Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 23, 1993 TAG: 9305230112
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: INDIANAPOLIS LENGTH: Medium
Andretti and Gordon were among 11 drivers who made successful four-lap qualifying runs. Four drivers were bumped from the tentative 33-car field on the third of four days of time trials. Qualifying ends today.
Foyt, a four-time Indy winner who announced his retirement as a driver a week ago, entered the final weekend of qualifying with one rookie driver, one late addition and no cars in the lineup.
Gordon came out to qualify just 1 hour, 20 minutes from the end of the session. The highly touted rookie, who had several brushes with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's walls this month, came up with laps of 220.486 mph and 219.931 before slowing and coasting back to pit road. Later, after his drivers were safely in the show, the sometimes volatile Foyt grinned and said, "The crew made a damn mistake and didn't put enough fuel in, very simple."
Andretti, who had been shaking down cars for other drivers but didn't have a ride of his own until Friday, followed Gordon onto the track and did four laps at 221.746, with a fast lap of 223.026.
"We got out at the very last minute last night, but the car was really right on and it was really good during qualifying," said Andretti, who is Foyt's godson and the nephew of 1969 Indy winner Mario Andretti. "I had to make a couple of adjustments. The wind played a little bit in turn two, but other than that I was very, very pleased."
Gordon was back on the track within 20 minutes of his aborted attempt and this time had plenty of speed and fuel.
His four-lap average was 220.085, although his third lap was nearly disastrous, slipping to 216.112 as he came close to the second-turn wall.
"The car runs around here at 220 pretty comfortable," the 24-year-old Gordon said. "That 216 on our third lap just wasn't a very good lap. I caught a big gust of wind over in [turn] two and it blew the front end way out and I didn't think we were going to get it back.
"We knew we had to run four consistent laps. I knew my next lap I could probably put together a 20 if I just slowed it down in two, and that's what we did and we're in the show."
Foyt, who won't race at Indy after 35 consecutive starts, said, "I couldn't be happier if I was out there myself. I might be lying a little bit, but I'm very happy with both boys.
"I was kind of scared the temperature was going to stay up, so I took both cars in and got them to change the fifth and sixth gear on each car. I felt we had to turn a few more rpm. Maybe Ford won't like that, but still we felt we had to do that.
"But it seemed like it paid off. We're just real happy with the Ford Cosworth power plant and also the Lola cars and the crew, and especially to have a place like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is the only place to race if you're going to race."
The longtime crowd favorite brought a roar from the more than 100,000 people at the Speedway on Saturday when he said, "The 14 car's still in my garage and nobody's got into it since I got out. You never know what'll happen tomorrow.
"I don't think I could go back on my word. I always said the day I step out I'm going to step out. It's awful damn hard to do. I felt like the time had come."
The day began with seven openings to fill, but four drivers, led by Hiro Matsushita of Japan at 219.949, completed successful attempts within the first hour of qualifying. The others were Jim Crawford, 217.612; rookie Olivier Grouillard of France, 216.560, and Eddie Cheever, 216.415.
With the forecast for today calling for an 80 percent chance of rain, there was plenty more action before the track closed Saturday.
Davy Jones became the 33rd qualifier with a run at 218.416. Then the bumping began.
Geoff Brabham, who blew an engine early in the day, came back to bump rookie Mark Smith with a four-lap run of 217.800. Smith had qualified last Sunday at 214.356.
The first Smith ever to qualify at Indy came right back in his backup car, bouncing Cheever with a run of 217.150.
Willy T. Ribbs, who in 1991 became the first black driver to make the Indy field, then bumped Grouillard. Ribbs, who like Matsushita had help this week from John Andretti in setting up his car, turned his four fastest laps of the month in qualifying at 217.711.
As time expired in the session, Dominic Dobson bumped Scott Pruett with four laps at 218.776. Pruett had qualified last Saturday at 216.794.
Before Dobson closed the final dramatic hour, Buddy Lazier spun and Rocky Moran, John Paul Jr. and Didier Theys all cut short attempts that were too slow to make the field.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB