The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 52

THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR FRIDAY. MAY 27, 1994 E5 Goodyear back in Bernstein car; Jones becomes alternate 1 0" -i nun it's something for pride, too." Villenueve will start fourth In Sunday's race, the highest starting spot for a rookie since Michael Andretti in 1984. Hewitt back on track Open-wheel star Jack Hewitt will make his championship dirt car return tonight at the Indiana State Fairgrounds In the Hulman 100 following last October's horrific accident at Eldora (Ohio) Speedway. The 42-year-old, who has won two U.S. Auto Club Silver Crown championships (1986-87) and five races at the fairgrounds, has been limited since the accident which injured his head and neck, among other things.

He has driven only in a couple of IMCA modified events at Eldora this spring. Fifty-six cars are entered for tonight's main event, which Is set for 8 p.m. First place pays $10,000. Qualifications begin at 6 p.m. Notes George Snider, a 22-time starter at Indy, will serve as the vent man on the crew of John Andretti on race day.

Dr. Jack Miller, an Indianapolis-based dentist driving the full season on the Indy Lights tour, will change the left front tire for Dennis Vitolo during the race Dennis McCormack has Joined John Paul Pro Formance team as a sponsor Mario Andretti. who will be the honorary scorer at Saturday's Pacers-Knicks game at Market Square Arena, will be featured on ABC's Nightline tonight at 11:35 p.m. The benefit all-star Softball -game will be held today at Bush Stadium (3:30 p.m.), featuring many of the drivers and Hollywood celebrities Jonathon's Front Row Party auction raised $16,500 Wednesday night for the Jan Opperman and Marieanne Kenyon funds. Star Staff Photo Matthew C.

Kryger sits in his car as his pit crew wins Thursday's competition in 12.867 seconds. Davy Jones started and ended Thursday's Car-buretion Day the way he started and ended May 1994. Minus a ride. The 29-year-old Chicago native was officially replaced in the qualified Budweiser Pit Pass Curt Cavin car by his teammate, Scott Goodyear, who failed to be among the fastest 33 in qualifications. Jones had earned the 29th starting position for Sunday's Indianapolis 500, but Goodyear had earned the right to be on the throne for King Motorsports.

Jones will be an alternate and watch the race. That was his role Thursday, too, as 34 of the 35 eligible cars took test rides before auto racing's most significant exam. "If you're going to do one race car, you work with that one race car," Jones said, explaining why he didn't take a Carb Day joy ride in the Kenny Bernstein-owned backup. "If you have the opportunity to run, then you make the necessary adjustments." Changing on the run has been Jones' racing life in the past year. After finishing second in the IMSA GTP series two years ago, Jones spent last year working like a politician and driving as a Davy Jones part-timer.

While working on an Indy-car package with Tom Wal-klnshaw, he drove the IROC series, competed in the Daytona 24 Hours and tested with the Benet- MILLER Continued from Page 1 ty here and we've been communicating for five years, so It really makes my Job easier." The Ml Jack team didn't run much after the first week, but got lots of early track time. "We ran 108 laps the first day in pursuit of Information because none of the three of us had ever been here before," continued Till. "We Immediately went real quick, 218 to 220, pretty easy and Ber-nle (Myers, crew chief) and his brothers were real patient you couldn't ask for anything else. "We spent most of our time and money getting into the show, but we're a small team and I think the guys are pleased." A graduate of Baylor University, Till began racing karts in college In 1983, was winning Barbar Saab shows by 1986 and scored his Initial Indy Lights victory In 1991. He was 11th in his Indy-car ured (this May) would be a situation where I'd be available and be ready, but selective." Despite not making the show, Jones might have earned himself some bonus coverage in the public relations game.

Mike Groff received a heavy dose when then-teammate Goodyear replaced him under identical circumstances in '92. Groff was later signed as the test driver for the RahalHogan team. Villeneuve takes pit contest Rookie Jacques Villeneuve continued to leave his mark at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, iaK winning the 18th annual Miller Pit Stop Contest. The 23-year-old Canadian teamed with a quick-moving For-sythe-Green crew to post the fastest four-tire pit stop in contest history (12.867 seconds) and collect the $25,000 bonus. Ironically, it is the third winning team in five years to be based in the shop along Gasoline Alley south of the Speedway (across from Tony Bet-tenhausen's).

