The only thing Barry Wanser failed to do on Sunday afternoon at Nashville Speedway was hold back the tears that were welling in his eyes.
He’d just clinched the third NTT IndyCar Series championship in four seasons with Alex Palou and the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda entry he leads. One year ago, when Palou and the No. 10 crew were celebrating their second championship at Portland International Raceway, Wanser was missing. More accurately, he was missing from the event and the joyous revelry because he was at home in Indiana, facing the scariest challenge of his life.
A few weeks earlier, cancer was found in his mouth and tongue, and with his driver on the cusp of winning a second IndyCar title, Wanser wanted to wait until the IndyCar championship was completed before tending to his own needs. Thankfully, his doctor interceded; Wanser informed the team that his season was over. Battling cancer needed to start immediately, and that meant skipping Portland and the finale at Laguna Seca to perform surgery and commence chemotherapy.
Palou and the No. 10 did their best to keep Wanser in the loop, and to have him there in spirit with his headshot placed on paddles that were placed on each of the Ganassi timing stands. But the excitement wasn’t the same without their car leader. And that’s where the tears and overwhelming emotion on display from Wanser and his teammates in victory lane on Sunday told a tale of brother and sisterhood that goes much deeper than wins and trophies.
Even when he was absent, Wanser remained a huge part of the No. 10 team. Michael L. Levitt/Motorsport Images
Free of cancer, back where he belonged, Wanser stood at the back of the No. 10 Honda, surveyed the packed scene with his crew and driver and colleagues, and his wife Laurie, and was struck by the special nature of what they’d achieved, something that wasn’t guaranteed for the New York native last year when surviving cancer was his sole priority.
“I just I don’t know what to say; I haven’t focused on myself, just the team, but it’s pretty special to be here in person,” Wanser told RACER. “It’s just a pleasure racing with his team and our great people and Alex. It’s awesome. But now I need to let it sink in because a year ago, I had my first surgery.”
Wanser couldn’t speak immediately following the procedure that cut the cancer from his mouth, and while his voice was soon heard, his post-surgery experience was one of intense and often excruciating pain. He wanted to return to work as quickly as possible, but team owner Chip Ganassi and managing director Mike Hull made sure Wanser’s offseason was spent with a slow restoration of health and energy as his lone task to accomplish.
Naturally, his warm and friendly ways were missed at the shop, but Wanser put the extra time to good use and was ready to return to the timing stand for the opening race in March. All of his subsequent cancer screenings have been negative, and while it took a bit longer than he wanted to reclaim all of his strength, Palou and crew chief Ricky Davis and the rest of the No. 10 team had their team manager, race strategist, and friend sitting at his post, directing the effort, and coordinating the program as it marched to its third IndyCar crown in four years.
“This is pretty special,” said Wanser, who’s been part of 15 of Ganassi’s 16 IndyCar titles. “We can’t get through our difficulties in life without support and support from our teams and our racing community, and it means a lot to me.”
Wanser is a hero and role model of humble excellence to many in the paddock. As his wife approached him in victory lane, the sight of his own hero drawing near was enough to make him surrender to those tears. His greatest support system was finally there.
“And my wife Laurie as well,” he said as his voice softened. “She’s my rock.”
