The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 65

The Indianapolis Star SUNDAY, MAY 3, 1992 Sports It Crawford practices sit record Piquet, Guerrero post quick laps of 225 mph; Robin Miller J3 INDY500 PRACTICE: Today-May 8, 11-15, 21 (Carburetion Day). QUALIFYING: May 9-10, 16-17. RACE DAY: May 24. ADMISSION: Practice $5, qualifying $1 0, race day $1 5 general admission. days of testing and the rest of these guys have only had few hours.

"And the track is better jjjian when we tested. But it's a-Jrib-ute to this team. The credit today goes to my crew." Because the Buick engine la allowed 55 inches of maflifold pressure at the Speedway, It's usually competitive in practice and qualifying but has never come close to winning. Crawford, whose sixth place finish in 1988 was Buick 's, best ever, thinks people are giving too much credit to Jim Wright's powerplant and not enough to Bruce Ash more 's Lola chassis. Ashmore designed a 1992 model See INDY Page 11 By ROBIN MILLER STAR ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR There was a distinctly Scottish air to opening day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Saturday.

The Gordon Pipers played their bagpipes and Jim Crawford blew everyone away. Practice for the 76th Indianapolis 500 commenced and Crawford made more noise than those fellows in kilts with an awesome lap of 229.609 mph in Kenny Bernstein's Quaker State '92 Lo-IaBuick. The personable Scotsman turned the fastest official practice lap ever on a busy, windy afternoon that may be a preview of a monster month of speed. Crawford, who practiced last month at 23.0.580, came storming out of the box to eclipse the 1990 hot lap of 228.502 set by Al Unser Jr. but took it in his usual calm demeanor.

"We were doing this last month, all day, so It's really not a surprise to us," said Crawford, who estimates he logged between miles of testing in March and April. "We've had 15 STAR PHOTO KRISTIN ENZOR Jim Crawford sped to 229.609 Saturday in his '92 LolaBuick. i'. Lil E. Tee pulls the upset with Derby victory Odd couple team is a real delight ONE IS versed in Portuguese, Italian, French, Spanish and English, while the other speaks fluent Monrovian.

One spent 14 years globe-trotting with the Formula One circus, while the other barnstormed across dirt tracks in this country for three decades. One lived on a yacht on the Mediterranean in Monte Carlo, while the other resides on a lake in Morgan County. One has millions and is set for life, while the other still needs a starting spot in the Indianapolis 500 every year to make ends meet. Nelson Piquet and Gary Bet-tenhausen, the road racer and oval-tracker, the continental champion from Brazil and the American gunfighter, Oscar and Felix the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's odd couple. While Piquet and Bettenhau-sen may be world's apart in background, they're sharing garage space, laughs, information and a common goal this month.

The three-time world champ and the oval-track soldier are stalking the 76th Indianapolis 500 as teammates with John Menard's operation. It's a delightful, if not formidable, pairing of hard-driving veterans from opposite ends of the motorsports spectrum. For the first time since Emerson Fittipaldi came over here, Indianapolis boasts a foreigner who really adds some flavor to the mix. Not only Is he a bona fide biggie, unlike many F-l stars. Piquet also is an approachable, pleasant fellow with a good sense of humor and a good grip on reality.

Last week, for example, he innocently walked over to the IMS office to inquire about buying some race tickets for his family. "They told me I could buy some for 1993," said Piquet. Did he tell them who he was? "No," he re-See MILLER Page 10 gallop away with the race goirig into the final turn, but didn't respond when I asked -for something at the quarter-. pole," Jockey Pat The outcome of the race also provided a noteworthy sub-plot. When Lil E.

Tee outlasted lightly-regarded Casual Lies by' 1 -length in an exciting stretch -run, it enabled scripture-quoting Jockey Pat Day to snap a Derby bugaboo. "Words can't describe what's going on in my head right now," By DON BATES STAR STAFF WRITER Louisville, Ky. Arazl was such an overwhelming favorite It is rumored stablehands dumped Gatorade on trainer Francois Boutin during the parade to post. But after the checkered flag fell on the 118th running of the Kentucky Derby Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, it was Lil E. Tee, not Arazl, who stood proudly in the winner's circle with a garland of roses draped across his withers.

The colt many considered unbeatable wasn't. After making a blazing charge from the rear of the pack into contention at the head of the homestretch, the French-trained 3-year-old faded and finished a disappointing eighth In a field of 18-horses. "I thought we were going to Jfc.3 I -a 'i jfr It 'iv. 'v 1 I said the 39-year-old Colorado- native in tne winner circle. "I've had a lot of dlsaDDOlntC ments in this race.

But I've ways felt there was a Derby trq: phy out there with my name on'j it." jJ vm Among Day's See DERBY Page 12 Some divine 1111CI VCI1UUI1 may have made Day's day! ft Bell Benner i Inside MUM! impossible, not to believe him LOUISVILLE. KY. Preachers, priests, ministers, men of the cloth, discard whatever sermons you had prepared for today. And turn, Instead, to the lessons of faith exemplified in Saturday's 118th running of the Kentucky Derby. True, Churchill Downs is not a likely place to look for divine Inspiration, what with the gambling, the swilling of mint Juleps and all that stuff straight out of Sodom and Gomorrah going on in the infield.

