Las Vegas’ Vasser expecting to blaze new trails in 2000 season

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2000 | 10:08 a.m.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Jimmy Vasser has been "coaching" long enough -- now he is ready to get back into the game.

Vasser, the Las Vegas resident who won the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) championship in 1996, is credited with helping Target/Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Alex Zanardi (1997-98) and Juan Montoya (1999) duplicate his success.

"Without a doubt, Jimmy has been one of the biggest factors in our success over the years," Ganassi said. "He stormed to the title in 1996 ... (and) since then, he has led by example and been a major reason for the team's continued success.

"Both Alex and Juan credit Jimmy with teaching them how to win."

Vasser finished third in the championship in 1997 and second in 1998 (with three wins), only to suffer through an uncharacteristically inconsistent season last year.

After winning eight races in the previous three years, Vasser was winless in 1999 with only two podium finishes in 20 races.

"If (last season) was a football game, every time you went to jump on a fumble, the ball bounced the other way," Vasser said Tuesday during CART's annual "spring training" at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "That's just the way it goes sometimes. You've got to understand those things, keep your head up and keep swinging."

Despite winning an unprecedented four straight championships, Ganassi has switched from Honda to Toyota engines and swapped the proven Reynard chassis for Lolas this season.

The seemingly radical changes don't faze the 34-year-old Vasser, who is in his sixth season with Ganassi.

"I've got all the confidence in Chip," Vasser said. "We're really optimistic and positive and all indications show that we're going to have a very, very strong race package.

"I have some work to do to be getting myself back in position where I think I should be. I'd like to be considered a race threat and I don't think I am right now (by the racing community)."

When the season opens March 26 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Vasser said he has no doubts that he and teammate Montoya will hit the ground running with their new engine and chassis combination.

"We're already running," Vasser said. "We're going to hit the ground winning races. Both Juan and I are going to be in position to win races; I don't see Target/Chip Ganassi breaking stride at all."

The team is expected, however, to break ranks and be one of the few CART teams to compete with the rival Indy Racing League at this year's Indianapolis 500.

Ganassi is expected to announce next week that he will campaign Vasser and Montoya at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May, although neither Ganassi nor Vasser would confirm what has been widely speculated.

It also has been a source of speculation that Ganassi will enter Vasser and Montoya in the IRL event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in April -- the last IRL race before Indy.

"I can't really say ... (but) it's always a possibility," Vasser said of racing on his hometown track. "I would love to race there ... but I can't really say anything about any of the decisions."

But Vasser made it clear he would relish the opportunity to once again race at Indy after a four-year absence.

"It has been a long time since I've been there and I would be thrilled if I had an opportunity to go back and have some more chances to win the Indy 500," he said.

"Obviously, I'd like to see many of the (CART) competitors go there, but I'm not really certain about the plans of any other CART teams."