The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 39

SH K.Y, MAY 25, 1971 THE INDIANArOI.IS STAR TAGE 41 0 1" W. i Rookies Make nique Crop and 1950 Indianapolis winner. Johnny started racing midgets W. He has driven seven champl- onship races. Last year he-.

drove a rear engine car on the sprint car circuit and won six features. cars in 1969 and progressed to super modifieds in 1970 when he was the Canadian-American Modified Racing Champion. He joined USAC in 1971. 1 i im i. ni.nn iihi.ii.iij )ny 'J I 4 'ft, I raced In the sprint and midget Divisions.

He has now run in nine championship races, including two in Argentina. Duane (Pancho) Carter Jr. in car 11, an Kaglc-Offy. Tan-cho is 23 and single. He is the son of Duane Carter Sr.

who drove at Indianapolis from 1948 through 19G3 and was the first USAC Director of competition. Pancho started driving midgets in 1967 and drove his first USAC midget race in 1970. He won the USAC national midget title in 1972 and won Itookie of the Year Award at the Hoosier Hundred in 1973. JAN OPPERMAN in car 51, a Parnelli-Offy. Jan is 35, married and the father of four children.

Jan has won more than 150 sprint features and when the Speedway opened this month was leading both USAC and IMCA sprint car standings. He started racing motorcycles In 1957, went to midgets then to IMCA sprints and then to super sprints. He won 44 sprint car features last year. Jan is deeply religious and practices and professes his faith. even By HUD SI'FAKK The rookie crop for the 48th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race is a unique one.

In the field of seven fledgling starters you have: Two "Second Generation" drivers at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; A junior high school principal; A politician; A young man, call him a "Jesus Freak" if you will, who believes spreading the mesage of Jesus Christ is his most important goal. ALPHABETICALLY, here are the young men you will see making their bids for the honor that goes with driving in the world's most famous race. Tom Bigelow in car 27, a Vollstedt-Offy. Tom is 34, married and has three children. He started racing midgets in 1957, Joined United States Auto Club competition in sprints and midgets in 1967 and in 1968 drove his first championship race.

He has now driven 24 championship races, earned 650 points and is 39th on the USAC Active Driver List. Larry Cannon in car 59, an Eagle-Offy. Larry is 37, married and has two children. He is a politician and has twice been elected Recorder of in 1964 after starting in quarter midgets, go-karts and three-quarter midgets as a youngster. He has now driven in 19 championship races, earned 620 points and is 40th on the USAC active driver list.

Bill Simpson in car 18, an Eagle-Offy. Bill is 34, divorced and the father of two children. He started his racing career in 1956 driving a straightaway belly tank at EI Mirage dry lake. He ran with SCTA, NIIRA, raced boats with APBA and raced with the Sports Car Club of America before joining USAC in 1968. He has driven in 35 championship races, earned 830 points and is 36th on the USAC Active Driver List.

COMPLETING the alphabetic list of rookie drivers is Tom Sneva, who was the fastest qualifier in the group. Tom's number 24 Kingfish Offy is In the middle of the third row at a solid 185.149 miles an hour. When not racing Tom is a junior high school principal at Lamont, Washington. He is 25, married and the father of two children. He started racing stock Intly 590 Pickups Use LSI Wood Platforms Attractive, new, limited edition GMC Indy 500 Pickups use wood platforms built by Lear Siegler's Auto motive Division.

The stylish, specially-painted trucks are the official vehicles used at the speedway for fir trucks, track safety, press and photographic purposes. Another 1,000 of the sporty vehicles will be sold by GMC dealers after the race. The wood platforms, consisting of I by 7-tn. southern yellow pine planks assembled to a steel frame, are bolted to the truck box bed. LSI pressure-impregnated wood platforms provide good heat insulation, sure footing and long wear life.

They simplified installation of fire-fighting equipment on eight of the Indy 500 pickups. Offered as optional equipment by GMC and other leading makers of pickups, these quality LSI wooden platforms are used on more than 35,000 pickups a year. Your pickups will last longer with LSI wood platforms. AUTOMOTIVE DIVISION LEAR SIEGLER, INC. 5959 Linsdale, Detroit, Michigan 48204 Phone: 1313) 897-6100 I 'MM V- BIG BITE-A.

J. Foyt is pinning hit hopes on winning unprecedented fourth Indianapolis 500 on his powerful Foyt V-8 engine and 17-inch wide tires to give him maximum traclion in the high speed turns. Tires are even more important this year as rear wing size has been reduced from 55 inches to 43. TAKES llUIVI'ir LAST IN-Rookie Jan Op-perman was the last driver to qualify for this year's 500-Mile Race, finishing his run just seconds ahead of the final gun last Saturday. He'll start inside in the 11th row.

(Star Photo) Deeds of Vermilion County. 111. Larry started racing stock cars In 1959 and then moved into the super modifieds. He joined USAC in 1969 and Reducing Calls For Feel In The Cockpit When the United States Auto Club reduced the size of the rear wing on championship circuit race cars, it put the driver back in the cockpit to get the 'new feel' 'of the car and sentGoodyear's race tire engineers running for their drawing boards. ilii wmBmmm 1 Johnny Parsons in car 94, a Finley-Offy.

