European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday May 2 b 1991 the stars and stripes Page 25 Bobby Unser on outside Indianapolis 500 by Mike Harris a motor sports writer Indianapolis a a a Bobby Unser s View of the Tondi it Napolis 500 May be unique after ail he s a three time Winner and has a brother How a won it four times. Another brother was killed at the track. He has a Nephew who is one of the biggest stars Here now and his youngest son expects to be Hie my Here soon. A a a a a a beyond that the 57ycar-old Urisar has viewed the. Race in recent years from the Abc to Booth. Adding his special Brand of truth logic and humor As a color commentator Bobby knows indy about As Well As anyone to him it s Quot a very special a obviously it has More history to it than any other sporting event in the ,�?� he said. that everybody knows about indy a and Overall its been Good to our family. Jerry a death Here during practice in 1958 was hard on everybody and very very sad. But if you look at everything that a happened to us Here the friends that in be made _ the opportunities that its made it for me it was a catalyst for a Unser who still lives in Albuquerque n.m., said that the Indianapolis motor Speedway has always been bigger than life to him. A the tried to always treat it As just another place a he explained. A a a thai was for my sanity. The pressure of this place is tremendous. 1 done to know if anyone Ever has adequately explained the pressure on the Driver Here. Even after i retired i Felt he won Here in 1968, 1975 and a his last season a 1981. Brother Al five years younger won in 1970, 1971, 1978 and 1987 and is still Active in racing hoping to qualify this weekend for his 26th indy 500. A it never Felt strange racing Al because we always raced against each other a Bobby said. A after we got Here we. Both were always driving for big. Powerful teams and always were potential winners. That was harder than people imagined a being involved in an Accident together was always a potential hazzard. But we competed in so Many kinds of races that we were Able to handle that. Then a was Able to race against his son Al Unser or. I done to see How he did it. Id never be Able to race against my a / even watching his Nephew race makes Bobby Ancoin for table. A _ a a it bothers me no question. When you go As fast As he does there is always potential for something to Hap. Pen a he said. Bobby says two of the toughest jobs he has Ever had to do were to slay Calm and continue to do his Job when Al won Here in 1987, and when utile Al crashed while dueling for the Lead with Emerson Fittipaldi with less than two laps to go in 1989. A. A it s a lot harder on me than people think a he said. A Al was a race Driver first for most of my. Life and now pm a professional sportscaster. I could not let my feelings show on television. In the acc time indy Winner Bobby Unser holds his fingers aloft after his third Victory in 1981. A i had to remain Calm and professional and that a really Lough at a time like that.�?�. The elder Unser picked his brother to win during the 1987 broadcast and As it became apparent that he would Abc focused a camera on him and made it a split screen image with big alas speeding Cara a i was t ready for that a Bobby said a it was a Complete Surprise. I was so excited 1 could Haidi Ydfalk i could hardly hold my composure. That a not the time to be sitting there talking to millions of race fans it s a time to be Yelling a yippee a but 1 . I had to hold it in. It was very hard a watching Little alas Battle with Fittipaldi and seeing it end with his Nephew hitting the Wall at 200 Niph was even worse. A. A most of the race was easy a Bobby said. �?o1 was enjoying the racing and Little Al was really running a great race but that ending was 15 minutes of hell. I was so excited for him when it looked like he was going to win it. Then i was wonted about him when he hit the Fence and then 1 Felt so bad for him losing like that. And All the while i have to be talking to All those people telling them what was happening in. A Avyay. Whew Quot Awill it be even harder when his own son. Bobby gets to Indianapolis Ltd my stomach goes in knots when i watch him race a Bobby said. A naturally ii la be harder on me when lies Here.�?obut1 Bobby will have to be a Rookie like everyone else. He can to Start out As a Veteran. And i believe he s ready and capable to do it. A a when he is racing Here ill just have to go to work like always. I can to be a father looking for my son on the race track but if i can race against my brother for As Many years As i did ill learn to Cope with watching my son race patience pays off for Matsushita in indy by Leal Beattie. Cox news service Indianapolis his English is sometimes a bit difficult to understand but Hiro Matsu Shita Speaks a Universal Jan Gunge racing Ese. A i put extra weight on my 1>ght foot a said Matsushita raising his leg up mock display to explain his Speed at the Diana Polis motor Speedway ,. Matsushita pronounced mat. Oyos Shuth became the Torst japanese Driver to earn a starting berth in the Indianapolis 5 qualifying at 218.031 Miles per hour for the May 26 race. A when in a driving a he said a i never think about being japanese. But i know in a making history. In a very Matsushita actually will not be the first person of japanese descent to participate in the race when he takes the Green hag next weekend. The late Takio a Chick ice 1 Hirashima a California born Jaipur Csc served As a Riding Mechanic in. The 1935-37 races. A Matsushita is the first to drive. Matsushita the grandson of the founder of the Parent company of his sponsor Panasonic moved to the United states in 186 and now lives in san Clemente Calif. He qualified for the Acca National runoffs in the formula Ford class in 1987, then participated Lisa lights series. In -88. A year later he captured the Toyota Atlantic championship. A late in the 1989 season his representatives contacted indy car owner Dick Simon he drove in 10 races on the car i pig cup circuit for Simon Las season but skipped ind his Best finish was a 12th. A i have a lot to learn and i have to be patient a he said. A Cindy ears Are very fast and very powerful but i feel that i have what it takes to run with the \. Matsushita had struggled at times in his Buick powered Lola this month but practice at 215 mph morning. When 11� came Lime to Quality he kicked that up by 3 mph. A Suiro is an owners dream a Simon said a the drives Only to the Edge then comes in and tells us what he wants to change. A we asked him after practice this morning a do you want to change anything a Ile. Sald. No a then he went out and got the extra the a upcoming race will be Only the third on an Oval Lor ,. A a in be just run Narcih last year and Phoenix this year placing 14th a he said a these super so paced ovals Are very new to me. I need More seat Lime a but he said he does not fear the High speeds a a going 17 1 Al Phoenix is very fast 220 is very fast Quot he a but Speed is not a big problem a a Matsushita said that interest in indy car in Japan where a replica of ims is being con strutted is increasing a i watched the indy 500 on j v when i was a kid.�?�, he said. A it he. 500 is very famous in Japan but less than formula one now that he has qualified he said a i think japanese race ians w i 11 s t a r t t olb i to w t he i n Dyc a r series much More than
