Little Al...?

[jonovision_man]

Unreal...

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=1&id=2378128

Unser Jr. commits to run in Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS -- Al Unser Jr., a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, will end a two-year retirement to drive at Indy for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

Unser, 43, last raced in the IndyCar series in 2004, when he retired after 34 wins in a 22-year career.

He will team with 1996 Indy winner Buddy Lazier for Dreyer & Reinbold's two-car program at Indianapolis in May, the Indy Racing League said Tuesday.

jono

[bkeske]

I don't get it; What is so 'unreal' about this?

[dreamracer]

Shoot. Mario drove regularly until he was like 54.

Little Al should run NASCAR too. He was pretty swell in stockers. Plus the regular boys liked him.

I doubt he's lost the ability to be fast, he just hasn't had a top flite ride for 10 years.

I bet Indy has a nifty lineup this year.

[Doctorindy]

I don't get it; What is so 'unreal' about this?

I don't either. Personally I think too many drivers (and other atheletes) retire too early. Big Al raced competetively all the way to the end (even led in his last two races, '92-'93) and he was 53.

I think guys like Arie, Micheal, Al Jr, all left too early. If they didn't want to race the whole season, fine, but why make such a 'bold' move to retire from Indy-only so young. I can understand "retiring" from full-season competition, but to race Indy only does not take a lot of commitment, and you can still do it rather easily. Johncock, Gary Bettenhausen, Al Sr., and others proved you can come out once a year and still drive at least fair.

[numrounofan]

One of the reasons Lil AL left was he didn't feel he could get a competitive ride.......with everyone having the Honda, I'd say that's changed...........seems very real to me........

[Wheel-Nut]

Shoot. Mario drove regularly until he was like 54.

Little Al should run NASCAR too. He was pretty swell in stockers. Plus the regular boys liked him.

I doubt he's lost the ability to be fast, he just hasn't had a top flite ride for 10 years.

I bet Indy has a nifty lineup this year.

Swell? Nifty? Theodore, is that you?

[Jim Wilke]

Al, Jr. is 43. His dad was 47 when he won his last Indy 500.

There was a time when things weren't going to well for me. Too much booze, cigarettes and some other odds and ends. I was a mess and I could barely carry on a conversation, let alone be competitive. I had a long talk with myself, cleaned up and made some changes. After a year or so, I was stronger and faster than I had been - even though I was older. It can happen.

[mattndallas]

There was a time when things weren't going to well for me. Too much booze, cigarettes and some other odds and ends. I was a mess and I could barely carry on a conversation, let alone be competitive. I had a long talk with myself, cleaned up and made some changes. After a year or so, I was stronger and faster than I had been - even though I was older. It can happen.

Junior High was tough for me too, Jim.

[Chitownfan]

Junior High was tough for me too, Jim.

[Scott]

How is having Al Unser Jr. in the 500 a bad thing regardless of his age? I think this year's Indy 500 is going to be one of the most exciting in a long time. We will have an Unser and two Andrettis driving cars, if we could only add a Mears and a competitive Foyt then it would be perfect.

[Grinder-Tank]

What's the point of trying to scope it from every direction? Little Al is going to race in the 500. That is all we need to know.

[Craigar1]

"Junior High was rough..."


Tough crowd here, guy lays down an emotional post, gets hit immediately.


...wish I'd thought of it.

[Tooonces]

Hey lets not get the cart in front of the horse, he still has to make the field. It would be peachy keen if he could come back to Indy and then finish the season in the IRL.

[flatlander_48]

What Big Al said about running an infrequent schedule:
You lose your ability to drive through traffic...

My thoughts regarding driver's ages:
I'd be careful about comparing drivers with respect to their age. Remember, we're all on different clocks...

[Jim Wilke]

What Big Al said about running an infrequent schedule:
You lose your ability to drive through traffic...:

Good point and that's even more important today with all the cars being equal and with more finishers.