"1 think Jacques is a bit surprised on how we did," said crew chief Kyle Moyer. "The team has been really working hard to get here. It's more than the money: Two other drivers who started in three of the four types were Rodger Ward, who never drove a "laydown" a car in which the 4-cylinder Offenhauser engine was laid over on its side and Duane Carter, who surprisingly never qualified a standard "roadster" for race day, although he did take over Troy Ruttman's for some "relief" laps during the 1954 event. Johnson, who retired in 1966 and then lost his life when his private aircraft went down in a storm near his home in June 1974, had an interesting pattern to his final four starts. He went from a "roadster" in 1963 to a rear-engined car in 1964, back to a "roadster" for a 10th place in 1965 and finally to a rear-engined car again for 7th in 1966.

Donald Davidson hosts The Talk of Gasoline Alley nightly from 6-7 p.m. (through May 27) on WIBC-1070 AM. The late Eddie Johnson only driver to start the race in 4 types of cars EARN CASH! Deliver The Star Call 633-1111 for more information. The Star exiting Turn 4 and Jones was promised the chance to drive the car once it was repaired. He got the shot during the second week and qualified 29th at 223.817 mph.

But he knew the ground rules: Stay in the race only if two Bud cars got in. "(Bernstein) had to do what he had to do to take care of his sponsor," Jones said. "Scott Goodyear is the guy all the (sponsorship) has been geared around. It's his car. "I came in at the 11th hour and tried to qualify.

It would have been a bonus for Budweiser to have two cars in the race. I fig side or you won't be around very long. "And you've also got to understand that you can buy a Lola from Carl Haas, but you can't buy Carl Haas' Lola." Last year, Coyne missed the show and left Gasoline Alley broke and with broken cars. This month has been a dream, with 685 clean laps and an effort that surpassed some of the big-budget competition. But as for Till's future "Obviously, I'd like to stay In the car, but we'll have to wait and see," he replied.

"It takes a lot of money to run these cars and I know Dale is talking to other drivers because that's the nature of this business." Regardless of what happens, Till has fulfilled a major requirement. "One of the things I lacked as an Indy-car driver was the Indy experience. From a personal standpoint, it's good for me and my resume that I was able to put a car In the show here." BUILD RIGHT. jfo ASK FOR fT BYNAME! CONCRETE PAKMIX SUPER 5000 CONCRETE PAKMIX LATEX CEMENT PAKMIX VINYL CONCRETE PAKMIX QUICKSET CEMENT PAKMIX STOP LEAK PAKMIX CONCRETE CRACK FILLER PAKMIX ASPHALT CRACK FILLER PAKMIX FASTSET CONCRETE PAKMIX BLACKTOP PATCH PAKMIX WATERPROOFING SEALER mm mm I i wrm i Of all the drivers who competed in Indianapolis 500s during the transition years from upright dirt track-type cars to the offset "roadster" variety to "laydowns" and finally rear-en- Donald Davidson's gined cars, only may ouu took the green nag 500 in all four. He was diminutive Eddie Johnson, a veteran campaigner from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, who drove in every 500 from 1952 to 1966.

two of which were as a relief driver in races from which he had been "bumped." In later years, Eddie would show up annually without an assignment but always seemed to qualify something on the final weekend. QUICK PIT: Jacques Villeneuve ton Formula One team. When Walkinshaw's program dissolved, Jones worked a deal with A.J. Foyt. That lasted three races.

The results (a 12th, a 14th and a 19th) were too disappointing to describe. They parted ways. That left Jones high and dry for Indy. He lent his name to Project Indy, a part-time Indy-car team trying to secure sponsorship to run the "500." It ended up with veteran Didier Theys. Jones ended up with Bernstein in a last-minute deal to help Goodyear with the sorting-out process of a struggling race car.

Goodyear crashed the primary car May 15 debut at Long Beach in 1992 and ran eight events for Norm Turley's underfinanced operation in '93. Through most of his miles, the well-spoken Till had one common denominator Robco's Bob Lie-bert. "I was a Skip Barber Instructor in 1988 and ready to quit. Bob was taking my class and afterwards he said maybe we could do something. He called me the next morning.

