The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 25

Sports The Indianapolis Star SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1985 Arl.sLelsure 31. PAGE 25 Johncocl retirement St jr STAR PHOTOMARK PLEW lWIII -p i fcrf 5 i1 STAR PHOTORUDY RUDICEL It started behind the wheel of a roadster at 155 miles per hour, was highlighted with a classic, go-for-broke victory in 1982 and ended in the serenity of a press conference. 1 Gordon Johncock, a relentless race driver who courted the ragged edge for 20 years at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, called it a career Friday morning. "It's just not as much fun as it used to be and I decided this morn- ing I'd had enough," exclaimed the 48year-old veteran to a hastily called gathering of traveled all my life and lived out of 1 a suitcase for 30 years. "I'm fired of packing and unpacking.

I want to settle down in one place and start watching the races on television." Obviously it was a sudden decision since the two-time Indy winner had been running all week. "I'd been thinking about it the last two or three days and I guess I started thinking about it last winter," he admitted. "When it was time to come here, I kinda hated to leave the ranch." With a best lap of 210.871 in Pat Patrick's STP March 85C, Johncock was certainly in the "hunt this month. "I was more competitive this year than we have been the last two," he said, referring to finishes of 14th and 25th. "Actually it was unfair on my part for Pat, the crew and our sponsor.

"I should have made my decision earlier in the week." After suffering broken bones in his legs and feet the past two years, Johncock was asked if his injuries influenced his decision? "No," he responded, "I would have never come back here and started running if that was the case. "If anything, the injuries "made me want to come back stronger." Stronger is usually how Gordy finished a race during his 254 starts, beginning in 1964 on the dirt at Springfield, III. After qualifying for his initial Indy 500" in '1965 at 155.012 on skinney tires in a roadster, his first victory came the next month at Milwaukee. Since then, he racked up 24 more wins, which ties him for No. 7 on the all-time list.

Month's best times P. DriverrCar Speed 1. Mario Andrew Ju 285 Beatrice Lola T-900Cosworth No. 1 2. Bobby Renal JM 183 Budweiier March i5CCojworth No.

I0T 3. Roberto Guererro J13.725 Master Mechanic March 5CCosworth No. 9 Rick Mear Pennioil March ISCCosworth No. I 5. Don Whittinoton 212 715 STP Oil Treatment March85CCosworth No.

20 a. Danny Sullivan 212.615 Miller American March IbCCosworth No 5 i JvPancho Carter 2114 Valvoline March V-6 No. a 7. Scott Brayton tti.UI-. Brayton Engineering Mardil5CBitick No 37 Bill Wittington 212.414 Arciero Racing MarchSSCCosworth No.

12 10. Josele Garza 211.65 Schaeffer March 85CKosworth No.55 10. Geoff Brabham 211.665 Coort Light March Related stories, photos, pages 26, 30, 33 He won the rain-shortened, destructive Indy 500 everyone wanted to forget in 1973, but captured the one everyone remembers in '82. That was when he literally hung on at 195 mph to nip Rick Mears by .16 of a second in the greatest finish ever. "I've had a great career thanks to Pat, the fans and the media," continued Johncock, who spent an unheard-of 13 years with Patrick Racing.

"It was a tough decision and the more I stay around, the tougher it will be." Johncock will head back to Ft. Thomas, where he's got a 12.000-acre cattle ranch. "I was born and raised on a farm and I spend all my time on the ranch now, I enjoy it." he stated. Patrick, who put Don Whittington in No. 20.

said, "I'm happy for Gordy to make the decision he's made." Defending CART champion Mario Andretti had mixed emotions. JTm going to miss.Jiim because. I've spent my career with him," said Andretti. "He and I broke into USAC, together, were rookies here together and fought a lot of battles together. "What he did was clever because you can't dwell on these things.

And he's walking away with his health. "I hate to see him go but he's had a beautiful career." By ROBIN MILLER STAR ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR wsasp wj 'ilf f-- 1 STAR PHOTORUDY RUDICEL Johnson crash Herm Johnson's practice run came to an hits the first turn wall after spinning; in the bottom photo, what is left of the car continues abrupt halt Friday afternoon at the Indianapolis middle photo, his No. 8 continues along the through the short chute. Johnson and the Motor Speedway. In the top photoJohnson wall, leaving debris and fire behind; in the machine ended up on the inside of the track.

he's not the Sand Man this year Gas Mcui claims because the chassis isn't real close to being right on. There is little doubt that the driver will be right on, too, although Sneva the first driver to speak out concerning speeds flying too high maintains the driver is less and less a factor. "Equipment is such a big part of it now," he said. "It's the car and horsepower and you just stick the monkey in it and let him turn left when he gets to end of straightaways. "The cars are so good you can virtually run flat out and it basically takes driving skill out of things." More and more, drivers, officials and car owners are coming to Sneva's way of thinking about slowing the cars down.

Yet, Sneva remains justifiably proud of his accelerated accomplishments at Indy, including being the first man to surpass 200 and the current track record holder at least until sometime this afternoon. "Everybody is working under the same set of rules and regulations," said Sneva. "So if you get a little more speed than anyone else under the same conditions, it does mean a lot." And who does Sneva think might crank out that little something extra today? "I thought it should have been Pancho Carter in the Buick but maybe he's not showing all his wares yet," Tom replied, perhaps looking for company in the regiment of sandbaggers. "And, obviously, (Bobby) Rahal and (Mario) Andretti are favorites. It looks like they're running the same speeds in the straights, so it'll be whoever gets the chassis dialed in the closest and whoever can put four laps together." Few drivers, of course, know better than Sneva what putting four laps together is all about.

