The Province from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 110

i 1 0 TIlC Pimince Wednesday, August 29, 1990 N' -ir- 1' City Spirit shines Stories by Don Harrison Sports Reporter www www mmmmmw-wmtwmwmt couver Marathon, Bent-ley's mind was racing on another track. In 1978, the same year as the tennis dou-' bles success, he won the rookie of the year trophy for sprint cars at Westwood. The awards continued to flow like fuel in a gas-guzzling racer: 1979-80, B.C. Formula Ford champion; 1981, B.C. Formula Atlantic champ; 1982, B.C.

pro driver of the year; 1983-84, B.C. Formula Atlantic champion; 1985-86, B.C. GT-1 champion and 1987-89, endurance champion. Unfortunately, how ever much he liked B.C. and the Westwood cir cuit Bentley longed fori a road less well trav The (it isn't quite right, but Ross Bentley doesn't mind.

This is one hand-me-down the Vancouver native will always cherish. For more than 25 years, the youthful-looking Bentley has had a dream: to race the big machines. Friday, the 33-year-old will one-up his fantasy when he squeezes his slender 5-foot-10, 140-pound frame awkwardly into chunky Jeff Andretti's old car to qualify for the Molson Indy race in the streets of his home town. "I think the most nervous part of the whole weekend will be sitting on the grid waiting to start." 'Waiting to start should be the title of the slender driving-school owner's biography as the last half-dozen years he's spun his wheels as a part-time auto racer, fulltime businessman. While the dream never died, it was starting to get fuzzy around the edges.

"Driving relates to everything in my life," continued Bentley, whose team includes his wife Robin, "and it would have been another year of limited racing without the Indy race." Even when he was winning high school tennis championships, taking provincial junior doubles honours or competing in the Van- Mario Andretti's car is the proto-typical modern racer, covered from stem to stern with corporate endorsements, the lifeblood of any team. The Spirit of Vancouver team behind Ross Bentley's entry in this weekend's event, pursues its goals on a rather less lofty plane. Whereas papa Andretti has a veritable who's who of corporate America affixed to his car, Bentley has the likes of one Lt. Cmdr. Mrs.

Leslie A. Jackson and Family proudly displayed on his rented ride. It's people like the Jacksons and 600 other supporters who have somewhat breached the funding gap caused by the financial churlishness of Big Business Vancouver. With either exceptional eyesight (or slow motion video) the generous Spirit contributors can see their money zoom by at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour. "Ninety-nine per cent of Vancouverites have never seen an Indy race and the majority have never seen a motor race," said Spirit publicist and Drivers' Seat co-host Tony Whitney of the selling job required by team organisers.

"We are 80-90 per cent of the way there," said sponsorship director Andy Field, "but we need a benefactor. "Milan Ilich saved the Vancouver 86ers and Murray Pezim rescued the B.C. Lions. Well, we are a B.C. team and we need a benefactor (to make up the $70,000 deficit) The Spirit of Vancouver idea originated when a group of local racing buffs realised Vancouver would have a race, but no local driver.

Ross Bentley was the clear choice as the best available talent and a quarter-million dollar budget was the target to run and run well. "Ross is a very sensible driver," continued Field. "You can always find fast drivers, but if you don't have one who uses his head you won't finish the race and that is what we want to do, finish the race." Not just this race, but the grand design of the Spirit of Vancouver people is to run more races next year and, then (big wish) drive the full series. "We are not setting a precedent enlisting last-minute sponsorship," insisted Field. -t.

'35tew ck I eled, one where he could compete against the best in business. But that took money, the type of mega-dollars and commitment business in Vancouver is loathe to contribute. So he and former racer Andy Field got together in 1988 to start ProFormance Advanced Driving School, which teaches everything from advanced street driving to racing techniques. It pays the bills, but he raced in only two Formula Atlantic events this summer and racing is what Bentley knows best. "I want to prove to the world what I already know," he continued.

"That 1 can win against the best. "There is only one thing better than the thrill of driving a race car and that's winning in that car." ROSS BENTLEY his dream comes true Qualifying experience was really 'awesome' Roberto Guerrero and other hopefuls and he soon discovered the raging horsepower of the Indy machine was not an exaggeration. "All I can say is Indy cars are awesome," he recalled.then quickly added, "the biggest surprise was I was really expecting the car to be a real beast that would blow me away, but I just said 'nice horsepower'. "Things do happen much quicker all the way around the track, but the other teams had three days of qualifying and I only had one day. "But I did 200 miles and was pretty worn out at the end of the day.

I still have some bruises and sore muscles." All the work of Ross Berkley's enlarged "pit crew" would have spelled Did Not Start if the Vancouver driver hadn't done his part. Two weeks ago at the mid-Ohio circuit in Lexington, the 33-year-old Bentley wedged his lithe form behind the wheel of Jeff Andretti's former car re-christened Spirit of Vancouver and lived the wish of lifetime. "I've always dreamed of driving an Indy-car," said Bentley, who passed his rookie orientation session with the proverbial flying colours. "if it had been a qualifying session, we would have been in the middle of the pack." Bentley was on the track with the Andretti gang,.