The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 70

4 9 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR Sec. 4 SPORTS SUNDAY, MAY 19, 1968 POLE WINNER ESCAPED DEATH 18 YEAKS AGO IVs Bream Come True For Joe Ait tCH By RAY MARQUETTE Eighteen years ago, Joe Leonard was doing wheelies on a motorbike when he to forget it. I've always felt that to truly win a race you've got to go out and get the pole spot, then outrun everyone else to the flag. So I've got 200 laps to go." A year ago, Leonard, driving a piston-driven racer, was one of the most vocal opponents of the STP turbo-car Parnelli Jones almost won the 500-Mile Race with. "I said what I thought then, that the turbine was a superior machine.

Nobody wanted to believe me and instead of fighting city hall, I joined 'em. It's a tribute to Andy Granatelli that he came up to me last month in almost lost his life when the front wheel dropped off his motorbike in the middle of a wheelie and sent him into the long coma, is $20,000 richer and the holder of both the one lap (171.953) and four-lap (171.559) qualifying records at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "This Is something I've always dreamed of," he says with his crooked grin and soft voice." I've listened to Indianapolis races since I was seven years old and this has to be the most satisfying achievement I've ever had in automobile racing. "But this is only part of the battle and I'm not about didn't. "I kept telling myself to 'Cool it, Joe' and so did Parnelli and Andy and everyone else.

This car goes so easy you have to keep telling yourself to take it easy. "The first turn bothered me, because of oil that was spilled in the groove. I had to drive on a different line than I'd been using. But I was never in trouble anywhere. "If Parnelli had come out of retirement and got into the No.

20 turbine, I'd tell Graham Hill to move over and make room because we'd both have lost the pole." Parnelli, who not only helped Leonard get his turbine ride but coached him and helped set up the chassis, only smiled. "If that had been me out there instead of Joe, I'd probably have gone slower. This is almost as big a thrill as if I'd done it myself, just watching Joe do it. I've had the glory and he hasn't and that makes me feel good, just knowing I've helped him do it." For Joe, baby, the world stood still for three minutes, 29.84 seconds. And when it either.

I wanted to go out early before the track got slippery and the wind came up. When I did go out for the first time, I guess I was running over 171 but someone had dumped oil on the turns and it was slippery. "Knowing that between 4 and 6 p.m. you pick up at least a mile an hour, we decided to wait for then. "I was Back in the garage and someone came in and said it was clouding up and the weatherman said a storm was coming in so we scooted right out and lined up for our attempt.

"After being shut up in a room for awhile, I like to go out and go three or four laps to get my reflexes reoriented. This is what I'd planned to do, take three or four laps, then come in get in line and go qualify. "There wasn't time for this so I took two warmup laps before taking the flag. Andy (Granatelli) said I was going 173 the lap before I took the flag. "I'm like everyone else in this business, I guess.

The harder you press, the slower you go and there's no doubt I was pressing myself to go as fast as I could and I California and shook my hand and said he respected my taking a stand I really believed in. "Like everyone else, I didn't know what to expect from the turbines this year. I came here with a car I felt would have a good chance at winning the pole. But it didn't work out. I was scaring myself going 164 in that car.

"And when Parnelli Jones and Vel Miletich (his car owners) helped me get a ride in one of the STP turbines, I knew this was my chance. The car is simply fantastic. I'd like to take it to Milwaukee next month and run it. I think I'd put it on the pole and run away from everyone on that mile track." It's hard for a man of Joe's honesty to look at the fastest qualifying run any Speedway buff ever dreamed of and be a bit disappointed. But Leonard is.

"If I'd run as many laps in this No. 60 car as I did in the No. 40, I think I could have picked up another 2 miles an hour. I 1 't have had more than 30 laps in all with the car before qualifying. "Thmgs didn't go just the way I'd hoped in qualifying, Qualifiers POLE SITTING JOE LEONARD Turbine Foe Now Is A Friend ning start on the biggest racing paycheck of them all.

