The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 26

C2 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR SUNDAY, JANUARY 28. 1996 FT Burger feast is easy with fresh venison Stewart's road nearly winds into winner's circle down and Tony doesn't know it. "(The crew) was so excited that day." Curry, who has Stewart signed through the Indianapolis 500, smiled as proudly as Agajanian, and even bear-hugged his new pupil as he unstrapped from the car. "If you're a race car driver," he said, "racing Is racing." Stewart was shown the boost switch only Saturday morning and still doesn't know how to maneuver the sway bar control, despite his uncanny ability to distinguish the Lola's nuances. Clearly, Tony George needs the Indianapolis resident to build enthusiasm and support in the fledgling Indy Racing League.

"1 made a comment about Lap 170," he said. "How can we make sure somebody doesn't offer Tony Stewart a big, fat contract to come run (another series)?" ago. Cary Agajanian, USAC's vice president for the IRL, was In a full-bore beg with Menard, who preferred Jim Crawford to back up Eddie Cheever and Scott Brayton. Agajanian knew it and so did Larry Curry, Menard's team manager who had studied Stewart for more than a year. "I told John that (Stewart) had talent and the same attributes as Jeff Gordon," said Agajanian, who has guided the careers of several drivers, including John Andrettl.

"After the race, (Menard) said, 'Where did you find I said, 'I've got 10 more like him who Just need a Stewart had tested with Foyt, but the two could not settle on a contract, particularly with regard to Stewart's ability to run a limited NASCAR Busch Grand National schedule (18-20 races with Harry Ranler). Fortunately, Stewart r-x. Staff Photo Greg Gritfo TRACK CHAT: Tony Stewart, left, talks with crew member Bill Martin. bar, spun and hit the interior guard rail exiting Turn 1 Lazier battled faulty brakes while Luyendyk had a clutch that submarined both pit stops. The ranp's other phanJer.

rookie Stan Wattles, crashed on Lap 145 In Turn 2, where rookie Davey Ham ilton crashed on Lap 174. There were no injuries. Nine cars were running at the finish. Eddie Cheever found the-' Turn 1 wall again via contact -from the rear: Hearn's right front tire on Friday and Sharp's on Lap 185. The Cheever-Sharp incident created another of the race's memorable moments.

Track safe-ty trucks, eager to assist the victims, blocked Stewart's path. With quick reflexes and a short turning radius, he went to the outside, ran over wing pieces with each leftside wheel, grazed the wall and, somehow, snuck past a stopped truck. It was a miraculous save that Included his left-front tire leaving the ground. "Who were the rookies, the drivers or the safety crew?" Stewart asked sarcastically. Rth frnnLrnnnoro uiArriorl about pierced tires, though a bro -jf i inm ii mini iiniii, cci showed Ranler's offer to Agajanian, who doubles as an attorney.

Agajanian removed clauses about series exclusiveness. "Where would we have been If I wouldn't have seen Stewart (and the contract) the Saturday after Agajanian wondered Saturday. The 50,000 at Walt Disney World Speedway and the national television audience would have missed his quick charge to the front, his efficiency in traffic, his spectacular navigation of debris and safety trucks, and his gra-clousness in defeat. In short, they would have missed what Agajanian and Curry had seen coming down a fast road. "He ran 21.8 or 21.5 on that first day (of practice here eight days ago), something pretty close to Cheever," Agajanian said.

"Then Larry says we've got the (turbocharged) boost turned way and no plans to be at Disney World. But Saturday, the longtime chief mechanic from Indianapolis had a ball watching his car finish third with Robbie Buhl. "Everything came together late and, thanks to a few friends, we were able to pull this off," said Beck, whose father (Roger) Is regarded as one of racing's best fabricators. Buhl started 13th and wound up third In the Zunne GroupSafety Kleen ReynardFord on Firestones. "A friend who worked on my pit crew a couple Mays, Toby O'Connor, and his (Zunne Group) partner, Barbara Siever, came up with the money for our engine program," said Beck, who employs no full-time help except at the race track.

Notes A.J. Foyt was steaming after his ex-driver, Eddie Cheever, got together with Scott Sharp late in the race. "That a did the same thing yesterday to that (Richie) Hearn boy," said Foyt. "He Just doesn't use his head." A complete report and exclusive stories on the Indy 200 are available on the StarNews Internet site at: http:www.starnews.comspeednet ken front wing was Stewart's damage. He did not know about a slice in tne lire, wnicn team members found later.

