The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 31

TT vv Tv vv 1 i THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR PAGE 32- MONDAY, 197 1 JOHNCOCK 'DIDN'T TALK ABOUT WARMUI" ((Pnnallnfiyiimg TTalbfle 'Knew Fd Take MARK DONOHUE No. 66 Sunoco McLaren McLARCN-OFFY-0 MUST KOV PETER REVSON No. 12 Gulf McLaren McLAREN-OFFY-0 TIME SPEED Flag knew, we could run 184 or so with no problem io we'd probably have taken anything in the 180s. "The groove has really widened this year. There's so much more race track than ever before so you ga the turns and keep it as higl? as you dare to and you pick, MP speed." Obviously, he picked up enough to earn $1,200 as, the day's quickest qualifier and although he may.be a good bit behind his teammate, Peter in the starting field at least he's in it.

RAY MARQUETTE die whipped Into the pits, pulled to the head of the line and Mayer trotted down to tell Steward Harlan Fenglcr his car was ready to qualify. "But you're fourth" in line," said Fenglcr. "Huh?" asTted Teddy. "There's no one elso here!" AS MATTERS turned out, the three cars that had "signed up" earlier weren't ready for qualifying so Gordie became the first man off the line on the final day of trials. He started off at 188.798 miles an hour and finished with 188.324 mph for a 10-mile average and it was finally all When Gordie Johncock came out of the fourth turn at the Speedway yesterday, he put his feet to floorboard, stared straight ahead and briefly raised one am in a half salute.

With that, Starter Pat Vidan went through his green flag dance and there was Gordie making his second official attempt at qualifying the No. 24 Gulf McLaren. Ordinarily, a driver getting ready for a time trial sneaks a peak at his pit crew, huddled just inside the pit entrance to see if they want him to start an official run or take another warm up lap. BUT GORDIE, plagued with engine problems nearly the full month, had already made up his mind he was going to take the green flag the second time around the track and just flat stand on it. Wright," smiled the little guy who has picked up a few gray hairs trying to get his super racing machine into the field." "We didn't talk about how many warmup laps or anything.

I knew I was going to take the flag and that was all." Only 24 hours earlier, he had completed three of the four mandatory laps when the engine sputtered going into the third turn and he shut SB'EAKiMi for the 500-Mile Race his No. 24 McLaren, averaging (Star Photo) FINALLY IN-After a series of misfortunes this month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway driver Gordon Johncock Salt Frets But Gains The over. "This Is the hardest I've ever worked to get in a race," he confessed. "A year ago, Roll a (Vollstedt) and his crew didn't get the car on the track until the day before qualifying but I got in the field with no problem. "This year has been something else.

I really wasn't worried about qualifying but if something had happened on the run this morning, I would have been plenty worried. "I DIDN'T even know how fast I was going. It didn't seem that fast but we ably would be a little nervous come race day, but he was used to running the Gold Cup hydros and these are driven by full professionals. 'i'l! be racing with tha men," Saft said, "and I guess I'll probably feel a little nervous. But I'll get over that by just being happy to get in." The race plan is rather simple.

"I'm just going to stay in the race and try to last," he said. "I want to get experience this year. I have a lot to learn." WALTHER HAS A pretty good "school room" for his education, as the No. 33 car is a Colt which was purchased from the Vel's Parnelli Jones organization. USAC national champion Joe Leonard drove the car last year.

The chassis has been updated by Morris to take advantage of increased wing area allowed under this year's 4ttVf ttwuesm 4 i Ji eacJ jr www finally qualified yesterday in 188.511. By GEORGE MOORE You would have thought the man was on the bub ble instead of solidly in the show with a speed of 180.542 miles an hour. 'What time is it?" Salt Wal- ther kept asking his crew members. "We can't get bumped out can we? I wish it was 6 o'clock." Young Walther, the fastest rookie of yesterday's qualification period was a study of emotions. He just had pulled a feat when he qualified No.

33 Dayton. Steel Wheel Colt Ford for the 500-Mile Race. IF THERE WAS ANYBODY who possibly was more happy, it would have to be George Wal ther, Salt's father, who has been a car owner at the Speedway for years. harder than I ever had before," Salt said. 'And if I put it into the wall, that's racing." Young Walther began racing sprint cars on an outlaw circuit in 1968, and ran with the group for about a year.

Then he joined the United States Auto Club. "My first championship race for USAC was at Sacramento on the dirt," Salt said. "My first Indianapolis car race was in Argentina where I got a 15th and an 11th. That was with our No. 77 car." Walther is going to be facing a busy schedule this season, as he has nine hydroplane events to compete in as well as running the cars.