"That," said Joe, "is what I'm looking forward to winning, now." SILE2VT SAMS mSTUHHIlVfi THE Attacks Turbine Monster slipped and went into a 17-day sleep. Today the pleasant young man with the heavy foot is sitting on top of the world and pinching himself every so often to make sure he's Marquette not dreaming. The two-time national motorcycle champion, who JOE LEONARD 60 STP Oil Treatment LOTUS-TURBINE Time :52.36 :52.34 :52.60 :52.54 Speed 171.887 171.953 171.103 171.298 Totals 3:29.84 171 MARIO ANDRETTI 2 Overseas NatT Airways HAWK-TURBO FORD Time :53.63 :53.57 :53.70 :53.78 Speed 167.817 168.004 167.598 167.348 Totals 3:34.68 167.691 ROGER McCLUSKEY 8 G. C. Murphy EAGLE-TURBO OFFY Time Speed :53.75 167.442 :53.82 167.224 :54.10 166.359 :53.93 166.883 Totals 3:35.60 166.976 DAN GURNEY 48 Olsonite EAGLE-GURNEY WESLAKE Time Speed 166.451 166.113 167.100 166.389 :54.07 :54.18 :53.86 :54.09 Totals 3:36.20 166.512 JIM MCELREATH 82 Jim Greer COYOTE-FORD Time :54.55 :54.36 :54.42 :54.42 Speed 164.986 165.563 165.380 165.380 Totals 3:37.75 165.327 .559 inn Pi 3kV '500 JJ user By JOHN BANSCH Assistant Sports Editor Bobby Unser attacked the Speedway and the turbines yesterday.

He vent after the race track first with his Rislona Eagle Turbo-Offy, then on the controversial turbines verbally. The 34-year-old driver who has won the last three USAC championship races, became the first man to ever officially Bansch shatter the 170-mile-an-hour barrier in a piston-powered car before going after the turbines. Unser qualified for the 52d FIRST ROW GRAHAM HILL 70 STP Oil Treatment LOTUS-TURBINE Speed 171.887 171.103 170.875 170.973 Totals 3:30.27 171.208 SECOND ROW LLOYD RUBY 25 Gene White MONGOOSE-TURBO OFFY Speed 167.348 167.785 167.629 167.691 Totals 3:34.78 167.613 THIRD ROW A. J. FOYT 1 Sheraton-Thompson COYOTE FORD Time :53.95 :53.90 :54.03 :53.92 Speed 166.821 166.976 166.574 166.914 Totals 3:35.80 166.821 FOURTH ROW ART POLLARD 20 STP-Thermo King LOTUS-TURBINE Time :54.03 :54.07 :54.2I :54.17 Speed 166.574 166.451 166.021 166.144 Totals 3:36.48 166.297 FIFTH ROW JIM MALLOY 27 Jim Robbins VOLLSTEDT-TURBO FORD Time :54.35 :54.53 :54.63 :54.63 Speed 165.593 165.047 164.745 164.745 Totals 3:58.14 165.032 Time :52.36 1T3p Jf :52.60 f- :52.67 52.64 :53.78 53.64 BOBBY UNSER 3 Rislone EAGLE-TURBO OFFV Speed 170.358 170.132 168.982 168.571 Totals 3:32.38 169.507 AL UNSER 24 Retzloff Chemical LOLA-TURBO FORD Time :53.63 :53.97 :53.99 :53.89 Speed 167.817 166.759 166.698 167.007 Totals 3:35.48 167.069 GORDON JOHNCOCK 4 Gilmore Broadcasting GEPHARDT-TURBO OFFY Time Speed 166.693 167.162 166.728 166.512 :53.99 :53.84 :53.98 :54.05 Totals 3:35.86 166.775 WALLY DALLENBACH 54 Valvoline FINLEY-TURBO OFFY Time Speed 165.411 165.138 165.259 166.389 :54.41 :54.50 :54.46 Totals 3:37.46 165.548 JERRY GRANT 78 Bardahl EAGLE-TURBO FORD Time Speed :54.23 165.960 :54.44 165.320 :54.65 164.684 :55.15 163.191 Totals 3:38.47 164.782 DANCER'S Time I.J I :52.90 f.

:53.26 rUSfcta :53.39 "ym running of the 500-Mile race with an average speed of 169.507 after pushing his car past the magical 170 mark on his first two laps good enough for the outside spot on the front row next to two turbines, but it was the silent cars he wanted to talk about, not his performance. SITTING ON the workbench at the back of his garage, Unser expressed his feelings about the turbines without batting an eyelash. "There is no place in auto racing for the turbines," Unser asserted. "How can anyone believe they belong here if they won't allow them in airplanes and boat races. They should make them run in their own class." "Andv Granatelli sits there they're all on you, burning into you as you coast to a halt and wait for the wrecker.

