The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 14

SATl'RDAY. MAY 25, 1984 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR- GE 14- 5(B)(0) Fastest field ever" set for 68th 500 FIRST ROW HOWDY HOLMES 41 Mayer Motor Racing TOM SNEVA 1 Star RICK MEARS Pennzoil MrcMowertk i V- 43165 43193 Mm :43520 208502 208.367 207.727 206801 43039 209113 42871 209898 42 771 210423 .42717 210 689 Totals 2 51405 210 029 :43297 207867 :43.227 208.203 :43352 207 603 :43220 208237 Totals 2 53 094 207 977 Totals 2 53204 207847 SECOND ROW GORDON JOHNCOCK 20 STP Oil Treatment Mtrck-CMimrMi MARIO ANDRETTI 3 NewmanHaas Budweiser ltiortk MICHAEL ANDRETTI 99 Kraro Enterprises Merck-Caster 923 209 687 42! 143 1 117 208 734 1.16 208 642 43264 208025 :43.243 208126 43383 207431 43344 207 641 Totals Vr' :44346 202 950 207 809 207.790 43411 207.321 :43423 207.263 Totals 253456 207545 A ToUls Vl 2 53.239 207 805 2 53 522 7 467 THIRD ROW GEOFF BRABHAM II Kraco Car Stereo Mrch-Ciort HERM JOHNSON 28 Menard Cashway Lumber ROBERTO GUERRERO I Master Mechanic Tools Mrckotort)) MrcHojrth I :43 699 205 954 :43 583 206.503 43951 204773 :43.765 205 644 Totals 2 54 998 205 717 43904 204993 44 162 203.795 :43 989 204.597 :43.883 205.091 ToUls 2 55 938 204 618 :44 315 203 092 :43884 205.086 43 816 205404 :43654 206167 Totals 2.55669 204931 winners in the field. The others are A. J. Foyt (1961 64 67 771 Al Unser Sr.

(197071781 Johnny Rutherford (1974 7680). Gordon Johncock (197382), Mario Andretti (1969) and Mears (1979). None of them can be counted out of the picture this year, either; although Rutherford must come all the way from the outside of the 10th row in one of Foyt's three cars. Mears will start outside the front row in the Pennzoil March 84C after qualifying at an average speed of 207.977. The threetime national driving champion has led.

each of the last five races and needs to lead just one Sunday to set a record for most consecutive races paced. Johncock. in the STP March 84C. will start from the middle of the second with Andretti. in the Bud weiser Lola, on his outside.

Unser in the Miller High Life March 84C, will start inside the fourth row with Foyt, in the Gilmore Foyt March 84C outside that row. JF THE RACE is to have a first time winner for the second year in a row for the first time since Rutherford followed Johncock in 1974. the most likely Candidates are Sneva's teammate Howdy Holmes, who'll start second in the Jiffy Mixes March 84C; Kraco teammates Michael Andretti and Australian Geoff Brabham; Guerrero; Danny Ongais in the Interscope March 84C. Italian Teo Fabi. who sat on the pole, a year ago as a rookie; Al Unser Jr.

and Rahal. After the first 66 races took place without a father-son act, the 68th running of the 500 features two. The Unsers broke the Ice last year with 44 year old Al Sr. finishing second and 21 year old Al Jr. 10th.

Now comes 2f -year-old Michael Andretti to join his 44 year old father, Mario. Both off springs, considered the finest young American Ulents in years, are obvious chips off the old blocks. Michael will start fourth two spots ahead of his dad after qualifying the ElectroluxKraco March 84C at 207.805. Unser Jr. will start 15th after qualifying the Coors March 84C at 203.404.

Most famous of the lot is two time Formula One champion Emerson Fittipaldi Coming off a three year retirement, the Brazilian will make his first Indianapolis start, from the middle of the eighth row after qualifying at 201.078. Guerrero is another refugee from the Formula One ranks. He will start seventh in the Master Mechanic March 84C. Other rookies are Al Holbert, the current IMSA CT champion and 1983 LeMans co winner, and Tom Gloy, a former SCCA Trans Am champion. The race also boasts the largest foreign contingent in at least 60 years.

