The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 18

C4 THE INDiANAPOLIS STAR MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 1997 MM en Martin roars back to capture 3rd race of year Misfortune leaves Tracy upside down DeVilbiss 400 TOP FINISHERS At Brooklyn, Mich. 1. Mark Martin Ford 2. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 3. Ted Musgrave Ford 4.

Ernie Irvan Ford 5. Dale Jarrett Ford 6. Bobby Labonte Pontiac 7. Bill Elliott Ford 8. Jeff Burton Ford 9.

Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet 10. Terry Labonte Chevrolet SERIES POINTS LEADERS: J.Gordon 3,194, Martin 3,095, Jarrett 2,914, TLabonte 2,884, J.Burton 2,814. He beat Winston Cup points leader Jeff Gordon driving the only Chevrolet to seriously contend by 2.009 seconds at Michigan Speedway. Ted Musgrave finished third, beating fellow Ford driver Ernie Irvan, in a race hampered all day by rain that caused three cautions for 46 laps. Fords have won the last four Winston Cup races at Michigan.

Bobby Labonte was the last Chevrolet driver to win at the 2-mile superspeedway. In August 1995. He was sixth, this time in a Ponti-ac, behind the Ford of Dale Jar-rett. "We had the car to do it today," Martin said. "Now I think I know how the kid (Gordon) feels on Sunday a lot.

1 had the car today. He's usually got the car. We had the program today. We had the fuel mileage. We had everything we needed to win." mm I iiMPaMMMMprllWWWWIIlWwlpiWIWIIWW-iu i UjMil awjiutj'" 1 mmu'li'W i i ii i mm i i i 1 1 LWlmW.IIJIJllAMl --m.

nm.m.mmmm rfTirlT tfmmmaLy' 111 In Triria tJytu tJ tilWi iTr Yh7 ri nr-nr Associated Press GIVE 'EM A THRILL: Alex Zanardi has been smoking his CART foes, and after Sunday's race, he smoked his tires for the fans. Zanardi nearly clinches CART championship Help from teammate and strong car enables Roush team racer to overcome blown tire. Associated Press BROOKLYN, Mich. A little bit of luck and a strong car proved a winning combination for Mark Martin. A wink and a nod from a teammate also helped.

Martin lost two laps because of a flat tire. But rain-induced yellow flags, coupled with some help from his Roush Racing buddies, positioned him to roar back and win the DeVilbiss 400 on Sunday. "Oh man, I wanted to win this thing so bad," Martin said after his third NASCAR victory of the season. "But I thought it was going to go up in smoke when that tire let loose." MILLER Continued from Page 1 They hit victory lane again here Sunday and left Nunn bragging about his latest protege. "Alex Is a good talker, but he also listens, gives a lot of input and It's pretty obvious he's a fantastic talent," said Nunn, who spent a decade designing F-l cars before coming to America in the early '80s.

"We're a good combination because I make him toe the line and control him. If it was somebody softer, Alex would run over him." Following In the footsteps of teammate Jimmy Vasser, Zanardi is closing in on a second straight CARTPPG championship for Ganassl's operation. Down and out of a ride after Team Lotus folded in 1994, Zanardi not only found a home In the United States, but his on-the-limit style has become the yardstick in CART. He was the dominant driver last year, even as a rookie, and could have been No. 1 with a little more patience and a little less throttle.

"Alex's Intensity is matching his talent this year and he's incredibly talented," said Ganassi Racing team manager Tom Anderson. "He's learned from some of the mistakes he made last year when he was too aggressive." The 59-year-old Nunn, who says he's retiring after this year, believes there are two major reasons for Zanardi's success. "First of all, he's is super fit and that's a huge plus because he can drive Just as fast at the end of a race as he can at the start. "And, clearly, he enjoys driving a race car he wants to get in there and go. I've been with guys who didn't like it; it was a lot more work for them." Rumors have Roger Penske, Barry Green and a few Formula One teams In pursuit of Zanardi, but Anderson says: "Alex isn't thinking about next year right now; the only thing on his mind is winning this championship.