"I like the boats, and I want to stay with them," he said. SALT SAID HE didn't think he was going 180. "I thought I was going about 178," he said. "That's the fastest I've gone all month." Walther admitted he prob BOBBY UNSER No. 6 Olsonite EAGLE TURBO-OPPY TLME SPEED :46.17 19U32 :45.91 196.036 :45.76 196.678 :45.89 196.121 TOTALS 3:03.73 195.940 GARY BETTENHAUSEN No.

7 Sunoco mclaren turbo-ofpy-o TIME SPEED 47.60 :47.68 47.82 189.474 189.070 188.758 188.206 TOTALS 3:10.60 188.877 SAM POSEY No. 34 Norris EAGLE TURBO-OFFY TIME SPEED 48.76 48.64 :48.79 49.06 184.578 185.033 184.464 183.449 TOTALS 3.15.25 184.379 STEVE KRISILOFF No. 15-Ayr-Way Lloyd's KINGFISH-OFFY-F TIME SPEED :49.01 :49.59 50.00 49.82 183.636 181.488 180.000 1S0.650 TOTALS 3:18.42 181.433 JIM HURTUBISE No. 56 Miller High Life COYOTE TURBO-FORD TIME SPEED 49.82 180.650 :49.57 181.561 :49.75 180.905 :49.70 181.087 TOTALS 3.18.84 181.050 MIKE MOSLEY No. 98 Vivitar EAGLE-OFFY-F TIME SPEED 47.45 189.673 47.43 189.753 47.80 188.285 47.65 188.877 TOTALS 3:10.33 189.145 AL UNSER No.

4 Viceroy PHILLIPE-OFFY-F TIME SPEED 183.038 184.275 183.673 183.406 TOTALS 3:16.06 183.617 CARL WILLIAMS No. 95 City Of Terre Haute EAGLE-OFFY-F TIME SPEED 180.977 180.542 180.397 179.964 TOTALS 3:19.49 180.469 MIKE HISS No. 60-STP Pylon Wiper SAGLE-OFF Y-G TIME SPEED :50.27 179.033 50.27 179.033 50.08 179.712 :50.11 179.605 TOTALS 3:21.10 179.015 DENNY ZIMMERMAN No. 17 Bryant Heating Cooling MCLAKEN-OFFY-F TIME :49.88 SPEED 180.433 180.650 179.964 179.069 :49.82 :50.01 :50.26 TOTALS 3:19.97 180.027 JIMMY CARUTHERS No. 11 Quality Racing ICORPION-FORD-F jb- TIME SPEED 179.283 179.033 178.607 178.713 :50.21 TOTALS 3:21.22 178.909 .1 to 1 I 49.00 5r 49.05 3 :49.85 iy.i I' 4 'Xffcl I jgJl 50.39 fix fggVQ TIME SPEED TV.

:46.91 46.90 47.20 47.07 191.857 191.898 190.678 191.205 TOTALS JOE LEONARD No. 1 Samsonite PARNELLI TURBO OFFY-F TIME SPEED :48.71 :48.40 48.43 48.82 184.767 185.950 185.835 184.351 TOTALS VIS. 3:14.36 185.223 SWEDE SAVAGE No. 42 Michner Industries EAGLE TURBOOFFY-0 TIME SPEED 49.52 :49.41 :49.50 181.745 182.149 181.818 181.196 TOTALS 3:18.10 181.726 MEL KENYON No. 23 Gilmore Special COYOTE-FORD-G TIME SPEED :49.59 49.60 49.76 49.52 181.488 181.452 180.863 181.745 TOTALS 3:18.47 181.388 JERRY GRANT No.

48 Mystery Eagle EAOLE-OFFY-0 TIME SPEED 48.02 187.422 :47.67 188.798 :47.41 189.833 47.08 191.164 TOTALS 3:10.18 189.294 BILLY VUKOVICH No. 3 Sugaripe Prune EAGLE-OFFY-0 TIME SPEED :48.72 184.729 48.72 184.729 48.67 184.919 :48.68 184.881 TOTALS 3:14.29 184.814 GEORGE SNIDER No. 84 ITT Thompson COYOTE-FORD-0 TIME :49.0t :49.24 49.74 49.97 SPEED 183.636 182.778 180.941 180.108 TOTALS 3:17.96 181.855 SAMMY SESSIONS No. 52-VVynn's LOLA-0 FORD-F TIME SPEED :49.83 180.614 :49.88 180.433 mi-if 1011.404 $yX 'MM 180.361 TOTALS 3:19.54 180.415 SALT WALTHER No. 33-Dayton Steel Wheel MARAUDER-FORD-F SPEED 180.216 180.796 180.433 180.723 TOTALS 3:19.40 180.542 LEE KUNZMAN No.

