Who’s Number One?  There has been a long-standing tradition in
open-wheel racing that has gone by the wayside in recent years,
and I’m not sure why. For decades, it was considered an honor
for a driver to carry No.1 on their car to signify that they had
won the championship the previous year. Suddenly, no one does it
anymore.  In fact, the last driver to carry No.1 for the season
was Scott Dixon in 2004, on the heels of his 2003 championship
season. Perhaps his dismal performance in 2004 while carrying
the No.1 has influenced other champions to stay away from it.
Tony Kanaan stayed with No.11 after winning his 2004
championship.  Dan Wheldon actually wanted to carry No.1 on his
car after winning the 2005 championship. The only problem was
that he changed teams, leaving Andretti-Green to go to Ganassi.
As car owner, Michael Andretti exercised his right to not let
the No.1 leave the team. He instead, opted to carry No. 1 on his
own car in the 2006 Indianapolis 500, when he came out of
retirement to run against