The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 29

FRIDAY, MAY 18, 1990 -THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR- C-3 Who is Guido Pit Pass acco, anyway By CURT CAVIN Italian rookie remains a mystery at speedway Bill Benner The Assignment, should I choose to accept it, is a piece on Guido Dacco. Sure, no problem. But who's Guido Dacco? Or better yet, what's a Guido Dacco? Race driver, I'm told. Rookie at Indy. Guido Dacco.

If nothing else, I SIMPSON CREW WINS SCHWITZER AWARD The four men responsible for designing the "BeadALL" racing helmet were honored Thursday with the 24th annual Louis Schwitzer Award at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bill Simpson. Mike Held. Tim Halsmer and Luciano Aguirre, all of Simpson Race Products, were recognized with the award for "engineering innovation and excellence in the field of race car design." The foursome received a trophy and a $5,000 check. The helmet was designed to give Indy-car drivers added protection and improved aerodynamics.

It has gill-like outlet ducts and ripple strips which reduce helmet lift and buffeting. Through the development, drivers control the air flow through the ducts cooling their head. In addition, Simpson changed the helmet's fastening procedure, making it easier to remove the helmet when a driver is unconscious. The system minimizes the movement of the driver's head following an accident. The honoring of the Simpson group makes it the first time the Schwitzer committee has recognized more than one designer in the same year.

It is also the first time the award was given for a design aspect not part of the race car. ALFA CARS LACKED POST BONDING AGENT Roberto Guerrero stuffed his '90 MarchAlfa Romeo into Turn 3 and proved to Patrick Racing that the rear wing post had problems staying together. March Engineering apparently subcontracted the work for the posts, which are carbon fiber on the Porsche-powered cars and carbon over honeycomb aluminum on the Alfas. The Alfas, driven by Guerrero and Al Unser reportedly were short on the bonding agent between the carbon and honeycomb. The crew corrected Unser's car before another accident occurred.

YELLOW SHIRTS A DIFFERENT BUNCH There are times when like that name. It just sounds racy. So your intrepid reporter sets out in pursuit of his prey. The first rule of interviewing, of course, is to know your subject. -V TAto month.

Because of the late entry, he did not take part in the rookie orientation program. And, because of the rain, he didn't pass the final stages of his rookie test until just before the end of practice Thursday. It might not matter, anyway. Ferrari (who got Davey Jones in the field last year) said his team won't put Guido in the qualifying line this weekend unless Groff is safely in the show. And Groff needs to make the race for the team to acquire some major sponsorship money.

So. needless to say. Guido Dacco is not a priority. And even Dacco isn't sure he can coax the machine up to speed. "The engine not too much power." he says.

"I think 210 is best I can do the maximum." So he sits on the pit wall, puffs on a Marlboro and concentrates on nothing more than doing the best he can, when he can. "The experience here is important," Dacco says. "I race 24 hours of Daytona, the 24 hours of LeMans. But, to me, Indianapolis Is the best place in the world." The look in his eyes confirmed what he was saying. It was a look that needed no translation.

From half a world away, Guido Dacco had come to his own Mecca. three points in the PPG Cup point standings. And this year, Guido finished 12th in the CART season opener at Phoenix. Now, at least, I've got a feel for the man. I venture out into the pits.

And there sits Guido next to the unsponsored, red. No. 66 "88 LolaCosworth. I quickly learned another fact about Guido that isn't on his card. And that's that he knows about as much English as I do Italian which is to say, piccolo (little).

I ask him how the month has gone. He replies. "I am from Milan, Italy." What we have here is a failure to communicate. So don't be looking for a lot of Guido Dacco quotes. Guido is a slight man, with legs that look like strands of lin-guinl.

