The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 26

MONDAY, MAY 17, 1382 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR PAGE 26 198 brings mixed emotions field abha inni nil easy. "The car was pushing he said. "If we had had time to attention, it would have been It wasn't pretty badly," give it some better." Sports But Brabham didn't let that concern him any. "It wasn't really a 'white knuckle' run 1 I 1 i X. v.

By DAVE OVERPECK Sunday wasn't a day that Geoff Brab ham will exactly want to paste into his scrap book, but it beat the bejeebers out of Saturday. "That was one of my worst days in racing," said the 30 year old Australian expa triatc. Brabham, a Speedway sophomore and son of two time world driving champion Jack, had his eyes and his heart set on a 200plus qualifying run on the first day of qualifying. What he wound up with was a 198.906 run on the second day. Had that come Saturday, he would be starting 11th when the green flag falls on the 66th 500 Mile Race May 30.

As it is. he'll go from the 21st slot, outside of the seventh row. "I think I would have been around 201 or 202 (on Saturday)." he said. "We would have been close to what Tom (Sneva. his teammate) did." Sneva wound up with a 201.027 average, good for the inside of the third row.

BUT SATURDAY WAS a disaster First, there was a foul up that saw the yellow light come on on his first try. What happened is that his crew failed to show the green flag to start his run. So as he was whipping through the second turn, Brab ham saw a yellow light that called him back to the pits. Why it happened depends upon to whom you listen. One story has it that the USAC golf cart that runs crews from the start finish line to he said.

"It was just comfortable. I knew it didn't matter if I ran 205 or 197. I'd still be starting from the same place. "As long as it 197 or better. I would stay there.

The car was pushing too much to go faster. "I JUST WANTED to get it in the race. I knew with the problems we had. we had no time to do anything with the chassis. "I'm disappointed we're not starting up higher in the field.

That's unfortunate, hut we'll do the best we on race day. I'm just happy to be in the race. We'll save it for race day." Starting from deep in the field doesn't bother Brabham that much. He came from 15th in his rookie run to finish fifth a year ago. "It's okay as long as there are no problems around you." he said.

"I'm sure I can get through most of the cars okay. "Anybody who can run around 200 mph has a chance in a 500 mile race. I can't say I can stay up with the Penske cars, but I think we can stay with the rest. Anybody who has a smooth, trouble-free race has to be considered a potential winner And after Saturday. Brabham is entitled to some smooth, trouble-free racing.

4 MiiiiiMnWhmtiiiliii irummin -'MawftiiiiHii Ml StMttA iiirMTiTtilitnir frrj the flag station at the north end of the pits failed to pick up crew chief George Bignotti. Brabham says, "There was a mixup on when the green flag had to be shown. Apparently, a LSAC official gave us the wrong information. In any event, we didn't understand." The flap isn't worth remembering anyway. "It didn't matter," he said.

"We wouldn't have made it anyway. When we went out the next time, the engine blew up (actually he burned a piston)." That sent the Pentax March back to Bignotti's shops for an engine change, which resulted in the team getting back to the Speedway late on Sunday afternoon. "THE GUYS WORKED all night," said Brabham, "and we didn't get back here until a half hour before we went." He ran a few practice laps, the quickest of which was in the 196 bracket. "I was going to scrub in a new set of tires and dial in the chassis," he said. "But we realized we didn't have time." So the car was backed up to the line and Brabham was sent out to qualify as best he could.

Speed salute Geoff Brabham acknowledges the crowd after qualifying his car at 198.906, making him the day's first qualifier and the 21st driver in the 1982 500-Mile Race. His run was good for the outside of Row 7. (Star Photo) FIRST ROW KEVIN COGAN i Norton Spirit PENSKE PC 10COSWORTH Firestone sets mark A.J.FOYT 14 Valvoline-Gilmore '82 MARCHCOSWORTH RICK MEARS 1 Gould Charge PENSKE PC 10COSWORTH 44.02 204.453 44.62 201.703 44.30 203.160 44.11 204.035 44.27 203.298 :44.15 203.851 43.98 204.638 204.545 Totals :43.52 206.801 43.47 207.039 43.35 207.612 :43.57 206.564 Totals 2:53.91 207.004 few fli iWK: Totals 2:57.05 203.332 2:56.40 204.082 SECOND ROW GORDON JOIINCOCK 20 STP Oil Treatment WILDCAT VIII B'COSWORTH BILLWHrmNGTON 94 Whittington Bros. '81 MARCHCOSWORTH MARIO AN'DRETTI 40 STP Oil Treatment WILDCAT VIII COSWORTH :44.11 204.035 :44.50 202.247 :44.39 202.748 44.69 44.62 44.67 44.54 201.387 201.703 201.478 202.066 44.53 202.111 :44.56 201.975 :44.63 201.658 :44.60 201.794 Totals 2:58.32 201.884 :44.19 203.666 Totals 2:58.52 201.658 Totals :57.19 203.172 rl -ft I Dennis Firestone set a qualifying record for stock blocks at the Speedway Sunday with a four-lap average of 197.217 miles an hour. That beat the 197.141 that put Mike Mosley in the middle of the first row a year ago.

