The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 40

FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1969 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR PAGE 40 FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1969 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR PAGE 41 Goodyear Starts Work Again As Soon As '69 Race Ends Pretty Girls Ease Strain Can-Am Racing Lucky To Be Alive nrings stars sophisticated array of instru ments to come up with a winning combination. "It also takes a special talent to be a good test driver." "It's hard to run fast," Foyt interjects, "when there's no one chasing you. And it gives you a strange feeling to be on the track all alone, running as fast as you can, with no people in the grandstands." six to eight hours but only one car at a time, so that engineers can focus their full attention on just four tires. LAWRENCE G. Truresdale, general manager of Goodyear's Racing Division, comments that "it takes a vast amount of knowledge on the part of the test drivers and engineers, combined with a library of technical information from a tires, passenger car tires and tires for trucks, buses, and farm equipment.

Building racing tires is a serious business both commercially and physically. Nobody wants to finish second. Good year, after a 43-year absence from Indianapolis, returned to the track in 1964 and has now won two consecutive 500s. But, there can be no stopping to rest on laurels. testing, mainly because Donohue has been tied up at Indianapolis where he will drive for the first time in the Memorial Day 500.

Another threat from the U.S. is expected to be Dan Gurney of Santa Ana, Calif. Gurncy will field a pair of Lolas for himself and Swede Savage, a 23-year-old West Coaster whose early experience has been mostly in stock cars. Their cars may be the only ones in the series powered by Ford engines, especially modified by Gurney's firm, All-American Racers, Inc. But.

Gurney, too, is involved in an Indianapoois 500 effort and may not make the Mosport race. A LIMITED number of other Lolas will also appear in the series. But the common New York (AP) The Canadian-American Challenge Cup series of auto races for Group 7 sports-racing cars, the fastest and most powerful in motor-sports, opens at Mos-port Park, near Toronto, Sunday. The 11 -race battle for almost $1 million in prize and accessory money will match many of the world's finest drivers on the best road racing circuits in the U.S. and Canada.

THE CARS are low-slung "tendered" machines buili especially for speed. For the most part they are powered by American V-8 engines of unlimited size and horsepower. Sterling Moss, British racing great who serves as consultant to the Sports Car Club of America-sponsored series, says U.S. and Canadian participation will be heavier this year. Despite all the checkered flags in a season of auto racing, there is no stopping pcrirxi for the manufacturers involved.

The checkered flag that will mark the finish of the 53d Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day will also signal the start of another year-long race between the nation's two largest manufacturers with the 1970 Indy classic as the prize. THERE is no way to disguise any failure to "plan ahead" from the millions of USAC, SCCA, NASCAR racing fans. That's why The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, for instance, had Bobby Unser back at the scene of his 1968 Indianapolis victory just 43 days later to begin tire test programs for this year's race. Joined by such drivers as .1. Foyt, Gordon Johncock, Roger McClusky and Mark Donohue, the Goodyear test team racked up more than 11,500 miles at race speeds during the summer and this March.

It's all part of a testing program which Goodyear conducts for race OTal bLk imBafOaW Bbbw laFIBBSrBKm'BB Hfik MMm BaBBwaEBBHattBaB 1 hIKIIIbi I TWISTED REMAINS-The remains of Mario Andretti's STP Lotus were twisted badly after he hit the wall in the fourth turn this month. Andretti escaped with minor facial burns and came back to qualify in the middle of the front row in his backup car. A detective hub caused the mishap. (Star Photo) NBA also will lepresent the sport. Tennis won't be left out with Richard (Pancho) Gonzales as a spectator.

Or swimming either Charles Hickox who won three gold medals and one silver at the recent Summer Olympics in Mexico will be present as will Mark who came away from Mexico City with two gold, one silver and one bronze medals Both are from Indiana University. DOUG FORI) will represent the pro golf world. Today is a day for heroes and Sgt. Steven Northern will be the leader. He is the most decorated serviceman in the history of the Air Force.