37 Caves Buick GERHARDT-OFF Y-0 tm if pnrrn II 179.892 179.820 178.607 178.749 :50.05 50.39 50.35 'w TOTALS 3:20.82 179.265 NO DRIVER No. 40 STP Oil Treatment LOLA TURBO-FORD-F TIME SPEED 49.85 180.542 49.26 182.704 :49.19 182.964 :49.91 180.325 TOTALS 3:18.21 181.626 em 1 gA ftf AA, i time 1 49.78 49.80 the power off, said a few words to no one In particular and came to a stop. AFTER ALL, he'd gone through five turbocharged Offy engines already in practice and everytime it seemed like the problems had been solved, something else popped up. Saturday, it was the ignition maybe. Teddy Mayer, the proud little guy who runs the Team McLaren operation, freely admits he still doesn't know what caused the ignition problems.

"We tore everything down completely, went through every piece of the ignition and fueling system and couldn't even find a suspicious part," he said. "IT WAS embarrassing. After all, you design and build these cars so you should know what makes them go. We've never had an occasion like this when we couldn't figure out what the problem was. "Finally, we stripped down the entire ignition and fuel systems, installed all new pieces and put the car on the track." It ran well enough in morning practice that shortly before the track was closed to get ready for qualifying, Gor OF SPEED "It's a real pleasure to have people come up and say congratulations," the senior Walther said, "instead of just hello." Salt really has been preparing for his ride yesterday for a long time.

He began racing boats at the age of 13, and now the handsome 24 year old bachelor is a major contender in the big unlimited hydroplane Gold Cup crafts. Salt's 27th starting position in the field didn't come easy. He's been here actually since last March when a suspension failure on the car during a warmup run prior to tire tests put hm into the wall in the north turn. This month, between 175 and 178 mph has been it. "GEORGE MORRIS, MY chief mechanic, said to push it a qualified member of the 500-Mile Race.

named and start at the end of the 33-car field. If Stewart accepts, it would raise an interesting point. Every driver entered, at Indianapolis this year who missed the 1971 500, was required to take at least a 10-lap refresher test. These tests endel last Friday. THAT MEANS the only possibility for Stewart would be a special opportunity to take his refresher test during the trial runs Wednesday since he hasn't driven at Indianapolis since 1967.

Yrstrnlay's Krsults AMERICAN ASSOCIATION INDIANAPOLIS 7, EenSVMH 1. Oklahoma City 10, Tulsa 1. Iowa 7, Omaha 4. Denver 22, Wichita 10. NATIONAL LEAGUE Chlcaoo 3, St.

Louis 2. Nvw York 4. Philaoelohia 3 Pittsburgh 15. Montreal 0-). Houston 2, Los Armies 1.

Cincinnati 7 0, San Dioeo 2-7. Atlanta 61, San Franclsci 4-2 (lsl lame 10 Inninqs). AMERICAN LEAGUE Oakland 5, Kansas City 2. Teias 5-3, Minnesota 2-1. Chicago California I.

Detroit 5, Cleveland 0. Baltimort 5, Milwaukee 0 New York 4 3, Bolton 3 2. Toly's Schedule NATIONAL ASSOCIATION INDIANAPOLIS al Evansylllt, nllht. Tulsa at Oklahoma City, night. Wichita at Denver, nllht.

Iowa at Omaha, nieht. AMERICAN LEAGUE California (Wriohl 2 2) at Oakland (Hunter 2 21. nieht Chicaoo (Wood 7 2) al Teias (Bosnian 2 4i, nieht. Only dames scheduled. NATIONAL I EAGUE Philadelphia (Lersch 1-1) at Montreal ITerrei 3-1).

San Francisco (McDowell Ml it Los Anirles (Jr.hn 3 3). nieht. Houston (Dlrrker 12) at tan Dleio Krihy 11). night Only aamai scheduled. USAC Stock Al Kaukauna, Dave Marclll 1.

Verlln Eaktr; 1, Sal Tovellai 4, Ed nattmen; Terry Kyani 4, Bay Darnell) 7, Paul Peldner; Paul Mitmort) Lent aiinkanshlif II, lute Hartman. Winner's speed, 77 21 moh. Paiteil lual- ineri jactt owsher, 11.04. 46.43 46.62 46.68 46.91 193.840 193.050 192.802 191.457 TOTALS 3:06.64 192.885 SKCOND HOW MARIO ANDRETTI No. 9 Viceroy PARNELLI TURBO-OFFY Wrj-mm TIME SPEED 47.68 188.758 47.84 188.127 :48.17 186.838 :48.19 186.761 TOTALS iZ'jC 3:11.88 187.617 THIRD ROW JOHN RUTHERFORD No.