But the 37 year-old Californian wasn't satisfied. "I wanted to do 200 miles an hour," he said. "I wanted to dedicate that lap to Gordon Smiley. He was a good friend of mine and a lot of people in racing. It seemed like the only thing I could do for him now." Smiley was killed Saturday while warming up for a qualifying run for this year's 500 Mile Race.

Last year, after his original mount was bumped. Firestone wound up stepping into a new Wildcat from the Patrick Pacing Team for whom Smiley was driving. "HE WAS SUPER to me." said Firestone Sunday. "He was the only one to take time with me He sold me on getting into the car without any practice. He told me it was a super car and what to expect from it." With a minimum of practice time, Firestone put the car into the field with the 23rd fastest qualifying speed, good for the inside of the 10th row.

He was running near the front when his engine expired after 193 laps, leaving him 10th. As of now, Firestone, who was born in Australia but who has lived most of his life in the U.S., will start 22nd on May 30, inside the eighth row with his BCV EagleChevy. But this isn't the same sort of Chevy that put Ilerm Johnson in the field Saturday. That's called a Donovan Chevy and comes from Dan Gurney's shop. Firestone's power-plant is called a Milodon and has its origins in drag racing.

"It's quite a bit different," said Firestone. "We have an 180 degree crank in it, which changes the firing order. It has more torque on the bottom end." THAT TORQUE is a key factor on getting off the corners, particularly on shorter flat tracks. "At Phoenix, it's a tiger," said Firestone. "We had to block off a cyclinder because we'd burned a piston, and it still went out there and stayed with a lot of the Cos-worths on seven cyclinders until we had to park it." Only "a lot of stupid, little things" kept Firestone from putting the machine into the race sooner than Sunday.

"We lost a seal on an oil pump earlier," he said. "Then today we had a problem with a water leak." Firestone, a trucking company president when he's away from racing, is a firm stock block advocate in his first year with the push-rod equipment. "The car is capable and it's a good motor," he said of his chariot. "You give that car and that engine to Penske for a year (for testing and development) and it'll go 205 miles an hour. "WE'RE GOING with a very small budget and very few pieces.

This engine is highly under rated." Firestone wishes he had more company among the stock block devotees. "It's a good combination it really is," he said. "I wish more teams would adopt the Chevy we'd all go faster." Firestone gave the car a fairly conserva tive run Sunday. "We ran about 7.500 rpm (vs. 7.700 to 7,800 for Johnson with the Donovan version)," he said.

"We had a third gear that would go faster. But because we didn't have that much experience with the engine, we wanted to be a little bit conservative, so we stayed with the fourth gear." Come race day, Firestone likes his chances. "A stock block in a race like this has a helluva an advantage," he said. "Those Cos-worths tend to get weak in a long race and the stock block keeps right on going." D.O. THIRD ROW DON WHITTINGTON 91 Whittington Bros.

'81 MARCHCOSWORTH DANNY ONGAIS 25 Interscope Racing INTERSCOPECOSWORTH TOM SNEVA 7 Texaro Star '8! MARCHCOSWORTH 203.436 200.267 199.778 200.669 45.05 199.778 45.19 199.159 42.25 198.895 45.28 198.763 Tntak IS. 45.05 :44.85 :44.73 201.207 44.37 202.840 :45.17 199.247 :45.08 199.645 Totals 2:59.35 200.725 Totals 59.08 201.027 Art IT 1 AA 1 IQ k5 Tire-iitg work FOURTH ROW CHIPGANASSI 12 1st Commercial Corp. WILDCAT VII lCOSWORTH JOHNNY RUTHERFORD 5 Pennzoil Chaparral CHAPARRALCOSWORTH PANCHO CARTER 3 AlexFnnds '62 MARCHCOSWORTH Veteron race car driver Mario Andretti (left) and his chief mechanic Ron Baddelery inspect the tires on Andretti's racer in the garage area of Gasoline Alley Sunday after a few practice laps at 196 miles an hour. Andretti qualified Saturday at an average speed of 203.172. (UPI Photo) :45.61 197.325 :45.80 196.464 :45.56 197.542 45.71 196.937 Totals :45.17 199.247 1 :45.27 198.807 :45.21 199.071 45.30 198.675 Totals 3:00.95 198.950 :45.42 198.151 45.56 197.542 :45.55 197.585 :45.56 197.542 Totals 3:02.09 197.704 Si i o.m co 107 ncc iiiiiiii 3 SAVE 15-25 Quality Tire Values i i nS "ST FIFTH ROW HERM JOHNSON 28 Menard Cashway Lumber '81 EAGLECHEVY HURRY-SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED SALE ENDS SATURDAY HECTOR REBAQUE 52 Carta Blanca '82 MARCHCOSWORTH DANNY SULLIVAN 53 Forsythe-Brown MARCHCOSWORTH RADIAL TIRES 45.76 196.678 :45.91 196.036 :45.81 196.507 UNIR0YAL STEELERS 230 Treadwear Rating :45.85 196.292 45.92 :46.04 195.993 195.482 194.595 :45.89 196.121 45.87 196.207 :45.86 196.249 :46.10 195.228 Totals :46.25 UNIROYAL ECONOMY ORIGINAL EQUIP.

