JoeBob
08-24-03, 11:55 PM
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/7811/
American Spirit Team Johansson - along with what seemed half the CART paddock - celebrated Jimmy Vasser’s 200th Champ Car start with a surprise party yesterday afternoon. Among the highlights of the affair - MC’d by SPEED Channel’s Derek Daly - was veteran race reporter Robin Miller’s ribald tribute to Vasser and Oriol Servia’s presentation to Vasser of a bent steering arm from the Patrick Racing Reynard JV crashed at Detroit in 2001 while scrubbing his tires during a full-course yellow.
The unrivaled climax of the party, however, came in the form of a tape of Alex Zanardi singing his tribute to his old friend and former Target/Chip Ganassi teammate. The recording was made in a phone call from Zanardi from his boat off the coast of Monaco earlier in the week, with the lyrics as follows:
“Oh Jimmy”
Oh Jimmy,
My sweet old friend.
200 races ago, for sure you didn’t know if you’d have won or not!
Oh Jimmy
How young were you at that time
A hungry kid with his heart..now you’re just an old fart!
But you won’t give up again.
Oh Jimmy,
I wish I was there with you!
But for how slow you are going (please don’t hate me if I’m saying)
You should be on the boat with me!
Oh Jimmy
I love you my old friend
I thought you were racing for passion then you signed with Johansson!
And I didn’t understand...
Oh Jimmy
Remember the good old days?
We were young,
We were fast, but that’s now our past.
Really sweet memories!
Oh Jimmy
How great was ’96?
Your first title, my first win/
Then my pass with that swing!
Poor Bryan but good for me!
Oh Jimmy
With all our success, How happy was Chip?
And he paid us just a tip!!
But hell, those were the good days!
Oh Jimmy,
Even when it came my time
You were happy for me!
So I did really see how big your hear could be!
Oh Jimmy
You’ve always been the same…A great friend
Through good times, just a smile and no lies,
Love you and I miss you a lot!!
Oh Jimmy
To need you my cool friend, it’s a gift I’ve been given.
And Greg watching from heaven..
I’m sure he feels the same..
Oh Jimmy
I hope I’ll see you soon..but for now my good friend,
Try to win races again!
Were all so proud of you!
Oh Jimmy
I can offer you a job if next year you get screwed...
You can then join my crew! And we will have a laugh
(Repeat last line)
American Spirit Team Johansson - along with what seemed half the CART paddock - celebrated Jimmy Vasser’s 200th Champ Car start with a surprise party yesterday afternoon. Among the highlights of the affair - MC’d by SPEED Channel’s Derek Daly - was veteran race reporter Robin Miller’s ribald tribute to Vasser and Oriol Servia’s presentation to Vasser of a bent steering arm from the Patrick Racing Reynard JV crashed at Detroit in 2001 while scrubbing his tires during a full-course yellow.
The unrivaled climax of the party, however, came in the form of a tape of Alex Zanardi singing his tribute to his old friend and former Target/Chip Ganassi teammate. The recording was made in a phone call from Zanardi from his boat off the coast of Monaco earlier in the week, with the lyrics as follows:
“Oh Jimmy”
Oh Jimmy,
My sweet old friend.
200 races ago, for sure you didn’t know if you’d have won or not!
Oh Jimmy
How young were you at that time
A hungry kid with his heart..now you’re just an old fart!
But you won’t give up again.
Oh Jimmy,
I wish I was there with you!
But for how slow you are going (please don’t hate me if I’m saying)
You should be on the boat with me!
Oh Jimmy
I love you my old friend
I thought you were racing for passion then you signed with Johansson!
And I didn’t understand...
Oh Jimmy
Remember the good old days?
We were young,
We were fast, but that’s now our past.
Really sweet memories!
Oh Jimmy
How great was ’96?
Your first title, my first win/
Then my pass with that swing!
Poor Bryan but good for me!
Oh Jimmy
With all our success, How happy was Chip?
And he paid us just a tip!!
But hell, those were the good days!
Oh Jimmy,
Even when it came my time
You were happy for me!
So I did really see how big your hear could be!
Oh Jimmy
You’ve always been the same…A great friend
Through good times, just a smile and no lies,
Love you and I miss you a lot!!
Oh Jimmy
To need you my cool friend, it’s a gift I’ve been given.
And Greg watching from heaven..
I’m sure he feels the same..
Oh Jimmy
I hope I’ll see you soon..but for now my good friend,
Try to win races again!
Were all so proud of you!
Oh Jimmy
I can offer you a job if next year you get screwed...
You can then join my crew! And we will have a laugh
(Repeat last line)