The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 26

-WEDNESDAY, MAY 80, 1956 PAGE 2 Race Holds Promise Of New Record Topping 135 MPH THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR U.S. Auto Club Producing '500' With Personnel Used By AAA Fast Field, Track Set Stage Barring Fickle Weather, Fate chanc; Duane Carter, driver, and Col. Arthur W. Herring-ton, adviser. These men later were voted permanent position on the contest board.

Col Herring-ton is organizing a USAC Sport Commission. ELS5j5502fja5ssl7 ijVfcW i'ii Cliff Bergere Set All-Time Mile Record Young "500" driver will have to go, go, go to mash the all-time Speedway mileage record et by silvery haired Cliff Bergere. Cliff, who ha retired both a a race driver and Hollywood tunt man after a long, action-packed career, zoomed around the Speedway track for 6,545 miles. Year will pas before any driver in the current field approaches that mark. Chet Miller, who totaled 4,900 mile before he wa killed in 1953, and Mauri Roe, who completed 5,475 before he retired In 1951, were the only driver in recent year who had good chance of catching up with Cliff.

Leader In the all-time (landings: Cliff Bergere Maurie Rose. 5,475 Louis Meyer 5,240 Wilbur Shaw 5.1 fin Tony Gulott 4,970 Chet Miller 4,900 Ted Horn 4,862.5 Ralph Hepburn 4,512.5 Ralph 4.060 Ralph Mulford 4,030 WORKING I II Col. llerrington are A. C. Pill-bury and Gordon Bets of Beverly Hill, T.

E. Allen of Chicago; Tom Frot of Warrington, Rusell Bos of Providence, R.I.; C. W. Van Ranst and Tommy Milton of Detroit; Fred Offenhauer of Los Angeles; D. J.

Cummlngs of Columbus, William Smyth of Philadelphia; Roh. ert C. Wilkes of Milwaukee and Ross Hadley of Los Angeles. USAC, its officials identified by the red, white and blue armband, ha been in complete charge of the Speedway from the day it opened, April 28. It iMBMi all afety regula-tionsMkerves all track ac-1 1 itBmriM'-K rookie driver famJBRr izulinn tests anil watcrwa over the actual 500-Mile Race from start to finish, with expert observers stationed strategically around the track, in the pits and garage area.

Chief steward again this year is Harry McQuinn, a former race driver. Aitlng him in key operative roles are Harlan Fengler, referee, and Paul Johruon, tward. This group pane final judgment on protets arising during the race. The personnel is he same as in past years but ihe armbands worn by track officials today spell out USAC as the 1'nited State Auto Club produce its first 500-Mile Race. Gone i the American Automobile Association from big-time automobile racing.

The AAA gave up the (hip last winter after being an important part of thi race ince 1921. WHERE THE AAA stopped, USAC picked up the ball with every department of racing, Including fans, having a voice in the new organization. USAC director expanded their racing program, adding three event to the big-car championship achedule, broadened eligibility rules and have shown great Interest in stock-car racing. Its contest board is representative of promoter, car owners, driver and mechanic. USAC was born early last September at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

A temporary committee was comprised of Tony Hulman, Indianapolis Speedway owner; Tom Marchese, Milwaukee promoter; George Ober, Indianapolis lawyer and Speedway City magitrate; Bob Este of Inglewood, car owner; Herb Porter; me- guess is that the winner will make two pit stops. A. 3. WATSON, mechanic of the pole-wlnnlng John Zink Special driven by Pat Flaherty, contend that he plan to run a rce with only on pit top. Tf he does, he will be the exception rather than the rule.

Driver Indicated during pre-race praclice that they plan to run the first phase of the race at between 142 and 143 mile an Thi sizzling pace i likely to take a big toll in automobile with the probability looming that there will not be a large number of cars finihing the rce. Who will win it? That i anybody' gues. This i probsbly the most wide-open "500" in postwar history with more than a dozen drivers standing an excellent chance of taking checkered flag first. BUT, IF REALLY pressed for an answer, we will give you this order of finish: Flrat Pat O'C onnor in the Ansted-Rotary Special. Second Johnny Thomson In the Peter Schmidt Special.

Third Johnnie Parsona In the Agajanlan Special. By JEP CADOI7 JR. Star Sport Editor There is a it rang chance that this could be the first 500-mile race run at a speed of 135 miles an hour If all goes well If there is no rain, exceptionally high wind or serious accident this "50C" is exceedingly likely to surpass the old record of 180.HJ set by the late Bill Vukovich in 1954 by nearly hv miles an hour. These may sound like the ravings of a msn who has inhaled a few too many of the alcohol fumes along Gasoline Alley. But, wait a minute.

All the indications polnt t0 an exceptionally fast race. This is the fastest field in history by several mile an hour. The track has been resurfaced to the point wnere som drivers are calling it a "boulevard." Both one-lap and four-lap records fell during time trials. There is a generous collection of "chargers" in the first two rows who are bound to set a dizzy early pace. IT IS PRACTICALLY impossible to make any dogmatic prediction of the speed ise of the fickleness of Hoosler weather in Mastime, the disposition of fate to plsy a part in speeding up or slowing down the race through accidents and the big part mechanical defects may play in putting leaders out of the race.

lBr M' 'mBKmw THUNDER ON THE TRACK-At 10:55 a.m., Tony Hulman repeat the famous phrase spoken to often by Wilbur Shaw: "Gentlemen, tart your engines," and at 11 a.m. the 33 starters are roaring around their first lap. (Star Photo) STEWARD NAMED F. C. Meunier, General Petroleum Corporation executive, is honorary steward of the 1956 500-Mile Race In the Indianapolis Motor Thi of course, a mere tah In the dark, because anybody who ucceed in picking the top three In a 500 mile race has more fortune than fortitude.

At leatt it (hould be a great show out there today with the record of Vukovich having little chance of existing through the day. "Gentlemen, Start Your Engine." hI ffiil BKiiiZS 4ift llmmlMm Hi fefcH sslCSjBBsHB W.HV v': ISSBBl 1 ''jHlteiskkkB I 2' sbHHsH MiiWr 5K I But a rword run of 18.1-pldl Is certainly not beyond 1 lif realm of possibility. It Is BcneraJly conceded that only Volty! OWI ureelt preserved his record through last year's rare. This track said by vet-eran drivers to he at least two to three miles an hour faster since it has been resurfaced after last year's race. The 136212 average was set by Vukovich for the first 125 miles.

That, perhaps, can hr taken as an Indication that Yuky would have run at close to 135 had it not been for his tragic accident. LOOK AT THE FIRST two rows and you can see that the early going is likely this year to be Just as heated as it was in 1955. rat Flaherty on the pol position and Jim Rathmann in the middle of the front row, certainly fit neatly into the "charger" category and Pat O'Connor on the outside row is certain to try to stay right with them. In fact, Pat has announced he plans to lead the first lap. And how about that second row for stand-on-lt-and-go chauffeurs? Reading from inside to outside, they are Dick Rathmann.

Tony Bettenhau-sen and Johnnie Parsons. PLENTY OF OTHER front-runner will be back in the pack trying to zoom up among the leaders. They include Bob Swelkert, the 1955 "inner, Troy Ruttman, the 1952 victor, and Johnny Thomson, the second fastest qualifier this year. Every clew points to another "trophy dash" type of "aW with a minimum of strategy and a maximum of throttle. A big factor, however, will he the number of pit tops.

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