The Indianapolis News from Indianapolis, Indiana • 13

THE NEWS MONDAY, MAY 18, 1987 PAGE 13 Business 21-22 Coach Fyt a success -titX AJs stable has four cars in starting field By DICK MITTMAN The Indianapolis News What had once seemed like an end for A.J. Foyt. has turned -into a beginning. The mellowed master from Houston turned from one of the world's greatest racing drivers to one of the world's greatest racing coaches in a single week. 1 1 First, he qualified for his 30th consecutive Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, placing his Lola-Cos-worth on the inside of the second row.

That accomplished the first weekend, he then switched caps and became Coach Foyt. He took on two pupils, Stan Fox and Davy Jones, and made them "A students" in one week of intense instruction at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. When the crazy 17 days of practice and qualifying for the May 24 Race ended at 6 p.m. Sunday. Foyt had four cars in the field his own.

two for his proteges and one belonging to old warhorse George Snider, who has been attending A.J. University for most of his adult life. Roger Penske has three cars. And they all are 1986 Marches, including the one Danny Sullivan qualified at 210.271 miles per hour Saturday after his earlier qualified Penske was withdrawn. Pat Patrick.

Dick Simon, Ron Hemelgarn, Rick Galles and Andy Kenopensky all squeezed two cars into the field. Thus, seven owners have 17 cars, or more than half the field. Sunday, nine cars qualified, three were bumped and one. Pancho Carter's first-week qualified car. was withdrawn.

relieved Steve Chassey was the slowest qualifier at 202.488. The 33-car field average is 207.194 mph. 3.086 slower than last year's 210.280. But the story of the weekend was Foyt, the four-time champion who is opening his own stable of young drivers. He got Fox, a midget driver from Wisconsin, into the field on Saturday.

Then he turned his attention to Jones, a fine but nervous newcomer who won't be 23 until June 1, and coached him into Sunday's fastest qualifying speed of 208.1 17. Just who would Jones compare Foyt to as a "Probably Bobby Knight." Jones replied. "A.J. only accepts the best. When things aren't going right, he makes sure they're done right now and they are done right.

That's why I like him. But then at the same time, he can turn J- The Newt Photo, Mike Fender Car owner A.J. Foyt gives some last-minute advice to driver Davy Jones prior to his Sunday run. Sophomores' shut out of race uasoiine mm Alley Wayne Fuson Old guys enjoy big weekend I ETERANS DAY normal- i ly 1S No- vember. but this, year it Vas on May 16 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

rour lormer auu-Miie Kace winners qualified on that day. Uhe third day of time trials for 'the 71st speed classic. Never have so many top flight drivers qualified so late, though one, Danny Sulli van, the 1985 champ, withdrew one car and qualified 'another. He felt more confident he could be a factor on jace day with the second car. Other third-day qualifiers were three-time champion Al Unser.

two-time winner Gordon Johncock and 1983 Champ Tom Sneva. It was particularly satisfying for Big Al and Johncock, neither of whom even had a rllde when practice for this Race began a couple of weeks ago. This 500 might well be a race of champions. There are nine former winners in the field of 33 for the May 25 run for the gold and glory. Never have there been so many.

further, the first four start-ejrs Mario Andretti, Bobby Rahal, the defending champ; Rick Mears and A.J. Foyt, the only four-time winner all have been to the Speedway's victory circle. The nine former champions in the field have won 18 of the 'first 70 500s and most railbirds are predicting that the '87 championship will be won by a member of that group, too. Experience is such a dominating factor at Indianapolis. Why.

railbirds are asking, are there so many former champions still in the running? It's probably never happened before in an individual competition sport. There are a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that Indianapolis cars are safer now than they used to be, a statement which seems rather incongruous inasmuch as there have been 23 accidents this month involving contact with the Speedway's walls. The point Is that none- of the aceident victims was critically injured, although Johnny Parsons, Dennis Firestone and Jim Crawford all still are in Methodist Hospital and are likely to be there for some time. Also. Indianapolis champs don't participate much in other kinds of racing these days.

Winners like Jimmy Bryan, Bob Sweikert, Jim Clark and Mark Donohue were killed in racing accidents elsewhere. Money the reason THE Johncock and Al Unser stories are perhaps the most interesting. "A week ago I was spectat-ing at a mud bog race back In Arizona," Gordy said. "What a difference a week makes." He actually retired a couple of years ago, but after watching last year's race on television, decided to try a comeback. There were a couple of reasons, not the least of which was economic.

Just two years ago Big Al was king of the hill. He had 'edged Al Jr. out for the driv ing championship by a single point. But the good cars these days go generally to the driv ers who can generate the 'most sponsorship money. Big sponsorship money.

Big Al was left out in the cold. But when Danny Ongats crashed and subsequently was ruled out of this year's Race by the medics, the senior Unser obviously was the logi cal driver for Ongals' team. "I'm sorry for what hap pened to Danny, but under the circumstances, It benefit ted me to step Into the Penske team because Ive worked with them the last three jyears. 1. 7 figured I was here on my ability and I had nothing to prow to A.M.

or to tho tans or to myself because I have rated against people who have won this Bate Davy Jones $5,000 from Ameritech Publishing. The bachelor from McGraw, N.Y. edged Italian Fabrizio Bar-bazza as quickest rookie and will receive a $1,500 check from the American Dairy Association of Indiana for the accomplishment. When car-owner-driver A.J. Foyt was informed of his driver's status as fastest rookie, he replied: "He's supposed to be." "I knew he had the ability to do it if he could get it all together." added Foyt, who will be starting his 30th consecutive 500 from the inside of the second row.

