The Indianapolis News from Indianapolis, Indiana • 31

his he THE NEWS May 7-May 14, 1977 Index Pages Art 3 Books 22,23 Crossword 23 Evening Out 20,21 Guide 2,11 Hobbies 6,7 Movies 8-10 Records Television and Radio 12-18 Travel 19 BY WAYNE FUSON Sports Editor The newest "barrier" at the arache dianapolis Motor Speedway is 200. That's 200 mph around the 2V2-mile asphalt ribbon where the 61st 500-Mile Race will be run Sunday, May 29. Nobody has ever done it officially, though Gordon Johncock, the 1973 500 winner, did turn a lap at 200.4 mph during tire tests last month. Official records at the Speedway can be registered only on qualifying days and during the race itself. Qualifying this year will be next Saturday and Sunday and May 21-22.

The fastest official lap at the Speedway was 199.071 in 1971 by Johnny Rutherford in a McLaren car powered by a four-cylinder Drake-Offenhauser engine. Rutherford started the race that year on the pole but finished ninth. He was nine laps behind Johncock, who was in front when rain stopped the race after 332.5 miles. Rutherford later (74, 76) won the 500 twice. After Rutherford almost hit 200, the United States Auto Club reduced allowable engine power by limiting the pres- sure pumped into the engine by the supercharger.

Speeds dropped measurably. In fact, Mario Andretti had the fastest official lap last season at 189.404. But this year the- track has been completely resurfaced and that alone should add 2 or 3 mph. And USAC has withdrawn the restrictions on the power an engine can generate. Those two facts, plus a forecast of good weather, almost assure that somebody will top 200 next weekend.

By the way, a crowd of more than 200,000 is expected for the run for the pole. Traditionally the fastest qualifier on the opening day of time trials gets to start the 500 from inside the front row. The Speedway's track was built in 1909 as a proving ground for automobiles and. indeed, it has been an Continued On Page 6 By ZACH DUNKIN Got your concert survival kit to gether? If the summer is going to be as hot with rock concerts here as promoters are saying, get it ready. Some of the world's top acts already have frequented our town this year Neil Diamond, Led Zeppelin, the Beach Boys and negotiations are under way to bring in more.

Depending upon which concert you go to a high-decibel show or a laid-back sleeper the kit should not vary. You never know how loud the warm-up group will play so you'd better bring a set of earplugs or cotton to stuff in your ears. The more sophisticated listeners would shell out $10 for a pair of ear noise filters. If you can't find any cotton, light blue angora from a 1959 class ring will suffice. Don't use Charmin as a substitute unless you aren't bothered by people squeezing your ears.

If you forget the ear protection, don't leave behind the aspirin! A guy could get rich selling it at a Kiss concert. And speaking of Kiss, better include a roll of Continued On Page 5 news like this news demolition derbies and the East Arkansas alligator wrestling championships, is expected to create a news show in which viewers will come to love and cherish Barbara Walters! Of course, some people familiar with Arledge's penchant for razzle-dazzle and merchandising are wondering if what he has in mind is a female version of the Howard Beale Show from the movie, "Network." Can't you see it? Barbara Walters changing costumes three times in each newscast? Special features, such as Jeanne Dixon with tomorrow's headlines and Rona Barrett with yesterday's peccadillos? And pundit Howard Cosell? All played before a cheering studio audience? Don't count out that possibility. The fact is that ABC's sick and Continued On Page 12 By RICHARD K. SHULL ABC network has anointed Roone Arledge as its new Moses to lead the network out of a nightly embarrassment titled "The Evening News." And now the big question is which way will Arledge go? Effective June 1 Arledge will have the tandem titles of presidents of both sports and news at the network and somehow he's supposed to make lemonade out of a news lemon named Barbara Walters. Recently, the network's evening news show sank to new lows in audience attention, dropping below the audience level Harry Reasoner had when he was going alone.

The implication is that the decision of the current news president, William Sheehan, to hire Miss Walters as a $1 million-a-year newsbaby has had a negative affect. Somehow, Arledge, who made his reputation in sports by creating an audience for such unlikely things as Concert Survival Kit maybe The NEWS Photo, Bob Doeppers.