If he's not in front after today, he'll likely be close. going to do anything tremendous in the near future. "People thought we did (held back) last year but basically you're just trying to learn all week. It's not important to go real fast early in the week. You just try to learn about the systems of the car, what makes it happy and what makes it sad and hopefully by qualifying you have all the happy things going." Adding spice to the sandbagging speculation is a report that Sneva has run at least 212 this week but on a lap that was timed from the third turn to third turn, and not along the front stretch where the rest of the racing world would know, too.

"I don't know if we ran 212 somebody said we did," replied Sneva. "But 212 isn't fast enough anyway." The problem, Sneva believes, is not in the Eagle chassis, but somewhere within the Cosworth engine. "I honestly don't think we've got enough straightaway speed to feel we have a realistic chance to make the front row," Sneva commented. "That bothers me, but there's nothing I can do about it. The race car's a good race car.

We're a little slow down the straightaway but the car drives good and that's important." Which isn't to say that Sneva, who always gets the most from his equipment, doesn't feel he can extract a couple more miles an hour for today's qualifying attempt. "But it's not going to be enough to make any big difference," said the 37-year-old Sneva, who has started seven of his 11 Indianapolis races in the first two rows. "We're giving up 10 miles an hour in the straights to the guys who are running 214s and that's pretty tough to make up. But you do the best you can with what have to work with. I'd like to see our car right up front, but if not, it won't be By BILL BENNER STAR STAFF WRITER To hear the talk, Tom Sneva is lying as low as the belly of one of the snakepit drunks or that the next time Fort Wayne has a flood and they need sandbaggers, someone should give Tom a call.

Whether that be fact or fantasy, the reality is this: the fastest week in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history has definitely been missing Sneva, the fastest man officially in Speedway history. Sneva, whose one- and four-lap IMS records are certain to fall in today's first day of qualifying for the May 26 500-Mile Race, has only the 19th fastest lap of one very quick week. Driving the No. 2 Skoal Bandit EagleCosworth for Dan Gurney, Sneva's hottest circuit has been just a 209.996 not even fast enough to eclipse his own official track records of 210.689 for one lap and 210.029 for the entire 10-mile qualification run. There's a popular theory concerning Sneva's speeds circulating the pits and garage area.

A year ago, Sneva was a quiet presence until pole day, then he shoved the Texaco Star to the head of the class. So most everyone seems convinced that the Gas Man has been holding back again this week, saving his smoke for today's run for the pole. "I only wish that was the case," Sneva. a three-time polesitter and 1983 500 winner, said Friday, relaxing along the pit wall while the Gurney team tinkered with his green and white racer. "It's interesting that we've got everybody convinced of that.

In fact. I may be the only one convinced that that's not what we're doing. I guess it's a good feeling that you've got them worried about those kinds of things. But it doesn't mean anything. It might mean that we did something in the past, but it doesn't necessarily mean we're STAFF PHOTORICK MYERS Defending track record holder Tom Sneva, right, talks with Eagle chassis designer John Ward during practice at the Speedway.

Colts' mini-camp minus Petersen, Jones will proceed Thursday, was among the last cuts in the 1984 Colt training camp Defensive backs Duane Galloway and Tom Morris, briefly on the Colt roster last year, were signed as free agents by Detroit. taught proper conditioning plus the fundamentals of the game." High school, college and professional coaches along with other National Football League players will be on the staff, Schlichter said. The six-day period of instruction begins June 9 and ends June 14. Cost of the camp is $150 for commuters and and $210 for persons remaining on the Indiana Central campus. A $75 non-refundable deposit should be included with the application and mailed to Art Schlichter QuarterbackReceiver Football Camp.

P.O. Box 90063, Indianapolis. Ind. 46290 9006. while, was on injured reserve all of last season with a bad knee.

He did not sign a new contract when it was offered last February and was dropped when the knee prevented him from participating in heavy work during the mini-camp last month. The Colts signed Petersen as a free agent last season after he was waived by Pittsburgh and Cleveland. This would have been his ninth season in the National Football League. Jones was signed by the Colts during the 1980 season after three years with Cleveland. All 10 of the draftees, at least 20 lone Friday session will be from 10:15 a.m.

to noon. Hoosier Dome practice sessions are open to the public. Admission is $1 per person per session. Players will be available to sign autographs at the end of both workouts Wednesday and Thursday. COLT NOTES Recently signed free agent quarterback Phil Basso of Liberty Baptist College was the second leading passer in Division II last season, completing 250 of 426 passes for 3.226 yards and 24 touchdowns Free agent linebacker Jeff Tootle, who signed free agents, the quarterbacks and possibly a few veterans will begin three days of intense work today at the Colts' Fall Creek complex.

Two-a-day workouts are scheduled for everyone today and tomorrow. The quarterbacks will work twice Monday, the draft picks and free agents All sessions at the complex are closed to the public. The entire squad will participate in mini-camp next Wednesday. Thursday and Friday at the Hoosicr Dome. Practice sessions at the Dome are scheduled from 10:15 a.m.

to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. The By JOHN BANSCH STAR STAFF WRITER Offensive tackle Ted Petersen and linebacker, Ricky Jones will be absent when the Indianapolis Colts hold their second mini-camp of the spring next week.

The injury-plagued veteran free agents have not come to terms with the Colts and were dropped from the roster following lengthy negotiations. Petersen, who has a back problem, refused to agree to a waiver in his new contract which would have relieved the Colts of any obligation if he was reinjured. Jones, mean ART SCHLICHTER will host a quarterbackreceiver football camp for boy's entering grades 7 through 12 at Indiana Central next month. "The camp is designed to teach the techniques in throwing and catching the football." according to the Indianapolis Colt quarterback. "In addition, all campers will be.