"He's been thinking championship from our first test of the year." Nunn was asked if this season had been the best of his 35-year career. "No, my most enjoyable year was with Regazzoni; we didn't win, but we had a blast," he replied. "Alex is fun, all the guys respect him and he has a good liaison with our crew. We had a big fight after Portland, but it's mostly been a good relationship." That's because Zanardi's bite is equal to his bark. FLV Live Entertainment on weekends PSl IPi nrKcc CASINO JUNKETS TO ELKD, NEVADA Departs IndianapolisM Sept.

Night Trip) 8 00-25 8-8 80 (ft ED LION Mi bmsim jcall yourcal Travel Agentfc' mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Italian survives wet and wild Road America circuit to build a huge point advantage. "Mark was just toying with everybody," Gordon said. "Once he got out front he pretty much had control of the race." Trouble came on the 86th lap when Martin's left rear tire went flat In Turn 2. As he nursed the car back to his pit, the tire shredded and wrapped around the axle housing.

"My first response was to hold on to the thing," Martin said. "I got down under 100 mph, and I thought you ought to be able to drive a car that slow if the wheel fell off. But I almost lost it." Martin's crew needed almost 50 seconds to get him back on the track. By then, he had fallen to 34th, and Jeff Burton was In the lead. Burton gave up the lead to pit on Lap 100, taking a few extra seconds for maximum fuel because the threat of rain was becoming a factor.

But, when the Texaco 200 TOP FINISHERS At Elkhart Lake, Wis. 1. Alex Zanardi R-H 2. Mauricio Gugelmin R-M 3. Gil de Ferran R-H 4.

Christian Rttipaldi S-F 5. Scott Pruett R-F 6. Bobby Rahal R-F 7. AIUnserJr P-M 8. Jimmy Vasser R-H 9.

Richie Heam L-F 10. Juan Fangio II R-T CHASSIS: R-Reynard, S-Swift, P-Penske, L-Lola; ENGINES: H-Honda, M-Mercedes, F-Ford, T-Toyota. SERIES POINTS LEADERS: Zanardi 168; de Ferran 130; Paul Tracy 121 Greg Moore 111 Michael Andretti 108. myself and the team," said Blundell, who led 23 of the 50 laps. "I felt we probably had something left for Alex, but we didn't finish the race." Gugelmin, who led the first eight laps In his Hollywood ReynardMercedesFirestone, didn't have anything for the leader in the final two circuits, noting, "I'd just tried to stay as close as possible." On the cooldown lap, Zanardi drove onto the concrete runoff ternational Raceway.

"It's a great feeling," he said about providing car owner John Menard his second victory in the last three races after a string of frustrating losses. "My goal was to be back in the car, be competitive, be on the pace and show these guys it was worth waiting to put me back in the car. And to win it, that obviously does that." Menard, who waited 18 years for his first victory, said the team was committed to Buhl, who was signed after a three-day test at Phoenix. That's why no one was put in the car during his absence. "I don't think it's good jumping around with drivers," Menard said.

Buhl, 33, desperately wanted to return at Charlotte three weeks ago. but IRL medical director Henry Bock would not clear him. Buhl grew the short beard as a means Chuck Guedel's W-1 2630 Madison Avenue Indianapolii (Across from K-mart) (317) 7864329 rest of the cars on the lead lap pitted, he regained his lost track position. As a result, Burton was back in the lead by the time rain brought out the yeUow caution flag on Lap 105. Martin, who unveiled his biography, "Mark Martin: Driven to Race" at a news conference three hours before the green flag waved, moved up two laps soon after the flat tire.

One came when Roush Racing teammate Burton slowed noticeably and Martin beat him back to the stripe before the field went under caution. Such a move might be a scandal in any other sport, but Burton defended his charity. "That's part of being a team," Burton said. "To see him cut a tire and take himself out of position, that's racing luck. But if we can change that racing luck, that's what we're going to do." area in Turn 1 and.

to the delight of the fans in the area, spun a series of Joyous doughnuts. "I just put myself in the fans' point of view," said Zanardi. "They stood there for three or four hours in the cold and the wet and they were out there to see a show. I had to do something to make the show better. "I wanted to do something to show them I appreciated them staying." De Ferran, who appears to be the only obstacle between Zanardi and the PPG Cup.

brought the Valvoline ReynardHondaGoo-dyear home In third place. "I couldn't quite follow Alex's pace and I had to be conservative to save our tires," said the Brazil-Ian. Christian Fittipaldi came from 18th to fourth in the Budweiser SwiftFordGoodyear. Scott Pruett. In the Brahma ReynardFordFirestone, finished fifth as 16 of the 28 starters were still running at the end.