He couldn't weigh more than a plateful of meatballs "54 kilos," he tells me, which is somewhere in the area of 130 pounds. Dacco was a last-minute driver entry by Euromotorsport owner Antonio Ferrari, whose primary hope is to get another rookie, Mike Groff, qualified in the team's No. 1 car. Dacco understands this but, still, it's been a frustrating Dacco Euromotorsport Racing team. I seek out a Euromotorsport Racing team information kit the kind that all the teams' public relations people make available to the media.

I discover that Euromotor-sport's public relations man has not published an information kit. I also learn that Euromotorsport has no public relations man. Alas, all is not lost. The able speedway press liaison, Bill York, produces a postcard and a folded sheet of paper that has some of Guldo's biographical data. It says he's from Milan, Italy, that he's 42 years old, married (wife, Alida) and has a 1 5-year-old daughter.

I learn that Guido Dacco who began racing motorcycles in 1 966 is not some raw, unwrapped rookie, but that he ran in 13 CART races last year, finished as high as 12th (13th in the Michigan 500) and amassed Thus, my initial step is to seek out background information on Guido Dacco. I go to the 74th Indianapolis 500 Media Fact Book, which has virtually everything about every driver at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But not a word on Guido Dacco. 1 then turn to the official CART1 990 Media Guide. Again, no Guido Dacco.

I venture into the main office of the infield press room. Guido Dacco drives for the the boys in IMS yellow shirts can become testy. Rookie driver Scott Goodyear, whose boyish face could qualify for junior high, was verbally undressed Thursday trying to get to the pits. He tried to explain to the guard that he was a driver, but in street clothes he looked like an ordinary fan. Finally, he was allowed to enter.

On the flip side, it's worth the drive to see Lewis Morris direct traffic on the backstretch road. The Indianapolis resident is perhaps the most jovial IMS safety patrolman, dancing and 9 i 4 qualifiers after rain shortened qualifying last Sunday. Brayton is seventh in line for second-day qualifiers. Not all of the aforementioned 16 will qualify, and based on Brayton's practice speed, he conceivably could be the quickest of the second-day qualifiers. "Look at Michael Andretti last year," said Brayton, whose best '500' finished was a sixth last year.

"He had his original time disallowed (for falling a technical inspection) and qualified back in the pack. Then he ran strong In the race. "I'm going to go out and do the best Job I can do. Hopefully, it will be the quickest of the day." Brayton Continued from Page 1 "But at least I was on the front row and I was the youngest driver (26) to break the track record. "I thought that I would come back someday and win the pole.

That was a goal I wanted to achieve, but the important thing was the race." And that's the best way he can look at it now. His chance for an up-front position Is gone for 1990. So Brayton and his crew are looking ahead to Saturday when qualifying resumes. There are 16 cars in line that would be eligible as first-day wm p-- Iff I fHfWif Goodyear tunnel MANN'S MANY COLORS The '89 Lola puchased by Mann Motorsports for driver John Paul Jr. is literally a hodgepodge of paint.

Acquired this week, the Mann crew has had Just enough time to paint the car's sidepods, cowling and rear wing hot pink and black. This Is the car Al Unser Jr. drove to victory at Long Beach last year and has been used recently as a Kraco display car. Therefore, the tub is still in Kraco's yellow and blue colors. "If we get it qualified," said one team member, "we'll repaint it.

But there's no time now." AROUND GASOLINE ALLEY Johnny Rutherford is pulling for Scott Brayton to qualify early Saturday. If Brayton solidly makes the show. Dick Simon reportedly will lease a '90 Lola to Jeff Stoops, J.R.'s owner Tom Sneva on this week's rain: "It's kept the poker games going hot and heavy around the garages. I'm doing pretty good. If it rains some more, I may be able to retire." Mike Groff on IMS and fellow speedway rookie Eddie Cheever: "People think this is a simple oval, but it's not.

It's a very technical race course and, with four turns, there's a lot going on. I have experience on ovals, but I don't know how (Cheever) does it" Jeff Andretti had to put his car away Thursday with a broken valve. "Sure, it's getting (to be) worry time." he said. "But I don't think we're missing too much on the track because of the wind. Today is a day for miles, not setup." Dominic Dobson has the only Cosworth-powered car qualified, but is several mph behind the Chevys.

