By Jan Shaffer
indy500.com
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
Editor's Note: Veteran racing journalist and publicist Jan Shaffer is writing a series of stories showing the similarities and differences in the Race Week buildup for the 87th Indianapolis 500 by a large IRL IndyCar Series team, Andretti Green Racing, and a small team, PDM Racing.
The Andretti Green Racing garages in Gasoline Alley were closed Tuesday, May 20, the team electing to work out of its impressive Indianapolis-based facility.
But for two weeks, it was bustling with activity and energy as the team purchased by Michael Andretti, Kim Green and Kevin Savoree went through a well-organized drill to place four cars in the top 13 spots for the 87th running of the "500."
For Andretti Green, it is a challenge for history. Andretti has announced his retirement from driving effective at the checkered flag of the race he has sought most to win. He has led countless races at Indy and consistently run at the front, but victory has eluded him in his storied career.
Andretti will start 13th and teammates Tony Kanaan (second), Robby Gordon (third) and Dan Wheldon (fifth) will give him a chance to win as a car owner. The team is well sponsored with Klein Tools, 7-Eleven, Archipelago, Motorola and Jim Beam decorating the cars' sidepods and engine cover.
Andretti had left Indy on Friday, May 16 for the weekend and returned Monday, May 19.
"I'm extremely satisfied with how the month has gone," Andretti said. "The team's working together so well, and we're having fun. It's amazing to me the results we've gotten with a four-car team. It's scary because it's working so good.
"I cannot dream of anything better than winning the last race."
For Savoree, this appearance at Indy is also his first as a car owner.
"One of my first memories of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was when I was just a kid, and my brother-in-law brought me," Savoree said earlier this month. "The place is so special. I've been a motorsports fan all my life, and you fall in love with it. Never in anyone's wildest imagination would I think I'd wind up owning an IndyCar (Series) team.
"The biggest challenge that Mike, Kim and I take very, very seriously is the ultimate responsibility for 80 families we have working, our drivers and how they fight for us on the race track and the sponsors who support us."
While Andretti Green's garages were idle Tuesday at the Speedway, they weren't idle elsewhere. Kyle Moyer, one of its team managers, led a mission of 20 crewmen, Wheldon and Bryan Herta to test Monday and Tuesday at Texas to get the jump on the next IRL IndyCar Series race. They were scheduled via chartered plane to return to Indy Wednesday while others on the team moved the Indy-qualified cars back to the Speedway for good.
Andretti Green is pulling out all the stops for a win at Indy and an IndyCar Series championship.
At the other end of the garages, another team is preparing for a different challenge. PDM Racing struggled through the month virtually on its own nickel, and only the associate sponsorship of Royal Spa, along with a "thank you" to our Armed Forces, appears on the car.
But PDM, with veteran Jimmy Kite, made the field, earning the 32nd starting spot.
"We're getting help from everybody," said team co-owner Larry Arnold. "A man came up and gave us a $400 check. Another gave us $100 in cash. We have a lot of moral support from the racing community and the fans."
One group helped with the financial end back in April.
The team received an e-mail on April 15, which said, in part:
"My name is Rob Uhl, and I am the fifth-grade teacher at Trevor Brown Elementary School in Bozeman, Montana. For the last four years, my class and myself have picked the PDM team as "our team" to cheer for in the IRL. I explain to my students that with dedication and hard work, you can overcome all sorts of obstacles that get in the way of achieving your goals. After the race in Japan, the class took up donations for the team to help fix the car and get it ready for the big race in May. We collected a total of $54.86. Good luck."
It was signed, "Rob Uhl and the 36 students of the fifth grade."
The PDM garage was open Tuesday, and the team was working on its lone race car. With five paid full-time employees, three part-timers for Race Day and a long list of volunteers, Kite will be on the grid when the green flag falls Sunday.
Volunteers?
Take Harvey Gordon, who owns Weymouth Honda in Weymouth, Mass., and friends Richie Maccagnano and Larry Corda. They drove 16 hours to arrive Tuesday and immediately went to work.
"They come down each year and help us," Arnold said. "They run the vacuum, help set up the pits, polish the car and do all the little things that need to be done."
Said Gordon: "This is our vacation. Rain, shine, sickness, health, whatever, we're here."
PDM -- and Kite -- were under other pressures as the month wound down. Indeed, Kite wasn't assured the seat until the final weekend of qualifying. The reason: Money.
"We had several conversations with different people, but it never got to the point where we considered replacing Jimmy," said Arnold. "He did everything he was asked to do. He gives terrific feedback. The fans love him. We're glad we didn't have to face the business decision if someone brought in a load of money.
"I felt Jimmy should've been in the race last year, and we owed him and we wanted to stay with him. It's a big deal for us to come here and make this race."
PDM's goals differ from Andretti Green.
"Certainly we 'd love to win, but that's unrealistic," Arnold said. "We certainly want to be running at the finish. We want to have a good, clean, safe race, have good pit stops, make good calls and finish as high as we can. I think we can finish in the top 15."
Harvey Gordon may have said it best.
"There isn't a team here with more heart."
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