Those are the "official" celebrities invited by the 500 Festival Committee for Wednesday's parade who have stayed over for the race. In addition there will be digni taries from government, politics and about any field you can name. As in past years, show business folk who appear at the 500 receive their expenses only. They are not paid to come. But the publicity and the thrill of seeing the race and the pre race festivities arc worth a great deal for them.

And for fans, seeing a familiar and famous face, adds a special sparkle to an exciting dav. race on June 5, 1909 two years before the first 500-Mile Race. LONG TRADITION Balloon races are nothing new at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The photo depicts a balloon choice of car again will be the McLaren, developed by New EACH YEAR the cars get faster, track surfaces vary and the differences require different compounds. At Indy this year, for example, Goodyear has 1,400 Blue Streak racing tires on hand to provide many combinations of width, compounds and tread designs.

The only thing that ends with the checkered flag is the glamour. "That's true," states Foyt, a three-time Indy winner. "But the clement of danger is present. You can't learn a thing by running a second or so under the track record. The object is to build a tire that will be sale and fast, not safe and slow." Every race tire has five prime requirements adhesion, heat resistance, traction, wearing ability and a built-in safely factor.

These are what the engineers look for, On an average test day at Indy, the cars are on the track Artist Gruber Loves To Brush Up On Indy Particularly difficult, he said, are some rear engine cars, where the lettering goes on rivets, refueling nozzels, and inspection panels. nothing you can measure from. It is simply a matter of eyeballing the whole works, because there are no square corners on parallels." hirsl lest In 1936 The Speedway drivers test which was begun in 193b' had Henry Banks, now director of competition for the united States Auto Club, as the first man to pass the test. WIDE TIRE-Daie Jett, Goodyear championship tire crew member shows the difference in width between this year's wider tire and the one used in 1968 which is off A. J.

Foyt's car. The new tread measures A7' inches across, and has a lower profile than last year' tire. Zealander Bruce McLaren. McLaren and teammeate Dennis Hulme have dominated the Can-Am series the last two years, with McLaren winning it last year and Hulme placing No. 2.

Several new "makes" are expected to get their baptism of fire at Mosport, however. Perhaps the most prominent among them is the Armco-McKee being built by Bob McKee of Palatine, for NASCAR stock car driver Paul Goldsmith. The car will have a 445-cubic inch fuel-injected Oldsmobile engine. Except for the lone Olds and the modified Fords of Gurney, Chevrolet will provide the power for the Can-Am cars driven by North Americans in the series. COSTLY TIRE This worn tire kopt Rodger Ward from winning the 1 960 500 -Mile Race.

Because the tire was worn, Ward slowed down and was content "to finish second behind Jim Rathman. (Star Photo) iiSB BBLbWV VflttA. fourth turn this month and demolish his STP lotus. (Star Photo) "North American competitors are really serious about ending the three-year domination of the Can-Am by European drivers," he said. "They are spending more money and much more time this year in preparing their cars for battle." A major problem for most American and Canadian competitors.

Moss said, is the small number of builders of the cars and of the sophisticated aluminum-alloy engines that power them. "Much research and development work is involved in the preparation of these engines that, with complicated fuel -injection systems, produce in excess of 600 horsepower," he said. THE PRINCIPAL threat to the Europeans appears to be the team fielded by former racing great Roger Pcnske of Media, Pa. With versatile Mark Donohue driving, Pen-ske's cars have been the highest U.S. finishers in each of the last three Can-Am seasons.

Donohue was second in 1966, fourth in 1967 and third in 1968. Penske and Donohue will have a fuel-injected 427-cubic inch Chevrolet-powered Lola sports racer, a model designed and built in Great Britain by Eric Broadley. ACCIDENT CAUSE-This is the right rear wheel that came apart causing Mario Andretti to slam into the wall in the a BhkBbbbbbI flfl iSH BHMtifiiiBil Bm 'PH Ebbbi bWmbV iyii aw Steve Gruber's love of lacing is putting him through Indiana University. The Indianapolis junior is "earning" his education by painting numbers, stripes, and cartoons on Indianapolis 500-mile race cars of Mario Andretti, A. J.