Now it has you, and this is the worst of all the 1-o-n-g, humiliating tow down the straightaway and into the pits. You're Bruce Walkup, 23 years old, an Indianapolis rookie, and all you can do is sit and relax and think to yourself, over and over, "What the hell's gone wrong Time Trials Nightmare For started up again, the clouds were still in the sky but they had that wonderful green look that comes with $20,000 already in the till and a run offered a ride in one of them," he revealed. "I know I would have had a better chance at winning the race, but right is right, wrong is wrong, and I wouldn't sell out to win the 500." At the same time, the personable driver from Albuquerque, N.M., holds no hard feelings toward Granatelli personally. Unser drove three years for Granatelli including a stint in the beloved Novis. "My association with Andy was absolutely outstanding," he said.

"He never cheated me out of a dime. My complaint is against the engine, not the chassis or the man." UNLESS THE turbines are banned Unser doesn't believe there is a future in racing for the piston engine. "Some peo- Walkup Vukovich, there was never an opportunity to sniff the glass, much less taste the wine. Car owner J. C.

Agajanian puts it simply: "We just seem to be stuck at 162. For 26-year-old Gary Bet-tenhausen, it was a day of aimless wandering as his machine, the sister to Vuky's, sat idle for the third straight day, a beast without a heart, its engine sitting in broken bits and pieces on the floor of garage No. 82. But tor Malloy, the 32-year-old Denver pilot who Turn to Page 2, Column 4 was set down in the Derby. The gross purse made the race the richest Triple Crown event ever, topping the Preakness last year.

THE INQUIRY held up the posting of the mutuel prices for 15 minutes. The time undoubtedly seemed much longer to Fuller and Bob Casey, his farm manager who was in charge of Dancer's Image because of the 30 day suspension of trainer Lou Cavalaris and his assistant, Robert Barnard. The actual saddling of Danc 1'EACE and screams that he's being picked on and makes the rest of us look like villains. He keeps the public sentiment on his side and it's so aggravating because we're the underdogs." THE THING that bothers me is that Andy is big enough and powerful enough that he'll hurt automobile racing more than he'll help it. This is a big price for him to pay for what he is going to gain from it personally." Unser had his chance to drive one of the wedge-shaped cars that are the talk of the racing world.

In fact, he had several chances, but he believes the piston-engine is all that belongs on the race track. "Five or six times I was now?" Frustration is an 11 -letter word more often expressed in words of four letters, and the 500-Mile Race rookies with the exception of a beaming Jim Malloy got a bellyful of frustration yesterday. For Walkup, the first day of qualifying was a nightmare that left him sitting in the pits, his face buried in his hands. FOR 24-YEAR-OLD Billy made his move pretty much on his own." Nodouble and Martin's Jig were vying for the lead rounding the clubhouse turn while Forward Pass and Dancer's Image, the main focus of attention, were staying in good position. Forward Pass was lying fourth going down the stretch and was running easily.

He began to move on the final turn and when Valenzuela asked him to go at about the quarter pole, he blazed down the middle, easily repulsing the bid of Out of the Way and the snake-bitten Dancer's Im- YANKEE LAD, owned and trained by James L. Skinner, was followed scross the line by Charles Engelhard's Jig Time, Tri Coulor Stables' Third Beau, Mildred Beall's Martin's Jig, Hubert Phipps' Ringmaster and John Nero's Wood-Pro. The victory was worth $142,700 to Calumet Farm. Out of the Way earned for second. Dancer's Image's disqualification cost Fuller another $15,000.

He lost $122,000 when his colt Is Piston Finished? George Moore Reports On Page 4 Bob Collins On Page 2 Other Stories, Photos Pages 2, 3, 5 pie say 4-wheel drive is the answer to running with them, but we don't have the horsepower to pull it like the turbines they can generate more than 1.000." "There's going to be two races this year, one for the turbines and another for the piston engines. If they keep dominating the 500 like Parnelli Jones did last year public sentiment is going to change and the crowds will drop in size." "I won't be able to run over 163 or 164 race day. If the track is oily it will be slower than that and you know how fast the turbines can go." WHILE GIVING his discourse on the turbines Unser did have time to talk about his success this year. "Jud (Chief Mechanic Jud Phillips) is the main reason I'm doing so well," Unser said. "When the mechanic does things right I have more confidence in the car and can push it harder." Unser and Phillips joined forces for the last two races of the 1966 season and have been together ever since.