Neither helped his last-lap pur suit, but few will remember. The By Curt Cavin STAFF WRITER LAKE BUENA VISTA. Fla. Tony Stewart seemed to be playing a mental game when his hero, A.J. Foyt, strolled up less than an hour before his first Indy-car race.

Hands shaking like leaves, the 24-year-old told racing's best-known driver that he expected the inaugural Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway to be a glorified Silver Crown race. Foyt shot back. "Hell, son, it's gonna be a lot tougher than that," he said. So much for confidence. Amazingly, the driver who finished second could barely control himself beforehand.

The turning point was the insertion of his head into a helmet, his body Into John Menard's third chassis. Also amazing was that a week BUZZ ROARS: Buzz Calkins of Rushville native Tony Stewart at Buick V-6 By Robin Miller STAFF WRITER LAKE BUENA VISTA. Fla. The Bulck V-6 engine, now known as the Menard, came as close to victory lane as it ever has during Its 11 years of existence Sunday afternoon. Tony Stewart drove the Glldden Paint '95 LolaMenard masterfully to a second-place finish in the IRL's Indy 200 at Walt Disney World.

Had It not been for a safety truck forcing Stewart Into the wall during a late caution situation (It slit his right front tire, bent his wing and ruined the car's handling), he might have been able to run down eventual winner Buzz Calkins. But, after years of good qualifying and frustrating failures at Indianapolis and no presence In CART because of the rules, this engine finally flexed Its muscle. And veteran motor man Sonny Meyer and his son, Butch, were proud of their power. "A rocker-arm, push-rod engine Isn't around much anymore, except in drag racing, and then it only has to last a couple seconds," said Meyer, whose father Louie was Indy's first three-time winner. "Turning one over 10,000 RPMs like we do is pretty good for ON YOUR haf If Jr Jr-ut iMti'mfjljtdMf 'Ms.

1 WMMtf wl if- So the hunter of the family got a deer! And that leaves you the cook with a freezer full of venison of sundry cuts and the task of i it I- aj preparing tur Lines And foe table? ShOtS Don't panic. Cooking venl- "BayouB.ll" son is not vast- ly different from cooking beef, pork or any other meat. Venison does differ from other meats in that there is little or no fat marbling In venison. Thus, If you like to have some fat in your meat, you can get It by using bacon, salt pork or even butter or margarine in your venison dishes. As for the burger, you can add pork andor some beef fat when the venison Is ground.

Straight venison burger is fine, but most of the folks I know go with a standard packing-house formula which includes 1 pound of beef fat for 10 pounds of ground venison. In addition, some folks like about 1 pound of ground pork for each 4 pounds of ground venison. The nice feature of having your deer butchered by a professional meat packer aside from the fact that it saves you a lot of work Is that all you have to do is say the word and your venison will come out the way you want, including packaged and frozen. Now to get out those old Iron skillets, the pots and pans, and yes, even the roasting bags most often used for preparing poultry and cuts of beef, pork and other meats. Ground venison can be used in casserole dishes, spaghetti or soups (especially chill) just as effectively as hamburger or sausage.

But it also can also be turned into scrumptious venison burgers. My favorite method of cooking venison burgers is a little more complicated but still easy and very tasty. 1 start with a light covering of olive oil in the bottom of my old iron skillet and fry the burgers about three-fourths "done" while sautelng a liberal amount of onion slices and fresh (or dried) morels. Burgers and veggies are removed and 1 fry a few strips of bacon for two reasons, the first being that part of the bacon fryings will serve as the base for a pan of gravy. The bacon Is removed when crisp and part of the fryings Is used for gravy.

When the gravy is finished the heat Is turned down very low (Just an occasional bubble) and the burgers are placed back in the skillet, partially covered with gravy. Veggies are spooned on top of the burgers and the skillet is covered until you are ready to eat. Just before serving, the bacon strips are draped over the burgers and that is topped with a slice of fast-melting cheese. The burgers are served as sandwiches, either open-faced or conventionally depending upon how much gravy you want or how much you like to lick your fingers. Steaks, chops and roasts can be prepared for the table In the same manner, or they can be roasted or baked in pans (covered) or bags with a variety of veggies.

