The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 35

Friday, June 23, 1972 Philadelphia Inquirer 35 Rain Forces Revision in Schaefer 500 Qualifier 1 BASEMENT? i AMERICA'S LARGEST I WATERPROOFERS CE 6-4000 BILL SIMMONS AtThePocono 500 I1CKETS I -iT a i i i -i Mil 1 111 II -9 III AiJWJ.UJ LONG POND, Fa. Nothing attracts the auto racing fraternity like a lady but when Agnes descended on Po-cono International Raceway Thursday even the hardiest ran for cover. The tailend of the season's first hurricane, officially reduced to tropical depression status, closed Pccono's 2V2-mile tri-oval for the fourth time in five days and forced a revision in the weekend qualifying schedu'e for the second annual Schaefer SOO-mile race July 20. Mario Andretti was one of a mere handful of drivers who braved the high winds and driving rain, travelling 35 miles from his Nazareth home to oversee some revisions in the front end of his still-unproven No. 9 victory Special.

ANDRETTI, THE 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner and three-time United States Auto Club national champion, didn't seem overly concerned with the tremendous cut in practice time. After all, he is one of only four drivers who have exceeded the 180-miles-per-hour mark here. "It's all relative," he said. "Of course, I'd prefer to have more time on the track, but we make the best of what we have. If we have three weeks, we need three weeks.

If we have three days, we need three days." Andretti is driving one of three radically new racers entered by 1963 Indy champ Parnelli Jones and his California business partner, Vel Mil-etich. The cars proved their reliability at Indianapolis last month (Al Unser second, Joe Leonard third, Andretti eighth) but were lacking in speed. "We were off, and we knew it, but we've made some significant changes in the sus- day to the rain, it's a good bet we'll schedule time trials for Sunday and Monday. No matter what, there will be at least two days of time trials and everyone will get a chance to run." Andretti said everyone has been coming around and blaming the weather on him because he lives nearby and happens to be a member of the raceway's board of directors. "Believe me, if I could do anything about it by standing on my head, I'd be out there standing on my head," he said.

PIT STOPS Mark Donohue isn't letting four years of mechanical engineering training at Brown University and a dozen years of practical application stop him from playing a hunch. The Sunoco-Mc-Laren-Offy with which he won last month's Indy 500 is sitting in the Roger Penske shops in Newtown Square while Garage No. 4 here houses the car that he drove to victory in last year's Schaefer 500. "Last year's car is smaller in overall dimension than the new one and Mark thinks it'll give him more straightaway speed," explained Penske Racing's chief engineer Don Cox. "If it doesn't work out, the other car is only an hour and a half away." Donohue's teammate Gary Bettenhausen is one of 14 drivers who haven't been on the track this year.

Bobby Unser who hit the fast time of 185.229 MPH in practice Tuesday, predicted it would take 186 or maybe 187 to win the pole position Other fast runners have been Gordon Johncock at 182.518, Andretti at 180.360 and Donohue, 180.1 4 pension that I feel will make us competitive with the Eagles and McLarens," Andretti said. "The changes we're making today I think will give us even more speed." ANDRETTI PRAISED Po- cono's management and the USAC officials in charge of this race and, at the same time, took a swipe at the people who run the Indianapolis 500. "The Pocono people realize we have a problem and they do something about it," said the man who spent the last four laps of the Indianapolis 500 in the pits because he had one full day of practice (Tuesday) and only 29 cars were on the track," Marvel said. "We can't expect them to go out and qualify without practice just because it's scheduled that way." Marvel and King agreed to extend today's practice schedule by three hours, from 8 A. M.

to 8 P. and slated five hours and 45 minutes more of practice for Saturday before opening the track for time trials at 2 P. M. "Right now I want to give the drivers a minimum of eight hours of practice," King said. "If we should lose Fri exhausted his 325-gallon fuel supply.

"They're giving us 50 more gallons here," he said. "At Indianapolis, we told them we might have a fuel shortage but all they did was stick their heads In the sand to avoid the problem." Raceway General Manager Bill Marvel, after consultng with USAC Director of Competition Dick King, also agreed to permit as much practice as necessary over the weekend even though it could obviously destroy the paid attendance figures. "WE'VE REALLY only had I fir APJ BROAD WYOMING PHONE: 329 9277 What's really happening In the stock market? Is now the time to buy or to sell? You'll know more about the Market by followinq The Inquirer's fact-filled financial p9ss. a f7 wmm ddu eiMuincn i i tiksp 3 Susans Id 1 CZSw wi Is i II I i II! I. -1 iMMKOf EUCELIENCE i jfiiiirnTiiffWrf'fifii'iiiiifl Checelle Malibu Sport Coupe Impala Custom Coupe What a'72 Chevelle has that your old one doesnt A larger standard 6-cyl.

engine (250 cu. And all Chevelle engines now run on no-lead, low-lead or regular gasoline. Side-guard door beams like those guard rails you see along the highway are in the doors of every new Chevelle. An advanced emission control system that's helping in the fight against pollution. Corrosion-resistant, fully aluminized tailpipe for long life.

Front seat and shoulder belt system with reminder light and warning buzzer. Just a gentle reminder that you should buckle up. A sealed side-terminal battery. With the terminals sealed, corrosion is less apt to build up and rob you of starting power. Long-lasting bias belted ply tires.

Tire performance is improved because the twin belts keep it from squiggling away on the pavement. A refined Delcotron generator gives you improved reliability and greater durability. WTien you order a new Chevelle with a factory-installed radio, you get the antenna in the windshield. Safe from vandals and garage doors. The '72 Chevelle has some other things going for it, too.

Like its traditionally high resale value. Like being named the "Best Intermediate Sedan" in the annual Car and Driver Readers' Choice Poll. And being the most popular car in its field year after year after year. What a'72 Impala has that your one doesnt Power front disc brakes, variable-ratio power steering and Turbo Hydra-matic automatic transmission are now standard equipment. Just three more examples of how we're building a better way to see the U.S.A.

Long 121.5" wheelbase. Long on smoothness. Long on comfort. A full-molded foam front seat. Not only is it full foam, it's contoured to hold you comfortably.

You find it in expensive cars. And now in Chevrolets. Power ventilation system. Keeps outside air coming inside even when the car is stopped without opening any windows. All Chevrolet engines run on low-lead, no-lead or regular gasoline.

A double-panel roof that's strong on the outside, quiet on the inside. Sealed side-terminal battery. Terminals are sealed to prevent corrosion buildup. An advanced emission control system so we can all breathe a little easier. A front seat and shoulder belt system with reminder light and warning buzzer so you won't forget to buckle up.

A hidden antenna in the windshield when you order a factory-installed radio. It won't get bent, folded or mutilated by vandals and garage doors. You also can take comfort in Impala's traditionally high resale value. Which is another reason why Americans have bought more Impalas than any other car on the road over 10 million so far. By ildiinig a way to see the 1 Remember, buckling your seal and shoulder bells is an idea you can lite with.

Buckle up..