UNSER JR. WILL MISS INDY 500.Byline: Daily News Come May 26, 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. insists his mind will be on the inaugural U.S. 500 in Brooklyn, Mich. However, a little piece of him will be at the competing Indy 500 that day. The two-time winner of the world's most popular race is as angry as anyone about the breakaway Indy Racing League The Indy Racing League, better known as IRL, is the sanctioning body of a predominantly American based open-wheel racing series. The League consists of two series, the premiere IndyCar Series and its effect on IndyCar racing. Tony George, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana (a separate town completely surrounded by Indianapolis) in the United States, is the second-oldest president, started the IRL 1. (jargon, chat) IRL - In real life. Generally synonymous with f2f. 2. (language, robotics) IRL - Industrial Robot Language. as a less-expensive alternative to IndyCar and took the Indy 500 with him, which is why the U.S. 500 was established. Unser doesn't mince words on the subject. ``We're going to miss being at the Indy 500 but that's the Indy 500 doing what they want to do,'' he said. ``They have alienated the best teams, the best drivers, the best crews in the world and that's their loss. ``. . . My personal opinion is the fans are going to be very disappointed on May 26 because they're not going to see the best . . . in the world competing in the best race in the world. ``And it'll be the first time in history that this has happened. They're going to be disappointed. The fans are the ones that are the real losers in this deal.'' Ironically, Unser and George are close friends. At least they have been. Representation: There will be an Unser trying to qualify at Indy 500: Johnny Unser, Al Jr.'s cousin. And who will be working with Johnny? Al Unser Sr. Family tragedy: The death of Alex Zanardi's sister Christina, who was killed in a car accident at 15 years old in 1979, was one reason the Italian driver was able to succeed in the sport. Hoping to share in his passion for motor sports, Zanardi's parents bought him his first go-kart and he began racing at 13 in 1980. ``You can probably image how bad it was,'' said Zanardi, a rookie on the IndyCar circuit. ``But karting karting Driving and racing miniature, skeleton-frame, rear-engine automobiles called karts or GoKarts. The sport originated in the U.S. in the 1950s after the first kart had been assembled from unwanted lawn-mower parts. was something that held the attention of the family all the time. At every single lunch and dinner, we were talking about the go-kart. ``. . . That's the way my career started.'' More Zanardi: As a test driver with the Formula One team Benetton in 1992, Zanardi helped develop the computerized active suspension system that automatically makes adjustments during a race. ``There's no springs, no shock absorbers Shock absorbers See: Circuit breakers ,'' Zanardi said. ``It uses hydraulic activators controlled by computers. The driver tells the computer what to do depending on the situation. ``It's amazing. That was my best year of Formula One.'' Ironically, Zanardi was injured when the system failed. The following year, during a practice run in Belgium, the active suspension failed at about 180 mph and Zanardi crashed into a barrier. To this day he can't recall the incident, which caused a concussion and spinal nerve spinal nerve n. Any of 31 pairs of nerves emerging from the spinal cord, each attached to the cord by two roots, anterior or ventral and posterior or dorsal, the latter provided with a spinal ganglion. damage that temporarily paralyzed par·a·lyze tr.v. par·a·lyzed, par·a·lyz·ing, par·a·lyz·es 1. To affect with paralysis; cause to be paralytic. 2. To make unable to move or act: paralyzed by fear. muscles in his shoulders and arms. Recovering: Scott Goodyear, who has two victories in eight years on the IndyCar circuit, is recovering at home in Indianapolis from a fractured back vertebrae Vertebrae Bones in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of the body that make up the vertebral column. Vertebrae have a central foramen (hole), and their superposition makes up the vertebral canal that encloses the spinal cord. suffered during a March 16 practice accident in Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, city, Brazil Rio de Janeiro (rē`ō də zhänā`rō, Port. rē`  thĭ zhənĕē`r . He remains in a back brace but has been permitted to ride his bicycle and conduct light workouts in the gym. ``I'm really not in any pain,'' he said. ``I just have a little ache here and there.'' Goodyear wants to return for the Detroit Grand Prix Detroit Grand Prix may refer to:
Replacement: Veteran Teo Fabi will replace injured Mark Blundell in Long Beach and likely the U.S. 500 on May 26. Al Unser Jr. has won six of the past eight Long Beach Grand Prix's including the past two. The six victories is the most on a single course that is part of the current IndyCar schedule. Michael Andretti is next best with five at the Toronto Grand Prix. Quite a team: The Honda engine and Firestone tires has been the winning combination in all three races this season, two by Jimmy Vasser and the third by Andre Ribeiro. The Honda-Firestone combination has led 116 of the past 118 laps on IndyCar competition. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Italian driver Alex Zanardi got interested in racing through his family's fascination with go-karts. Special to the Daily News |
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