The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 33

FASTEST LAP SO FAR utherford Joins Qui 00.624 Th it 1 I 'z By GEORGE MOORE The gentleman from Fort Worth, Johnny Rutherford, trotted out his credentials for all to see at the Speedway yesterday. Rutherford, who has won the pole position at every United States Auto Club national championship race this year, demonstrated he is a candidate to do it again tomorrow by joining the "I m' Jf'i Top Ten POS. DRIVER CAR SPEED 1. Johnny Rutherford, First National City McLaron-Cosworth No. 2 100.6J4 2.

Mario Andretti, CAM 2 Motor Oil McLaren-Cosworth No. 100.311 3. A. J. Foyt, Giimort Broadcasting Coyote-Fort No.

14 200.177 4. Tom Sneva, Norton Spirit McLartn-Cosworlh No. a 198.1M 5. Al Unser. American Racing Parnelli-Cosworth No.

21 W.oM 4. Gordon Johncoch, STP Double Oil Filter Wildcat DGS No. 20 7. Johnny Rutherford, First National City McLaren-Cosxorth No. 12 IN.

ISO 0. Danny Ongais, Interscopo Parnelli-Cosworth No. 25 195.185 9. Pancho Carter, Jorqensen Eagle-Drake No. 48 194.847 10.

Wally Dallenbach, STP Oil Treatment Wildcat-DGS No. 40 lM.OOf pens, fine. We're still setting the chassis." When it did happen, Rutherford said. "It was a little loose, but everything still was under control." The Fort Worth chauffeur still holds the official one-lap and four-lap records at the track. In 1973, he turned in a speed of 199.071 for a single circuit and 198.413 mph for four, times around.

He was driving a McLaren chassis at that time, but was using the four-cylinder Ol'fyi for power instead of a V-8. When asked if he worked harder to run 200.624 than when he set the record at 199.071, he replied, "Everything is relative. I was driving the best there TIRE-TO-TIRE ATTENTION Al Loquasto (leaning car, owned by his father, past the 182 mark as he against car) had plenty of attention from his College- piepared for the first day of qualifications tomorrow ville (Pa.) friends yesterday as he talked about auto the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Star Photo by racinq. Later he drove his No.

86 Frostie Root Beer Frank K. Fisse) Patient Harkey Waits For Usual Late Chance Another Story, Pit Pass Page 34 Speedway's exclusive 200 miles an hour club with a circuit of the oval at 200.624. That's the fastest to date, surpassing Mario Andretti's 200.311 and A.J. Foyt's 200.177 set Wednesday. ABOUT AN HOIR before showing everybody the quick way around, a relaxed Rutherford lounged in his garage while his crew made some new adjustments on his super-quick McLaren-Cos-worth.

"I'm not going to specially try for 200," John said at that time. "If it hap- FRIDAY, 31 A 13, 1977 was to run then, and I'm driving the best now. "IT'S HARD TO judge, but probably it's easier to run 200 now than 199 then." Rutherford predicted that given good conditions the pole speed tomorrow probably would be in the 200 bracket, with a fast lap at 201.5 or 202, but he stressed there are a lot of variables. John apparently also was getting an "honest" speed out of his machine. In fact the boost may have been below the allowed 80 inches of mercury manifold pressure allowed by USAC rules.

"That's for us to know and everybody else to find out," he answered with a smile when asked how much turbo-charger boost was cranked into the engine. "There's still more there." Foyt was not at the track yesterday, reportedly being in Louisville, for another kind of race the four-legged variety. But Andretti said shortly after Rutherford broke his unofficial record that he was not surprised. "RECORDS ARE made to be broken," he said. "Wait until tomorrow and everybody may be running 200." Then he added with a grin, "Wait until Saturday.

Everybody may be running 192 because everybody will be legal." He was referring to the fact that the turbochargpr boost will be controlled at 80 inches of boost by a USAC valve for qualification runs. There is considerable opinion around the garage area that Foyt cranked up the boost when making his lap at 200.177 mph moments before the track closed Wednesday. While Rutherford was climbing the "magic mountain" of 200. several drivers were beginning to struggle. Most appeared to lose several miles an hour, possibly due to the warmer weather.

