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NorthernLight IRL: J.R. sees new spirit in Unser; Salazar moonlighting with new TV job

25 March 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

INDIANAPOLIS-- Three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Johnny Rutherford, consultant and Pace Car driver for the Indy Racing Northern Light Series, believes he saw a "real awakening" in Al Unser Jr. during the MCI WorldCom Indy 200 on March 19 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Unser qualified only 20th fastest but worked his way into the lead by Lap 129 and was in serious contention for victory until he made his final pit stop as the leader on Lap 150. Then as he exited the pits to reenter the fray, a crash on the track brought out the caution flag, putting him a lap down. He still charged home in ninth and was on the lead lap with winner Buddy Lazier.

Rutherford said he saw a re-energized Unser as he drove the Pace Car ahead of leader Unser, in his Galles ECR Racing Tickets.com Starz Encore Superpak G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone car, during an earlier caution period.

"He was playing games with us," Rutherford said. "Hed drive up and wave at Jim (Haynes, Pace Car assistant) and then drive up on my side and wave at me.

"Theres been something missing for him, and he got a taste of it again. It s like a chicken-eating dog. Once you get the taste, you want to do it again."

Unser is trying to end a losing streak that dates back to 1995. After the Phoenix race, he said no one should know of his true, angry thoughts when the yellow came out.

"So close," he said. "Thats becoming my middle name. We were taking our time at the beginning, just running a good consistent race.

Unser has shown competitiveness in his first two Indy Racing appearances although his slow qualifying runs have put him at the back of the pack on the starting grid. In his debut in the Delphi Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway on Jan. 29, he charged up from 24th to ninth before his engine failed on Lap 65.

Unser gets his next chance at a breakthrough victory in the Vegas Indy 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on April 22.

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Salazar on the F1 airwaves: Indy Racing standout Eliseo Salazar will join the Pan-american Sports Network (PSN) for its telecast of the Brazilian Grand Prix Formula One race.

PSN is a new, 24-hour, all-sports cable and satellite digital television network dedicated exclusively to meeting the unique interests of fans throughout Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Salazar, a native of Chile, is fifth in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series standings after two races this season in the Rio A.J. Foyt Racing G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone.

Salazar also will play host to PSNs motorsports magazine program, "Techno Mundo."

Text provided by Paul Kelly

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.