Barbazza qualified the No. 12 By ZACH DUNKIN The Indianapolis News For the first time since 1980 and only the second time In 500-Mile Race history there is no second-year driver In the field. When Phil Krueger fell out of contention with a boom during 'his qualifying attempt Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, representation from the Freshman Class of 1986 went with him. Krueger. Randy Lanier, Jacques Villeneuve and Roberto Moreno were last year's rookies.

Only Krueger returned this year for a second try. His chances ended when he spun Into the Turn 1 wall. Although Krueger excaped with That's the largest total since the same number qualified in 1983. Jones qualified In the middle of the 10th row with a four-lap average of 208.117 miles per hour. Not only was his run the fast-" est of the day for a $15,000 award from UNO International Games, but was the 10th best of the 33-car field.

As the youngest driver In the field, he also earned See ROOKIES Page 16 NBA MVP Magic beats the Associated Press Bruised Celtics survive Bucks; Rested Pistons next in line NEW YORK Magic Johnson, who led the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA's best record with a career-high 23.9 points a game and a league-best 12.2 assists, today was named the league's Most Valuable Player. Johnson received 65 first-place votes and a. total of 733 points from the panel of media members and was the only player named on all 78 ballots. Michael Jordan of Chicago, the league's leading scorer, had 10 first-place votes, while Larry Bird of Boston, the MVP the last three years, came in third, with one first-place vote. The only other first-place votes went to Charles Barkley of Philadelphia, who finished sixth in the voting 'and Akeem Olajuwon of Houston.

The Associated Press BOSTON After the game ended, after the bruised Boston Celtics had barely survived an all-out attack by the Milwaukee Bucks, players on both teams embraced, shook hands and went off to rest. "This game was like the Rocky" fights." Boston guard Dennis Johnson said. "At the end you Just walk up to anybody on the other team and say you don't want no more of this." Boston overcame an eight-point deficit In the final 6 min For Boston, center Robert Parish and forward Kevin McHale played with ankle injuries and guard Danny Alnge sprained his right knee with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter and didn't return. "We've got guys on this team who will play hurt." McHale said. "If you work hard enough, good things are going to happen." McHale had 26 points and 15 rebounds and Parish, whose sprained ankle forced him to miss Game 6, had 23 points.

minor knee cuts and was cleared to drive again, his car could not be repaired In time. The last time a rookie failed to qualify, for the Race the following year was In 1980 when Howdy Holmes, the only rookie in the 1979 Race, failed after two attempts. Led by 22-year-old Davy Jones, four rookies earned starting berths during the weekend to raise the total to six for the field. utes, held the Bucks scoreless for the final 3:29 and took the lead for good on Larry Bird's two free throws with 2:02 to go Sunday to beat Milwaukee 119-113 to capture the Eastern Conference semifinal series 4-3. "It Is frustrating." Milwaukee guard Sidney Moncrief said.

"I have a very empty feeling. We put so much Into this game and the series." The Bucks, who nearly became the fifth team in NBA history to win a series after trailing 3-1. weren't the only ones who did that. that breaks your heart. We have no answers, only questions." Like where have all the hitters gone? After averging 6 Vz runs in winning 20 of their first 23 games, the Brewers have scored only 24 during their 11 -game skid and eight of those came in one contest.

"There are no easy answers," Manager Tom Trebelhorn said. need to play better and capitalize on the situations." Other teams are capitalizing on Milwaukee's collapse. The New York Yankees, 8-3 winners See 500 Page 16 Jordan, Bird Magic Johnson PAN AM TRIALS The NBA tempted him, but it will have to wait another year for Danny Manning. Like Dorothy, Manning is going home to Kansas. Page 14.

STANLEY CUP Edmon-ton takes Game 1 from Philadelphia. Page 17. THE COLTS The players like what they see in Coach Ron Meyer. Page 18. THE TRIBE Razor Shines had the big bat for Indianapolis.

Page 18. Iff Tl Inside Beatings go on for Brewers The Associated Press The beat goes on for the Milwaukee Brewers. Sorry, make that the beatings go on. In what has become almost a complete reversal of their 13-0 start, the Brewers' losing streak reached a club-record 1 1 games Sunday when Danny Tartabull hit a tie-breaking home run In the eighth Inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 3-2 victory. "We're still six games over .500, and that's not bad at Brewers catcher Bill Schroeder said.

"It's the way we got here over Seattle, and the Toronto Blue Jays, who lost to Oakland 3-0, have climbed past the Brewers, who had a five-game lead when the losing streak began and now find themselves 2 Vi games out of first in the American League East. In the first six weeks of their up-and-down season, the Brewers have set team records for consecutive wins and losses. Their 13-0 start tied the major-league record and set an A.L. mark. Their last victory, however, was May 2 In Seattle.

Tartabull's homer off Mike. Blrkbeck gave the West Division-leading Royals their seventh straight home victory and 11th In their last 14 overall. "Some people say there's no such thing as momentum in baseball, but I don't buy that," Royals player-coach Hal McRae said. "When you're going good, you Just know you can beat the other team. Things happen for you when you need them to.

When you're going bad, you think deep in your heart, We can't beat these guys no matter how hard ye 1.