The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 8

MONDAY, MAY 27 1991 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR S-9 iiyiim mm.i Gary early spin signals his exit from '500 7 SfflSSS r2 IN I 1, mMMtoMHn, WrW I The fastest qualifier for the 1991 Indianapolis 500 took a fast spin through Turn 1 of Lap 1. Although it wasn't Immediately official, Gary Bettenhausen was on his way out of his 19th race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gary B. was able to Pit Pass By CURT CAVIN save the car from damage, but not distress. By Lap 89 he was out with a malfunctioning radiator.

"I don't know what happened up there (In Turn 1)," Bettenhausen said. "The car turned loose and it hadn't done that all month long." lie slid high on the track and forced Buddy Lazler's hand. The rookie had nowhere to go but low. He crashed. "I'd be upset If I thought I screwed up," Lazier said, "But I didn't I got taken out, so to speak.

I got around Geoff Brabham like we had planned and then Gary spun high. I either had to hit him or try to go low. "I tried to go low, but when I did, I pinched the corner and the back end got away from me, I spun so quick that I didn't even know what happened." Lazier was uninjured. Bettenhausen said he'd like to return next May. "If (car owner) John Menard and Glldden Paint will have me," he said, "I'll be back." TOX QUICKEST Speaking of Bulcks, Stan Fox was the highest Bulck finisher In eighth place.

He was 15 laps off the pace at the end and one of only two Bulck drivers around to see the checkered flag (Hlro Matsushita was the other). Jim Crawford, the test driver for the factory motors, began with brake problems but eventually lost power and retired on Lap 40. SLOW TONY Tony Bettenhausen finished ninth Sunday, but he knew his car was outclassed. "It was terrible I was the slowest car all day," he said. "I hit the wall In Turn 2 at about 50 or 60 laps.

I got loose In the marbles In the gray area. By the time I got there, I already had my right hand braced to hit. I scraped the right side 1 guess, "I said to myself, 'I better Just cool DOBSON PLEASED Dominic Dobson drove 500 miles with a broken leg. He wanted more than a 13th-place finish, but he refused sound greedy after starting 30th. "We had a long stop to repair a right rear wheel bearing, and that really set us back," he said.

"Our goal was to finish so I guess In that respect It was a good day. "This Is the first time I've finished here and that feels pretty good. If we Just could have kept the gremlins away, it would have been a little bit better. "It was a bumpy month, and I'm feeling It a little right now." TOP ROOKIE? It could be an Interesting vote with regard to the rookie of the year. Jeff Andrettl finished as the top first-year driver (15th place), but he didn't complete 500 miles (engine).

Hiro Matsushita, still running, ended up one spot behind Andrettl In 16th. Matsushita, however, moved up from 24th while Andrettl fell from the 11th starting spot. The latter ran most of his laps while In the top 10 though. The fastest qualifying rookie, Mike Groff, started 18th and finished 24th. He was running strong, though, when a water leak put him behind the pit wall.

"I feel we had all the other rookies covered speed-wise," Groff said. "We tried not to go overboard because we knew It was a long race. It's disappointing." Willy T. Rlbbs and Lazier finished 32nd and 33rd. respectively- NOT MADE RIGHT Truesports' "Made In America" race car didn't make a dynamic debut at lndy.

Scott Pruett't car lost its transmission on Lap 166. "We were chasing the car at first," he said. "After we made some changes, things settled down and we were running a comfortable pace from then on. It was starting to get fun again when the gearbox gave out." JIGGERED Roger Penske won the Jigger Slrols "hard-luck award" and the "500" (with Rick Mears) In the same day. Penske was honored with the first award for his deel- Ninth-place finisher Tony-Bettenhausen on his No.

16 car's performance: fa STAR STAFF PHOTO KELLY WILKINSON was the slowest car all day." NFL, NBA, ImM and Coltf IporttwMr OPEN TODAY 9-3 32nd ft Shadeland Behind Orexel SOFTBALL TOURNEY June 1st ASA MEN QUALIFIER For Dayton, Ohio 1st Place, BAT BAGS 2nd Place, MEDALLIONS Entry: $100 4002 N. Franklin Rd. FOR 48 Mos. or GASH BACK SM'Ob'O A statement of the day. ABC-TV's Jack Arute to Jim Crawford once Crawford was out of the race: "A race Is a race.

At least you didn't go to the hospital this year" Bobby Rahal maintained his odd-even streak at lndy. In even-numbered years he has been quite successful, even winning in '86. In odd years he has finished down the list, his 19th-place finish Sunday being the best since he came to IMS In '82. Rick Mears and Bobby Unser are the only two drivers to win "500s" in three different decades Dick Simon's three cars did It all Sunday, having engine problems with a Chevy, a Cosworth and a Buick Scott Brayton on his position (17th): "I don't understand this timing and scoring system. I was never a lap down and I was never passed by Stk 1230 1991 ESCORT LX sion to hold back Emerson Fltti- paldi in qualifications, costing "Emmo" a spot on the front row, TROUBLE, TROUBLE When the IMS crowd floodgates opened Sunday at 5 a.m., it was the usual run of coolers to the prime Infield real estate.

