Former Morgan Hill resident Jimmy Vasser is on the verge of
history.
Former Morgan Hill resident Jimmy Vasser is on the verge of history.
Vasser is set to tie Al Unser Jr.’s streak of 192 consecutive starts in Champ Car open-wheel racing Sunday at the Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver. He could break the mark Aug. 29 in Montreal.
“It’s not an accomplishment of tremendous skill; it’s just longevity,” Vasser said. “It’s an awful lot of races consecutively, but it doesn’t feel like that. I still get antsy with anticipation the same way I always did.”
Vasser began his streak at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 1993. Along the way, he won a series championship in 1996, finished runner-up in 1998, won the fastest race in Champ Car history in 2002 at the California Speedway (197.995 mph) and captured 10 checkered flags, eight poles and 31 podium finishes.
He’s one of seven drivers to earn more than $11 million in his Champ Car career. Now in his 13th year, Vasser ranks in the top 20 in almost every statistical category and also helped mold the careers of former teammates Alex Zanardi and Juan Pablo Montoya.
