VICTORIES WERE WORTH THE WAIT FOR VASSER : AFTER YEARS OF STRUGGLE, DRIVER IS PART OF INDYCAR'S HOTTEST TEAM.Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer It wasn't the whoop-it-up, fist-pumping first IndyCar victory Jimmy Vasser Jimmy Vasser (born November 20 1965 in Canoga Park, California ) is an American racing driver. Vasser was the 1996 Champ Car champion, driving for Chip Ganassi, and has scored ten victories in the category. had imagined. 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. finished first in the G.I. Joe's 200 at Portland in June of last year, with Vasser second. Then came the announcement: Unser was disqualified dis·qual·i·fy tr.v. dis·qual·i·fied, dis·qual·i·fy·ing, dis·qual·i·fies 1. a. To render unqualified or unfit. b. To declare unqualified or ineligible. 2. for a violation discovered in a post-race technical inspection and Vasser was awarded first place - a victory, yes, but without much gratification. That's why Vasser wasn't terribly upset when Unser was reinstated on appeal after the season. ``He won on the track,'' Vasser said in the offseason. ``I think I am going to win a race fair-and-square on the track soon and I'll have some celebrating to go along with it.'' It wasn't mere bluster. Vasser won the first race of the '96 season in Miami, finished eighth at Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, city, Brazil Rio de Janeiro (rē`ō də zhänā`rō, Port. rē`  thĭ zhənĕē`r , then earned another victory in the third race
in Australia.
Suddenly, Vasser and Target/Chip Ganassi Racing - which includes driver 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. - are the hottest team in the series and among the favorites in the Toyota Grand Prix Grand Prix n. pl. Grand Prix Any of several competitive international road races for sports cars of specific engine size over an exacting, usually risky course. of Long Beach on Sunday. ``It was a great feeling, especially given the (Portland) race last year,'' he said. `` . . . I thought the best thing I could do is go out and win the first race and get the monkey off my back. ``It was great to get the first win. It put to rest all the stuff associated with Portland.'' Vasser, 30, certainly didn't take IndyCar racing IndyCar Racing, followed up two years later by its sequel, IndyCar Racing II, is a racing game by Papyrus Design Group. It was released in 1993.[1] Papyrus previously developed , released in 1990. by storm. From 1984 to 1991, he raced Formula Ford and Formula Atlantic. He saw considerable success but derived limited satisfaction because racing's equivalent of minor-league baseball is, as he put it, ``considered amateur stuff.'' It wasn't a comfortable position for a driver of Vasser's ability. However, he was able to cope as well as anyone while he waited, and waited, and waited. ``You can't get too frustrated frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: or you might lose sight of what you're trying to do,'' he said. ``As long as you don't second-guess yourself and keep doing the best you can do, hopefully things will work out.'' Finally, they did when Vasser got two big breaks in four years. First, team owner Jim Hayhoe gave him his first opportunity to drive IndyCar in 1992. In three years, before the team folded, he earned almost $1.5 million and cemented his reputation as a talented driver. And, second, last year he joined Target/Chip Ganassi, a major player in IndyCar racing with the resources it takes to succeed on the highest level. Last season, mechanical difficulties hindered his performance in the first six races, but he compiled the third-most points in the final 11 races, which earned him the informal title of ``man to watch in 1996.'' Ganassi helped Vasser's chances, switching to the Honda Indy V-8 engine and Firestone fire·stone n. 1. A flint or pyrite used to strike a fire. 2. A fire-resistant stone, such as certain sandstones. Noun 1. Firehawk tires, a combination that is hard to beat at the moment. Andre Ribeiro, the winner in Rio de Janeiro on March 17, also uses Honda-Firestone. The move has everyone else playing catch-up. ``Racing is like any business,'' Ganassi said. ``If you're content to stand still, you'll quickly be left behind.'' Suddenly, after all the years of paying his dues, Vasser was in an excellent position to win at the sport's highest level. ``Joining Target/Ganassi was my best opportunity in terms of cars, equipment and team,'' Vasser said. ``It makes it so much easier. You can't show your potential until you have the right car. I got that with Ganassi. ``I guess you can say it was my big break.'' Of course, Vasser enjoyed the victories. He did his fist-pumping, he drank his champagne. At the same time, he didn't revel too long. It took him more than a decade to get to the top of his field. He knows it would take much less time to fall in an intensely competitive sport. ``You can spend your time gloating and then eventually get back to racing,'' Vasser said. ``Or you can enjoy it for, say, an evening and then get right back to it. A lot has happened for us in three races. There are 13 more to go, though. A lot of things can happen. ``I'm not thinking that I've arrived. When you start thinking that, it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a to leave.'' JIMMY VASSER Age: 30 Home: San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden IndyCar experience: Fifth season IndyCar victories: two IndyCar earnings: $2,349,994 Last season: Finished eighth in the PPG PPG Points Per Game (basketball player statistic) PPG Power Play Goals (hockey) PPG Planning Policy Guidance (UK) PPG Programmable Pulse Generator PPG Power Puff Girls Cup points standings with 92 Career highlights: Has won two of the first three races this season - March 3 in Miami and March 31 in Australia; had two second-place finishes Noun 1. second-place finish - a finish in second place (as in a race) runner-up finish finish - designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race); "excitement grew as the finish neared"; "my horse was several lengths behind at the finish"; "the last season. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, Box Photo: (1) ``You can't get too frustrated or you mi ght lose sight of what you're trying to do.'' Jimmy Vasser on the early days of his career (2) Jimmy Vasser, who entered the season without an IndyCar win, has won two of the first three races in 1996 and is among the Long Beach favorites. Special to the Daily News Box: JIMMY VASSER (see text) |
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