"Without Bob I wouldn't be here. From Atlantlcs to Lights to Indy cars, he's been my backer and supporter he's my guard-Ian angel." Till has as good a feel for this business as he does for a chassis. He's realistic about everything, from what it takes to drive, to what you end up driving. "You can be the flavor-of-the-week, lay a good foundation or win a bunch of Indy Lights races, but It doesn't matter because there are no guarantees. You've got to understand the business DK BuySellUpgrade Courteous helpful Locally owned pakmix 16th Annual Indianapolis Trrnnnyrr PRODUCTS PAKMIX ANCHOR CEMENT PAKMIX CEMENT PAINT PAKMIX GLASS BLOCK MORTAR PAKMIX CONCRETE GLUE PAKMIX ATHLETIC FIELD MARKER PAKMIX CEMENT FORTIFIER FIX CRETE PAKMIX MORTAR MJX PAKMIX CONCRETE AND ASPHALT CLEANER OTHER FINE PAKMIX PRODUCTS COLLECTOR'S SHOW SATURDAY 9am-5pm Indiana Convention Center Downtown next to the Hoosier Dome Admission $5 Kids Free Revised Indianapolis 500 lineup (Listed with car number, driv- ardFord, 222.262.

er, chassisengine and qualify- 71 r-Scott Sharp, 1994 Lola- ing speed; r-rookie) Ford, 222.091. ROW 1 22 Hiro Matsushita, 1994 Lola- 31 Al Unser 1994 Penske- Ford, 221 .382. Mercedes, 228.011. ROW 7 5 Raul Boesel, 1994 LolaFord, 9 Robby Gordon, 1994 Ford, 221.293. 2 Emerson Fittipaldi, 1994 21 Roberto Guerrero, 1992 Lo- PenskeMercedes, 227.303.

laBuick, 221 .278. ROW 2 19 r-Brian Till, 1993 LolaFord, 12 r-Jacques Villeneuve, 1994 221 .107. ReynardFord, 226.259. ROW 8 8 Michael Andretti, 1994 Reyn- 14 r-Bryan Herta, 1994 Lola- ardFord, 226.205. Ford, 220.992.

90 Lyn St. James, 1994 Lola- 59 Scott Brayton, 1993 Lola-Ford, 224.154. Menard, 223.652. ROW 3 11 Teo Fabi, 1994 Reynardll- 1 Nigel Mansell, 1994 Lola- mor, 223.394. Ford, 224.041.

ROW 9 28 Arie Luyendyk, 1994 Lolall- 3 Paul Tracy, 1994 PenskeMer- mor, 223.673. cedes, 222.710. 6 Mario Andretti, 1994 Lola- 7 r-Adrian Fernandez, 1994 Ford, 223.503. Reynardllmor, 222.657. ROW 4 16 Stefan Johansson, 1993 33 John Andretti, 1994 Lola- Penskellmor, 221 .518.

Ford, 223.263. ROW 10 27 Eddie Cheever, 1993 Lola- 4 Bobby Rahal, 1993 Penskell- Menard, 223.163. mor, 224.094. 17 Dominic Dobson, 1994 Lola- 88 r-Mauricio Gugelmin, 1994 Ford, 222.970. ReynardFord, 223.104.

ROW 5 45 John Paul 1993 Lolall- 91 Stan Fox, 1994 Reynard- mor, 222.500. Ford, 222.867. ROW 11 99 r-Hideshi Matsuda, 1993 Lo- 10 Mike Groff, 1993 Penskell- laFord, 222.545. mor, 221.355. 79 r-Dennis Vitolo, 1993 Lola- 25 r-Marco Greco, 1994 Lola- Ford, 222.439.

Ford, 221 .216. ROW 6 40 Scott Goodyear, 1994 Lola- 18 Jimmy Vasser, 1994 Reyn- Ford, 223.817. mimmmmmmmtmmmmmmmmmmmiKmmmmmmmmmmmiiiiii urn HUM mill Mi F1 I I LOW AS TROY TR0Y-BIIP Garden Tractor With 42" mower i mm jl imi nrninn i 's. Mowers for every type of yard and terrain. Long lasting, ruggedly built.

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