He said Thursday that Cosworth's future Is bright. "Cos-worth Is working on a brand new 1991 with no derivative from the current motors. They are working with a clean sheet of paper that's what Chevy did a couple of years ago and it worked." Qohnny 'a SpoMA TboAiolqLa BASEBALL CARDS FROM 1886-1990 WRITE FOR PRICE LIST losrcjF PLUS JERSEYS, JACKETS, HATS SPORT GIFT ITEMS SERVING COLLECTORS SINCE 1978 The NikeABCD Camp is offering an opportunity to Indiana high school basketball players to attend our 1990 camp, which will be held from July 5-11 on the campus of Princeton University in Princeton, N.J. The camp tuition is $220. For more information write to: NikeABCD Camp Business Office, 1 Christopher Lane, Buckhan-non, West Virginia 26201 or call 304-472-0329.

1990 INDIANAPOLIS 500 ENTRIES WE BUY BASEBALL CARDS TWO LOCATIONS QQ4 OHOO COUNTY LINE OOI'OUO-. (TARGET MALL) OIC 0070 1726 86TH ST I INDPLS. IN 46240 No. Driver (Starts) 1 Emerson Fittioaldi (6). STAR STAFF PHOTO RON IRA STEELE Scott Brayton communicates with his crew, hoping for no more mixups like last Sunday's.

DA3G Riding Mowers Starting at STX Lawn 100 Series Tractors Lawn Tractors Starting at Starting at $1769 2499 M311 a SAU 29T Pancho Carter (15) 30 Arie Luyendyk (5) 30T Arie Luyendyk (5) 31 No driver 33 A.J. Foyt (32) 37 No driver 39 Dean Hall (R) 39T Dean Hall (Ft) 40 Al Unser (24) 40T Al Unser (24) 41 John Andretti (2) 41T No driver 44 Jetf Wood (R) 44T Jeff Wood (R) 47 No driver 48 No Driver 50 Mike Groff (R) 50T Mike Groff (R) 51 Gary Bettenhausen 52 No driver 52T No driver 56 Rocky Moran (2) 56T Rocky Moran (2) 58 No driver 60 No Driver 66 Guido Dacco (R) 69 Bernard Jourdain (1) 69T Bernard Jourdain (1) 70 Didier Theys (1) 71 No driver 77 Salt Walther (7) 77T Salt Walther (7) 80 No Driver 81 Billy Vukovich (2) WW 1988 LolaCosworth 1990 LolaChevrolet 1990 LolaChevrolet 1989 LolaJudd 1990 LolaChevrolet PenskeChevrolet 1988 LolaCosworth 1988 LolaCosworth 1990 MarchAlfa 1990 MarchAlfa 1990 MarchPorsche 1989 MarchPorsche 1989 LolaCosworth 1989 LolaCosworth PC-18Chevrolet 1987 LolaCosworth 1989 LolaCosworth 1988 LolaCosworth 1989 LolaBuick None listed None listed 1989 LolaCosworth 1988 LolaCosworth 1989 MarchPorsche 1988 LolaBuick 1989 LolaJudd 1989 LolaBuick 1988 LolaBuick PC-18Buick 1989 LolaJudd PC-17Cosworth 1988 LolaCosworth None listed 1988 LolaBuick LolaBuick Nothing Runs LikeaDeen? ChassisEngine PenskeChevrolet PenskeChevrolet PenskeChevrolet PenskeChevrolet 1990 LolaChevrolet 1990 LolaChevrolet 1990 MarchPorsche 1990 MarchPorsche 1990 LolaChevrolet 1990 LolaChevrolet 1990 LolaChevrolet 1990 LolaChevrolet PenskeChevrolet PenskeChevrolet PC-17Buick PC-17Buick PC-18Buick 1989 LolaJudd PC-18Buick PC-17Buick PC-17Buick 1990 LolaChevrolet 1989 LolaBuick 1989 LolaBuick 1989 LolaBuick 1989 LolaBuick 1989 LolaCosworth 1988 LolaCosworth 1990 LolaChevrolet 1990 LolaChevrolet 1989 LolaJudd 1989 LolaJudd 1990 MarchAlfa 1990 MarchAlfa 1989 LolaJudd 1989 LolaJudd 1990 LolaCosworth 1990 LolaCosworth 1990 LolaCosworth 1989 LolaCosworth See Healy Equipment now during Deere Season. They'll help you track down the right tractor at the right price for your specific outdoor heeds. No down payment or 90 days same as cash with approved credit. Low monthly payments and up to $2,500 instant credit available.

