The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 1

jry LmA A ml 1 The Indianapolis Star MONDAY, MAY 30, 1988 "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty" II Cor. 3:17 ft ir ft ir c'oT25 Cents 1, coas wm 3rd 65W P-a wu? i tr kit i t- if i U'IU r. WLiX AAJ A A i iflKfii wm-Z'SMmmmKrwAQ i I r'M'isSS l.i iJ .4. MlWlmEB.T I 1 t. 'It 1 ft W4 ''4 rfr A -LJ teiiilliigi iv III llAllitlilBPiii Pole sitter fights early problems to take charge By ROBIN MILLER STAR ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Rick Mears came to life halfway through Sunday's 72nd Indianapolis 500 and that was pretty much the death knell for his competition.

After falling behind early, the masterful Mears came storming back in his Pennzoil PC-17Chevy to lead the final 78 laps, earn his third Indy victory and complete a Penske perfect month. The aggressive but level-headed 36-year-old veteran, who started on the pole after qualifying at a record 219.198 miles per hour, recovered from a one-lap deficit to run away with a race most people expected him to dominate. The victory was the second straight for Roger Penske's team. It was the fifth of this decade and his seventh at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But this was by far the most impressive: His talented trio of Mears.

Unser and Danny Sullivan combined to lead 192 of the 200 laps. Penske, the first owner to have the entire front row, really never had any anxious moments because one of his cars was almost always out in front. "Danny was flying early, then Al jumped into the lead while Rick was having problems and finally, Mears got hooked up," said Penske, who gave Chevrolet its initial Indy victory. "But we had to win today I had a lot farther to fall than anybody else." Unser, the defending champion, was originally listed as finishing second, but a review by the United States Auto Club moved Emerson Fitti-paldi into the runner-up spot. Big Al wound up third.

Sullivan sprinted away to lead 91 of the first 94 laps in the Miller PC-17Chevy. but his bid for a second Indy win ended against the Turn 2 wall on Lap 102. Mears, who also won here in 1979 and 1984 and lost the '82 race by 0.16 of a second, took the checkered flag under the yellow flag much to the disgruntlement of the estimated 400,000 spectators. But it was only fitting the race ended at 80 mph because the caution light was on 14 times for 67 laps. Pace car driver Chuck Yeager logged 167'2 miles.

There was a total of eight accidents, involving 10 drivers, but nobody was seriously injured. If not for all the yellows, Mears might have won by three or four laps. He was never contested during the final 100 miles because he was running nearly 205 mph; everyone else was stuck at 200. "My car was pretty loose and we had to keep working with it all day," said Mears, who also started and finished first here in '79. "We changed wheels, stagger and wings before we found the right combination.

"But about the time we got back on the lead lap, the car started working good and feeling good." Mears, who took the top spot for the first time See MEARS Page 10 tiAAfiMllS-ii i 3 43 I ifA 4-1 v' ff A- A 't iv YN'kA Mi' t(a A' i 1 'L 'sAff lASftASKi flIllIIISilIl MiKllIIAlAAf STAR STAFF PHOTO JOHANNA M. KOK Rick Mears, led by pace car, throws a fist in the air after crossing the finish line in his Chevrolet-powered Penske PC17. A A A A lit Emmo's mood swings with USAC's ruling Expertise helps Mears steer to Victory Lane A4 IT A if'. i- 3s) 411 4 JT 1 Hf ft UV h. it I 1i Al AtVr 'u i jmr A'7) may not be before this afternoon is over, but we will end up second." He was right.

After Vogler and Fittipaldi talked with Chief Steward Tom Binford following the race, Bin-ford and United States Auto Club officials set about reviewing what happened. That made a hot day hotter for the Fittipaldi camp as the bizarre tale of the penalty unfolded. Under Fittipaldi's guidance, the No. 20 MarchChevrolet had overcome two flat tires, a missing piece off the right-front wing, a broken rear wing and hitting a bird to be running in second place. "From the beginning the car was loose," Fittipaldi said.

"But step by step we got the balance of the car." On Lap 167, everything went out of whack away from the cockpit. Fittipaldi exited from the pit area as Vogler was corn-See EMMO Page 9 By DAVID BENNER STAR STAFF WRITER It was a race filled with yellow what with the 67 caution laps and Rick Mears' victory in the yellow No. 5 car. But after Sunday's Indianapolis 500, Emerson Fittipaldi and the Marlboro Racing Team was seeing red on a very gray call that left them in seventh place. But three hours and 15 minutes after Mears took the checkered flag, they finally saw what they said they deserved all along: second place.

"I'm very pleased," said Fittipaldi following what had to be an emotional elevator ride. First it was anger as Fittipal-di's team protested the original finish based on a two-lap penalty assessed its driver for passing Rich Vogler under the yellow flag on Lap 164. After the race, team owner Pat Patrick said. "We are going to end up second sometime. It By BILL BENNER STAR STAFF WRITER Rick Mears, barely able to walk three years ago, ran away with the Indianapolis 500 Sunday.

The 36-year-old speed merchant from Bakersfield, culminated a personal comeback from devastating leg injuries by winning his third "500" in a determined drive that was characteristic of both his own talents and the capabilities of the supremely prepared Roger Penske racing team. "I knew good and well we'd get back to this point it was just a matter of when," Mears said following his first Indy victory since being severely injured in a practice crash near Montreal in the fall of '84. not long after his second "500" win. That his time had re-arrived Sunday began to become apparent on the 102nd lap when Mears. who earlier had been almost two laps down to Penske teammate Danny Sullivan, took the lead for the first time in his sleek, yellow No.

5 Pennzoil PC-17Chevy. Nine circuits later, Mears was in front to stay, culminating a May sweep of both the unofficial and official track records, the pole position and, finally, Sunday's triumph that put him in an elite group of six drivers (A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Louie Meyer and Mauri Rose) who have won Indy at least three times. And, according to Penske, there will be more to come. "He's young, he's got a lot of experience and he knows how to set a car up," Penske said.

"I don't think this will be the last time you see him in the winner's circle." That Mears knows how to set a car up was the key to his victorious Sunday drive. Though sitting on the pole, Mears forfeited the early lead to See VICTORY Page 9 r- -t STAR STAFF PHOTO JEFF ATTEBERRY 1 1 Mnl ami mm rnmkloi 0 tflMArif mill- and of Mears winning symbols: a swig victory milk, three fingers-three wins, wife and interviewer stand by. INSIDE All '500' race news is in this section All race-related news is in the first section of today's edition of The Star for your convenience. Other news, sports and features are in the following sections. Disappointment concludes Sullivan's run Page 2 Al Unser passes rabbit's foot to Mears 2 Unofficial finish and lap leaders Page 2 Rahal's Judd engine silences critics Page 3 Tom Sneva starts fast and finishes fast Page 3 Bob Collins Page 3 For Mario, it's the same old sad story Page 4 Michael Andretti uses yellow to stay close 4 Heimrath angry after being bumped from race Page 5 For many fans, "the spectacle" is off the track.

Page 8 ABC pulls off fine "500" show Page 8 Brayton apologizes after 1st-lap Page 12 CRAWFORD COMEBACK Racer shows no ill effects from serious '87 crash injuries as he finishes a strong 6th Page S3 ON SHOESTRING Krueger says finishing in 8th place is a win for the 'cutters' V- I Pa9e S9 OSS ft A.