John is 29, mar ried and has two children. Johnny Wayne Parsons is the son of Johnnie Woodrow Par sons, 1949 national champion QM MtLfefi Sfi '51 "1 I ft ETHYI 'llll' I "ffU AM fr CTHYL 1 "A 1 9 Not all race drivers are In favor of the smaller wing, but three-time Indianapolis 500 champion A.J. Foyt thinks it's great. "With the big 64-inch-wlde wing we used at Indianapolis last year, all you had to do was take a hand full of 'brave climb into your race car and stand on it," Foyt said. "THAT WING put so much dwn force on the rear tires you ran practically flat out all the way around.

All you had to do was lift a little in each turn and then get right back on it." USAC cut the wing from 64 to 55 inches after last year's Indianapolis 500 and then whacked it to 43 inches for this year's running of the classic Foyt said the small wing will put more emphasis on driver skill. "It's going to take more than brave pills and horsepower to get the job done now," he said. "You're going to have to know how to drive through a turn, or wind up out in the tullies." DON KNIGHT, head of Goodyear 's race tire development, said the new wing size caused the creation of anew breed of race tires. "With less downforce from n- 4. Wing the new we had to come up with a tire that would hold better in the Knight said.

"It took a lot of development work, particularly rubber com pounds, and a lot of tire test ing at the Speedway. We finally developed a compound that would give us the traction we needed in the turns and still not bog the cars down on the straights." Foyt did extensive tire test Ing for Goodyear. It also gave the Texan a chance to get his new Indianapolis car finely tuned. "Tire testing is tedious work," he said, "but it sure was worthwhile this year. Not only did it help develop a good tire, it gave me a chance to get used to the new wing and to solve my fuel problems.

Getting at least 1.8 miles per gallon with a cham pionship car isn't easy, but that's what it takes to finish the race under USAC's new fuel limit rule. FOYT SAID he feels confi dent going into the 500 this year. "I'm getting plenty of power out of my Foyt-built eiv gine. My fuel mileage is no problem, and Goodyear has a good tire for me," be ex plained. SID COLLINS winning member of the WIBC news team.

The remainder of the crew consists of Howdy Bell on Turn No. JTm Shclton on Turn No. in the pit area Chuck Marlowe, Luke Walton, Lou Palmer and Bob Forbes. Alongside Collins in the control tower announcer booth are former race driver and authority Freddie Agnbashian, chief statistician John De-Camp and network producer Jack Morrow. Scorers just outside the booth will be Bill Flcctemeyer and Bill Lamb, Statistics by Ted Harding, and popping in and out of the control center with little known facts will be network historian Donald Davidson.

THE NETWORK director Is Klmrr George, and the director of engineering Ituss Arnold with assistance by John rugate. An engineer is stationed with each remote point announcer and there are oilier behind the scenes helpers mak-ink tho whole effort one of the biggest In radio. i -t Tt ft '11 I ass CONCENTRATED i 1 I Two Rookies Join Pros For Broadcast Of Race 1 AW4tSt iia. tf I i -a. It took that much money and five long years to develop these new additives.

OUAKT tilt i 8oz. Motor U)ncentratedJilhlYrr rertormance baver, to Help clean up ruelsystem deposits that can rob your car of performance and fuel economy. ETHYI? Oh Saver, to help reduce smoking and oil burning in worn engines. And ETHYLMotor Saver, to help restore original oil additive protection for reduced engine wear. And nowthat allof 7 TpTTn ii The rookies on the race track will be joined by two rookies on the Speedway Network for the broadcast of the 500-Mile Sid Collins, "The Voice of The 500-Mile Race," and the anchorman for the broadcast, will have Jerry Baker and Paul Page on board for their initial outing on the network.

This is the first time in nine years that new men have joined the professional crew assigned to the race. The voices around the Speedway oval have more seniority at broadcasting an event than any other in TV or radio in the world. Collins has a long line applying for positions on the award winning staff but the decision as to whom to name is difficult for him. THIS YEAR Mike Ahem asked to be relieved of his position on Turn 1 in order to spend more time on other projects. Ahcrn is the first man on the network staff to ever resign, Ills position will be taken by Ron Carroll, an cnght-ycar veteran of turn No.

3. Doug Zink wil be moved to Carroll's post and Maker will lake over the long back straightaway, Pago will bo stationed ill lite north entrance to the pit area. Baker and Page are veterans of the local news and spoils scene, Jerry having been the Voice of the Indiana Pacers and Paul nn award market, there's only one thing left: for you to try them in your own car. Which Attach the round aiders found on ETHYL'Motar Saver. Oil Sver rnd Perfonntnce Saver to thil coupon (oc tny piece of paper with voiir name and aclilress written on it) and rruul it tot Ethyi Reiimd Offer, HO.

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