The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 48

wtr- iv ri nM to ct i SUNDAY, JULY 4, 1982 j9 atcat9 reimtdimBer Pacers Sports over lightly And there has been surprisingly little talk about baseball. You remember baseball. The national pastime. The game that gets George Steinbrenner mugged in hotel elevators. Mayor Bill Hudnut has been trying to keep the idea alive.

And that's a big plus. But nobody yet has stepped forward and put the $100 down. At the moment baseball isn't considering expansion, doesn't even have a committee to look at prospects. But that doesn't mean it won't happen. The American League went up two teams Seattle and Toronto in 1977.

The price was somewhere around $10 million. It would be higher now everything is. In 1981 the Cubs went for $20 5 million. But, the price included Wrigley Field. BASEBALL HARDLY would be a new toy in Indiana.

The first organized professional game was played at Fort Wayne, May 4, 1871. And the Indians are into their 96th season. Max Schumacher, president of the Indians, sees expansion down the road and Indianapolis as a possibility. Says Max, "I think, realistically, that baseball will expand by up to six cities in the next 15 years of so adding cities in and out of the U.S. "I think Indianapolis would be in a very competitive position.

We'll have an A-l facility and that certainly should give us a leg up on the competition. "The price would depend on the economic conditions at the time. But it would take people willing to make a sizable investment. "I know of no prospective owners at the moment" With football, basketball, baseball and possibly soccer there should be enough toys to go around. If people are loading up on cash, they might at least take a look at basketball and baseball.

The best toys don't necessarily come with pads and helmets. tract, puts stars crossed with dollar signs in the eyes of panting, hopeful investors. But it doesn't have to be the only game in town. I maintain always will that this should be one of the best basketball franchises in the country. Give the fans an even break, a fighting chance, and they'll line up at the doors.

But no ownership group here has been stable. I can remember as far back as the 1940s when an owner was peddling his stars to pay the rent. And you can't continually go to the public with multiple dollar anemia and hold a telethon. The term, "Annual Pacers Telethon," just doesn't have a nice ring. They will operate this season on a bargain basement budget, and I can't see Sam Nassi staying in business for longer than one year.

Matter of fact, I be more than slightly whelmed if the franchise expired or moved before spring. AT THE MOMENT he's asking more than VOU CAN LOOK for some heavy -and probably heavy handed maneuvering before Indianapolis is awarded a National Football League franchise. Bob Welch, who did all the advance work and for years was one of the few true believers, already has formed a group of investors. This doesn't necessarily mean Pete Rozelle will pat him on the head and lay a franchise on him. Welch is aware of that He also knows he will have competition.

At least two groups currently are chasing the necessary bucks and shoving for position. WHICH BRINGS ME to the point. We re talking about mega bucks. If that kind of loose cash is going to be floating around in the next few years, some of it certainly could be used to bail out the Pacers or to purchase a baseball franchise. Football, with its bombshell television con L-Bob Collins.

Sports Editor -J he'll get. But he really hasn't had a solid offer. If a group would come in with their minds somehow cleansed of the belief that the fans owe them a living, carry some deep pockets and put together a solid organization, they'll end up with a winner on the floor and at the gate. Cogan takes pole amid confusion ar ''flit er) came up to me and said they never got Howdy better than 1.14 08." said Cogan before being awarded the pole. "He said he was sorry this happened because it would have been my first pole." Holmes had told Cogan he wanted a pole position, "but not until (he) deserved it." So when the green flag falls at 1 p.m.

(ESPN), Cogan will be on the inside of the front row, Rahal will be next to him and Andretti will start on the outside of Row 2. Further confused timing caused Tom Sneva, who apparently had earned the 10th spot on the official grid with a speed of 117.954, to drop to 14th position when another computing error was discovered. His revised speed was 116.008 mph. Geoff Brabham's 1:13 43 (121.585) in the Pentax March was good for fourth fastest and defending CART champ Rick Mears was fifth best at 1:13.52 (121.436) in the Gould Charge PC-10. HECTOR REBAQUE, who left For mula One racing for the CART wars, sits on Row 4 at 1:13.71 (121.123) in the Carta Blanca March and Al Unser, in the Longhorn LR03, qualified at 1 14.40 (120.000 mph).

Early in the day, it appeared Andretti' would hold a commanding advantage since Saturday started wet and wild. The first timed qualifying session was conducted in a steady rain and Mario emerged with an eight-second edge over Rebaque as there were at least 15 cars off the track. By ROBIN MILLER Star Sportswriter Cleveland, Ohio European style qualifying was used here Saturday to determine the starting lineup for today's BudweiserCleveland 500 Indy-car race. But after all was said and done the result was a very traditional American form of racing. Confusion.