Wally Dallenbach managed to marginally increase his speed, 193.009 from a previous 192.802 to be second fastest of the day. But Pancho Carter was next at 192.926 mph compared to a previous 194.847. JOHNNY PARSONS who has moved into the third Patrick Racing Team's Wildcat-DGS No. 60 as a teammate to Dallenbach and Gordon was up to 191.935. "George (Bignottil is bringing me up a little each day," Parsons said.

"He'll let me go faster tomorrow (today There were only nine cars at 190 or better yesterday, compared to 16 Wednesday. Others in that bracket were Salt Steve Krisiloff, 192.700; Bobby Unser, 191.612; Jim Mc-Elreath, 190.981; Clay Regazzonl, 190.436; and just a tick of the watch away was Sheldon Kinser at 189.274. Among those not going with much luck was Roger McCluskey who blew an engine in Lindseji Hopkins' Romlin Lightning No. II just before the track closed. In Tom Bigelow's Watson Drake, a loose nut which was in the injectors was sucked into the engine when it was turned over and two exhaust valves were bent.

There are 62 cars now berthed in the grounds and 41 drivers took to the track yesterday. USAC's technical supervisor Frank Del Roy also announced that Rutherford 's car, the two cars of Penske Racing which are driven by Andretti and Tom Sneva, A. J. Foyt's Coyote and the Pat Patrick team cars of Dallenbach, and Parsons have been given, their final technical takes the fast route around Tony Hul-num's place. "I see a lot of guys running it wrong out here." he says.

"But the Fcyts ard Andretiis and Unsers and Rutherfords. they're not running it wrong. "1 try to drive a car so that it puts the minimum amount of stress on the chassis. I'm usually-' in a car that's three or four years out of date and down on horsepower, so I've got to put the minimum of strain on the equipment." DESPITE HIS lack of money. could have a ride today, if he was willing to prostitute himself.

But "I won't accept 25 percent of the car's winnings) to get a ride or do some of the other stuff that other guys are doing," he says. "I come here to race." You'd think some car owners would have recr.gnized that by now. HEAT BEATER The May sun broiled things and people at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway yesterday, but Clint Brawner, one of the track's best known mechanics, found relief by wearing a big red bandana under his straw hat. (Star Photo) turn." he said. Carl Miller went one way and I went the other.

"I spun cut. but 1 didn't hit anything." But Harkey. as usual is pounding the pavement again this year, locking for a ride. Why'? Well. Lloyd Ruby- may have provided the answer.

Interviewed earlier this month about his longevity at the Speedway, he answered. "Yeah. I've been around here a long time. Why. I can remember when the car owners paid the drivers to get into their cars." IT IS A different era new" The chauffeur who shows up with cash for a sponsorship stands one whale of a lot better chance of getting into a cockpit than the guy.

however proven he may be. who conies empty-handed. Harkey is willing to play that game if that's what it takes. But he needs a sugar daddy. So far he hasn't found cne.

"I've been I'ving to find money for 10 years without any success at all. So 1 must be doing something wrong." he says. "Everybody says it's a great idea for next year, but not this ear." The lack of a fat sponsorship hasn't kept Harkey from beating the hushes for high-powered transportation. "I haven't talked to iRcgerl Penske or I Bob i Fletcher or (A.J.) Foyt, but I've talked to just about everybody else." he says. "Those that have assigned drivers say they just don't have a car available.

The other guys with backups talk promising but they're looking for someone with monev." HARKEY WOl l.D like to have the luxury just once cf coming to the Speedway with an assigned car. "It would be nice to get into a car early and have the time to dial it in right." he says. "But I must have a hard name and face to remember. Nobody ever wants me until the last minute." When he gets into a car. Harkey usually doesn't have the luxury of time to suit the car to himself.

