Fisher, O’Gara steer toward same goal

INDIANAPOLIS – When Andy O’Gara comes home at night, he tells his future wife about his productive “wrenching” on a race car to make it go faster.

When Sarah Fisher returns to the same Southside home, she mentions to her fiance how hard she worked during two trips to the gym.

The swapping of “how was your day?” queries applies both personally and professionally to O’Gara and Fisher, especially in the days leading up to the 91st Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. O’Gara is crew chief on Dreyer & Reinbold No. 5 car. Fisher is the car’s driver.

The two are to be wed on Sept. 15.

“I can’t have a better crew chief,” Fisher said. “He’s there every day, looking out for my interests and his as well. He more than anybody would want to make sure it’s as perfect as it can be.

“We care a lot about what we do. When we go home, we don’t complain about it. We think about ways to make it better.”

They began dating in 2003, just about the time Fisher nearly ran him over on a pit stop in California. O’Gara was the left-front tire changer, but she locked up the brakes, sent him flying 15 feet, then pinned him to a wall.

“It was a pretty good hit,” O’Gara said. “I still got up and changed the tire.”

Fisher had fractured her back in an accident prior to that race, so they became partners in pain.

“I had a bottle of Vicodin,” she said of the painkillers. “So I shared.”

Fisher is 26. O’Gara is 23. Their love of driving is shared – they teamed up to win an endurance go-kart race in Chicago last year. But when it comes to driving on the regular roads, O’Gara steers.

“She gets a little scared riding with me sometimes,” he said. “I must be a little aggressive, I don’t know.”

Fisher has had to endure a detour to get back to the Brickyard. She’s an undeniable presence with fans as a multiple winner of the Indy Racing League’s most popular driver honor, but ineffective runs – especially at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – cost her sponsors. She’s missed the last two 500s. Her best finish in five Indy starts was 21st in 2004.

“She knows this is a big make-it-or-break-it year for her in the sport,” O’Gara said. “I’ve never seen her work out twice a day before. She’s busting her butt to get it done.”

O’Gara is the son of longtime Speedway mechanic Johnny O’Gara, who has become team manager. Father, son and driver have the same goal.

“I want to prove a small team can run with Penske, Ganassi and Andretti Green,” Andy O’Gara said.

It’s a challenge, to say the least. Fisher’s best finish in four 2007 races was an 11th at the opener in Homestead, Fla. She was 15th at St. Petersburg, 14th at Motegi, Japan, and 12th at Kansas.

Fisher is no stranger to doubt. In a male-dominated sport, she’s accepted it and moves on.

While much is made of Danica Patrick, it’s Fisher who has the greatest Indy car distinction for a woman. Fisher has the best finish, second at Homestead in 2001. She also became the first woman to win a pole, at Kentucky in 2002. While Patrick made a name for herself with a fourth-place 500 run in 2005, Fisher’s still the fastest at this track – she qualified at 229.439 mph in 2002.