The pole position first apparently belonged to Kevin Cogan, then was "officially" awarded to Howdy Holmes even though only one CART timer had him with the fastest time. Late Saturday, CART gave the pole spot to Cogan when it was determined that a mechanical failure had caused a "bad reading" on Holmes' time. The former Indy 500 Rookie of the Year was banished to seventh position after he had planned to lead the pack in the inaugural road race around the Burke Lakefront Airport course. Despite CART's confusion, most of the usual scoring population had Kevin Cogan posting the quickest speed over the 2.48 mile circuit. A few others had Bobby Rahal in the top spot and one or two others thought Mario An-dretti belonged in the No.

1 slot. However, only one person out of the masses of stop watches and computers had Holmes at 1:12.15 (123.742 miles an hour) in the Domino's Pizza March. "THERE'S NO way Howdy won the pole." said Rahal prior to CART's reversal. "He was two seconds slower than we were all afternoon." "Doug Shierson (Holmes' car own So poor were the conditions that A.J. Foyt didn't even bother running his Valvoline March.

"This is insane," said the four-time Indy winner. "I could see it if it was race day, but not for qualifying. I've got too much money invested to run in this But the rain subsided and at 5:30 the track was dry and reopened for time trials, in which every lap goes on the clock. Gordon Johncock, winner of the last two Indy shows, managed ninth best time in his STP Wildcat before tagging the Turn 6 wall but he is expected to be ready today. JOE SALDANA wasn't so lucky.

Little Joe mashed the front end of Dick Hammond's Genesee Beer Wagon PC 7 on Turn 8 and it was finished for the weekend. Herm Johnson had to go to his backup MenardCashway Lumber Eagle after an off course excursion in the rain and rookie Chip Ganassi knocked the nose off his Wildcat but came back to get 12th best time. A couple of usual front-runners found themselves in unusual surroundings. Johnny Rutherford, who was third in the rainy runs, wound up 16th in the Pennzoil Chaparral, while Foyt, who only ran a few laps in the dry, couldn't do better than 22nd. Tom Bigelow, Bob Frey and Tod Tuttle weren't among the 24 fastest, but can still be added as promoter's options.

(AP Photo) Gordon Johncock guides his car through rainy time trial at Cleveland Miss Bud, Atlas Van at Madison avore Shobert staves off Goss to capture AM A 25-miler the Bud or the Atlas, but we can be a contender if we eliminate the excess air that's flowing under our boat." The Squire "has plenty of horsepower," according to D'Eath. "We have to get the boat running right on top the water," he says. Peddie, a Madison body shop operator who once drove the Miss Madison, hopes to finish somewhere in the top five. "We're an old boat" he said in an understatement about the Kentuckiana Paving hydro which has campaigned for 16 years and once raced as My Gypsy. "We can't keep up with the big guns.

"SINCE WE can't run up with the fast boats, our strategy is to exist. They're running so hard they're more likely to break down." Statistics show how dominant Miss Budweiser and Atlas Van Lines have been in the sport The Bud has 41 career victories, the Atlas 38. Next is Miss Bardahl (now out of the sport) with 27. Pay 'N Pak is fourth with 25, then comes Miss Madison with three. The turbine-powered Pay 'N Pak will not race here and is expected to bypass the Evansville Regatta next Sunday because of sponson damage suffered at Detroit.

Chenoweth is the only active driver with more than four victories. He has won 25 times. Hanauer says there's been "no pressure" from Fran Muncey (Bill's widow and owner of the boat) or the sponsor to "measure up to Bill's achievements," but admits to "some pressure from the press and fans." Six other unlimited hydroplanes are expected to compete today Miss Prodelco, driven by Steve Reynolds; Miss Madison, piloted by Ron Snyder; the Gilmore Special, with Scott Pierce behind the wheel; Squire Shop, driven by Tom D'Eath; Kentuckiana Paving, piloted by Jon Peddie, and Captran Resorts, with Fred Giese in the cockpit JOINING THE Atlas in the opening heat (scheduled for noon) will be Miss Prodelco, Miss Madison and the Gilmore Special. The other boats take to the Ohio in Heat IB, which is scheduled for 12:30. The field will be re-paired for heats 2A and 2B.

The five boats which compile the most points in the preliminary heats will compete for the Governor's Cup. Each heat consists of five laps over the 2Vi-mile course. Drivers of the other unlimiteds admit Atlas and Bud are strongest because the two hydros combine great horsepower with lightweight hulls. D'Eath, back in competition after a six-year layoff to drive race cars and other boats, said, "We're not as fast as By JOHN BANSCH Assistant Sports Editor Madison, Ind. The "beer wagon" and the "moving van" renew their aquatic battle on the unpredictable racing surface of the Ohio River this afternoon.

Miss Budweiser, plagued with engine problems, once again faces the challenge of the all-new Atlas Van Lines in the Independence Day race for the Indiana Governor's Cup. Dean Chenoweth, survivor of three near-fatal crashes and winner of the national championship the last two seasons, will be behind the wheel of the Bud. Chip Hanauer, the 27-year-old driver who roared to victory last Sunday at Detroit to win the Gold Cup, is piloting the Atlas. The Bud won the first regatta of 1982 at Miami but has had engine difficulties since. Saturday, the Bernie Little-directed operation was down to only one of its Rolls-Royce Griffon powerplants and much of the day was used to put together backup engines.

