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closeRacing against the big money: Fisher hopes to defy the odds
OPINION
DAVE KALLMANN
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Saturday, May. 17, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS – Her savings dwindle by the minute, yet Sarah Fisher smiles.
Hers is a look of contentment, too, a broad grin of sisterly confidence, not some uncomfortable, oh ... my ... gosh ... sort of expressions.
The six-time Indianapolis 500 starter knows precisely what she's gotten herself into in her first try as an owner.
"We're still in the red," Fisher said Saturday. "I love racing. I don't care.
"I've been at ground zero before and had to start all over, and I'm not afraid to do it again."
Fisher and husband Mark O'Gara gambled everything they have on this start-up venture, from their money to their relationship to their sanity.
It's a million-dollar proposition, and they cannot win. Not the race next Sunday, anyway.
Not against the Penskes, Ganassis and Andretti Greens of the IndyCar world. Not over Helio Castroneves or Scott Dixon. Not over Danica Patrick, with her $5 million in personal services deals that far surpass Fisher's entire budget.
Realistically, all Fisher can hope is to prove her point, replace red ink with black and build toward the future.
So yes, this is a labor of love. It's a marathon run one tiny step at a time - build a team, assemble a car, get up to speed, qualify and race - and every step so far has brought a smile.
"I qualified my car today," Fisher said after checking off another accomplishment.
"And it is my car. I have a feeling of pride to be able to do that."
Fisher averaged 221.246 mph over her four-lap, 10-mile run to earn the 22nd starting position for the race's 92nd running.
She was 11th-fastest among 22 to try, and Fisher was ready for a nap.
"As a driver, I'm a little disappointed in the weather," Fisher said of her qualifying laps on a blustery day. "It hurt us on Lap 2, and I had to lift a little to get the car settled down to turn, and I'm upset. As an owner, I'm glad I did that.
"It's sort of a two-headed job, and I'm having fun doing it. There's a lot of stress and a lot of hours."
Fisher, 27, landed in the Indy Racing League in 1999 and quickly became the darling of the series' fans. Driving for smaller teams, she managed some success - three top-five finishes, including a runner-up in the 2001 season opener - but her results could never match her popularity.
Fisher flirted with NASCAR briefly, and by the time she returned in 2006, her star power had been eclipsed astronomically by Patrick. While Patrick was making history last month as the first woman to win a major open-wheel race, Fisher was scrambling to field her own team.
The task was made more daunting when sponsorship from ResQ Pure Power Energy Drink failed to materialize.
Several other companies (including Milwaukee's Direct Supply) have provided support, and even fans have helped build the petty cash fund at Sarah Fisher Racing $5, $10 and $20 at a time.
"It's above five grand right now," she said. "It's been amazing that people do that.
"I've had a couple people that are more well-to-do and can afford to do so that have written checks for like a thousand dollars, more than that, saying, 'Here, this is from my own personal savings account. I love what you do. I love you being a role model for my kids, and I want to help.' "
Fisher's moxie has been recognized around the garage, too.
"She's been here before. It's not like she had to do it," said veteran driver Davey Hamilton, another qualifier Saturday. "It's just that she had passion, and her whole family has passion to risk their well-being in life to do this."
Fisher hasn't sweated her position, at least not outwardly, and she's kept her complaining and the questioning "why me?" to a minimum, understanding how any of that could shred the morale of her small team.
Having qualified, Fisher's focus now shifts completely to the race.
The goal for practice is to make her car handle as consistently as possible throughout a full tank of fuel. In a week it will be on survival through 500 miles, mechanically, mentally, physically and financially.
In her six previous tries, she has never finished on the lead lap, never placed better than her 18th last year.
"We'd celebrate quite heavily after a top-10 here as a first-year team," Fisher said, when asked how she'd quantify success.
Then she smiled. Again.
