MODERATOR: We'll
get started with our next press briefing. We're very fortunate
and excited this season to have five former Indianapolis 500
winners in our League this year. Four of them are on stage
right now. We have an APB out for Buddy Lazier.
With us today are Al Unser Jr., two-time Indy 500 champion,
winning in 1992 and 1994; Eddie Cheever, Jr. was the 1998
Indianapolis 500 champion; Helio Castroneves, defending
champion back-to-back in 2001 and 2002; in 1999, Kenny Brack
won the Indianapolis 500; and in 1996, Buddy Lazier put his
name on the trophy.
I'm going to go through the line, ask each driver a short
question; then we'll open it up to a Q&A from the media.
We’ll start with Al Unser, Jr. If you could briefly talk about
the continuity that you have returning to Kelley Racing for a
third season.
AL UNSER JR.: Actually, it's my second season with Kelley
Racing. The continuity is great. At this time a year ago, I
didn't have a ride at all, so I was in the grandstands
watching these guys run, just hoping we could put a deal
together.
I'm very excited with the new Toyota engine. Everybody has new
equipment with the new rules for the 2003 season from the IRL.
I really feel that 2003, the IRL has raised the bar again of
competitiveness. Really, the races that were the most exciting
in the world last year are going to get more exciting, they're
going to happen more often, and with the competition that's
entered into the year, it's going to be an exciting, exciting
year, and I'm looking forward to it.
MODERATOR: Now we'll move on to Eddie Cheever Jr.
EDDIE CHEEVER JR.: What was the question you asked him
(laughter)?
MODERATOR: You've talked about running a limited schedule this
year. How do you focus your energy as you prepare for the
season ahead?
CHEEVER: I'll only be doing Indy this year and will divide the
testing in the team in two different sectors. I'll be doing
most of the Indy stuff. That's a short answer to a quick
question (laughter).
MODERATOR: Kenny Brack, you have the distinction of having
previously competed in the IndyCar Series. You took some time
off and have returned to the IndyCar Series now. What
challenges do you foresee coming up this year?
KENNY BRACK: Most are sitting right up here, I think. I think
it's going to be a tough season. It's certainly changed a lot
since I used to drive in the IRL. I think you can say that
every driver and every package out there is going to have a
possibility to win at any given time. It's extremely
competitive.
We're going to see how we stack up. It's a new situation for
Team Rahal. We started testing, it's going pretty well. We'll
see how we stack up in the beginning.
MODERATOR: Helio, since the topic is Indy 500 champions, the
obvious question is your thoughts looking at a possible
historic third straight win at Indianapolis.
HELIO CASTRONEVES: First of all, it's great to be here,
especially with these great champions, Indianapolis 500
winners. Again, it's coming back to another season. Just to
add to it, it's also going to be a competitive season to all
of us. I'm looking forward to starting it.
Coming to Indianapolis, when I went there first year, that was
incredible, special – last year, as well. We're going to have
to work three times as hard this year to make sure we can
accomplish our goal.
MODERATOR: Finally, Buddy, your plans have not been finalized
yet for this season. How do you focus your energies and your
visions towards the 2003 campaign?
BUDDY LAZIER: Yeah, there's a lot up in the air. Obviously, I
feel honored to be in this company. We've had a lot of success
together as a team, Hemelgarn Racing and myself. I know we're
working hard to be ready for the first race. It's definitely a
difficult time. We're off to a late start.
MODERATOR: We'd now like to open the floor to questions from
our media.
Q. Helio, I was just talking to Gil de Ferran. He says he
likes to get into the technical side of the cars. Do you also
do the same, work equally alike, or do you have a different
technique for figuring out what your car needs?
CASTRONEVES: They give me the car; I step on the gas
(Laughter). But you do have to understand a little bit. I
guess working with Gil (de Ferran), he's a little bit too much
on the technical side. I guess working together, you know,
sharing information the way we do, just helps both of us. It
not only helps one car but helps both. In the end of the day,
you can see both cars at the top. So far that's what we've
been doing.
Q. Eddie, this is a league where everybody has gotten along
very much the last two years, not much controversy on your
team.
BRACK: It's going to get a lot better now since Eddie quit.
CHEEVER: You go to CART for two years, come back very boring.
Didn't take you long to warm up, though, did it (Laughter)?
Now, what was the question?
Q. If one manufacturer gets an advantage here pretty quickly
or one is left behind, do you expect the kind of clammering in
NASCAR terms or do you expect there to be an unsettling of the
apple cart around here?
CHEEVER: It's been very competitive, but there really wasn't
that much competition between the engine manufacturers, just
two engine manufacturers that started from the beginning. I
know that the two Japanese companies that are competing to win
the Indy 500 will do everything they possibly can to be
successful. I can see there being a lot of difficult decisions
made by the IRL throughout the year to make sure the
competition remains competitive.
But I don't think our series is structured like NASCAR, that
there will be that much public debate on who gets what. I
believe a lot of that is done in a different manner than it is
done in NASCAR.
I think the competition is great. There's a lot of animosity
among drivers, as there should be, and among teams. Every
driver wants to be successful. I think it will continue
through.
I think the competition is going to be severe this year on
many levels – not just on engines, drivers or chassis, but
across the field.
See how much better my answers are than Brack's (Laughter)?
Also did you notice that I'm the only driver here with an
American engine that's racing next year? Nobody noticed, did
you? You're all journalists (Laughter)?
MODERATOR: Thank you, gentlemen.
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