UNSER'S PACT WITH IRL HAS VALLEY TIES

Published on Wednesday, November 24, 1999 Section: Sports Page: C2

© 1999 The Arizona Republic
Byline: MARK ARMIJO, The Arizona Republic

Al Unser Jr. got his wish. He's returning to Indy.

Tommy Constantine got his wish, too. He gets to work with one of the fabled Unsers.

Unser signed a five-year contract Tuesday with Indy Racing League owner Rick Galles, a deal that came as no surprise to anyone as it has been in the works for weeks.

What wasn't known by many was the Constantine factor.

Constantine, 33, a Scottsdale businessman, will be a minority owner in the team along with neighbor Roger Elliot, who moved from Tampa to the Valley about three months ago.

In turn, Galles will be a minority owner in ECR Racing, an IRL team recently formed by Constantine and Elliot.

The goal is to put current Galles driver Davey Hamilton in the ECR car next season, but next season is only two months away, and as of now, Constantine said only 20 percent of the funding is in place.

If additional sponsorship isn't secured, Hamilton may have to wait until 2001, when ECR hopes to field two cars, one of which would have Constantine's fanny in it.

''The plan is for me to get in an IRL car in 2001,'' said Constantine, whose immediate plans are to race a second season in the Formula 2000 series. ''But it wouldn't be to replace Davey. It would be a second car.''

If unsuccessful, Galles said he still will keep Hamilton on retainer unless the Las Vegas driver decides to pursue other avenues.

Unser, however, isn't anywhere. Except back home.

Unser received his super vee start with Galles in the early 1980s and also drove seven seasons for him on the Championship Auto Racing Teams circuit.

''Rick gave me my first ride in the Indianapolis 500 (in 1983), and we have won every championship title we have ever gone after,'' Unser said. ''This is the best team in the business.''

Unser, 37, drove the past six seasons for famed CART owner Roger Penske, long recognized as having one of the best teams in the business.

Unser won 12 races with Penske, including a record-tying eight in their first season together in 1994. But Unser is winless over his past 71 starts (four seasons), an ugly mark on a resume mostly filled with gold stars.

Unser, however, believes the drought can end next season.

''There's really no additional pressure than what I've always put on myself,'' Unser said. ''The (IRL) series is a strong series, a competitive series. It's going to be tough to win races. We know that. (But) Rick Galles knows what it takes to go out there and win.

''These are still single-seat, open-wheel race cars. We're going to go for it.''

Unser's return coincides with the return of designer Alan Mertons, who also departed the Galles team after the 1993 season. Mertons will be the team's chief engineer.

Constantine said ECR's team will be based in Scottsdale and he is looking for property to build a shop.

Galles is awaiting arrival of the team's new G-force/Aurora package and doesn't expect to begin initial testing until late December at Phoenix International Raceway.