Paul Tracy’s firm belief that he beat Helio Castroneves here seven years ago would almost sound bitter if not for the twist that has him back and hopeful in this year’s Indianapolis 500.
Tracy’s desire to race outweighed the hard feelings, and his fourth-place finish for George’s Vision Racing team served notice that he wasn’t done and wanted back in. That it’s happening at Indy is coincidental — seriously.
“It was tough being out, y’know?” Tracy said in his motor coach on one of Indy’s frequent rainy days. “I’m at a point where I want to finish off my career and want to have a couple more years at it. To put in 18 years and have it come to a screeching halt before you’re ready, I felt I deserved the opportunity to have a farewell year. We’re working to make that happen.”
Tracy, the 2003 CART champion, is looking beyond the 500, preparing for July stops in Toronto and Edmonton. Vasser is hopeful for a three-car operation in 2010, as much for competitive reasons as granting the wishes of his good buddy Tracy.
Right now, Tracy wants to create a better Indy memory than he had in 2002, which continues to spark debate because of the politics involved. Then competing for CART’s Team Green, he contends he passed Team Penske’s Castroneves in Turn 3 under green before an accident behind them brought the yellow caution light, an assertion seemingly backed up..
“I feel the deck was kind of stacked,” Tracy said. “They were looking after an IRL-based team because (CART) teams were coming over and winning and they didn’t want it to happen again. There’s no doubt there was a crash before I got past (Castroneves). ... The racing doesn’t stop until the yellow light comes on, and when it came on I was ahead of Castroneves.” USA Today
“For me, the only reason I want to race in the Indianapolis 500 is to win,” said Tracy, the 2003 champion of the now-defunct Champ Car series. “It’s not to go there to qualify and make the field and have a good day.”
Drivers will qualify for the first 11 positions today, and spots 12-22 on Sunday before the rest of the field of 33 is determined next weekend. Qualifying up front is important — the winner of the last three Indianapolis 500s started on the front row.
Tracy, a 40-year-old Canadian, was among the top 10 in almost every Champ Car career statistical category including wins, 31 (tied for seventh all time), poles, 25 (eighth all time), and laps led, 4,238 (sixth all time). The unification between the two series actually cost him a ride, but he’ll be driving for KV Racing, co-owned by Jimmy Vasser, the 1996 Champ Car champion who made eight Indy 500 starts, including a fourth-place finish in 2001. kansas City Star
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