has primarily been spent in open-wheel cars and Max Papis Massimiliano "Max" Papis (born October 3, 1969[1]) is a racing driver from Italy who has competed in several top-level motorsports series such as Formula One and Champ Car. in 1999. Nonetheless, CART racing will miss Rahal's stature as star and elder statesman. ``He's been a true champion both on and off the track,'' CART president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Andrew Craig said. The departures of Rahal and Zanardi will cost CART. Gone will be two of the series' most recognizable faces, leaving casual race fans far more familiar with NASCAR NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), organization that sanctions American stock-car races, est. 1948. It held its first race in Daytona Beach, Fla. stars Jeff Gordon Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is a professional American race car driver. He was born in Vallejo, California, raised in Pittsboro, Indiana, and currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. , Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt This article is about the elder Dale Earnhardt. For his son, see Dale Earnhardt, Jr.. For the racing team he founded, see Dale Earnhardt, Inc.. Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. than they are most of the new young CART drivers. With the careers of Michael Andretti Michael Mario Andretti (born October 5, 1962 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) is an American retired CART and Formula One driver with Italian heritage. He now co-owns the Andretti Green Racing team in the Indy Racing League. and Al Unser This article is about the automobile racer. For the baseball player, see Al Unser (baseball). Alfred Unser (born May 29, 1939 in Albuquerque, New Mexico) is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of Bobby Unser and father of Al Unser, Jr. apparently on the wane, the series needs new young stars to step forward to capture the public's attention. For a while, it seemed Zanardi would be the one. With an at times reckless abandon Reckless Abandon is an episode of The WB drama series, Charmed. Synopsis Detective Morris puts his job on the line when he allows Phoebe to take a seemingly abandoned baby home so the Charmed Ones can protect him from a vengeful ghost Phoebe has seen in a , he stormed through his three years of CART competition. At times he was an irritation irritation /ir·ri·ta·tion/ (ir?i-ta´shun) 1. the act of stimulating. 2. a state of overexcitation and undue sensitivity.ir´ritative ir·ri·ta·tion n. 1. to fellow drivers, as when he deliberately left the track and drove on the dirt to pass Herta and steal the 1996 Laguna Seca race. But there was no doubting the appeal of his aggressive style and tenacity. He was a threat to win from any point in the race field, as he proved early this season at the Long Beach Grand Prix
The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is the premier circuit in the Champ Car World Series. It is an open-wheel race held on a temporary road course in Long Beach, California. when he was a lap behind as late as halfway through the race yet sped back to win. Despite several on-track run-ins with Zanardi, Herta said the series will miss him. ``For the past three years, Alex has been the yardstick by which every driver and team has measured themself,'' Herta said. ``He's been a little reckless reckless adj. in both negligence and criminal cases, careless to the point of being heedless of the consequences ("grossly" negligent). Most commonly this refers to the traffic misdemeanor "reckless driving. at times,'' said Al Unser Jr. ``There's no denying that. But I think he's learned from it. He's been a great driver on this series. I hope he comes back.'' Perhaps he will one day. But at the moment, neither he nor Rahal has quite yet left. And until the checkered check·ered adj. 1. Divided into squares. 2. Marked by light and dark patches; diversified in color. 3. Marked by great changes or shifts in fortune: a checkered career. flag later today, both plan to make their presence felt. ``I keep getting asked about my motivation now that I've won the championship and decided to go to Formula One next year,'' Zanardi said. ``But I'm just doing what I love. I want to win every race, so motivation is never a problem.'' Rahal couldn't have said it better. And the skill and love for the sport exhibited by both he and Zanardi are going to be missed. THE FINAL RIDE Today's Marlboro 500 at Fontana's California Speedway is the final CART race for stars Alex Zanardi and Bobby Rahal. A look at the highlights of their CART careers. Alex Zanardi Years on tour: Three (1996-98). Starts/victories: 50/14. Championships: 2 (1997, 1998). Next year: Will drive for the Williams Formula One team. Bobby Rahal Years on tour: 17 (1982-1998). Starts/victories: 263/24 Championships: 3 (1986, 1987, 1992) Next year: Will continue as owner of Team Rahal with drivers Bryan Herta and Max Papis. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, Box PHOTO (1--Color) ``I wanted to go out while I was still competitive. We've all seen athletes who hung on too long.'' - Bobby Rahal (right, with wife Debbi), on his final CART race today Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press (2--Color) Alex Zanardi (3--Color) Bobby Rahal behind the wheel Daily News File Photo BOX: THE FINAL RIDE (see text) |
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