Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 51

C16 FRIDAY, S1TTKMBKR 26, 2003 The Arizona Republic M0T0RSP0RTS njury won't restrict Earnhardt from seven-eighths of an inch to -inch and spoiler heights are raised a half-inch to 6tt inches. The aim, NASCAR of ficials say, is to increase throt tle response, but also give cars more drag and, it is hoped, make passing easier. borne drivers aren enthralled with NASCAR's tin kering with the rule book. "I don't understand why they made the change," Jeff Burton said. "Supposedly, it to make passing easier, but un til they separate the cars into smaller packs, it won't be.

"You have to make handling easier, and the way to do that is to take one pack of 43 cars and make several smaller packs. Then, we would be able to pass, which in turn would make for a better race." LOCAL SCHEDULE MANZANITA SPEEDWAY Today: IMCA modifieds, factory stocks, bombers. Saturday: Hall of Fame Vintage Classic (SCRA sprint cars). (602) 276-7575. CANYON RACEWAY Saturday: IMCA modifieds, super stocks, pure stocks, dwarf cars.

(623) 465-1311. FIREBIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY Today: Drag racing. Saturday: Sports compact. (602) 268-0200. SPEEDWORLD MOTORPLEX Today: Drag racing.

(623) 388-2424. CENTRAL ARIZONA RACEWAY Saturday: Modifieds, street stocks, factory stocks. l-(520)-723-8888. RACES ON TV CART Grand Prix Americas TV: 10 a.m. Sunday, Ch.

5. Defending champion: Cristiano da Matta. Site: Miami. Race 16 of 19, scheduled for 135 laps (155.25 miles) over 1.15-mile Bayfront Park street course. Skinny: The CSI: Miami television show is filming part of the race as a backdrop to a future episode.

Web site: www.cart.com. Formula One U.S. Grand Prix TV: 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Speed Channel. Defending champion: Rubens Barrichello.

Site: Indianapolis. Race 15 of 16, scheduled for 73 laps (190.165 miles) over 13-turn, 2.605-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. By Mark Armijo The Arizona Republic It's going to take a lot more than a minor concussion and a sprained right foot to keep Mr. Restrictor Plate Jr. from racing at Talladega Superspeed-way.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. received medical clearance Wednesday to return to the driver's seat, a few days after being briefly knocked unconscious 'after a crash last Sunday in a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race at Dover, Del. "Little was determined to return to the racetrack in time for Sunday's free-for-all at Talladega, site of the final restrictor-plate race of the season, and no wonder. Earnhardt the immensely talented 28-year-old son of the late Dale Earnhardt, has won the past four races at Talladega, which at 2.66 miles is the largest oval on the circuit. With four wins at Talladega in seven, career starts, Earnhardt Jr.

already is tied with Darrell Waltrip and Buddy Baker for second place on the all-time list at the Alabama racetrack. The only driver to appear in more victory lanes there is guess who? the elder Earnhardt, who won 10 races. "I love going to Talladega," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I've had the luxury to wheel a really, really fast car there every time.

Our success shows the strength of the entire Dale Earnhardt Inc. organization. We have always focused on the restrictor-plate races, rldk: r. Bobby Labonte, for one, hopes the changes erase the large, tightly bunched fields that usually accompany re Pat Crowe llAssociated Press Dale Earnhardt who was knocked unconscious after a crash last week in Dover, received clearance to race Sunday at Talladega in the final restrictor-plate race of the season. strictor-plate races.

"We don't need or want sin gle-file racing, but we have to do something to get 43 cars off one another's backs and sides," Labonte said. Like many drivers, Mark Martin never has been a fan of the restrictor-plate races It like driving down a busy interstate with construction going on, no lines painted on the road and traffic shifts So although Earnhardt enters the race slightly nicked, he and teammate Michael Waltrip still remain the overwhelming favorites to add another restrictor-plate victory to the Dale Earnhardt Inc. nameplate. Even a somewhat different set of restrictor-plate rules put in effect by NASCAR for the latest version of the Talladega stop likely won't provide much of a hindrance to the DEI clan, which has won eight of the past 11 such races. Beginning with Sunday's race, restrictor-plate openings have been increased from Richie Gilmore's en? gines to the guys who work oa the bodies hour after hour in the wind tunnel and in the shop." It shows.

Even when Earnhardt was forced to the rear of the starting field prior to April's race at Talladega because of a late engine change, it was a little like putting Diamondbacks fireballer Randy Johnson one more foot behind the standard 60-foot-6-inch pitching mound. Like Johnson's fastball, Earnhardt sped through the 43-car starting field and won the race. If he wins again, he would become the first driver to sweep Talladega in two consecutive seasons. "My foot gets a lot better every day," Earnhardt said' Wednesday. "I've stayed off my feet, kept ice on it, and the swelling and soreness is much less than it was on Monday.