But the roasting or baking seems to demand fair amounts of moisture which can be about half water, half wine. Steam from the liquid tenderizes the meat. A good oven temperature seems to be 300 or 350 degrees for about one hour, then turn i the temp down to about 250 until you are pleased with the I dish. BECAUSf SO MUCH IS UMNO rV it HUH WHERE YOU GET MORE MILEAGE Associated Press Denver takes the checkered flag at the Indy 200, edging out Walt Disney Speedway in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. finally gets validation eventual winner had one of those It.

perfect days. .8 "I wasn't expecting this," said Calkins, whose effort was guided by veteran Indy-car engineer Ken Anderson. "(But) I went into this race knowing that if everything 4 went well, we would be In the show." IRL Continued from Page 1 hawking the Inside groove. Stewart was left with the high road, which happened to be the dirtiest. "I was afraid It would suck me Into the fence," the Rushville, native said.

"I had to play it safe and run right behind him." That proved disadvantageous, given the turbulence and the Menard's Inability to find long, speed-enhancing straightaways. Calkins won by .866 seconds. Robbie Buhl finished third, though he was no factor In the outcome. He and former Formula One winner Michele Alboreto were two laps down but gave Disney's Indy 200 four oval rookies In as many finishing positions. "I'm so proud of these guys.

such professionals," George said. Twenty cars started the Inaugural IRL race as the motorsports world watched with skepticism. The drivers, including eight rookies, did not disappoint, providing a safe start, only four cautions and much intrigue. Buddy Lazier started from the pole and held off former Indy winner Arie Luyendyk for 28 laps. On the 29th, the car that went to the front was Stewart's, which started seventh.

The three-series USAC champion led 27 laps with Calkins and fellow rookie Richie Hearn creating mid-pack excitement with their similarly furious charges. Hearn, who qualified second before crashing in practice, lost traction for the third time In nine days when his Reynard broke a sway MILLER Continued from Page 1 George can thank Calkins and Tony Stewart. Especially Stewart. It's been a long time since anybody from the U.S. Auto Club made a favorable impression In Indy cars.

That's because It's been a long time since any USAC regular got a good shot In Indy cars. Thanks to John Menard, Stewart did. And this Incredibly talented, Incredibly collected kid from Rushville did more for the credibility of USAC drivers In three days than anyone has done In 15 years. Starting seventh In a car he hadn't sat in until 10 days ago, Stewart was simply sensational. He handled traffic like he was running a midget at Kokomo and blasted Into the lead by Lap 271 He didn't win this race because Calkins had a better chassis, engine and tires, but Stewart stamped himself as one of those "Parnelll Jones naturals" that surface once every 30 years.

"He wasn't even our driver two weeks ago," marveled Menard afterwards. I I I Forget that Stewart hasn't spent all winter testing and never even drove an Indy car until last November. Forget that Team Men-ZZ MWU1U I(T IMMVMMT 17. JMf a rocker-arm." The big knock on the Buick. or Menard, on short ovals has always been throttle lag.

But Stewart was strong all day in traffic on this 1 -mile tri-oval. "We changed from a single-butterfly to seven butterflies and that's the difference," said the younger Meyer. With Stewart signed up for Phoenix and Indianapolis, the Meyers have two reasons for optimism. "Twenty weeks ago we started on a new Menard V-6 and we will have it at Indy, for sure," said Sonny. "We'll have Tony too, and I gotta tell you, It's a lot of fun working with kids especially somebody that good." Beck is back Six weeks ago.

Greg Beck had a '94 Reynard, no engine, no driver ard engineer John Travis had never heard of him until he showed up here for a test ride last week. "He's (Stewart) very precise and accurate and provides Incredible feedback." said Travis, a longtime Lola designer. "I had no Idea who he was, but I am very That Hulman family luck held up because, as Arte Luyendyk, Scott Brayton and Buddy Lazier were falling by the wayside, a cou-' pie of 24-year-old rookies from the good 'ol USA were chasing each other around for the lead. All anyone can ever ask for Is a couple cars on the lead lap as the race reaches the end. The fact It was a couple of new kids with pronounceable last names made George's day.

But even the Calkins-Stewart storyline can't mask the truth. There aren't enough cars, names, -sponsors and money for the IRL to do Justice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was OK for three January days In Florida. But It's totally unacceptable for a month in May. OLD MAN UINTEn SPECIAL Service Includes: Lube Oil Filter Flush A Fill Coollna Svstem Rotate Tires Inspect Brakes I 'Check Beits Hoses Check Exhaust Check Wiper Blades Check Tire Air Pressure Check Suspension if mvi Hi i 0W Sflnso i IU I DDYJIS of a nieinini mm-Wl 1 oil FOR YOUR MONEY I I a.

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