Al Unser, Jr.

In the news tonight, it was disclosed that INDYCAR official and ex-driver Al Unser Jr. has slipped off the sobriety wagon again. Apparently, in the haze of his inebriation, Mr. Unser thought it would be a good idea to have a drag race with another motorist at speeds in excess of 100 mph, all of which while having a blood alcohol content of .16, twice the legal limit in New Mexico.

I know Mr. Unser's demon: It is one I face every day. I make no judgements about Al, Jr.'s relapse: They happen all too frequently for all too many alcoholics. Recently, Al had said in several interviews that he had beaten his problem. That very statement should have set off warning bells for any member of his family or friends. This is not a disease that is EVER beaten; rather it is held at bay on a day to day basis.

Each day that goes by that I remain sober, I consider it a personal victory. And, to be sure, when the stresses of business or personal setbacks take hold, it is a serious temptation to grab a beverage. Fortunately, my personal record is 486 and 0. (486 days, no slips.)  There is, however, no such thing as 486 and 1. Any "loss" on this won-loss record returns the "win" side to zero.

Medical and psychological professionals can all tell you the gory bad news about this disease: It gradually kills the liver, degrades mental capabilities, and ruins family relationships, just to name a few. And, to be sure, we ALL know the statistics about the mixture of alcohol and driving.

This isn't "Little Al's" first rodeo with drinking and driving. Regardless of how well he could control a vehicle at 100+ mph on a city street, even drunk, to engage in a drag race against another driver is an invitation to a tragedy. But then, there's an old saying: "God looks after fools and drunks." Apparently, in this case,  He did.

For its part, INDYCAR immediately suspended Mr. Unser and relieved him of his duties. But the loss of his job is only the beginning of his battle now rejoined. We have all seen success stories from these periodic battles, as well as failures. Only Al, Jr. can determine how his story will be told going forward.