It would take a heckuva lot more than this to keep me out of the race. "Plus, Talladega is about intense mental focus. It's not a physical track like Bristol or Martinsville where your body takes a beating." pretty quickly" and Ryan Newman was involved in a frightening crash he won't soon forget during the last Tal ladega race. "Our strategy for Talladega is just to hang on," Newman said. Granatelli race shop, Indy cars up for sale Skinny: If Michael Schumacher clinches driving title, it will be a record sixth.

Web site: www.formulal.com. NASCAR Winston Cup EA Sports 500 TV: 11 a.m. Sunday, Ch. 12. Defending champion: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

sive for car owners to field teams, even if the rising costs has restricted potential owners such as himself from entering the Even when sponsorship woes led him off pit road after the 1991 CART racing season, team owner Vince Granatelli always hoped to return. But 12 years is a long time to wait, and in Grana-telli's case, too long. "I've decided Site: Talladega, Ala. Race 29 of 36, scheduled for 188 laps I (500.08 miles) over 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway oval. Skinny: Keller subbing for John Andretti.

Why? Andretti seems to do well at restrictor-plate races. Web site: www.nascar.com. Mark Armijo Motorsports Others: American Le Mans Series at 1 p.m. Saturday on Speed Channel; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at to sell my (Deer Valley) race shop, the equipment and four Indy cars," said Granatelli, whose father, Andy Granatelli, was chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the STP car Mario Andretti drove to vie- 7 p.m. Saturday on Speed Channel; ARCA Series at 10 p.m.

(delay) on Speed Michael ConroyAssociated Press Michael Schumacher (signing autographs Thursday) could clinch a historic sixth Formula One title this weekend in Indianapolis. Schumacher's 6th title could happen at Indy Channel; Toyota Atlantic Series at 9 a.m. (delay) Sunday on Speed Channel; NHRA Route 66 Nationals at 5 p.m. (delay) Sunday on ESPN2. mark Armijo POINTS LEADERS NASCAR Winston Cup Through September 25 Driver Standings 1.

Matt Kenseth, 4,158. 2. Kevin Harvlck, 3,722. 3. Jimrnie Johnson, 3,685.

4. Dale Earnhardt 3,668. 5. Ryan Newman, 3,578. 6.

Jeff Gordon, 3,542. 7. Bobby Labonte, 3,393. 8. Kurt Busch, 3,372.

9. Terry Labonte, 3,294. 10. Tony Stewart, 3.291. IRL picture.

"It's difficult not to go away from something what where it started from," Granatelli said. "When you try and improve things, the costs go up." Granatelli said potential buyers could call (623) 582-1000 for more information. Yellow fever Before last week's rule change disallowing racing back to the yellow during a caution flag, NASCAR drivers operated under a "gentleman's agreement'" in which lapped cars were given every ef- fort to regain their lap. Under the new rule, only the first car one lap down is allowed to be put back on the lead lap. "It was obvious the gentleman's agreement hadn't been working and NASCAR is the only one who could do anything to fix it," Jeff Burton said.

"I applaud them for recognizing we had a problem and stepping in to do something about it. I think the rule made for a safer race (Sunday) at Dover "That being said, I knew there was eventually going to be a problem with get- ting a lap back, but I didn't think it would happen that soon. I think it's obvious that it's not the right thing to do. It was a little frustrating, to be quite honest. There were drivers one lap down who got their lap back by doing nothing.

"It's our own fault, though. We wouldn't abide by the gentleman's agreement, so this is what we get." Pit stops Valley driver Darrell LaMoure, who will race in next week's NASCAR Double-header at Phoenix International Raceway, is scheduled to appear Thursday froift 6-8 p.m. at the Bashas' store at Val Vista and Southern in Mesa. LaMoure, who competes in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series, is appearing as part of the Nation's Missing Children's Organization and Center for Missing Adults. For years, LaMoure has profiled a missing individual on the hood of his stock car as part of the "Racing for the Missing" program.

A U.S. Auto Club Southwest Sprint Car race scheduled Saturday at Thunder Raceway in Show Low has been canceled. The series concludes Oct. 25 at Hollywood Hills (N.M.) Speedway. Charles Wares of Tucson finished fourth in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Sunbelt Region this season, the state's top-ranked driver.

Reach the reporter at mark.armijoarizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8323 CART Driver Standings l. Paul (racy, 204, 2. Bruno Junaueira. 186. 3.

Mi chel Jourdain, 165. 4. Sebastian Bourdais, 142. 5. Patrick Carpenlier, 1 28.

6. Onol Servia, 108. 7. Adrian Fernandez, 92. 8.

Alex Tagliani, 91.9. Darren Manning, 81. 10. Mario Donnnguei, 81. IRL Driver Standings l.

Hello Lastroneves. 467. tie. Scott Dixon. 467.

3. Tony Kanaan, 460. 4 Sam Hornish Jr. 448. 5.

Gil de Fer-ran, 437. 6. Al Unser 352. 7. Tomas Scheckter.

