Break in Family Tradition Figures to Be a Short One

There is a strange look to the 33-car starting field for Sunday’s 89th Indianapolis 500 -- and it’s not because there is a woman in the second row.

There is no Unser, no Andretti.

It is the first time in 42 years that neither racing family has had a driver in the race. Bobby Unser was a rookie in 1963, and every year since, there has been either an Unser or an Andretti -- usually both -- to take the green flag.

But wait. The third generation is about to arrive.

Marco Andretti, Michael’s son and Mario’s grandson, is one of the hottest young prospects in the country at 18. And Al Unser, son of two-time 500 winner Al Jr., grandson of four-time winner Big Al, and nephew of three-time winner Bobby, is 22 and a late starter in the racing world.

They will be showcasing their talents today in the Futaba Freedom 100 on the same Indianapolis Motor Speedway course where their fathers became famous, and where each hopes to someday expand the family legacy.

“I don’t think words can describe how I’m feeling,” Marco said about being here. “I basically grew up here one month out of the year, every year. Just last year was the first time I was legal to get in the pits.”

Unser, known as “Just Al” to distinguish himself from his father, echoed young Andretti’s feelings.

“Words can’t really describe it,” he said. “Marco was in the pits legally last year, but I remember being put in a real big Simpson bag and snuck into the garage area, which I’m probably not supposed to talk about.”

With Marco living on the East Coast and Al in Albuquerque, and a four-year difference in age, they had never met on a race track until an Infiniti Pro Series race last month on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. Marco won and Al was fourth.

“We’ve met [before], but we just started hanging out together the last month or two,” Andretti said.

The two have interesting memories of their earlier years here.

Said Andretti: “I just remember being at the Speedway Motel and listening to the announcer say my dad and grandfather’s names. I know we have a lot of bad memories here. I wasn’t around for the ’69 win.”

The Andretti family has appeared in 53 races here and won only once, Mario in 1969. Marco wasn’t born until 1987.

“I think [the Andretti curse] is definitely on their mind. They never bring it up, they don’t want to think about it,” he said. “A lot of bad luck. Eleven laps to go and three or four times [one of them] could have won this thing.”

Said Unser: “Definitely [Dad’s] ’92 victory, when he won, beating out Scott Goodyear in the closest finish ever. I remember running down, trying to get into the pits, and somebody grabbing me and putting me on their shoulders, and handing me up to what was Victory Circle.”

Each will have relatives critiquing his race today. Mario and Michael Andretti will be watching, as will Al’s grandfather.

“My father is in Albuquerque where my sister Cody is graduating from high school today, so congratulations to her,” Unser said. Cody Unser is afflicted with transverse myelitis, a rare spinal disease, and is confined to a motorized wheelchair, but she plans on enrolling at the University of Redlands in the fall.

“[I get] little pointers from my grandfather. I never felt any pressure from my family to drive a race car. I actually stopped racing when I was 11 and didn’t start again until I was about 16, after I had my driver’s license and a couple of tickets.”

Marco, on the other hand, has had his granddad in his corner from his earliest days as a 10-year-old in a kart.

“Dad is pretty much flat out with his team, so he’s not around too much,” he said.

“Nono [Mario] is in the debrief room, and he’s in the middle of it all. He wants to know every detail, and he helps us out a lot.”

Both envision the day they are in the 500.

“I’d like to be there next year, but there’s no rush,” said the teenage Andretti. “I don’t think I need to be here in 2006, but the earlier you get here, the more you get here.”

Unser said, “If I could put together a deal to run [the 500] next year, I would.”

Long Beach Grand Prix

Officers of Aquarium Assets Management, the Champ Car affiliate that purchased assets of the Grand Prix Assn. of Long Beach, look on the acquisition as an “opportunity, not an obligation,” said Paul Gentilozzi, a Champ Car co-owner.

“We were thinking of the future and we wanted to make sure the Long Beach race remained the biggest and best road race in America,” he said. “Plus, it is an ongoing business with physical assets, such as an office building, warehouse, walls, fences and equipment necessary to conduct the race.”

Southland Scene

Irwindale Speedway and Perris Auto Speedway have special Salute to Indy programs Saturday night.

NASCAR super late models, Irwindale’s top class, will run twin 50s, plus Grand Am modifieds, trucks, mini stocks and USAC Ford Focus midgets.

Perris will host USAC/CRA sprint cars in a 50-lap main event showcasing Damion Gardner going for his fifth series win in a row.

Passings

Bruce Barnes, one of the most successful race car driver agents in the country, died Monday after an extended illness. He was 70. A longtime Orange County resident, Barnes represented the Unser family, Bobby, Al and Al Jr., along with Johnny Rutherford, Parnelli Jones, Rick and Roger Mears, and Bobby Rahal.

In 1974, with Bobby Unser, he formed Barnes Marketing to create marketing and sponsorships for pro athletes and racing teams. He also handled sponsorship marketing for 15 years for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb.

A rosary will be recited Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at St. John Vianney Chapel on Balboa Island at 7:30 p.m. Services will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Newport Beach.

* RACING SCHEDULE: D10