Unser prepares to announce ride into sunset

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., who battled through family problems and alcoholism in addition to the usual broken bones and bruises, will retire from Indy-car racing today after more than two decades.

A news conference is scheduled this morning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Unser confirmed the topic to the Indianapolis Star.

Unser, 42, the son of one of Indy’s three four-time champions, has been racing for more than 30 years and competing in Indianapolis-style cars since 1982. He won the 500 in 1992 and `94 and claimed CART season titles in 1990 and `94.

In 1994, driving for Team Penske, Unser scored a personal-best eight victories in 16 starts.

Unser won 31 races in CART, including two at the Milwaukee Mile, and then moved to the Indy Racing League in 2000 for the opportunity to race at Indy. He won three times in the IRL.

Unser started this season without a ride but joined Patrick Racing at Indy and for the two races since.

Successes on Unser’s resume include two victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona sports-car endurance race and two titles in the International Race of Champions.

For all his successes on the racetrack, Unser has endured an up-and-down family life that includes divorce from his wife, Shelley, and estrangement from his four children. His oldest daughter, 17-year-old Cody, has a rare neurological disorder that has left her paralyzed.

Stewart’s punishment pending

NASCAR officials spent Tuesday discussing what type of punishment to levy against driver Tony Stewart for an altercation with Brian Vickers after the race at Sears Point.

“His behavior at Sears Point is unacceptable,” NASCAR chairman Brian France said. “Tony has to work within the same rule structure and behavioral expectations that we have for all of our drivers. One way or the other, we will figure that out.”

Vickers was knocked out of Sunday’s race in California following contact from Stewart. After the race, Vickers said Stewart came up to his car window.

Vickers said the two were discussing the on-track contact and Vickers began to laugh about it. He claimed that Stewart then reached for him inside the car and “knocked the breath out of me.”

“He hit the armrest and he reached in the car and he grabbed me in the chest and when he did hit me, it was kind of open palm,” Vickers said after the race. “My team grabbed him and pulled him off of me.”

Both drivers were summoned to the NASCAR hauler after the race. Vickers has publicly given his side of the story, but Stewart has remained silent. A spokesman for Stewart said the driver was unavailable for comment.

Stewart, whose temper has resulted in repeated run-ins with NASCAR authorities over the years, could face sanctions ranging from a suspension, monetary fine, deduction of championship points and probation.If NASCAR doesn’t suspend Stewart, it could stir speculation that he was protected by the power of Home Depot, the primary sponsor of his No. 20 Chevrolet and also one of NASCAR’s official sponsors.