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"I have discovered that regardless of what my passion says, despitewhat I command my mind to do, I am no longer able to give my wholebeing, my total focus at the exclusion of everything else to thissport that I love," Fangio told Gurney. "99% is not enough, I shallstop."
With very mixed feelings of sadness, understanding and approval,Gurney accepted Juan's decision and told him that the greatest regretof his career as a team owner was the fact that All American Racershas not been able to offer him a competitive car/engine package inthe last two years worthy of his immense driving talent.
"In many ways, Juan has been the linchpin of the entire AAR Toyotateam effort and now an era has ended," Gurney said. "I am sorry itended this way without a CART victory."
Victories, however, are not lacking in Fangio's resume. During thetwelve year relationship with AAR, which dates back to the IMSAGTU/GTO days of 1985, he captured two GTP Driver's Championships, twoManufacturer's Championships for Toyota, won twice the Sebring 12Hour Race, captured 10 pole positions and garnered 21 GTP victoriesand an IMSA record 19 solo triumphs, blazing a glorious trail acrossthe skies of American sports car racing. Fangio, who Gurney called a"chip off the old uncle," was named to the American Auto RacingWriters and Broadcasters Association's (AARWBA) first-team AllAmerican in 1992 and 1993 and was named the AARWBA "1992 Driver ofthe Year."
A gentleman in a driver's suit with a core of steel exuding an auraof Latin American dignity and honor even in the worst ofcircumstances will be missing from the grid," Gurney said in tributeto Fangio. "The whole AAR racing team, his mechanics, the engineersand the office staff say: 'Gracias Juanito.' We will miss youterribly!"
A race-by-race review of Juan Manuel Fangio II's 1997 PPG CART WorldSeries season in the Castrol/Jockey AAR Reynard Toyota.
- 1997 Starts: 17
1997 Wins: 0
1997 Poles: 0
1997 Top Start: 17th
1997 Top Finish: 10th
1997 Point Standing: 23 (9)
Last CART Win: N/A Last CART Pole: N/A
Homestead - Finished 20th after starting 25th, overcoming electricalproblems to be the final car running at the checkered flag —Performance was nearly identical to his 1996 effort at Homestead,when he started 26th and finished 21st —20th in PPG Cup points (0).
Australia - Started 22nd and finished 20th Completed 37 laps beforeexiting due to a car fire Qualifying effort was second-best sincestart of the 1996 season —23rd in PPG Cup points (0).
Long Beach - Started 23rd and finished 26th, completing 27 lapsbefore encountering electrical problems ... Qualifying effortimproved on last year's showing at Long Beach, when he started 26th... 26th-place finish ended mini-streak of two consecutive 20th-placeefforts to start the season ... 26th in PPG Cup points (0).
Nazareth - Started 25th and finished a season-high 15th —Finishingposition was the second-best of the season for the Toyota engine,behind Max Papis' 14th-place effort in Australia —Came within threelaps of finishing before a car fire ended his day with the leaders onthe 223rd of 225 laps —22nd in PPG Cup points (0).
Rio de Janeiro - Started 28th and finished 20th, completing 80 of 133laps before retiring due to engine problems —Did not record aqualifying attempt after car stalled on the back straightaway as hewas about to begin his run —Has improved his position from start tofinish in four of five events this season, and in eight of the past10 dating back to last season —Has finished 20th in three of fiveevents this season —23rd in PPG Cup points (0).
Gateway - Qualified and finished 23rd, completing 37 of 236 lapsbefore retiring due to an engine problem —Qualifying effort was hisbest of the season on an oval, exceeded overall only by a 22nd-placeeffort at Australia, and matched the best oval-track qualifyingperformance of his career —23rd in PPG Cup points (0).
Milwaukee - Qualified and finished 21st, completing 103 of 200 lapsbefore retiring due to contact Qualifying effort marked his bestoval-track qualifying performance of the season, improving on a 23rdat the Gateway, and was the best start in 12 career oval-trackappearances —25th in PPG Cup points (0).
