Before Season, Racers Take Unforgettable Tour

Motor racing’s two most successful series, NASCAR’s Winston Cup stock cars and National Hot Rod Assn.’s drag racers, open the 2003 season in two weeks on opposite sides of the country. The 43rd K&N; Filter Winternationals start Feb. 6 at Pomona Raceway and Daytona 500 Speedweeks starts Feb. 8 with the Budweiser Shootout in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Drag racer Tony Schumacher and stock car driver Jerry Nadeau, both sponsored by the U.S. Army, took a weeklong side trip to Afghanistan and Kuwait to break up the routine of testing for their first race.

“It was an awesome experience, something none of us who went will ever forget,” said Schumacher, the 1999 top fuel champion who has been known as “The Sarge” since he began representing the Army in 2000. “We were only scheduled to go into Afghanistan and meet the troops, but we ended up visiting four bases in Kuwait, pretty much on the border of Iraq.”

Nadeau, whose father served in the Army, said, “It was more of an honor to see them [the troops] than it was for me to be there. It was neat to talk to them and shake their hands. I think every American should experience being there, seeing what these people do. It was incredible.”

The drivers, who were joined by boat racer Nigel Hook and stock car drivers Geoffrey Bodine and Gary Lewis, also got to play soldier and feel the danger.

“One morning, I got an interesting wake-up call,” Nadeau said during a lull in testing at Daytona. “An American fighter jet flew over our tent at about 5 a.m., and it sounded just like an incoming bomb. It certainly got my attention, but nobody else even seemed to notice.”

For Schumacher, who has been visiting military bases the last two years, it was nothing new to shoot modern weapons, parachute out of an airplane or drive a tank, but for Nadeau it was a new experience.

“We did a lot of neat activities while we were over there,” said Nadeau. “We were able to try out machine guns at a firing range in Afghanistan. A couple of soldiers showed us the weapons and gave us a crash course in how to use them. We shot three different types of guns. It was unbelievable to be holding those powerful weapons.

“Then when we went to Kuwait, we drove tanks as part of a demonstration for the troops. I guess it was really more for us, though. Even with all of those activities, the coolest thing was still just talking to the troops. You wouldn’t believe how many of them were NASCAR fans.

“Driving a tank was a blast. It handled pretty good, maybe a little bit better than the Cup cars. The brakes were awesome.”

Instead of being at home Dec. 31 with their families, Nadeau, Schumacher and the others celebrated 2003 with soldiers at Bagram air base north of Kabul, Afghanistan.

“We rang in the New Year with some music and a crane with a ball on the end that dropped at midnight like in New York City. Then we left the next day to Kuwait. That wasn’t part of our original itinerary, but Gen. [John M.] Keane wanted us to visit troops there, so we all went with him in his private military jet.”

Said Schumacher: “All those deals were phenomenal. The technology the U.S. possesses is just remarkable.”

Now it’s back to business.

Schumacher has been testing at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix and says his Wes Cerny-tuned top fuel dragster is ready for Pomona.

“I wouldn’t want to trade my chances for anyone else’s,” he said. “My dad [team owner Don Schumacher] thought it would be a neat deal to add Gary Scelzi to the team in a funny car. Gary didn’t have a ride and we knew what a great competitor he was.

“So now we have one top fuel car for me and three for Scelzi, Whit Bazemore and Scotty Cannon. We really work together and help each other. I’m looking forward to getting back to my 1999 position.”

That was the year he nosed out Scelzi for the top fuel championship. The Sarge finished second to Scelzi in 2000 but then slumped in 2001. Last year he climbed back to third, behind Larry Dixon and Kenny Bernstein, who retired at the season’s end. Schumacher’s big win last year came in the U.S. Nationals, where he upset Dixon in the final round.

Nadeau, whose season was shortened last year because of injuries, will be on a new team, MB2 Motorsports, at Daytona where he will drive the No. 36 U.S. Army Pontiac. It is the car driven last year by Ken Schrader.

“I feel great, the ribs are great and I think I’m ready,” said Nadeau. “The right arm still hurts at times. It’s one of those things that I’m going to have to live with because the only way I can get it back to normal is if I had an operation. But I decided to leave it alone and see how it goes. As of right now, I feel great.

“One reason I feel so great is that I feel this new team is the best opportunity I’ve ever had in Winston Cup. I’m ecstatic. We’ve got Hendrick motors and Pontiac this year, and I’m looking to give Army a good run.”

James Garner Rerun

Back in 1969, when James Garner was infatuated with driving a race car, he also became involved as a team owner. Andy Sidaris, ABC sports director at the time, decided it would make a great show to chronicle the team’s performances in such places as Daytona, Baja, Sebring and Lime Rock, Conn.

Garner’s drivers included Scooter Patrick, Lothar Motschenbacher, Dave Jordan and Ed Leslie. They raced against the likes of Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, David Hobbs and Sam Posey.

The result was a 90-minute documentary, “The Racing Scene.”

It is being resurrected Wednesday night with a special showing at the Petersen Automotive Museum with appearances by Garner, Sidaris, producer Barry Scholer, writer William Edgar, composer Don Randi and team drivers.

Admission is $50. Details: (323) 964-6359.

Last Laps

Jimmy Vasser, one of the few remaining veteran drivers in CART, has found a team for the coming season. He will be paired with rookie Ryan Hunter-Reay on a team being formed by former driver Stefan Johansson. Hunter-Reay finished sixth in Toyota Atlantic last year after winning races at Laguna Seca, Chicago and Cleveland.

The Don Prudhomme exhibit of dragsters at the NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona has been extended to April 1 because of its popularity. The Prudhomme display will be followed by a Salute to Parnelli Jones exhibit, which will open April 27. Included will be many historic cars and memorabilia from the Vel’s Parnelli Jones Racing private collection.

U.S. Auto Club “race organizer of the year” award was given to Steve Lewis of Laguna Beach and his Premier Racing Entertainment, which produced the Indianapolis Twin 25s last year at Indianapolis Raceway Park. A similar event is planned for Irwindale Speedway on April 26.

Driver Chuck West of Fresno and car owner Guy Bailey of Camarillo were feted at the National Midget Racing Assn.’s TQ awards banquet. Bailey’s drivers were J.J. Ercse and Brian Gard. The 2003 NMRA-TQ schedule will have 14 dates on four dirt tracks, Victorville, Ventura, Santa Maria and Perris.

With Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart rejecting a bid and driver of the year Cristiano da Matta racing in Europe, this year’s International Race of Champions will have six rookie drivers -- Greg Biffle, Mike Bliss, Kurt Busch, Felipe Giaffone, Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman. Old timers include Helio Castroneves, Sam Hornish, Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, Mark Martin and defending champion Kevin Harvick. The first race is Feb. 14 at Daytona.