DECEMBER 8, 2021

Statements from Roger Penske, J. Douglas Boles about the Passing of Al Unser

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Dec. 10, 2021) – Statements from Roger Penske and J. Douglas Boles about the passing of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser, who died Dec. 9 at age 82: “We have lost a true racing legend and a champion on and off the track. Al was the quiet leader of the Unser family, a tremendous competitor and one of the greatest drivers to ever race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. From carrying on his family’s winning tradition at Pikes Peak to racing in NASCAR, sports cars, earning championships in INDYCAR and IROC and, of course, becoming just the second driver to win the Indianapolis 500 four times, Al had an amazing career that spanned nearly 30 years. He produced two championships and three wins for our race team, including his memorable victory in the 1987 Indy 500 when he famously qualified and won with a car that was on display in a hotel lobby just a few days before. We were honored to help Al earn a place in history with his fourth Indy victory that day, and he will always be a big part of our Team. Our thoughts are with the Unser family as they mourn the loss of a man that was beloved across the racing world and beyond.” – Roger Penske *** “In the 112 years of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Al Unser’s career stands out among the others. His four Indianapolis 500 wins and most laps led in the ‘500’ (644) solidify him as one of the greatest of all time. Al achieved his successes competing against many of the best our sport has ever seen, which makes his accomplishments even more impressive. In addition, his quiet and humble approach outside of the car, combined with his fierce competitive spirit and fearless talent behind the wheel, made Al a fan favorite. He will be remembered as one of the best to ever race at Indianapolis, and we will all miss his smile, sense of humor and his warm, approachable personality. Our thoughts and prayers are with Susan Unser, the entire Unser family and all Al’s friends and fans.” – J. Douglas Boles, President, Indianapolis Motor Speedway

(Formula1.com)
Lewis Hamilton (No. 44 Mercedes-AMG Petronas) won a controversial debut Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from pole position ahead of Max Verstappen (No. 33 Red Bull Racing Honda) and Valtteri Bottas (No. 77 Mercedes-AMG Petronas) amid two red-flag race stoppages. The result means the two championship protagonists go to the Abu Dhabi finale even on points. Hamilton led Bottas and Verstappen – who shrugged off his qualifying crash – at the start, but on Lap 10, Mick Schumacher spun and hit the Turn 23 barriers. The Safety Car soon turned into a red flag, giving Verstappen a free stop in the pits, while the Mercedes had stopped under yellows. The Lap 15 standing start saw Hamilton lead, but Verstappen went wide and off-track at the first chicane, cutting back across Hamilton, who dropped to P3 behind Esteban Ocon (No. 31 Alpine F1 Team), who also enjoyed a red flag tire change and the subsequent advantage. There were two separate incidents behind, however, in which Sergio Perez (No. 11 Red Bull Racing Honda) was collected by Charles Leclerc (No. 16 Scuderia Ferrari), and Nikita Mazepin (No. 9 Uralkali Haas F1 Team) collided with George Russell (No. 63 Williams Racing) – so another red flag was called. A cacophony of bargaining calls by the Red Bull and Mercedes pitwalls followed, but the Lap 17 restart would see Ocon start ahead of Hamilton, then Verstappen in P3. In that restart, the Dutchman made a terrific move using his brand-new medium compounds down the inside of the opening chicane for the lead, while Hamilton found himself impeded by Ocon who, like Verstappen, missed the Turn 2 apex, passing the Alpine a lap later. Three Virtual Safety Car periods followed from Lap 28 to Lap 36, after which Hamilton was in DRS range of Verstappen. The Mercedes driver attempted a move on Lap 36 on the main straight but the Dutchman braked too late for comfort, running wide at Turn 2 and retaining the lead. He was instructed to give P1 back and on Lap 37 the Red Bull driver slowed – only for Hamilton to get caught off guard and clip the rear of his rival, resulting in front-right wing damage. Cue more calls to race control from Red Bull and Mercedes. Meanwhile, Hamilton closed in and looked to get past Verstappen on Lap 42, but the Red Bull driver pushed him wide and continued on. This time, however, the stewards stepped in and put a five-second time penalty on the championship leader. Hamilton came across Verstappen at the final corner on Lap 43 and pushed him wide at Turn 27, taking the lead and putting in fastest laps to boot for an eventual winning margin of 10 sec. over his rival – equaling the championship points tally. Ocon, who had benefited from a stop during the first red flag, missed out on a podium by just a tenth of a second, having lost P3 right at the line at the checkered flag. Watch the race highlights here. (Thank you to F1.com) Editor-in-Chief's Note: Longtime readers know I have not been a fan of F1 for a long, long time. The relentless regimentation; the antiseptic tracks; the predictable, ritualistic weekend schedules; the endless heavy-handedness by the FIA and the race officials; it all sucks. That the drivers manage to still give it everything they have in spite of this Shit Show is remarkable. What went on in Saudia Arabia was a new low. First of all, the fact that F1 organizers will go where the money is no matter how ridiculous has guided their collective thinking - first initiated by the Bernie Ecclestone regime - and permanently tainted everything about F1. That "street" circuit in Jeddah was a complete joke. It was dangerous from the get-go and the crashes, incidents and red flags during the race were predictable. I was not surprised by the in-race chaos at all, but the fact that the F1 officials were actively engaged in polling the teams about penalties during the race was simply ludicrous and untenable. I won't comment on the behavior of certain drivers in that race, but suffice to say, no other racing organization in the world would have tolerated what went on. I hope the finale in Abu Dhabi next weekend is a race worthy of the historical integrity of the sport, but the fact that F1 needs a total reinvention from top to bottom will not be addressed in our lifetimes. F1 is a diseased enterprise, likely to churn and burn in abject mediocrity indefinitely. -PMD