Detroit - Qualified 23rd and started 22nd after the withdrawal ofPaul Tracy —Finished 10th, 11.140 seconds behind winner Greg Moore —Finish was his first points-producing effort of the season, thesecond of his career, and the best for a Toyota engine since Fangio'seighth-place effort at Road America last season —Combined with MaxPapis' 11th-place performance at Detroit, it also marked the firsttime since last year's race at Road America (where Papis finishedninth) that two Toyota-powered cars have finished in the points inthe same event Improvement of 12 spots from start to finish was thegreatest in the 27-car field —21st in PPG Cup points (3).
Portland - Qualified 17th and finished 22nd, five laps behind winnerMark Blundell —Qualifying performance was his best of the season,bettering his previous best of 21st at Milwaukee, and was his bestsince qualifying 12th at New Hampshire in 1995 in his second PPG CARTWorld Series career start —Finish marked only the second time innine starts this season that he has failed to equal or improve on hisstarting position —22nd in PPG Cup points (3).
Cleveland - Qualified 23rd and finished 21st, completing 85 of 90laps before retiring due to engine problems —Improved from start tofinish for the second time in three events and the sixth time thisseason —22nd in PPG Cup points (3).
Toronto - Qualified 25th and finished 19th, four laps behind winnerMark Blundell —Finish was his third best of the season, exceededonly by a 10th at Detroit and 15th at Nazareth —Finishing positionimproved upon or equaled his start for the ninth time in 11 eventsthis season, and seventh in the past eight —22nd in PPG Cup points(3).
Michigan - Qualified 25th and finished 11th, completing 226 of 250laps before retiring due to transmission problems —Finish was hissecond-highest of the season to date, exceeded only by a 10th atDetroit, and his third points-paying effort in 28 starts with Toyota(eighth last year at Road America) —Finish was also his best in 13PPG CART World Series career starts on ovals —Improved from start tofinish for the third consecutive event and the eighth time in 12starts this season —Was one of six drivers who started 20th or lowerand earned points by finishing 12th or higher —24th in PPG Cuppoints (5).
Mid-Ohio - Qualified and finished 25th, completing 13 of 83 lapsbefore retiring due to engine problems Finish was his lowest since a26th at Long Beach, but he equaled or improved on his startingposition for the 10th time in 12 races —24th in PPG Cup points (5).
Road America - Qualified 21st and finished 10th, 78.457 secondsbehind winner Alex Zanardi —Collected a points-paying finish for thesecond time in three events, his best stretch of finishes sincescoring in the first three starts of his PPG CART World Series careerin 1995 —Also has posted three consecutive finishes in the points atRoad America, including sixth in 1995 and eighth last year,representing three of his seven points-producing finishes in 34 PPGCART World Series starts —Qualifying performance matched his secondbest of the season (Milwaukee) and was exceeded only by a 17th atPortland —22nd in PPG Cup points (8).
Vancouver - Qualified 24th and finished 12th, two laps behind winnerMauricio Gugelmin —Finish allowed him to collect PPG Cup points forthe third time in four starts, including an 11th at Michigan and a10th at Road America I Current stretch of finishes is his best sincescoring in the first three starts of his PPG CART World Series careerin 1995, at Portland (ninth), Road America (sixth) and Mid-Ohio(seventh) —Finish was a career-best in three starts at Vancouver IImprovement of 12 places from start to finish matched Hiro Matsushita(26th to 14th) for second best in the field, behind Al Unser Jr.(22nd to fifth) —22nd in PPG Cup points (9).
Laguna Seca - Qualified 22nd and finished 15th, three laps behindwinner Jimmy Vasser —Finish was his fourth top-15 effort in the lastfive starts, after earning only two through the season's first 11events —Improved from start to finish for the sixth time in sevenevents and has gained an average of 8.7 spots in those six starts —23rd in PPG Cup points (9).
California - Qualified 18th and finished 27th, retiring due to anengine fire as the field was approaching the green flag for theopening lap Finish ended a streak of three consecutive top-15performances and four in his five previous starts Qualifyingperformance was his second best of the season, exceeded only by a17th at Portland Finished 23rd in PPG Cup points (9).
1998: For the first time in two decades, the great racing name ofFangio will not appear in major league motorsports competition.Fangio announced on Saturday, November 15, that he has decided toretire to spend more time with his wife Viviana and their three smallchildren. A replacement driver for the Castrol/Jockey AAR ReynardToyota has not been named.
Source: CART News Service