Their partnership didn't start well as Bobby hit the wall during practice at Trenton in the first race they worked as a team, but it has been a success since. Unser finished third in the USAC point standings last year and he's leading the pack this season. If he continues to stand on it like he did yesterday Bobby Unser could bring owner Bob Wilke another national championship. er's Image was done by Joe Considine. USSERY SAID he kept Dancer's Image four or five feet out from the rail because "it seemed the going was deeper there." Ussery blamed Nodouble for the bumpin in the stretch that led to the disqualification.

"That horse came out ahead of me. and I had to alter course," Ussery said. "Dancer's Image really took off when he got through, but heck, the race was over by that time." Player moves into tie three rounds of Colonial Page 2 Frank Howard belts 1w Washington victory over in six games Page 6 Hoosier Golf Scene 13 Lines and Shots 1J Pit Pass 2 Shootin' The Stars 10 Scouting The Outdoors 12 Speaking of Speed 4 Forward Pass Preakness Winner By JOE HAMELIN The deep, reassuring growl of the turbo Offy vanishes with a sputter, and suddenly the wind shrieks defiantly in your ears as you coast silently helplessly into the fourth turn. God only knows how many people are watching, but the stands are full of eyes, and RUT FOULS the second crushing blow the racing fortunes of the Boston sportsman has suffered in two weeks. THE STEWARDS disqualified Dancer's Image because jockey Bobby Ussery moved the colt over Nodouble's back heels and hit the hind quarters of Martin's Jig coming into the 16th pole.

He then just "bullied his way through the hole," the stewards said. They ruled that Martin's Jig was bothered considerably and that Nodouble and Yankee Lad were bothered to a lesser degree. The inquiry was made by the stewards and not by another rider. Hamelin OUT AGAIN FORWARD PASS returned $4.20, $2.60 and $2.60. Out of the Way, owned by Robert J.

Kleberg, paid $6.40 and $3.80 while Gene Goss' Nodouble was $2.40 to show. "We made it up today," Henry Forrest, the trainer of Forward Pass, said in referring to his colt's unpopular Derby victory. 'We'll take it with all the graciousness we can." "The horse was a little stronger today than in the Derby," said Valenzuela, who was criticized in many quarters for his Derby ride. "I DIDN'T hit him until the stretch, and Forward Pass Baltimore (AP) Forward Pass blazed through the stretch to win the $195,200 Preakness yesterday. Dancer's Image, disqualified as the winner of the Kentucky Derby, finished third but after a steward's inquiry, once again was disqualified.

Out of the Way finished second, six lengths back of Forward Pass and Nodouble was moved to third after Dancer's Image's disqualification. Yankee Lad moved up to fourth. ISMAEL VALEN A sent the Calumet Farm's Forward Pass under the wire in 1:56 for the 1 316 miles. The victory of Forward Pass, made the Derby winner after Dancer's Image was disqualified when a postrace test showed an illegal medication in his system, gives the big son of On And On a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since Citation in 1948. Only the Belmont Stakes June 1 remains.

The defeat of Dancer's Image was a big disappointment for owner Peter Fuller, and the disqualification was 31 1 v- Index To Sports Foul Call Tair'-Fuller Baltimore (AP) Peter Fuller, owner of Dancer's Image, said last night that the disqualification of his colt in the Preakness Stakes was "a fair and honest decision." "After viewing the films and talking to the stewards I can fully understand and agree with their decision," he said. DANCER'S IMAGE, who two weeks ago was disqualified as the Kentucky Derby winner because of a drug in his system, finished third in the Preakness but was placed eighth by Pimlico stewards for interference with other horses in the stretch. PLAYER, CASPER TIED Gar with Billy Casper after golf tourney HOWARD HITS TWO MORE more home runs in 8-4 Detroit, his 9th and 10th Arnold Palmer 13 Baseball Chatter 7 Baseball Averages 11 Big Fish Contest 12 Bob Collins 2 Harness Racing 11 PREAKNESS CHAMP Forward Pass (2) leads at the finish of yesterday's 93d running of the Preakness at Pimlico. Second was Out of the Way (left) with John Rotz up. Dancer's Image crossed the finish line third but was placed last after an objection.

Nodouble (behind Forward Pass) was awarded third place. (AP Wirephoto).