Of the 50-lap distance, 13 were run under full-course caution, but nobody was Injured. Tracy, second in the points entering the race, dropped to third after flipping on the first lap when Gualter Salles spun in his path. Rookie Arnd Meter sailed over the fence but stayed on his wheels. Pennzoil 200 TOP FINISHERS At Loudon, N.H. 1.

Robbie Buhl G-A 2. Vincenzo Sospiri D-A 3. Arie Luyendyk G-A 4. Eliseo Salazar D-A 5. Kenny Brack G-A 6.

Roberto Guerrero D-A 7. John Paul Jr D-A 8. Billy Boat G-A 9. Eddie Cheever G-A 10. Robbie Groff G-A CHASSIS: G-G Force; D-Dal-lara; ENGINES: A-Aurora.

SERIES POINTS LEADERS: Tony Stewart 254; Davey Hamilton 244; Cheever 216; Luyendyk 213; Marco Greco and Buddy Lazier 205. of changing his luck. He's not certain if he'll shave it. The victory was particularly rewarding because he started his racing career at the former Bryar Motorsports Park on the same site while he was attending college In New Hampshire. Some buddies were in the stands along with his parents, Larry and Faye Buhl.

By Robin Miller and Dick Mittman STAFF WRITERS Paul Tracy has had his ups and downs during his career but Sunday afternoon at Elkhart Lake, he experienced his first upside down. After being eliminated on the opening lap by someone else's mistake the week before at Mid-Ohio. Tracy was again the wrong placewrong time victim. As the field fishtailed through the first two turns on a wet Road America course in the Texaco-Havoline 200, rookie' Gualter Salles spun In front of Tracy. The 28-year-old Canadian ran over Salles' nose, the Marlboro PenskeMercedes dug Into the mud, hit the tire wall and flipped.

It was a soft rollover but a hard hit for Tracy's title RACING NOTES chances. He entered the 14th of 17 PPG events In second, 27 points behind Alex Zanardi, and left the track trailing ardi by 57 points. "It's a pretty sad day, we Just can't get any luck," said the. uninjured Tracy, who won three races in a row and led the, standings for two months. "Gualter spun, I had already picked my line and I couldn't change direction.

"I've been racing since I was 7 and I've never been upside down." Heading south The Indy Racing League ven- tures into Atlanta next season and AI Unser Sr. and Johnny Rutherford, winners of seven Indy 500s combined, hope the, Indy cars draw more fans than they did last time they raced i there in the early 1980s. "They even brought In a country band and I still could have shot a gun through the grandstands and not hit any- one," said Unser, IRL's driving coach. "But look at Charlotte (three weeks ago). I worried about it and they drew 100,000.

It might be the time we can do that at Atlanta." Rutherford, who had some sterling duels with Rick Mears at Atlanta, won three races there and set records while capturing four poles. He attended last week's announcement" and noted the track was much nicer than it was then. "They have to promote it," said the IRL pace car driver. "Charlotte has seen a tot of NASCAR racing, but the IRL brought something new and ex-' citing." Lazier to marry Buddy Lazier, 29, winner of the 1996 Indianapolis 500, will marry Kara Flynn, 27, of Brentwood, on Aug. 31 at Vail, Colo.

Car owner Ron Hemelgarn and Lazier's Indianapolis-based Delta Faucet crew plan to attend. Buhl to race at Speedrome Robbie Buhl, who won Sun- day's Pennzoil 200, already has his next race scheduled. He will drive a Legends car at the Indianapolis Speedrome on Satur-" day. Just one Infiniti Dr. Jack Miller, who finished 19th, had the only Nissan Infiniti at the IRL's Pennzoil 200 at Loudon, N.H., but a Nissan spokesman said an improved engine could be in another car at Las Vegas.