Six starters are not citizens of the United States. In addition to Guerrero, Fabi, Brabham and Fitti paldi, the list includes Mexican Josele Garza and Irishman Derek Daly. THE LIST WAS supposed to include a seventh. Canadian rookie Jacques Villcneuve qualified the Canadian Tire March 83C at 200.013 for the 33rd spot. But he suffered a concussion when he crashed while practicing in his backup car, and Speedway doctors ruled him physically unfit to compete in this year's race.

As a result, his team withdrew car and an alternate Kneifel will start for the first time since the 1929 race. By DAVE OVERPECK It is the fastest field ever to start a 500 Mile Race and it just might be the most competitive. The average speed for the 33 starters is 203 686 miles an hour the fastest for any race field, any place, any time. More important, the difference from the Tom Sneva's pole speed of 210.029 in the Texaco March 84C to Chris Kneifel's SPA'erobics Primus at 199 831 is just 10 198. That's not the closest gap from top to bottom in history, but it's a huge gain over 1983 21.541 spread.

The top to bottom speed is expected to produce the highest race speeds ever and some of the closest competition in recent years. "There are some people who say if you run 198 all day. you'll win the race," says Colombian rookie Robert Guerrero. "But I think it's going to require 203 all day. You'll have to run fast all day to win this race." Others aren't expecting the pace to be quite that fast, but Kevin Cogan speaks for most when he says, "I think you'll see a lot of 200 laps in the race." MANY DRIVERS EXPECT the speeds and the closeness of field to make passing difficult.

"The days of coming from the back of the pack to win art over," says Cogan. whose Dubonnet Curb Records Eagle-Pontiac is the only naturally aspirated stock block-powered car in the field. "If you can make up five or six spots in the first 150 miles, you'll be going pretty good." The problem is that the cars traveling at these speeds create so much turbulence behind them that it tends to upset the handling of following cars. "The speed has seemed to magnify the turbulence." says Rick Mears. "We depenq on air for downforce, and it's like the wake of a boat narrow at the start and wider as you get further back.

It's harder to find clean air." Of course, the fact that everybody has been running well over 200 in practice and qualifying Mears was above 208 in carburetion tests Thursday doesn't mean they're going to do that in the race. "There's a difference in practicing quickly and running quickly in the race," says Bobby Rahal, who'll start 18th in the Seven ElevenRed Roof Inns March 84C. "Some have run 'hold your breath' type laps in qualifying. You can't do that in the race. "YOU'LL SEE 200 but I don't think you'll see 207 or 208 miles an hour in the race." One of the rnajor reasons for the closeness of competition is that Indy Car racing this year has become virtually a onechassis, oneengine series.

Twenty-nine of the 33 cars are Marches the exceptions are Kneifel's Primus, Cogan 's Eagle and the Lolas of Mario Andretti and Danny Sullivan. All but two of the Marches are the super swift new 84C's which have antiquated every race car that came before. Thirty of the 33 will be powered by the turbo-charged Cosworth DFX engine that has won every, race here since 1978. The exceptions are Cogan's Pontiac and a pair of turbocharged Buick 6's being driven by teammates Scott Brayton and Pat Bedard. If the speed predictions hold up, and there are not too many yellow flag laps, Mark Donohue's 1972 record of 162962 should fall.

That mark has stood longer than any in Speedway history. SNEVA AVERAGED 162.117 miles an hour in posting his first 500 victory a year ago. Sneva is one of a record tying seven former FOURTH ROW DANNY ONGAIS 2S Interscope Racing March-Coiworth AJ. FOYT Greer-Gilmore Mtrch-Cotworth AL t'NSER SR. 2 Miller High Life Mrcl-Coiwortti 14 :44 174 203.740 :44 098 204.091 44 103 204.068 44 115 204.012 Totals 256 490 203 978 :44 276 203 270 .43 980 204.638 :44262 203.335 44 074 204.202 ToUls 2:56.592 203.860 :44.090 204.128 43 973 204 671 :44.005 204.522 .44.022 204.443 Totals 2 56.090 204.441 r0 Ai I FIFTH ROW TEO FABI 33 Skoal Bandit Mtrch-Coiworth AL UNSER JR.