341. lfy Mark Armijo The Arizona Republic Michael Schumacher, who already has scaled one seemingly insurmountable Formula One mountain, is on the verge of reaching the summit of a second one. Should Schumacher win Sunday's U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen fail to score any points, Schumacher would collar a record sixth driving title. Juan Manuel Fangio is the only other driver to win five titles, which he accomplished in the 1950s.

Montoya trails Schumacher by only three points and Raikkonen is within seven. But with only two stops remaining, Schumacher is in a position to clinch the title in the shadows of the most famous racetrack in the world. "We are geared up for Indianapolis," said Schumacher, who finished runner-up in a Ferrari to teammate Rubens Barrichello in last year's race at Indy. "A lot of people say that it is a track that is more adapted to BMW-Williams (Montoya's car), but we can't say that we agree. The same thing was said about (the Italian Grand Prix at) Monza, but after a tough fight, we won out." Schumacher leads the series with five wins in 2003, three more than Montoya.

Raikkonen's only victory was at the Malaysian Grand Prix held in March. Montoya already has tasted vic tory at Indy, having won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 before he departed for Formula One. "I have some great memories from the Montoya said. "The atmosphere is simply fantastic, especially in the grandstands around the oval section, which are usually packed with people waving flags and playing music. "Our car can definitely do well, as the power of the BMW engine suits the long straight.

I am anticipating a close fight with our immediate rivals. We need to keep the ball rolling and make the most out of this race because Suzuka (the season finale in Japan) is a circuit that really suits Michael's driving style." There isn't much, including a back alley with litter strewed throughout, that wouldn't suit Schumacher's style. Schumacher has proved adept on most any circuit, which makes him a threat to lock up a sixth title as early as this weekend. "Every tiny error can have serious consequences," Schumacher said. "Whoever is able to exploit the resources during the weekend will come out on top.

It is a great challenge that we take on without fear, and the other teams will do the same. "The success (of our victory) at Monza (two weeks ago) has motivated us even more, but we know we are in a battle and we will not make the mistake of resting on our laurels. We are very well prepared, but at this stage, less talking, more showing is better." tory in the 1969 Indianapolis 500. "Everything is completely turnkey. There's an engine dynamometer and a complete machine and fabrication shop.

"It's all for sale." Granatelli, who lives in Scottsdale, also said he would consider selling the Indy cars separately. Included among the inventory are a 1991 Lola and a 1987 March driven to victory by Roberto Guerrero at Phoenix International Raceway. Arie Luyendyk, Didier Theys and John Andretti also drove for Granatelli, who fielded teams from 1986 to 1991. "I wanted to keep going, but the cost of racing continued to rise and I just couldn't raise the money," said Granatelli, whose facility near the Deer Valley Airport is about 40,000 square feet. "The last year I was in it, I spent about $7 million of my own money." Granatelli considered forming a team when the Indy Racing League was created in 1996, but was unable to attract the hefty sponsorships it would take to field a "competitive" team.

Although the IRL has evolved into a series that has priced many teams out of the sport, Granatelli still prefers it to CART. "I think it's the best series out there, including NASCAR," Granatelli said. "From a spectator standpoint, you can't get better racing. You got cars running and finishing within a car length of each other, and that's unbelievable for open wheel racing. "What I don't agree with is what I hear about them maybe adding a road-course race or two.

People want to see passing, and you don't see that in road-course racing. You don't want to see a faster car stuck behind another car because there's no room to pass." Granatelli also doesn't fault the series for becoming increasingly more expen 8. Kenny Brack, 328. 9. Scott Sharp, 323.

10. lora kagi, 291. NASCAR Busch Driver Standings 1. Brian Vickers, 3,720. 2.

Scott RIB'S. 3.688. 3. Ron Hornadav 3.659. 4.

David Green. 3.653. 5. son Keller. 3,614.

6. Bobby Hamilton 3.466. 7. Johnny Sauter, 3.249. 8.

Kasey Kahne. 3,249. 9. Scott Wmimer, 3,200. 10.

Shane Hmiel, 3,160. Formula One Driver Standings 1. Michael Schumacher, 82. 2. Juan Pablo Montova.

79. 3. Kimi Raikkonen, 75. 4. Ralf Schumacher.

58. 5. Rulrens Barrichello, 55. 6. Fernando Alonso, 55.

7. Dfr vid Coulthard, 45. 8. Jarno Trulli, 24. 9.

Mark Webber, 17. 10. Jenson Button. 12. NHRA Driver Standings TOP FUEL 1.

Larry Dixon. 1 ,688. 2. DouB Kalitta. 1.402.

3. Dar rell Russell, 1,099. 4. Tony Schumacher, 1,098. 5.

Cory McClenathan, 887. FUNNY CAR 1. Whit Bazemore. 1.376. 2.

Tonv Pedreenn. 1 .369. 3. John Force, 1 ,183. 4.

Gary Densham. 1.079. 5. Del Worsham, 1,040. PRO STOCK 1 Gree Anderson.

1,687. 2 Kurt Johnson. 1.447. 3. JegCoughlm, 1.232.

4. Warren Johnson, 1,100. 5. Ron Krisher, 811..