Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Cheever returns to Indy as champion

Brian Hilderbrand's motor sports notebook appears Friday. His golf notebook appears Wednesday. Reach him at [email protected] or 259-4089.

When Eddie Cheever walks into Gasoline Alley at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the opening practice for the 83rd Indianapolis 500, he expects to suffer an acute attack of goose bumps.

The experience of winning his first Indy 500 a year earlier is forever seared into his psyche.

But for Cheever, 41, his victory in last year's 500 was far more significant than merely winning the highest profile auto race on the planet. It was a vindication of sorts for the Phoenix native who was raised in Europe.

It certainly was the most emotional experience of his racing career -- a career that didn't exactly start with his father's blessing.

"My dad was like a Marine, he was very disciplined with us," Cheever explained. "The whole time I was racing in go-karts, the rule was, 'if you're going to race, you're going to do what I tell you to do.' I had to run two miles every night, I had to do karate every day, it was very physical, sort of like being in the military."

Finally, at the age of 17, Cheever left home to escape the boot-camp-like existence and pursue his driving career -- but not before he and his father exchanged some heated words.

"I left home at a very early age because I couldn't take any more of his b.s.," Cheever said of his father. "When I was leaving, we got into a yelling match and his final words were, 'If you're going to win something, make sure you win Indy.' "

Although Cheever had long since reconciled with his father by the time he won Indy, he recalled those paternal words as he took the checkered flag last May. Cheever said he was overcome with emotion and took his victory lap around the historic 2.5-mile oval with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"When I was passing the start-finish line, I hadn't thought about that (incident) in a long time and it flashed into my mind like a hot prod in the back of my head," Cheever said.

"When I called (my father), that was the most gratifying part of winning the 500. It wasn't like I was saying, 'I told you I would do it,' but it was nice for me to call him. He was quiet, we didn't say anything for like 15 seconds."

It may have been the first time the talkative Cheever, who is fluent in three languages, was speechless.

"I never knew I had that much stuff pent up inside of me," he said. "It was nice to call him and say, 'Hey it took me 20 years, but I finally won Indy.' It was very emotional."

Practice for the May 30 Indianapolis 500 begins Saturday. Pole day will be held Sunday, May 22 and "Bubble Day" Sunday, May 23.

* NASCAR: Veteran Winston Cup driver Dave Marcis is denying rumors that this will be his final season in the series. Reports have said Marcis will announce his decision at the Pepsi 400 next month in Daytona, and will retire from driving after next year's Daytona 500. ...

Bill Elliott Racing has named Wayne Orme crew chief of the No. 94 McDonald's Ford Taurus. Orme had served as crew chief on Elliott Racing's No. 13 Ford Taurus at the Daytona 500 in February.

* CART: Las Vegas resident Paul Tracy, coming off a third-place finish at Nazareth (Pa.) Speedway, is eagerly anticipating the next two CART races, including Saturday's Rio 400 in Brazil.

"We're into my favorite part of the season -- my last two wins were at the next two tracks (Brazil and Gateway) -- and the chemistry at Team KOOL Green is the best I've ever seen," Tracy said. "I'm cautiously optimistic that our podium finish at Nazareth won't be the last. Being up there only made me more hungry and determined to win -- and the sooner the better."

* IRL: Lyn St. James, one of only two women to have started in the Indianapolis 500, has entered this month's race as a second driver for Team Pelfrey. St. James, the 1992 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year after finishing 11th, will be a teammate to Robby Unser and will attempt to qualify the No. 90 Dallara/Aurora. ...

In the wake of the tragedy earlier this month at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, where three fans were killed by debris from an on-track accident, Texas Motor Speedway is expected to raise its protective catch fence by as much as 4 1/2 feet, according to TMS general manager Eddie Gossage.

Gossage said the catch fence at TMS now measures between 15 1/2 and 16 feet. Texas will host its first of two IRL races this season on June 12 and the improvements are expected to be completed in time for the race. ...

Haley McGee, the 9-year-old girl who was among the seven fans injured in the incident at Lowe's Motor Speedway, has been upgraded from critical to serious condition with brain and lung injuries.

* BACKMARKERS: The NHRA reportedly is close to announcing that it is awarding a national drag race to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the 2000 racing season.

Once the date is officially announced, LVMS general manager Chris Powell said Speedway Motorsports Inc., which owns the track, will complete construction on the new drag strip located north of the 1.5-mile superspeedway. ...

Larry Horton has resigned as manager of the short-track facilities at LVMS, a track spokesman confirmed. Mike Yurick, LVMS director of events, will oversee the short-track program until a replacement for Horton can be found. ...

Jeri Unser, the youngest daughter of three-time Indy 500 winner Bobby Unser, is following in her father's footsteps. Unser will compete in the 16th annual Michelin One Lap of America, which begins Sunday in Ypsilanti, Mich.

Unser will be driving a Lexus G3400 in the Luxury Sedan Class. The road rally is for street-legal automobiles and light trucks, and vehicles will be restricted to posted legal speeds during the 4,200-mile event.

Also competing in the One Lap of America will be Las Vegas residents Dale White and Mike Petersen, who will drive a 1998 Mallet Corvette in the week-long rally.

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