Fisher effort earns crew chief Brawner award.

A chief mechanic faces enough pressure at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway just trying to prepare a car fast and stable enough to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, but what if your small-budget outfit loses its primary sponsorship money, you're only 24 years old and your driver happens to be your newly-wed wife and co-owner?

Welcome to Andy O'Gara's world in May 2008. Despite the obstacles, however, O'Gara and his crew assembled a quality ride for Sarah Fisher, who guided the #67 Dallara-Honda to a position on the inside of row eight for the 92nd Indy 500. For the effort, O'Gara has been named the winner of the 2008 Clint Brawner Mechanical Excellence Award.

Presented annually since 1987 by the Clint Brawner Foundation, and underwritten by Firestone Racing, the award recognises an Indy 500 chief mechanic who 'exemplifies the mechanical and scientific creativity, ingenuity, perseverance, dedication, enthusiasm and expertise' of its legendary namesake, who was the chief mechanic on winning cars in 51 AAA- and USAC-sanctioned national championship races, as well as six season champions.

O'Gara received a $5000 cheque and plaque to commemorate his honour during a ceremony prior to Carb Day practice at the Brickyard, while O'Gara's name will also be inscribed on a permanent trophy housed inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.

"This is an absolute honour," O'Gara said, "I definitely wasn't expecting it. I have to thank Firestone and the entire Clint Brawner Foundation. To be recognised with somebody like Clint, it is incredible. I know how much he meant to open-wheel racing, I know how much he meant to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and I know how I feel about both of them. I know how hard we worked to get here and this is just above and beyond anything I expected."

O'Gara grew up in a mechanic's world, as his father, John, was a long-time wrenchman in the IndyCar Series before teaming with Fisher to form Sarah Fisher Racing over the winter. Andy learned his craft working with his dad in recent years at Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, before marrying Fisher last September, ensuring that the team would be a family business through and through.

Fisher announced a major sponsor early this year, one that was expected to provide funding to run Indy and several other 2008 events before undertaking a full schedule in 2009, but the money never arrived, and her eponymous team has had to scramble to find the funds to keep itself on track in the month of May. Somehow, Fisher and O'Gara kept the team focused on its goal to make the race.

"I couldn't ask for a better group of guys," O'Gara said, "We got to a certain point [when the future was in question] and just said 'okay, there's no looking back'. You get past that 50 per cent hump and just keep digging. We haven't had a single episode all month....

"Sarah and I go home and talk about everything every night, in and out of racing. Sarah's done a great job. How she flips the switch when she gets in the car is amazing. There have been days when we realise what we're up against yet, instantly, on the second lap, she's up over 220-221mph. She certainly is a professional, and it's an honour to be here."