Trouble was, the new bleachers obstructed most of the viewpoints, so the rush was especially Intense. But when the onslaught reached Turn 1, cars with early entry passes were parked three deep. That created a nasty Jam and surely escalated tempers. NOTES guote of the day. Tero Palmroth on his engine fire: "It was getting hot.

1 didn't get out exactly when I wanted." Palmroth couldn't get out of the cockpit because the pop-off valve tube got stuck Most tacky 'It was terrible I the leader. Never. They better look at that. They're wrong" Pancho Carter on dropping out after 94 laps with engine failure: "We changed everything: spark-box, plugs, fuel pump, fiddled with the fuel mixture and Just never got It to run right. I felt like I ran all 500 miles" Best banner of the day: "CART: Chevys And Rich Team owners." CIEAN HOUSE AND CIEAN UP! Sell no longer needed items through STAR and NEWS CLASSIFIEDS CALL 633-1212 Be sure to ask about our special Super Saver Rate 4 DOOR WAGON Stk C1293 1991 Balloons prove bust due to quick release in pre-race festivities 0 AS LOW AS Stk 1305 1991 ESCORT GT2DR HATCHBACK ESCORT LX4DR HATCHBACK Cloth sport bucket seats, rear window defoqger, luxury convenience group, 1.8L DOHC 4cyi engine, manual air cond.

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CASH BACK CCF DISCOUNT $13,139 744 $12,395 1396 DEALER PRICE OPT. CASH BACK CCF DISCOUNT Bottom Lin In $11,438 1439 Lwu ol Rat you couldn't hear anything," said Edlngton. Another volunteer, Paula Bar-tosh, Garland, Texas, said the noise from four Indiana National Guard A-10 Jets from Grissom Air Force Base added to the confusion for the balloon crew. Also In the tradition of excessive partying at the speedway, police reported that 143 people were arrested. Indiana State Police 1st Sgt.

Mark Mason said 95 people were arrested In and near the track after 4 a.m. on race day. "The majority of them were arrested for public Intoxication," Mason said. "We had a couple arrested for public Indecency, one for theft and a couple for possession of marijuana, less than 30 grams." Among the many spectators treated at the speedway's Hanna Medical Center In the Infield, two fans suffered severe heart attacks and were transferred to Methodist Hospital. And on a day traditional for its odd Injuries, speedway officials confirmed that one 22-year-old man suffered head Injuries during the 5 a.m.

opening hour crush of vehicles Into Tunnel 10 between the third and fourth turns. The man reportedly was standing up In the back of a pickup truck and hit his head when the vehicle passed through the tunnel under the race track. He was treated and released at Methodist for a gash on his head. Vice President Dan Quayle and Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf talked like a couple of old race fans when they met during the running of the "500" Sunday.

Photographers caught them in animated conversation about the first lap dash of the front row drivers Into the first turn. The Hoosier-born vice president and the commander of Operation Desert Storm were VIP guests, along with their families, at therace. They arrived at the track in military helicopters. By JAMES L. PATTERSON STAR STAFF WRITER It's not good to meddle with the tradltlon-rlch opening ceremonies of the Indianapolis 500.

Many race fans will notice. Besides the 50-mlnute delay In the start caused by rain Sunday, the colorful release of 37.000 balloons at the Indiana-polls Motor Speedway didn't go as planned. In fact, race traditionalists would say the balloon release this year was a major gaff. In the confusion of noise and a rowdy crowd, the helium-filled balloons were let loose at the wrong time In the pre-race festivities. That added to the controversy surrounding the balloon-release this month, since a Girl Scout Brownie troop triggered a protest over the potential environmental hazards of the latex balloons.

They had suggested that the balloons shouldn't be released at all. Sunday, the red, white and blue balloons were let go about three minutes earlier than Intended In the ceremony. Traditionally, the balloons are released during the singing of Back Home Again In Indiana, honors performed again this year by Jim Nabors. But for this 75th edition of the "500." the balloons were released during the Invocation by Archbishop Edward T. O'Meara.

"Someone yelled and we Just let them go." said Linda Edlngton of Terre Haute. She was a volunteer working for the Terre Haute Tent and Awning which was contracted to release the balloons, she said. Edlngton was one of 38 volunteers who filled the balloons with helium on Saturday and Sunday. She said confusion was created by spectators standing around the balloon tent and yelling at workers to release them. I "The windf was blowing, planes were flying overhead and MFG.

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