Quiet Vasser making some noise

Mike Harris

Thursday, May 4, 2000 | 8:37 a.m.

Jimmy Vasser has become "the other guy."

Maybe that's because he is not overwhelming on the racetrack or charismatic off it. He's a top-notch driver and former CART champion, but his name is seldom mentioned among the stars of open-wheel racing.

"I don't make a lot of waves or a lot of noise," says the low-key Californian, now living in Las Vegas.

The 34-year-old Vasser is off to his best start since winning the title in 1996. Nevertheless, the most asked question about Chip Ganassi's team concerns what's wrong with defending series champion Juan Montoya, not what's right with Vasser.

It's been that way almost from the day Ganassi put Vasser in a first-class car for the first time. Vasser responded with a pair of second-place finishes and wound up eighth in the 1995 points race.

Vasser won the season-opening race in Homestead, Fla., added three more victories and scored points in 15 of 16 races on the way to the title the next year.

Even that was obscured, however, because CART was out of the Indianapolis 500, and the most compelling story of the year was the split with the Indy Racing League.

It appeared Vasser was about to join the likes of the Unsers and Andrettis as a big star. But he has been overshadowed by his teammates as Ganassi cars rolled to an unprecedented four straight series championships.

First it was Alex Zanardi, the 1996 rookie of the year from Italy, who charged to titles the next two seasons and established himself as one of the most colorful and witty drivers around before departing in 1999 for Formula One.

Ganassi dipped into the deep European talent pool for Zanardi's replacement and found a gem in Montoya, the Formula 3000 champion who also was testing Formula One cars.

Montoya won seven races and the championship in 1999.

Meanwhile, the unassuming Vasser has raced along without fanfare. He finished third in points in 1997, second in 1998 and a disappointing ninth last year.

"It's just been circumstances," Ganassi insists. "Jimmy is a very talented driver who just has had an incredible run of bad breaks, mostly little problems that turned into big problems along the way."

Vasser smiles and shrugs when asked about that theory.

"I know I can still drive a race car, and I believe I can still win races and championships, so maybe he's right," Vasser said. "He's right about a lot of things."

Vasser is hoping Ganassi was right about sweeping changes over the winter. The team switched from successful Honda engines to those of Toyota, and the reliable Reynard chassis was discarded for a supposedly improved Lola.

Three races into its fifth season, Toyota is yet to win in CART. But Vasser - not the much-celebrated Montoya - is getting close. He finished second last Sunday in Brazil after winding up fourth and third in the first two races.

While Montoya has struggled with a variety of mechanical problems and failed to finish a race, Vasser is flourishing.

In fact, heading into the race May 13 in Motegi, Japan, he trails series leader Paul Tracy by just six points. Vasser has 42 points, more than he had in the first 11 events of 1999 and 41 more than Montoya has posted.

"I don't think there's any doubt on our team that the Toyota motors are capable of winning," Vasser said. "Those guys are working their fannies off to get that first win and give us a chance to run for the championship.

"Our team is doing a lot of things right, and the results are beginning to show."

Vasser, who has won eight times, hasn't been to victory circle since the final race of 1998. A return would not include a simulation of Zanardi's trademark post-win donuts - wheel-smoking circles in front of the grandstand.

"That kind of stuff comes naturally to Alex," Vasser said. "I love winning, but that's not me. All I can tell you is I definitely appreciate every win and I want more of them for me and the team."

How much would it mean to win another title?

"It would be big," Vasser said with a shy grin. "I don't feel like the first one was a fluke, but it would be nice to back it up. And it would be nice to keep the streak going for Ganassi and the guys on the team."

With 17 races remaining in the 2000 season, he's got a real shot at doing it.