by Norm Johnson Send Me E-mail

In my humble opinion the greatest race driver to ever pull down a helmet over his head was a little (by today's standards anyhow) guy from an Italian family of racers, Mario Andretti. This is a man, who at the age of 64, still has those wonderful pangs for a race car. This is the guy who during a career spanning 45 plus years won four Champ Car Championships, was Formula One World Champion (1978), won the Daytona 500 (1967) and was a three-time Indy 500 pole winner and won the great American race in 1969. This is the man who was named Driver of the Year in three different decades (1967, 1978, 1984) and then in 1992 was voted Driver of the Quarter Century by a panel of 12 journalists and past Drivers of the Year.

Andretti was in town this last Wednesday to announce that he has opened shop at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He has launched the Mario Andretti Racing School here and in nine other locations around the country. Robert Lutz, who was behind the success of the Richard Petty Driving Experience and the founder of Driving 101, is president and executive officer of the school. The Archipelago Exchange (Arca/Ex), the world's first totally open, all-electronic stock exchange is one of the major sponsors of the school.

"Auto racing is not like any other spectator sport in terms of trying it out," the Champ said during a media gathering. "You can watch and play golf. You can watch and play tennis. The same with baseball, football, snowboarding, archery...heck just about anything. It's not quite that simple with auto racing. This school will let anyone experience firsthand the rush of driving a race car."

The school's fleet of single seat and special two-seat Indy-style race cars will allow anyone 18 years old with a driver's license to be a Mario for a day. Incidentally, these very precise race cars are built right here in Las Vegas at the main building of Andretti Racing on the grounds of the speedway. The two-seaters offer a person the opportunity to ride with an experienced race car driver for at least six laps reaching a speed of around 145 mph at a cost of $75.00. For a bigger thrill you can ride along with a top notch driver and actually get a green, white and checkered flag reaching speeds of at least 180 mph. You'll feel the speed and G-Force that drivers experience at the Indy 500. The ride is only $129.00. For $399.00 you can drive one of these Champ cars by yourself. Of course the costs goes up as your desires climb.

Following the announcement Mario talked to a number of us media types. When asked what he thought of the future of open-wheel racing, he scratched his head, smiled and answered: "Right now it seems there's not much of a chance of the two groups getting together. Somebody has to take charge and bring them to the table. I would love to broker the deal, but no one's asked. They need to sit down and come to a compromise! At one time open-wheel racing was the ultimate challenge for a driver. You raced on short tracks, road courses, big tracks and of course the Indy 500."

"Right now neither one is a stand-alone, money making organization. If and when they come together it could very well return to its glory days," he displayed that wonderful smile of a man happy with life.

His love of racing still beats inside him. "If the right ride came along tomorrow I would climb in the car," his eyes sparkled. "But I'll tell you one thing, I never want to have happen to me what happened when that Indy Car took off on me and became an airplane. That was one heck of a surprise!" He then explained that he was going 222 mph when the car broke loose. At that speed the car is pulling over 4,000 lbs of down force and it was estimated that it took a ton of G's to get the car loose and to fly.

Andretti ended the day having lunch with a group of local businessmen and media at his new office building. He did announce that the school will hold numerous special events throughout the year and will be building some more specialty cars for the various schools. "Who wouldn't jump at a chance to come to Las Vegas," he said. "For me it was a no brainer. It's going to be a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to spending some time here at the track."

Tonight is the big night for Ronald McDonald House and its staff led by Jo Ann Malone. It's the organizations annual black-tie event where most of the big bucks come from to run the House for families who stay there, when a child is in a local hospital. Tonight it's "Broadway Comes to Vegas" with a special entertainment treat by guest star Patricia Welch. Patricia is no newcomer to the stage by the way. This is a lady who has done it all and performed around the world in some of the greatest musicals ever created. Born in Stupenville, Ohio, the petite gal with a fabulous voice toured as Maria in "The Sound of Music," and scored huge reviews as Maria in "Westside Story." She also played Tuptim in "The King & I" on Broadway with the late Yul Brynner. Most recently she sang the National Anthem for NASCAR at the speedway and toured with our own Robert Goulet in his "The Man & His Music" as a featured soloist and duet singer with Goulet. You can hear her singing in the up coming ABC Family Channel movie by Britney Spears "Brave New Girl," which premieres on April 25th at 8 pm. She is the singing voice for the two girls in the movie.

Tonight she'll be playing three different roles with complete costume changes and all: "My Fair Lady," "Phantom of the Opera" and "Sunset Boulevard." Everything gets underway at 6 pm., in the Pavillion Ballroom at the Rio Hotel with a cocktail reception and silent auction. At about 7 pm., the doors will swing open to the ballroom where one will be treated like an arriving star at a Hollywood Premiere- red carpet, lights and all.

THIS AND THAT QUICKLY: Steve Park, who took over the driving chores for the Orleans Racing Team when Brendan Gaughan left to go racing in the Nextel Cup Series, is looking forward to this Saturday's NASCAR Craftsmen Truck Series Race at Martinsville Speedway. He has a new truck and has spent a lot of time breaking it in at the local "Bullring" track. Park's, who raced in the Cup series and has raced at Martinsville before, sorta reconfigured (in his mind) the local track to act like Martinsville. Instead of racing down near the yellow line he went up to a higher groove thereby replicating the other track. One needs to know that Park's can spend all the hours he wants locally as it does not count against the allowed test time set by NASCAR. Parks started racing at Martinsville in the 80's and says it is one of his favorites... It's official! The Amazing Johnathan will open at the Riviera Hotel beginning Friday, April 23rd. He will work in the 650-seat La Cage Theatre with a show time of 10 pm... It's not to late to catch Burt Bacharach at the Orleans. He closes Sunday... And our favorite, Debbie Reynolds also closes Sunday at the Suncoast...

Well, gang, that's about it for this week. I'm outa here!

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