18 Patrick BRABHAM TURBO-OFFY T1 TIME SPEED :49.06 183.449 49.08 183.374 49.23 182.815 :49.10 183.299 TOTALS Ua 3:16.47 183.234 101RTH ROW LLOYD RUBY No. 5 Wynn's ATLANTA TURBO-FORD TIME SPEED :49.80 180.723 :49.56 181.561 :49.55 181.635 :49.52 181.745 TOTALS 3:18.44 181.415 FIFTH ROW JOHN MARTIN No. 89 Unsponsored BRABHAM TURBO-OFFY TIME SPEED 50.14 50.06 :50.16 50.07 179.497 179.784 179.426 179.748 TOTALS 3.20.43 179.614 SIXTH ROW A. J. FOYT No.

2 ITT Thompson COYOTE-FORD-G TIME SPEED 47.70 :47.47 47.63 47.68 188.678 189.593 188.957 188.758 TOTALS 3:10.48 188.996 SEVENTH ROW ROGER McCLUSKEY No. 14 Marine Underwriters ANTERES-OFFY-0 TIME SPEED 49.32 182.482 :49.18 183.001 49.21 182.890 49.35 182.371 3:17.06 182.687 EIGHTH ROW DICK SIMON No. 44 TravelLodge Sleeper LOLA-FORD-G TIME speed 49.91 180.325 :49.89 180.687 49.98 180.072 :49.83 180.614 TOTALS 3:19.53 180.424 NINTH ROW GORDON JOHNCOCK No. 24 Gulf McLaren McLAREN-OFFY-G TIME SPEED :47.67 188.798 47.74 188.521 47.77 188.403 :47.79 188.324 TOTALS 3:10.97 188.511 TENTH ROW JOHN MAHLER No. 31 Harbor Fuel Oil McLAREN-OFFY-0 TIME SPEED 50.22 179.211 :50.06 179.784 :50.14 179.497 .:50.14 179.497 TOTALS 3:20.56 179.497 ELEVENTH HOW CALE YARBOROUGH No.

21 Bill Daniels GOP ATLANTA-FORD-F TIME SPEED :50.68 177.585 50.32 178.855 :50.12 179.569 :50.15 179.462 TOTALS 3:21.27 178.864 Li I Stewart Invited To Drive Lola Jackie Stewart has received an invitation to drive Field rules. The engine is the latest version cf the turbocharged Indy Ford V-8. Sail's participation in the 500 has an interesting i e-light to it in t.iat he is a third generation of WaHhers to compete at thn Speedway. Salt's grandfather, the founder of the Wallher's Dayton Steel Foundry Company in Dayton, was a champion bicycle racer and competed at the Speedway when the track was first built in the early part of the century. Salt completed the circle yesterday when well wishers from his home said, "All of Dayton is proud of you today." coming le POCONO ICI A COMPUTE FOOD STORE OPIN Rout 440, Pocono lake, Pa.

14 Mauri Chiekoa PHONf -444 277 IvaryOay 4 the No. 40 STP Lola that is starting field for Saturday's Andy Granatelli, who owns the machine, said last night that the only driver he "has solicited and made a firm offer for the ride is Stewart. I have not talked to any other driver," said Granatelli just before he left town. THE LOLA IS now being re built and must make an ap pearance on the track during Wednesday's carburetion trials to show it is able to compete in the race. Since Art Pollard, who suffered a broken leg while qualifying the -car last weekend, will not be able to drive in the race, a substitute "veteran" driver must be AMERICAN ASSOCIATION EASTERN DIVISION is your first drink.

'One sip and you'll taste why believes in word-of-mouth advertising. Pet. GB Omrta II 14 .53 Evnlll It .500 I low 15 It .441 4 INDIANAPOLIS 12 It S'i WESTERN DIVISION Pet. GB Wichita J4 .727 Denvtr 15 7 Tulll 17 Oklihemt City 11 21 ll''i 6 iWi. XBkS" OS'N IV AMERICAN LEAGUE EASTERN Cleveland Detroit Baltimore New York Boston Milwaukee WESTERN Ctiicaeo Oakletr Minnesota Texas Kansas City California DIVISION Pet CB.

17 10 .410 12 .571 15 12 15 17 17 .534 .444 .144 .320 DIVISION Pet. CB II 10 .44 17 10 17 11 15 IS 12 II II 1 .430 .407 .500 .400 .147 NATIONAL LEAGUE EASTERN DIVISION 25 7 II 12 15 IS IS 14 11 If Pet. OB .711 .400 4 .500 .444 .404 12 .244 Nw York Plttidurerl rhicanft PtiilHUnhla Montreal St. Louis WESTERN 12 21 DIVISION 1 12 20 11 II IS 15 II IS 20 11 25 Pel. CI I Ho'jiton Los Aneeles Cincinnati San Dugo Atlanta Sati Pranellce .11) ,404 1 .545 1 ,42 4 .104 lO'i 86 3i5 knight.