DESIGN SMOOTH RIDE FULL 1.3" WHITEWALl :45.86 196.249 Totals 02.41 196.292 Totals 3:03.97 195.684 i J3 1 1 SALE PRICED! P18580RI3 P19570RU P20S7SRU P20575RU P20575R15 P21575RI5 P22575R15 P23575R15 P22570R15WI SIXTH ROW BOBBY RAHAL 19 Red Roof Inns 82 MARCHCOSWORTH 4S.99 47.99 50.99 S2.99 SS.99 P19575RU P20575RU P21575R15 P22575R15 P23575R15 HOWDY HOLMES 30 Domino's Pizza MARCHCOSWORTH ALUNSER 10 Longhorn LONGHORN LR 3COSWORTH All prkes Plus F.E.T. :45.43 198.107 :46.15 195.016 :46.19 194.847 :46.31 194.342 Totals WIDETRACK RADIAL 46.26 194.553 :46.16 194.974 :46.18 194.890 46.52 193.465 Totals 3:05.12 194.468 :46.31 194.342 46.16 194.974 :46.14 195.059 :46.29 194.426 Totals 3:04.90 194.700 04.08 195.567 Treadwaar Rating 190 Low, wide 70 series Outline white letters 4-PLY POLYESTER WIDE 78 SERIES tet Premium 44Cs Mbj Blackwalls I3HI I 'I B78-1 3 28.07 Wml'llil E78 14 32.94 OTiM F78-U 33.93 fMf nu 3S-63 r26 G78-15 36.45 I H78-15 38.97 I Whitewalls slightly Higher I All Prices Plus F.E.T. SEVENTH ROW CHIP MEAD 49 Arizona International '81 EAGLECOSWORTH PI9570R13 P22570RU P22570R15 P23570R15 P24560R15 GEOFF BRABHAM 21 Pentax Super MARCHCOSWORTH ROGER MEARS 31 Machinists Union PENSKE PC4BCOSWORTH S2.99 61.99 6S.99 68.99 69.99 72.99 lili 57, 3 4fi-33 1-259 P24560R15 All Prices Plus F.E.T.. :45.36 198.413 :45.22 199.027 :45.11 199.512 45.30 198.675 Totals kLafl 46-09 195.270 17" :46.38 194.049 ass- 1 :46.62 193.050 :46.16 194.974 46.44 193.798 :46.49 193.590 :46.65 192.926 Totals 3:05.74 193.819 A 13 QUALITY CAR SERVICE COUPONS 1 Totals 3:05.42 194.154 3:00.99 198.906 pTcrTDTlMir! sTpROMT 1 ELECTRONIC DISC BRAKES TUNE-UP I I I I I I $27 $27 EIGHTH ROW REPLACE PADS INSPECT ROTORS INSPECT CALIPERS FILL FLUID MOST U.S. CARS I ANALYZE ENG.

STARTING AND CHARGING SYS. I NEW PLUGS CARBURETOR AOJ TIMING SET I MOST U.S. CARS 4 DENNIS FIRESTONE V. Racing EAGLECHEVY FOREIGN AND V2-TON TRUCKS, $33 Expires 531 82 I I 6 8 CYL. $33 I Expires 5318 I :45.46 I I I I eBBaBaBMaV SMBSIBM 197.976 197.412 196.850 196.637 Practice for the Indianapolis 500 continues today through Friday with more qualifying set for Saturday and Sunday.

Gates open today at 9 a.m., with practice for 11 until 6 p.m. Carburetion tests will be Thursday May 27 for the May 30 race. 45.59 :45.72 45.77 What a relief Dennis Firestone wipes his face in relief after successfully completing his qualifying run Sunday at the Indiana Totals 3:02.54 197.217 polis Motor speedway. With an average speed of final A yi.ci, rirestone was the days second and qualifier. (Stap Photo By Vern Atkins) MASueMSSA4Su4kSjMtfSj4HMSV4ML4etfhkiJSAi et jeiiiissetiew jeea.