TAKE FIVE: Jimmy Vasser

Friday, June 16, 2006 | 7:24 a.m.

Former Champ Car champion Jimmy Vasser has been preparing for retirement since 2004, when he became co-owner of PKV Racing with Dan Pettit and Kevin Kalkhoven.

But Vasser, a 10-year resident of Las Vegas, admitted it hasn't been easy stepping out of the cockpit of the 750-horsepower race car that had been his "office" for the past 15 years. He established a Champ Car World Series record by making 211 consecutive starts, and he won 10 races and the 1996 championship.

After driving in the 2006 season opener in Long Beach, Calif., Vasser has spent the past three races trying to adjust to his role as team co-owner and driver coach for rookie Katherine Legge.

Vasser took time out of his team's preparations for this weekend's race in Portland, Ore., and talked about his shifting role with PKV Racing.

1. The adjustment

"Initially, it wasn't very easy, that's for sure," Vasser said of spending the past few races watching teammates Legge and Oriol Servia from the pits.

"I have a much better feel of how the race is going from the driver's seat (as opposed to) the timing stand. It'll take some time to be able to follow a race from that perspective because I'm not used to it."

2. Missing the 'rush'

After competing in 232 Champ Car races since 1992, Vasser said race weekends now aren't the same .

"As a driver, there's an anxiety involved leading up to a race weekend that is derived from wondering how competitive you're going to be or having to go fast, having to perform there's a lot of pressure," Vasser said. "But with that anxiety and that pressure comes the great satisfaction when you do well; there's a rush."

3. The fun part

Ask Vasser what he misses the most about not driving and he doesn't hesitate.

"Just the feeling of driving a Champ Car. A Champ Car is such a fantastic machine, and I really miss getting in and burning rubber, getting out of the pits and just going out there and driving it."

4. The mentor's role

Vasser's primary duty with the team is serving as mentor and driver coach to Legge, a 25-year-old Brit in her first season in Champ Car. Is Legge the real deal?

"When you talk about the real deal, you're talking about being able to win races and being a champion," Vasser said. "Right now, she's got to find some speed still and she needs to find some qualifying pace - to get up and qualify better.

"I can tell you this: She's got all the determination and drive that she needs to succeed."

5. Staying 'retired?'

Although Vasser said earlier this year that he might compete in additional races this season, it sounds as if the Long Beach race might have been his last in a Champ Car.

"We talked about doing some more races this year but, right now, I don't see it," he said. "We did Long Beach and just having the mentality that you're a part-timer and you're kind of doing it for fun takes away from your edge.

"I didn't feel like I was on top of my game. To come in and just do a race every now and then - I don't think I can be as good as I can be, and (that's when) you can get in trouble and bad things happen."