Pruett Legacy Series

• Three Limited-Edition Two-Bottle Sets: 1980s / 1990s / 2000s

• Premium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

• Custom Racing Artwork by Roger Warrick

• Beautifully Crafted Presentation Box

1986 was a pivotal year in my racing career. After 17 years of successfully racing Go-Karts (both at a non-professional and professional level), a couple of great racing opportunities under the Ford umbrella, writing letters, knocking on doors, and making phone calls… the phone finally rang back. It was Michael Kranafuss, the head of Ford Motorsports, calling. He was offering me my first ever full time PAID racing gig.

I was on the plane before the ink had dried, leaving my home in sunny California heading to Livonia Michigan where I would live with (the now legendary) team owner Jack Roush. I was twenty-five years old and felt like “I’m finally here”. Big car. Full time. Factory Driver. It was incredibly exciting yet also scarier than shit because it was now my time to put up or shut up. 

At the shop, we were eating, sleeping, and breathing cars, preparing for the season with the singular focus of winning. First race up: the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. 

The best part was, not only did we get it done, but we had some amazing results. Finishing second at Daytona, coming back last turn of the last lap to win the 12 hours of Sebring, along with six additional race wins. All which led us to winning the Driver’s Championship, Endurance Championship, and Manufacturer’s Championship.  It was one hell of a year. 

1986 held more surprises. While racing the full IMSA GTO season as a Ford Factory “works” driver for Jack Roush, and being successful, I began thinking about the next step up into the pinnacle IMSA GTP class. How can I get there? What opportunities are there? Who can I talk to? Back to writing letters, making calls, knocking on doors, and talking to anyone and everyone that would listen. When I was asked by Bruce Levin (owner of Bayside Disposal) to compete at the Columbus Ford Dealers 500, driving a Porsche 962 with the great Bob Wollek, I was elated.  

First, I would have to get permission from Ford Motor Company to drive for a factory backed Porsche program. That may sound simple, but you know that word I used, “works”? That means I belonged to them (Ford). It was a big ask and I am forever grateful they said yes.

Once again, my excitement hit the Richter scale, followed closely by the “oh shit” feeling. Primarily because I had never raced a GTP car. It didn’t take long for the fear to evaporate in the excitement and adrenaline.

Bob and I took the #85 Porsche 962 to a solid race and ultimately victory lane at the Columbus Ford Dealers 500. My first overall victory in a hard-fought street race. All I could think was, “more please”. 

The ‘90’s were like the saying about the month of March…it came in like a lion. Starting off with a horrific IndyCar crash (in March) during which I broke my back in two places, shattered both knees, both ankles and heels. I spent my 30th birthday in a hospital bed, grateful to be alive. 

Follow that up with a triumphant return to racing, only to have the Indy Car team I was driving for have to fold one year into our three- year contract.  I managed to put together a little bit of racing in 1993, but my focus was getting back behind the wheel of an IndyCar. My luck began to change when I was given the opportunity to do all the testing for Bridgestone-Firestone as they prepared for their return to IndyCar. 

Kicking off 1994, I got my first overall victory at the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona! Then off to testing for Bridgestone Firestone. I love testing and development and I love racing, but they are very different. Racing wheel-to-wheel with other cars in changing conditions, traffic, difficult tracks…that’s a completely different story. You can’t just stop when something goes wrong in a race.  I wanted to keep my race craft sharp. I needed to race.

So, I jumped at the opportunity to drive for Buz McCall in his factory Chevrolet Trans Am program that same year. We ran thirteen races that season. By staying consistent we won the 1994 Championship (My second Trans Am Championship. The first was in 1987). 

The 90’s turned out to bring me many blessings. One: I was still alive. Two: I met the woman that would become my wife. Three: I was given the opportunity to race this Royal Oak Chevrolet against very tough competitors, with an amazing sponsor and a wonderful team Owner. 

And that was only halfway through the decade…

1995 marked my full season return to IndyCar, driving the red-white-blue Firestone Lola powered by a Cosworth engine and Firestone’s return to racing. Although I was the driver for the testing of the Firestone tires in 1994, logging 25-30,000 miles, we didn’t yet know how it would translate to actual race weekends and the demand racing puts on the tires.

It was a pressure cooker season. Firestone had done a tremendous job developing the tires.  We came out of the box strong and ran well all year. In May, at the Indianapolis 500, we were the closest to winning I had ever been. Unfortunately, with about 18 laps to go, a series of unfortunate events would end with me hitting some oil on the track resulting in a pretty hard crash that sent me flying into the catch fence. The car was ripped in two… along with my heart.

We came right back at the Michigan 500 with the car, team and me stronger than ever. It was a battle to the checkered flag that came down to Al Unser Jr. and I fighting it out for the final few laps. I was able to pull off a last-lap, last-turn pass for the win by just three-thousandths of a second…the closest finish in IndyCar history at that time. “Little Al” and I still talk about how exciting that was, for both of us.

This team victory gave me my first IndyCar win and marked Firestone’s return to the top of the podium.

By the end of the 90’s, after wrapping up a full ten years in IndyCar, I moved to NASCAR for a full season in 2000. To make a long (horrible) story short, a lot of promises were made…and broken, hard lessons learned.

In 2001 I stepped back from full-time racing, moved my family back to the west coast, and did some TV work for ABC and ESPN. One highlight that year was the opportunity to race with the factory Corvette team in the Le Mans endurance race where we won in class. It was a fantastic experience and felt great to be back behind the wheel.

While working full time for Speed TV in 2002 covering the IndyCar series, I was also able to run a couple of NASCAR road course races for Chip Ganassi. As much fun as broadcasting was, it couldn’t compare to the thrill of racing. I missed it and I wanted more. 

At the end of 2002, the opportunity came to return to full-time racing with the factory Jaguar team in the Trans Am series. We ran 12 races in the 2003 season, winning nine of them, two second place finishes, and one DNF. It was a dominating year in the Jaguar.

 At 42 years old, I had won my third Trans Am championship in three different decades. It was a very special car, a special team, and a magical season.

Oh the places you’ll go… and the stories this car (and I) could tell. 

It began with a conversation at the end of 2003, that led to me signing a one-year contract with the Ganassi and Telmex organization, to drive a Lexus powered Prototype car in the 2004 IMSA series. I knew it was a great organization, what I didn’t know was what an amazing impact and Legacy this 01 car would come to represent.

The 2004 season resulted in us winning the Championship and turned into 12 years of me driving the 01 car for Chip Ganassi and Telmex (one year at a time). Over the course of those 12 years we earned: five Championships, 41 wins, and four over-all victories at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, with three different manufacturers (Lexus, BMW and Ford). 

I could have never imagined competing successfully into my mid-to-late 50’s. Those 12 years racing the 01 car were some of the most memorable and wonderful of my entire career. So many talented teammates, crew members, sponsors, fans and experiences that are etched on my heart and in my mind. Blessed beyond measure and grateful for my Life in Racing.

Hi to my family at home!

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