He just accepts what the machine offers and goes with that. That's part of the reason why he few' -V wA m. i 51f til 1 '4 SNI If, i By DAVE OVERPECK If you want to know who are the hot dogs and who are the field-fillers in the 500-Mile Race, all you have to do is wangle a pass into the posh suites outside the second turn at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. You don't need to know the car numbers or the drivers' names or anything else. Just watch how the various pilots bring their cars out of the second turn.

The hot dogs take it right out to the wall maybe 18 inches away and then glide down about a third of the way on the 50-foot strip of asphalt as they head down the baekstretch. The rest don't get within 6 feet of the wall and their glide into the line down the 58ths-mile chute is minimal. THE EXCEPTION-is Bob Harkey. The 46-year-old North Carolina native has never started better than in six 500 tries. That is a career backmarker if there ever was one.

But then nobody ever has accused Harkey's cars of being better than he is. Harkey, who now calls Indianapolis home, is in a familiar position this May. He's looking for a ride. He isn't likely to get one before next Monday at the earliest. "It'll probably be more like next Thursday," he said yesterday.

"By then, they (car owners) will have tried the rookies and they ill have given up trying to get a fortune to let someone drive their car. "Then they'll start getting serious about getting car in the race and they'll start looking for somebody who can do it in the minimum amount of time. I guess I fall into that catago-ry." SO HARKEY has proven he can get a car in the field with the least amount of fuss possible. He also has proven that he brings 'em back alive. He crashed at the Speedway once in his rookie year, 1963.

He has spun one other time. "That was in -1966 or '67 when Graham Hill got on the brakes in the third tough had boot. And created the SHOPPES 37 45-0531 The Indianapolis Star Amusement PAGE 33 Sports Over Lightly La Bob Collins, Sports Editor NONETHELESS, I always try to be helpful. And here are the only 1977 facts for which I can personally vouch. Fact 1: Mario Andretti was not born in a manger.

Fact 2: Dan Gumey is not the reincarnation of Gary Cooper. Fact 3: Johnny Rutherford does not know the third stanza to "Eyes of Texas." FACT 4: A.J. Foyt does not leap tall buildings with a single bound unless you count the times when he is mad. Fact 5: Chet Coppock did not come here from Mars (and I rule out Jupiter on grounds of insufficient evidence). Fact 6: Complaints against cameramen have been reduced 94.6 percent since women photographers were allowed in the pits.

Fact 7: There usually is a new code word at the track. Last year it was stagger." If you are unsure of the definition, position yourself near the first turn or behind the tower terrace seats betwety 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. tomorrow. IEADFOOT JOHNNY Smiling Johnny Rutherford was the center of ot-tervtion in the Speedway pit area yesterday afternoon after his record-breaking 200.624 practice lap.

Johnny climbs out of his car here seconds after he blisteied the race track. (Star Photo) Facts Are Plentiful At The Speedway The Great Whisky Made Like Great Wine. No other whisky in the world is made like Old Forester. That's why no other whisky in the world tastes like Old Forester. It gets its flavor and color solely from the maturation process itself.

Its made naturally, like Great Wine. Slow and natural. That's how some wines become Great Wines. And how Old Forester becomes Great Whisky. C- Clarks Bull Hides.

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Neither can Tom Binford. who gives up running the world once a year to pose with his pipe in front of 300,000 people who don't notice him. Roger McCluskey, who started the first race, once claimed it was hidden under the old bump on the first turn. But when some seekers of truth led him down there, his only comment was, "When did they pave the bricks?" SO IN THE absence of truth, we must deal in facts. And if you read newspapers or catch the shows on the boob tube, you know there are more than enough out there.

Facts are something nobody has to share at the Speedway. And in the unlikely event that you run short, simply wait around in the pits until the machine kicks out a few more. They are manufactured down there by a fail-safe formula and any number can play. It goes like this: rumor plus repetition equals fact. If you are an impatient soil, however, or are sitting on a deadline, just grab a copy of Bullfinch's "Age of Fable," turn to any page, change the names and you are in business.

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