(Trans Am Championship images)
After coming close for the last three years, Chris Dyson brought home the 2021 Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli TA championship following an outstanding season. The driver from Poughkeepsie, New York, won seven of the opening 10 races in the No. 20 ALTWELL CBD Ford Mustang, clinching the title with one race remaining. While Dyson missed the season finale at Circuit of The Americas to concentrate on family matters, late substitute Matthew Brabham took a dramatic last-second triumph to give the team its eighth victory. "Winning the championship was massive for me, personally, on a few levels,” Dyson said. “Trans Am has been one of the linchpins of America road racing for decades, and to be alongside some of the great champions – many of whom I saw racing as a kid – it’s hard to put in to words how meaningful it is, being considered a Trans Am champion.” Coming from top-level LMP1 and LMP2 (675) Prototype sports cars in ALMS, SRP and Daytona Prototype in Grand-Am, Dyson enjoyed the transition to the Trans Am race cars. “In all the forms of racing I’ve been able to compete in, I raced in cars at the top of the tree for their respective style of racing,” Dyson explained. “I think when it comes to GT-level racing, the Trans Am cars are hands-down the most monstrous cars you could possibly be racing. The actual driving is so rewarding in the Trans Am cars because there are no driver aids. The cars demand a lot of you as a driver, and reward precision and aggression. There’s a nuance between the two that’s endlessly fascinating and challenging.” For 2022, expect to see Dyson back in action in Trans Am. “Right now, our priority is to come back and defend our Trans Am championship, and hopefully build on what we’ve done so far,” he said. “I know the competition is not going to rest easy, and we’re already eagerly preparing for 2022.” The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli is one of the longest-running championships in motorsport, and will celebrate its 55th season with a diverse 12-race 2022 schedule that will include multiple road courses, a roval and a street circuit. Trans Am’s 2022 roster of races will be staged at legendary venues across the United States as part of SpeedTour, IndyCar Series and NASCAR events with the season kicking off at Sebring International Raceway February 24-27. (Thank you to Trans Am Media)