Buhl led only the final two laps, Pole sitter Marco Greco led the' first 34 circuits on the 1-mlle track. Other leaders in addition to Cheever, who had the fastest race lap at 152.279, were Scott Goodyear, Eliseo Salazar, John Paul Arie Luyendyk, Kenny Brack! and Sospiri. Buhl's teammate, Tony Stewart, made a late charge from his 14th starting place to get up to fifth. But he dipped back to 14th when a blue plume of smoke poured from his engine on Lap 1 175 as he drove into the pits. Stewart was on the stand con- gratulating Buhl just as Buhl did for Stewart's first win at Pikes -Peak.

Stewart increased his season I points lead over Davey who finished 17th, from seven to 10 points heading into the season finale at Las Vegas on Oct. 11. The crowd of 22,000 was on Its feet screaming as Sospiri made his last-lap charge. "I was catching everybody," he said. "My car was fantastic." Cheever took his car's demise with a smile because he was com-' petitive to the end.

But he admit- ted that sitting in the car, "I was one mad s.o.b Martin, who started on the outside of the first row beside pole-sitter Johnny Benson, took the lead on the eighth lap and held off all challengers with seeming ease. but no major ones and my pit crew really won the race for me," said Zanardi, who led the final 15 laps and beat pole sitter Mauricio Gugelmin by 6 seconds to the eighth checkered flag of his two-year CART career. "We know the situation (point race) looked fantastic after Mid-Ohio and now it's even better. I hope we can celebrate very soon." A patient, soaked crowd of 50,000 saw many early spins and accidents before the race settled into a dandy dice between Mark Blundell and Zanardi. Blundell led Laps 20-35 with Zanardi in hot pursuit before they pitted together on Lap 36.

Both teams took on only fuel, but Zanardi's stop was just a little quicker. When the green waved again on Lap 36, Zanardi couldn't shake his old Formula One foe as the two drivers who have dominated the last five races made it a private battle through the picturesque, 4-mile circuit. But Blundell's excellent effort ended with two laps left when his Motorola ReynardMercedesFirestone lost power. "I'm bitterly disappointed for BUHL Continued from Page 1 finish line. Buhl won by 64-thousandths of a second, the closest gap between first and second in IRL racing.

He became the eighth different winner in nine IRL races this season, averaging 118.829 mph. Buhl, who's the owner of a Danville, Ford dealership, enjoyed a $123,500 payday. He pulled off his first major win after sitting out the last two races while recovering from a head injury suffered In a crash during a test session In June at Pikes Peak In- GILVIN'S Work Boots Shoes 3838 S. Madison Ave. 783-3210 "WORLD'S MOST COMFORTABLE BOOT! SUMMER di ruri it Reg.

$119.95 UU 1IUUI I SALE 7995 WHILE WULVtHiNfc Style 1518 10-7, Sat. 9-5 fmmmm Work Boott A Shoos visa i Steal Toe Safety )ghoe 1 By Robin Miller STAFF WRITER ELKHART LAKE, Wis. It was wet and wild here Sunday at Road America but it was nothing Alex Zanardi couldn't handle. Driving rains couldn't stop Championship Auto Racing Teams' driving force as Zanardi zeroed in on the 1997 PPG title with his fifth victory of the season in the Target ReynardHondaFirestone. On a treacherous track soaked by day-long downpours that gradually dried out as the race progressed, the 31 -year-old Italian turned in another slick drive while most of his championship competition slid out of contention.

Paul Tracy, Michael Andretti and Greg Moore ran into trouble and weren't around at the finish as Zanardi pushed his lead to 38 points over Gil de Ferran with three races remaining. There was so much rain that visibility virtually dwindled to nothing. The start was moved back two hours. But it couldn't delay the inevitable another Zanardi victory. "I made a few mistakes today, $095 AlllW 1 mONTHLI VriU E3W SERVICE ONLY Pager reconditioned to original factory specifications.

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