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Caoendeigue, NY Mettrnger Hnunrtln Mrl Aru Pddry 0 13489 AUG 13. 1999 1111111111111 IN I ill 11 Ill 11111 ~~~© N3996 _ rer.s>ce~ Unser Jr. looks for new start El Al Unser Jr. will not be a part of Roger Penske's race team next season. By HARRY ATKINS AP Sports Writer W iW his new-look shaved head and that fanti6ar pudgy face, Al Unser.lr. looks a bit like an aging militnry recntit. And maybu Ihuis apprupriatv, becattse llte driver known as IJttle AI is going back to the basics once the CART season ends. Ile'a in need of a job. Unser, who hasn't won since ' 1996, is not rettuning in 2001) to the tearn of Roger Penske, for whom he has driven for the last six seasons. The parting was amicable, both men said. &till, there was undoubtedly some pain, "[toger and Marlhorn Teant Penske and I have had great suc- cess over the past few yeays Unser said. "What can I say? He gave mo nty second Indy 500 win and my second CART series championshilc" But thc 37-yearold 1tnsor is winlo~ w I I racl,s Wi.s seacnn atul his last 61 rnendl. Ili., nq, l`J:FJ tttt::'L su I'ar 's:w lilrlt iu Cleveland. TttatS quite a slide fur the dri- ver w'hu won the series title in hNJO ;md 1994. But things have bcrn downhill ~inrn 1994, his l7rst season with 1'enske - when hc won a record-tying eight tbnrs to ntatch Michasd Amlre•Itls 1991 rlm. 'Tlu• last tlnee years, we just havrti t bcen able to achieve suc- ees.v wtd mnintrin it," Unsersaid. Hr liuizluvtl secnnd in Ihe palufs in 11M1;,, when hr had futu ul' his:l l vuroer victuries. Dut he uurk,•s uu nvulugies fur dlr e6'nught 'Baai,:dly, if raeing wos e:uy, ' rvclYbndy wuuld be lluing it,' hr .aid. Iiuxr is p:u1 nl' rneinq ruyulIY, Ilia falh,•r, :\I, is n Iwu-luuo AP AI Unser Jr. shows his shaved head at last week's Grand Prix of Detroit. series clumtpirm mttl ruuutinte huliauapidid :,uU wtnnur. His mude•. t3uLby, is a threeiinte InJywhmer. l'hus,• wrre the glnry days. I'nvrr w;mtrrt tu rvcive his r;u'rri iu t'.-11fP rl,o 5vusun. but ;•opr, od 11 ur.mrc ull but dashed on Ihe tir'1 lap Il,is setuon. I Ir rr,tdmd ul HumesR•ad, 1•la., bmkr n Iog and nunsed the next tw'u ntr<5. Ildv ICth in tlm vmtdiugs alter a I5th-piare liuish la-a tiuu,laY in Ihr'1',•uurro Ain.~uuqi~,. t1r:u,d 1'rre ul'iIrlrnn. '..\, Inu':w we kr-p uywg pnt' bqst ,wdl tuni nut tLr Ihr, hrnt," I naer.uul. "1St~ rv. nut I.unr,lurk... Lu :my uu :me. .11u komC'u irr III<,•Iho .,b"d lu;;,t iG,p~.,' lu.. Intllh tirl,nv." n, unI lu„6:InC ILr ~ JuL :m• uul} I,.ut „I IV u'unb6,. Ilv al.,,, Ir,o p-,,uiLLJ pr,d,lents. I lia d,1 , Iem Iu, r. dy. Lav he,'n ,haku„e,.,/ utlli a r:ur ,'Cma! ,'„tvhquu IL~e ha P:uvlyerd hr, I,,,u, iLr,nr,t ~L,~nn I1„ri .,L. „ m ihr tina! Ibw months of his utarriage to his childhood sweedteat, Shelley. A['ter fottr rhildren and a stonny relationship, We L'nsers separat- ed :md Aegan divurcx pruceed- nt4s llUt wlntet'. -11y dicurce will be final in Uotaber,' Iuer said as his new girlfriend, Giua, listened in the backgruund ut The Raceway on Belle Ixlr. Tll be uble to lalk a lut owre about aiy fitture :dror tbat. '2iglu nuw, Ne been advised bc iny Imvyers not to say mueh." Iivrmtsc thn Peaske upcration baa heen In declh,e, L'nser knew Ihe lin:d yc:v ot' his cuntract toight end /Lr rel:uiuuslnp. ,Iu. he het"m talking W other trutu. H~•rausr ut his p,-nonal prublruu. wlhmg hae devel- upod, bm I lnrr h.LI uut rearhed u drnd rud. 'I !cn•r a arruu}, [rrliug / knnw ullrre I'utlu•ndrd,' nc naitl. I I,• Insists reln:uning i n t'ART is ht, lirst ,i,unrr. bm ducsn't du- r„ur;iKo tnik Ibatl hr v ndd muvc lu Iht• iital 11„13l;at :uK I i-aguo.