7 Coors Silver Bullet Mtreh-Coiworth TOM CLOY 77 Simonir Finish Mirch-Coiworth 44151 44186 44 159 :44.184 203 846 203 684 203.809 203694 :43888 205.067 43 934 204.853 :44 290 203.206 :44.705 201.320 Totals 44 352 202.922 :44.210 203.574 44 132 203.934 44294 203.188 ToUls 2:56 988 203 404 TO Totals 256.680 203.758 2 56 817 203 600 SIXTH ROW TONY BETTENHAUSEN 16 Provimi Veal March-Cosworth AL HOLBERT 21 C.R.C. Chemical MirchCoJworth BOBBY RAHAL 5 7-ElevenRed Roof Mtrch-Cowwrth ro ran mnr-r 44447 202488 44 492 202.284 44 498 202.256 44578 201.893 ToUls 44 464 202.411 :44 253 203.376 :44 459 202.434 44327 203.037 Totals 257.503 202.813 44.592 201.830 :44.275 203275 44 153 203837 44 306 203 133 Totals 2:57.326 203.016 a 258.015 202.230 SEVENTH ROW DICK SIMON 22 Break Free Mtrch-Coiwortrt PANCHO CARTER 10 American Dream MtrcO-Coiworth PATRICK BEDARD 3S Escort Radar March Buick V' 44 615 44 540 :44 504 :44.705 201726 202 066 202.229 201.320 44711 20 1 293 44479 202.343 44 455 202452 44 732 201.198 ToUls 2:58.377 201.820 44 119 203.994 44 301 203 156 :44.802 200.884 :45.07i 199.685 Totals 2 58.293 201.915 Totals 2:58.364 201.834 EIGHTH ROW EMERSON FITTIPALDI 47 GTS Racing Mtrch-Cotworlh CHIP CANASSI 40 Old Milwaukee Mirch-Cowwrtti JOSELE GARZA 55 SchaeferMachinists March-Cosworlh CD 1 ll :44.734 201.189 :44 873 200.566 :44.936 200.285 200.503 200.691 201.649 201.473 :44.887 44 845 44 632 :44671 :44.189 203.671 :44.505 202.224 :44.906 200.419 :44.961 201.419 Totals 2:58.561 201 612 :44.905 200.423 ToUls Pfj4 ToUls 2 59 035 201 078 1 2 59448 200.615 0hd 4T(6D(6n NINTH ROW SCOTT BRA YTON 37 Buick Dealers MircMurbo Buick KEVIN tOGAN 98 Dubonnet-Curb lagit-PontlK SPIKE GEHLHAUSEN $7 Little Kings Express Wtrch-Cosoorih The cellular car phone that people use most is very easy to buy. All it takes is a phone call to Motorola. A Motorola representative will answer every question, handle every detail. Features will be explained thoroughly.

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(7i)8l)(9j CD i "I 203.712 203.707 203.878 203.192 44 180 :44.181 44 144 :44.293 III 2Ei2i (77) (sn7 44 349 202.936 :44.432 202 557' :43.980 204638 :44 024 204 434 Totals 2:56.785 203637 :44 859 200.629 :44.763 201.059 44 857 200 638 :45.092 199.592 Totals 259.571 200.478 Stol I Lock I I End I ToUls 2:56.798 203622 I Mute I I Am ft TENTH ROW DEREK DALY (1 Provimi Veal Mirch-Cojworttl DANNY SULLIVAN 30 Domino's Pizza UH-Coiworth JOHNNY RUTHERFORD 14 FoytGllmore Mirck-Cotwortk in :43.882 205 095 :44 075 204.197 :44.352 202.922 :44.537 202.079 Totals 2:56.846 203.567 :44 480 202 331 44516 202174 44 431 202 561 44 401 202 699 Totals 2:57.828 202.443 44301 203.156 44 451 202470 44 612 201.739 :44.799 200.897 ToUls 2 58663 202.062 IKS 12 MOTOROLA CELUJLAR SALES 4393 West 96th Street Indianapolis, 46268 Pleaie send me information on lb Motorola Cellular Car phone. ELEVENTH ROW DENNIS FIRESTONE 50 Hoosier Transportation Mreh-Cewcrtti GEORGE SNIDER 4 Calumet Farms CHRIS KNEIFEL 71 Primus Till. Mtrck-Coiworth Statt. Strict Addrtu. City Phont.

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