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8 Apr 2004, 08:27 (Ref:934124)
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#1 | |
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,419
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Another Unser
Initially I was thinking about posting this in the Champ Car section, considering Toyota Atlantics belongs to the Champ Car ladder, but since it would most likely just attract comments like "Bah! Who cares about that son of a traitor anyway?!" etc, I decided to post it in here instead. His father is, after all, still involved in IndyCar.
ESPN Sportsline reports; Another Unser joins the open-wheel fray INDIANAPOLIS -- Al Unser, the fourth generation of racing Unsers, will drive for P-1 Racing this season in Champ Car's developmental Toyota Atlantic series. Known as "Just Al,'' he is the eldest son of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. (Little Al) and grandson of four-time Indy winner Al Unser (Big Al). His great-grandfather, Louie Unser, also was a race car driver. "Coming into Atlantics, I know that I've thrown myself to the wolves in a sense, but I feel like that's the way I learn best,'' said Unser, 21, who was 12th in the Barber Dodge Pro Series last year. "I'll be struggling a little bit in the first couple of races, but I hope to become a contender toward the end of the year.'' Unser will make his Toyota Atlantic debut next week at Long Beach, Calif., on the same track on which his father won a record six times. The P-1 team is co-owned by Bill Fickling and baseball Hall of Famer Robin Yount. ------------------------------------------------ I hope he does well and that he has picked up some of them "Unser-genes"  I wonder whether he would prefer to look towards IndyCar or Champ Car, when - and if - the time comes to make that choice. With IndyCar (hopefully) adding road courses for next year and beyond (as well as the Unser's history at Indy), I'd say he'll aim towards IndyCar in the long run. Last edited by rustyfan; 8 Apr 2004 at 08:28. |
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8 Apr 2004, 08:58 (Ref:934155)
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Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,512
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Talking about fourth generations, let's just hope he'll do better than AJ IV
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You got to learn how to fall, before you learn to fly P.Simon |
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8 Apr 2004, 09:09 (Ref:934160)
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Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 670
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Yes, despite Atlantics belonging to the Champ Car ladder I think this is more a case of there not being an equivalent road-racing series for Indy Car. Still, it was reported yesterday on the Champ Car web page, with a telling comment from his mother: "A lot of people have said that if you spend a couple of years in Atlantics, you can learn so much that you can go anywhere from there." It's good publicity for Toyota Atlantics and, at least a little, for Champ Car.
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"Meet me at the racetrack, Jack." |
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8 Apr 2004, 09:17 (Ref:934169)
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,419
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Thanks for the heads-up about the more in-depth version over at the CC website
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8 Apr 2004, 20:12 (Ref:934724)
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,376
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I would think with all the family ties in the IRL, he would gravitate towards it. Al Unser has been invoved with it since the beginning, and his success, and his fathers, at Indy has to be a major draw to young Al.
Once road racing kicks in, I think quite a few drivers from the Atlantic series will look seriously at the IRL as a real option. Besides, they pay there purses on time...
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"I don't feel insecure about 'being girlie'. I do as much media as I can because I want this IRL series to be so kick-butt that NASCAR goes, 'Huh?'" Danica Patrick |
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8 Apr 2004, 20:15 (Ref:934727)
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,215
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Quote:
Glad to see you got the hook-up back, GP Racer.... Good to have you back on the Forum today!!!! Indy means The World to the Unser Family.....Little Al cried openly in Victory Lane with both wins, and in the first one all he could say was that he was so choked with emotion over winning Indy that he couldn't speak.... |
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Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
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8 Apr 2004, 20:45 (Ref:934746)
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,376
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Quote:
Thanks brother, and thanks for the help, you were my only lifeline to this site Tim! Don't know if the problem was with 10/10ths or AOL, but 5 days without this forum, almost drove me over the edge! I'm addicted, I tell ya! I need to get a life, very sad 
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"I don't feel insecure about 'being girlie'. I do as much media as I can because I want this IRL series to be so kick-butt that NASCAR goes, 'Huh?'" Danica Patrick |
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8 Apr 2004, 20:49 (Ref:934751)
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#8 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 995
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Everything "Just Al" has done so far has been geared towards Champcar. He went up through Formula Dodge competing in the Regional series and then the National Series in 2002. He placed only 7th in the Formula Dodge National Series, and last year he competed in Barber Dodge Pro finishing only 12th. He defintely not a spectacular driver, and I think the only reason he's come as far as he has is because of his last name, and lots of money behind him. Either of the two top open-wheel series in America would be happy to have him though as his name brings recognition their respective series.
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"You will never know the feeling of a driver when winning a race. The helmet hides feelings that cannot be understood." - Ayrton Senna |
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9 Apr 2004, 01:58 (Ref:934898)
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Racer
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 393
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Awww, it was more fun when we could call him "Mini Al."
Seriously though I wish him good luck. Having a good Atlantics season is a great way to be noticed!
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__________________
In a minute there is time For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse. |
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9 Apr 2004, 05:28 (Ref:934960)
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Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,885
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Has "Mini Al" cleared up his legal problems yet?
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Wolverines! |
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10 Apr 2004, 16:43 (Ref:935896)
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,376
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Quote:
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__________________
"I don't feel insecure about 'being girlie'. I do as much media as I can because I want this IRL series to be so kick-butt that NASCAR goes, 'Huh?'" Danica Patrick |
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10 Apr 2004, 18:27 (Ref:935952)
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#12 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 529
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Quote:
I know what you mean about these forums. They're becoming one of my sources for racing news and gossip. Anyway,back to topic.... 1) Rustyfan, you did well to post the news here (and LOL about your forum comment )2) GP, the legal probs. "Mini Al" had was a DUI last year Hopefully, he's learned his lesson and can go on  3) Don't forget, there are quite a few IRL driver's who have Atlantic experience...some guy named "Hornish", for one 4)Happy Holidays to everyone here. You make THIS forum a nice place to have a sane, logical, and mature discussion 
Last edited by MLM; 10 Apr 2004 at 18:29. |
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10 Apr 2004, 21:36 (Ref:936066)
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Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 26
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Quote:
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