Second Chance for Indy Ride
Racing for his ailing father, Miami's Max Papis gets surprise
berth in 500
BY SARAH ROTHSCHILD, Miami Herald
May 27, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS - Max Papis presumed he would
watch the Indianapolis 500 from the couch in his Miami home with
his wife.
But after reaching an 11th-hour deal, he'll drive for Cheever
Racing in Sunday's race.
Owner Eddie Cheever Jr., who is coming out of retirement for
the event, had told Papis, ''If I have an opportunity, I'll put
you in a car.'' Papis just never envisioned it actually would
happen. The 36-year-old, who has driven in Formula One and CART,
among other series, came to Indianapolis as a spectator with
no intention of getting a ride.
''He's not one to go around begging and asking people for
a ride,'' said Papis' wife, Tatiana.
And now that he'll make his second start in the Indy 500,
Papis is experiencing a rush of emotions. The bubbly Papis is
elated, but also feels a tinge of sadness.
His father, Cesare, who lives in Papis' native Como, Italy,
just north of Milan, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in
December, and doctors told him he had just a few months to live.
''This Sunday he's going to be riding with me,'' said Papis,
who will start on the outside of Row 6 (18th). ``People think
I'm a fighter, but I'm only one-tenth of my dad.''
LAST INDY 500 RUN
Papis has been itching to return to the Indy 500 since a disappointing
run in 2002. A brake problem made it difficult for him to get
into a rhythm, and he finished four laps down in 23rd.
''I thought, I don't know if I'm going to have the chance
again. Every time I thought about the Indy 500 I didn't like
the thoughts I had, because we didn't do justice to what we could
have done,'' Papis said.
``I didn't want people to think of Max Papis as the guy who
just saw the checkered flag in Indianapolis.''
Papis has added motivation because his father-in-law, Emerson
Fittipaldi, is a two-time Indy 500 winner and close friend Alex
Zanardi is a two-time CART champion who fell short of competing
in this race.
A near-fatal racing in 2001 ended Zanardi's Indy 500 hopes
because he had to have both legs amputated; to honor Zanardi,
Papis will affix a sticker on his helmet featuring American and
Italian flags.
''I'm not here just to be here,'' Papis said. ``I need to
control the emotion and let the positive vibes and positive emotion
push me.''
Papis -- who has won in CART (including his first series win
at Homestead in March 2000), the 24 Hours at Daytona in 2002
and twice has been runner-up in the 24 Hours of Le Mans -- grew
up dreaming of racing in the Indy 500. He's emphatic when he
says he expects to turn heads. He doesn't fear any of the other
32 drivers in the field, adding that he has raced against many
of them before.
''He has a lot to prove,'' Cheever said. ``If he gets a good
car that he can manhandle, I think he'll be a tough cookie.''
Papis has had little track time, rounding the 2.5-mile oval
a total of about 65 times before qualifying on Pole Day last
Saturday. Still, Papis insists he'll be in the hunt.
DAD ON HIS MIND
Recently, Papis has focused less on racing and more on his
father's condition. His father came to Miami two weeks ago to
visit and see an oncologist. He continues to undergo chemotherapy,
and wanted to make the trip to Indianapolis but came down with
a fever.
Cheever said he hasn't noticed a change in Papis' demeanor
but knows it must be difficult coping with his father's situation
because four years ago, in his last Indy 500 start, his dad was
dying.
''I love being around Max,'' Cheever said. ``With Max it's
like buying jam in a glass jar. You get what you see.''
Cheever and Papis conversed over milkshakes and discussed
the possibility of Papis sliding into the pit. A day later, Cheever
informed Papis that Sportclips had agreed to sponsor the No.
52.
This weekend marks the beginning of a whirlwind schedule for
Papis, who will return to Miami on Tuesday and depart several
hours later for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In July, Tatiana is
to deliver their first child, a boy they plan to name Marco.
For now, though, Papis is focused on two things: winning the
Borg Warner-Trophy and chugging some milk. If he doesn't find
Victory Lane, Papis said it wouldn't crush him. Not when he finally
got what he wanted -- a second chance.
''When I chased to be here, it didn't happen. Now it happened
because it's meant to happen,'' Papis said, ``and I'm going to
make Sunday a day I and everyone else will remember for a long
time.''