Foyt, Parnelli Jones, the Colin Chapman Lotus cars driven last year by Graham Hill, Joe Leonard, and Art Pollard, and the new Gerhardt rear engine Offen-hauscr driven by Bobby Johns, to name a few. Gruber emphasized he is not a commercial artist, just a student working his way through school. "This is my father's business, not mine," he said. "I picked it up from him. We don't work together or compete.

What I get. out of it is achievement and my college education." YOUNG GRUBER started painting model race cars at the age of seven, painting just what his father put on the big cars. The I.U. junior has had no formal art training, just what his father taught him. Thirteen of last year's Indianapolis 500 cars wpre painted by the two Grubers.

"The difficult thing about painting race cars," young 'iiuber said, "is that there is p-i I FlBa ffv ItSS ftBa BMt I FASTBACKS' fashion slacks with DACRON that look evon without tha sports car and prttty girl I IN MAN It watching racing cars blurr past on the track should cause a slight case of eyestrain today, masculine fans will have a ready cure. They can "rest" their eyes by waHhinR Martha Vasconcellos, Miss Universe 1969. Miss Vasconccllos and her 5 foot 8 inch, 13 1 -lb figure leads a list of celebrities from moves, TV and spoils which always cause a ripple of excitement at the 500-Mile Race quite apart from the thrills of speed. TV's Hollywood Palace graduate, Barbara McNair, Well-knOWTI night club singer as well, also will be at the track. A frequent guest on television, Miss McNair also plays straight dramatic parts from time to time.

She made her acting TV debut on the old Eleveftttl Hour series with Ralph Bellamy. As for singers. Jeannie C. Riley, who has a hit recording of "Harper Valley PTA" to her credit, will take a swing around the track. Television, the big entertainment medium, and the world's biggest sports event have a strong magnetism for each other.

AS I'SUAl, there will be many familiar faces from the 21-inch screen. Rig Dan Blocker is almost as much at home on Hie 500 oval as he is on Bonanza's Ponderosa spread. llr has been coining for years, often incognito, because of his fascination lor speed. At 6 feet 4 inches and 280 pound--. Blocker is too lug to fit in the tiny racing cars so he doesn't drive himself.

He recentlv M)lved this frustration by acquiring a speedboat which he races himself. Oddly enough his sie led him to his present acting career, his college drama department needed a student husky enough to carry the "bodies" out of basement in a production of "Arsenic and Old Lace." Aside in ersonal charisma. 1 it inn haired Agnes Moorehead is an expert on magic from her role of hndora on the IV series Bewitched She might be able to supplv somr potions or amulets to help today's winner, Miss Moorehead has been nominated five times for an Academy Award and in 1 ft7 won TV's coveted l.mniy Award Young Kalhy (iarvcr who plays Cissft, the twins' older li(ter, on the TV show Family Affair, started attracting attention early 1 he late great Cecil B. de Mille was so taken Witji her as a little girl making her movie debut that he had extra scenis written for her in "The Ten Commandments," CLU Gl) LAGER already Will know his way around the track wlipn he comes to the race today. He is featured in "Winning" the current motion picture about the 500-Mfla Race which was filmed at the peedWHV last season.

Some fans will know him as Deputy Ryker in Ihe Virginian TV series. Rotund Alien Sherman who will attend the race may make the 500 as successful in record circles as "Camp (iranada," his hit disc of a few seasons back, if today's race should inspire him to write another comic musical letter beginning. "Hello Muddah. Hello raddah." Sports ls runs neck and neck with television in drawing well-known names to the track. O.

J. Simpson who led the Southern California Irolans to two straight Rose Bowl games will put in an appearance as will baskelhall ace Oscar Robertson, Basketball also will be in the spotlight when Mel Dan tell of the Indiana Pacers and the ABA's Most Valuable Player strolls through the grandstands accompanied by Pacers' Coach Bob Leonail Cazie Russell of the New York Knickerbockers of the ar nmuM The Penski-Donohue car, FAITHFUL FAN-While rain washed out the first weekend of qualifications this month, it did not keep the faithful fans away. One of those who waited for the skies to clear was 25-year-old Marcia Watts of Gary, Ind. She spent her extra time reading The Star. (Star Photo) however, is not expected to make the opener at Mosport Park.

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