"It's as if the little gremlins are after us," said Chenoweth, who drove the Bud to first-places finishes in the last two Madison Regattas. "We've had $50,000 worth of problems created by $50 in parts breaking down." THE ATLAS has had few problems pairs. Billy Scott of Manteca, suffered a possible broken left collarbone when he went down in the first turn during practice. Jim Filice of Ceres, suffered a possible broken right wrist when he fell in the fourth heat. Heat winners were Goss, Jay Springsteen, Graham and Shobert.

Semi features went to Alex Jorgensen and Morehead while Ricky Campbell took the "last chance" race in a photo finish. him going into the third turn. However, it was Shobert again getting the bite off the final turn and winning the sprint to the wire as the oft-delayed program ended at the stroke of midnight. Shobert's time for the 25 miles was 15:38.226 for an average speed of 95.9 mph. That was quicker than Scott went in posting the fastest qualifying run at 95.378 mph.

Two riders wound up at Methodist Hospital for possible orthopedic re this summer. Hanauer qualified at 130.624 miles an hour in his blue and-white hydroplane. The thunderboat had to be rebuilt from scratch after the crash at Acapulco last year which claimed the life of driver Bill Muncey. Hanauer, in his sixth year on the unlimited circuit jumped at the opportunity to drive the Atlas. "I knew the Twenty year-old Bubba Shobert held off Randy Goss by half a bike length to win Saturday night's AMA National Championship 25-miler at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

It was Shobert's first victory in three years of Winston Pro Series racing. "I was beginning to wonder if it was ever going to happen," he said. Shobert and Goss were the last survivors of what was a six bike battle for first for more than half the 25 miles. Third place went Steve More-head with Terry Poovey fourth, Scott Parker fifth, fast qualifier Gary Scott sixth, and Ricky Graham seventh. All were on Harley Davidsons.

Graham led from the ninth through the 21st lap before his engine started going sour and Goss and Shobert whipped past him. Pretty soon the whole parade was going by. Shobert had the lead at the start of the final lap and was still in front down the backstretch. But Goss got by Conquistador Cielo favored in Dwyer New York (AP) Conquistador Cielo, winner of the Belmont Stakes in his last start, Saturday was made the early-line even money favorite for Monday's $100,000 added Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park. Eddie Maple, who lost his mount on Conquistador Cielo in the Belmont when he was injured the day before, is set to ride the colt for the 1 mile Dwyer, which drew a field of eight.

Conquistador Cielo won the June 5 Belmont by almost 15 lengths and the Metropolitan Handicap May 31 by seven iengths. Also entered in the Dwyer was Kentucky Derby winner Gato Del Sol and Preakness winner Aloma's Ruler. However, both also are entered in the Suburban and plan to run in it. The field, with weight, jockeys and odds, in post position order for the Dwyer Gato Del Sol, 126. Donald Mac- jy IL" hm or? eeie1eu NOw, 4U 7 history of this boat and I wanted to be a part of it," he said.

Leff ler triumphs, Kenyon second Greg Leffler of Winchester, Ind, snuffed out Mel Kenyon's bid for his 100th career USAC midget victory with a last-pass at Indianapolis Raceway Park Saturday night. Kenyon, from Lebanon, had just taken the lead on Lap 39 from Jeff Nuckles of Columbus, Ohio. But Leffler shoved his low-slung Gene Hamilton Cosworth-Vega roadster past Kenyon's Upright Volkswagon on the back stretch of the 40th, and last, circuit. Leffler had to come all the way from the back of the pack after being involved in a 10th lap accident on the third turn which sent Steve Lotshaw to the hospital for a checkup. Lotshaw was not injured seriously.

Nuckles was third behind Kenyon. Roy Mockler of Indianapolis was fourth and Kevin Olson of Loves Park, was fifth. Heat winners were Mockler, Kenyon, Olson and Lonnie I I I I rv- I coupon ExPJi WEST 5836 Fortune Circle West 243-3209 A -m J- -HiHI EAST 3203 N. Sbadeland kr: 545-5331 A NOBTH 3353 W. 96th St.

672-4066 a. ill. ffit" inmmrnrTHnrirri Beth, 5-1; Conquistador Cielo, 126, Maple, even; Reinvested, 119, Angel Cor-dero, 6-1; The Time Is Now, 114, no rider, 15-1; Thunder Puddles, 114, no fider, 10 Aloma's Ruler, 126, Cordero, 10 John's Gold, 114, Jorge Velasquez, 61; and Cut Away, 114, Jerry Bailey, 201. Tandem in turn Motorcycle racers Mike Kidd (1) of Boyd, Texas, and Richard Arnaiz (27) of Stockton, slide through one of the turns at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Saturday. (Star Photo by Kay jTotten Spivey) flf RusSprc ciing Caruthers.

Bob Jesser won thi semi-feature..