But you know what they say. The Lord works In mysterious ways. And If you are to believe Jockey Pat Day and, at this moment. It would be difficult, if not for the proof of his unrelenting; all-encompassing faith in a Greater Being and a Higher Or "47 uci was, wcu, cvciywncrc wc-Dt-t. then the Lord seemed to have His hand, with Day's, on the reigns of a 17-to-l long-shot thoroughbred named Lil E.

Tee. And In the moments immediately following Day's and Lil E. See BENNER Page 12 It's greener in Central Indiana, as The Star presents a list of area golf courses. Page 2. Pacers' moves: Now that the Pacers have been ousted from the NBA playoffs, what's next? Page 4.

New partners: Kent Kinnear and Todd Witsken have found success with new tennis doubles partners. Page 5. INDEX NBA Report 4 Readers Writes 6 Briefly Sports 6 High School Report 7 Baseball 8-9 Lines and Shots 13 Bowling 13 Scoreboard 14-15 i jtWjjr Sx-oi it.1 ASSOCIATED PRESS Jockey Pat Day stands up in triumph as Lil E. Tee carries him to victory in the Kentucky Derby. Cavs bring Celtics down to earth Tight 'D' holds Boston to second lowest playoff points total in Bird era Scores NBA PLAYOFFS TODAY Detroit at New York, noon (WTHR-13); series tied 2-2 Portland vs.

LA Lakers at Las Vegas, 2:30 p.m. (WTHR-13); Trail Blazers lead series 2-1 Utah vs. LA Clippers at Anaheim, 6 p.m. (TNT); Jazz lead series 2-1 holding Boston to Its second-lowest playoff point total In the Larry Bird era." Bird, of course, was a spectator at hdhe Saturday, Just as he was when the Celt-'" ics registered their playoff low of 75 against the Pistons last year. Boston shot 43 percent, with Cavs killer Reggie" Lewis held to 18.

20 fewer than he got the last time these teams met. The Celtics got a whiff of what kfrid of day it would be when they held the Cavs to 0-for-9 shooting out of the blocks, and 9 for 25 in the first quar-' ter, and still trailed by 2. By then', however, two game-long traits were" Jft" place: the Cavs' substantial free throw difference (9-0 in the first quarter, 23-5" in the game) and turnovers. Cleveland had 8, Boston 15. The Cavs scored 23; points off the Boston turnovers and' also had a 45-37 rebounding advan" tage.

"It's very, very disappointing, cially given the way that we've been playing." Kevin McHale sald. "I thJnk See CAVS Page 4 By PETER MAY BOSTON GLOBE Richfield, Ohio They were due for one of these. Maybe even overdue. You don't win 11 straight and 18 of 19 and realistically expect it to last as long as you put on the uniform. Things did get out of hand at the end this most definitely was not a 25-point blowout.

But the law of averages, not to mention a quantum upgrade in competition, finally caught up Saturday with the Boston Celtics. Instead of seeing 6-8 guys everywhere, the Celtics went eye-to-eye with the Imposing, intimidating Cleveland front line. They blinked and the Cavs never noticed. Instead of Magic Bagley, we saw a pumpkin. Instead of precision and poise, there was chaos and the fifth-worst playoff loss in team history, a 101-76 pasting at the hands of the Cavaliers.

It was Boston's first defeat since April 3 and it dropped the Celtics into a 1-0 hole in this best-of -seven Eastern Conference semifinal. Game 2 is Monday night, also at the Coliseum, which. NBA Cleveland 101 Boston 76 AMERICAN LEAGUE Boston Texas Minnesota Cleveland Milwaukee 8 Toronto 4 Baitimoe" 4 Seattle 2 Detroit 3 NATIONAL LEAGUE Atlanta aNewYoik 0 Chicago 10 Cincinnati 3 San Francisco 2 RMIadeiptiia 1 Pittsburgh .9 St Lours 0 Montreal at Los Anglesppd AMERICAN ASSOCIATION Buffalo 11 Indianapolis 2 for some unexplained reason (maybe Bernle Kosar was signing autographs at a nearby mall), was not sold out. The Cavs showed the Celtics precisely why they finished with the second-best record In the league, along with Portland. Brad Daugherty (26 points, 17 rebounds) and Larry Nance (24 points.

9 rebounds. 3 blocks) were certifiable monsters. Mark Price (16 points) got the best of the Bag Man and Hot Rod Williams Jump-started the Cavs' engine, which would not turn over at the beginning of the game. And the Cavs' dei'ense trapped, double-teamed and harassed the Celtics. ASSOCIATED PRESS Cavaliers' Larry Nance rejects shot by Celtics' John Bagley during the third quarter Saturday..