Cheever in Age-Old Argument

Hardly a week goes by without drivers in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series trading verbal jabs after rubbing fenders on the track, and even some of their girlfriends have gotten into the act lately.

But the Indy Racing League proved this week that its drivers can snap at each other with the best of them.

Two of the IRL’s youngest drivers, rookie Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick, both called the league’s oldest driver, Eddie Cheever Jr., an “idiot” after incidents in their race Sunday at Watkins Glen, N.Y.

The more serious crash occurred when Andretti, 19, tried to pass Cheever on the right as they were approaching a left-hand turn on the rain-slicked road course. Andretti was running third and Cheever was a lap down.

As Andretti pulled alongside, the 48-year-old Cheever veered right and sent Andretti into a guard rail and tire barrier.

It was the second collision between the two this year and Andretti, fresh from losing the Indianapolis 500 to Sam Hornish Jr. on the final lap a week earlier, was furious. So was his father, Michael, who manages the Andretti Green Racing team.

“The guy’s a waste,” Michael said of Cheever in a television interview after the wreck. “He did it on purpose. It’s so blatant.

“He doesn’t belong on the racetrack ... [he is] a complete idiot,” Michael continued. “I feel so bad for Marco.”

Cheever shot back Tuesday, saying in a statement, “To think I would intentionally take anyone out is ludicrous. It was a racing accident, pure and simple.

“Let there be no mistake, I would never let any feelings I might have carry over to the racecourse, where lives are at stake,” Cheever added. “I have lost too many friends in this sport to be so shallow.”

Cheever had said Sunday on TV that he had just left the pits on cold tires and was having trouble making the car go where he wanted it to go.

There’s nothing new about drivers being angry and frustrated immediately after an accident, and tempers typically cool within 24 hours.

But Michael Andretti’s assertion that Cheever shouldn’t even be in the IRL lifted the dispute to a higher level. And Andretti took it a step further by calling IRL President Brian Barnhart on Monday “to talk to him about it and give their side of the story,” IRL spokesman John Griffin said. “I wouldn’t call it a formal complaint. They called to voice their opinion.”

Griffin said Barnhart planned to review the incident but declined to elaborate. Asked if Cheever’s age would be a factor in the review, Griffin said, “Not at all. That’s not an issue.”

Earlier in the race, the 24-year-old Patrick also blamed Cheever for sending her car into a spin. Once back in her pit, Patrick was heard to say on TV, “Cheever is an idiot.”

Cheever’s terse response about the spin: “She did that all by herself.”

Cheever has been driving race cars for 30 years. He competed in Formula One from 1978 through 1989, moved to CART -- now Champ Car -- open-wheel racing from 1990 through 1995, then joined the IRL in 1996 and won the Indianapolis 500 in 1998.

He left racing after the 2002 season, then surprised many by returning this year to drive at least the early part of the season. During practice for a race in St. Petersburg, Fla., in April, Cheever and Andretti also tangled -- and the Andrettis blamed Cheever that time as well.

But Cheever said his “feud” with the Andretti family actually goes back 14 years, to the 1992 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, when Mario Andretti -- Marco’s grandfather -- crashed into Cheever.

“It resumed in April,” he said.

Cheever then delivered one more blow.

“The last time I looked, I earned the label of Indy 500 champion; those lobbing unfounded accusations at me have not,” he said.

He was referring to the infamous Andretti bad luck at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the only Andretti to win the Indy 500 was Mario in 1969.

“I’m not perfect, and neither are my accusers,” Cheever said. “Let’s get back to racing.”

The IRL’s next race is Saturday night at the Texas Motor Speedway.

Last Laps

* Irwindale Speedway’s program Saturday night includes super late models, super trucks, mini stocks and a figure-eight race featuring TV personality Jesse James.

* The USAC/CRA sprint car series returns to Perris Auto Speedway on Saturday night. Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif., has a 30-point lead over Cory Kruseman of Ventura in the series, followed by Tony Jones of Norco and Mike Spencer of Temecula.

* Ventura Raceway has a five-race program scheduled Saturday night, including VRA 360 sprint cars, USAC midgets and VRA pony stocks, an entry-level division for four-cylinder U.S. and foreign stock cars.

* Mario Dominguez was penalized seven championship points for sparking a first-lap wreck at the Champ Car World Series race last Sunday in Milwaukee.

Champ Car said the Forsythe Championship Racing driver violated its rules covering “avoidable contact.” Dominguez was put on probation for the next three races.