The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 39

The Indianapolis Star I 1 71 Saturday, May 23,1338 Cotclisr on the fly Slugger Mike Piazza's stay with the Florida Marlins was short-lived; they traded him to the Mets on Friday. Page 8 AUTO RACING NBA 4-6 BASEBALL 8 SCOREBOARD 10 GOLF 11 InfoLine: 624-4636 Online: www.starnews.com STnffn rl 0 oh aro loot dug to prove he acfc on track I 0 Driver is hoping to erase any doubts after concussions sidelined him during key part of the 1997 IRL season. Speedway's 'crash wall' proves, sensible even ivithout real test) Robin Miller li III una IHiijuum The unspoken truth among race drivers has always been that if you've got to crash, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is probably as good a place as any because of its quick-responding attention to safety If i a. IK late June. He won the pole at that Colorado Springs, race, but crashed on the first lap, suffering another concussion.

"The crash was a very light accident, but it had a big effect on me because it was so close after the first one," he said. The second concussion got Sharp's attention. "I had never even been hurt in a race car and I've been driving go-karts since I was 8," he said. So Sharp made the difficult decision to park his car for the rest of the year. "What was important to me was to heal, rest and come back 100 percent," he said.

"I never wanted to worry about what happened if I crashed again." Sharp said because of rumors See SHARP Page 2 By Mark Ambrogi STAFF WRITER The 1997 racing season was one big headache for Scott Sharp, literally and figuratively. His woes began when he suffered a concussion in the second of his two practice crashes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last May. Dr. Henry Bock, the IMS medical director, ordered him to sit out the Indy 500. "I fought that tooth and nail," said Sharp, who will start his fourth 500 on Sunday from the inside of row three.

"A neurological clinic in Rochester (Minn.) cleared me to race, but Dr. Dock had decided I shouldn't." The 30-year-old Sharp said it proved to be a wise decision. Sharp sat out the next Indy Racing League event, the inaugural Texas Motor Speedway race, but returned to run at Pikes Peak in t. i However, earlier this week, IMS officials unveiled an idea that could cushion the trauma of pounding the wall at Indy or at any other oval track. Even though the introduction of the Speedway's first-ever "crash wall" wasn't afforded a news conference, it's the most newsworthy story of the month, if not the Indy Racing League's three-year history.

This energy-absorbing barrier, made of high-density polyethylene, was installed coming off the inside of turn four (just beyond the pit entrance) for Carburetion Day and, thankfully, has yet to be tested. But the PEDS (Polyethylene Energy Dissipating System) Barri- See MILLER Page 2 COMMENTARY Race day Gates open: 5 a.m. Sunday Race begins: 1 1 a.m. (weather permitting) General admission: $20 (sold out) Inside: Davey Hamilton inexplicably lost his ride with A.J. Foyt last season, but he doesn't carry a grudge.

Instead, he'll start in the middle of the third row Sunday. Page 2 rescue crews and medical staff. s0 r-r i Since Indy cars became guided missiles at the Speedway 20 years ago, seldom is there an easy accident. Bodies, careers and lives have been ruined by the calamity created when a 200 mph projectile slams into concrete. Photo Gary Mook FAST RECOVERY: Scott Sharp said there was never any doubt that he'd return to driving after two 1 997 concussions.

Reserves put Jazz in position for sweep Utah's bench players provide the spark as Lakers fall into 0-3 hole by losing at home. i mT In I. If For the third time in five years, Indiana faces an 0-2 conference finals deficit. III) By Mark Montieth STAFF WRITER The Indiana Pacers are walking a treacherous path, but at least it's familiar ground. Playing in the NBA Eastern Conference finals for the third time in the last five years, they also By Mitch Lawrence NEW YORK DAILY NEWS INGLEWOOD, Calif.

Their starters were as good as usual. Their bench was unstoppable. And all the Lakers had was Shaquille O'Neal. Add it all up and the Jazz are one more victory from sweeping the Lakers and advancing to their second consecutive NBA Finals. The Jazz made all the big plays down the stretch again, posting a 109-98 victory before a disbelieving Forum sellout crowd on Friday night.

They can wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon. The last four times they have trailed 3-0 in a series, the Lakers have been swept. It's not only history that is going against the Lakers. It's the are facing a 2-0 deficit for the third time. To say that this afternoon's game against Chicago at Market Square Arena is pivotal understates the point.

An underdog to the two-time defending NBA champion in the best of circumstances, the Pacers can hardly expect to survive for long if they don't protect their home court today and Monday, too. "We should have gone out and won 65 games this year, so we would have been at home the first two games, but we didn't do that," said Pacers Gams 3 Who: Chicago at Pacers The series: Chicago leads 2-0 Tipoff: 2:30 p.m. today TV: WTHR-13 Radio: WIBC-1070 AM, FM Inside: The Bulls are hoping to finish off the Pacers quickly. Page 4 2 If 1 I I I -V a I i 'A wr' present. Utah proved it is the superior team for the third consecutive game.

"Right now they're playing the best they can play, and I don't think they're going to play any worse," L.A.'s Nick Van Exel said. "It's the first team that wins four games," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "That team beat Seattle four straight. We are aware of that." Jazz reserve Shandon Anderson scored 1 1 points in the fourth quarter, Including nine in a decisive run after the Lakers had closed the gap to only two points, 82-80. Behind Anderson's scoring and earlier baskets from Chris Morris (15 points), the Jazz got 46 points from their reserves.

Karl Malone scored 24 points, going for 20 in the second half, and helped to slow down Shaq in See JAZZ Page 6 coach Larry Bird, whose team won 58 games four fewer than the Bulls. "We're playing against a great team and they're supposed to win at home, which they did. Now it's our turn. We've got to See PACERS Page 5 Much-maligned Brown got Pacers' ball rolling Bill Benner NBA PLAYOFFS Utah at LA. Lakers How quickly we forget.

Back on race weekend in 1994 and '95, Larry Brown was as popular and revered as A.J. Foyt around town. Practicing his own form of tough love, Brown cajoled, challenged and AMERICAN LEAGUE Cleveland 9 Toronto 7 Boston Detroit 9 Chi White Sox Texas 13 Kansas City 10 Tampa Bay 5 Seattle 2 Anaheim 10 Minnesota 3 Oakland 9 Baltimore 5 NATIONAL LEAGUE Philadelphia 7 Montreal 5 Florida 3 Pittsburgh 1 Colorado 3 Cincinnati 2 N.Y. Mets 3 Milwaukee 2 Atlanta 8 Chicago Cubs 2 San Diego 9 Houston jjj St. Louis 4 San Francisco 3 Los Angeles 5 Arizona jgj INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE Pawtucket 10 Indians i COMMENTARY changed the Indiana Pacers into a championship contender from a middltn' bunch who couldn't make it out of the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Under Brown, Rlk Smits finally began living up to his potential as one of the better centers in the league. Reggie Miller emerged as an elite player, becoming an All-Star and Dream Teamcr. Brown rescued Mark Jackson's career from that landfill known as the Los Angeles Clip-See BENNER Page 5 Staff Photo Kelly Wilkinson BACKWARDS FORWARD: Pacers reserve Antonio Davis is reflected in a security mirror as he's surrounded by the media while leaving Market Square Arena after practice..