Paul Tracy was in pole position for a full-time drive with Team Penske for the 1993 Indycar season. But when he arrived for a test at Firebird International Raceway in December '92, he still didn't have the deal confirmed.
Just days earlier the legendary Rick Mears had announced his retirement from the cockpit at the Penske Christmas party, so Tracy, who had raced Mears's car on occasions in '92 as part of a schedule that took in 11 of the 16 events, was optimistic. Then two limousines arrived at Firebird, and out stepped Formula 1 world champion royalty.
"I was already in the car - the test had already started," says Tracy today. "I'm in the pits and I see these limos show up outside the track. They had to open the gate for them to come across, and I thought it was weird. Then out of the limos come Emerson Fittipaldi and Ayrton Senna.