IT Emerson Fittipaldi (6) 2 Rick Mears (12) 2T Rick Mears (12) 3 Michael Andretti (6) 3T Michael Andretti (6) 4 Teo Fabi (4) 4T Teo Fabi (4) 5 Al Unser Jr. (7) 5T Al Unser Jr. (7) 6 Mario Andretti (24) 6T Mario Andretti (24) 7 Danny Sullivan (7) 7T Danny Sullivan (7) 8 Rich Vogler (5) 8T Rich Vogler (5) 9 Tom Sneva (16) 10 No driver 11 Kevin Cogan (9) 12 Randy Lewis (3) 12T Randy Lewis (3) 14 A.J. Foyt (32) 15 Jim Crawford (4) 15T Jim Crawford (4) 16 T. Bettenhausen (8) 16TT.

Bettenhausen 17 John Rutherford (24) 17T John Rutherford (24) 18 Bobby Rahal (8) 18T Bobby Rahal (8) 19 Raul Boesel (4) 19T Raul Boesel (4) 20 Roberto Guerrero (5) 20T Roberto Guerrero (5) 21 Geoff Brabham (7) 21T Geoff Brabham 22 Scott Brayton (8) 22T Scott Brayton (8) 23 Tero Palmroth (2) 23T Tero Palmroth (2) 25 Eddie Cheever (R) 25T Eddie Cheever (R) 27 No driver 28 Scott Goodyear (R) 28T Scott Goodyear (R) 29 Pancho Carter (15) Tickets In Stock All Locations Available Buy Sell Trade Healy Equipment Co. LAWN GARDEN CENTER tnm h. 738-2250 HQ 1 1 ITH 10 Minutes South of Jl-dUU I GrMnwood Park Ma, Deere Season prices end May .11 81T Billy Vukovich (2) -p Preferred Tickets 8900 Kayiton Crowing 903 Hiding 84 No Driver Open this Friday and Saturday 8 AM-5 PM 1986 MarchChevy V-6 isw Loiauoswortn 1990 LolaCosworth 1990 LolaChevrolet 1988 LolaJudd 1988 MarchBuick None listed PC-18Chevrolet 1987 LolaBuick 1987 LolaBuick None listed 1969 LolaCosworth 86 Dominic Dobson (2) 87 No driver 88 No Driver 91 Buddy Lazier (R) 92 No driver 93 No driver 95 Eddie Cheever (R) 96 Steve Chassey (3) 97 Stan Fox (2) 97T Stan Fox (2) 98 Jeff Andretti (R) SAVE 40 ON PC-18Chevrolet PC-18Chevrolet 1990 LolaCosworth 1989 LolaJudd 1989 LolaJudd 1990 LolaCosworth ANDERSEN WINDOWS BIG SAVINGS OVER OUR EVERYDAY LOW PRICES! FREE CLINIC. Learn How Easy It Is To Replace Your Old Windows And Save. Big Lumber does it again! It's ANDERSEN, the windowmaker whose beautiful craftsmanship and quest for quality has produced the nation's best known brand of windows.

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