Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 2, 1995 TAG: 9508020042
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: INDIANAPOLIS LENGTH: Medium
As Jeff Gordon again seeks the magic that propelled him to victory last year in the inaugural Brickyard 400 here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hefty old A.J. Foyt cranked up the gumption for one more go-round at the storied old track.
In fact, the way Foyt was talking Tuesday, he might come out of retirement and revive his IndyCar career as well.
``It won't take very much,'' he said when asked if he considered running in the four-event Indy Racing League (IRL) series next year.
The IRL is speedway president Tony George's effort to wrest some control of the country's premier open-wheel racing series from the IndyCar Racing organization and return the sport to its oval track roots.
Foyt, who dramatically captured the final starting spot in last year's 400, said Tuesday that his Ford Thunderbird will be sponsored by Motorola in this year's effort to make the 400.
``As this race got closer and closer, I got itchier and itchier,'' he said. ``I think when I stepped down out of the IndyCars, it was a little bit early.''
Foyt's car, which was his backup last year, was supposed to arrive here sometime Tuesday night after getting a 1995 body. And he'll squeeze and squirm his way into the driver's seat for another run at racing glory.
``I didn't have the results I wanted here last year,'' he said. ``I didn't like sitting on the bubble, but that's better than sitting in the grandstand. It's hard to come in someone's backyard and take somebody's groceries away from 'em. It's tough. Any of these NASCAR races are tough, even if you're with 'em every day.''
While Foyt simply tries to make the race again, Gordon will be shooting for the top starting spot during pole qualifying Thursday and will be seeking the special feeling that came over him and his team last year.
``I never dreamed I would win the first Brickyard race, but it was something I wanted more than anything. And it happened,'' he said. ``I still think back on what an incredible day that was.''
Gordon said he actually started having that special feeling early in the week.
``We did a lot of interviews and pre-race things with ABC and they were saying, `Here we are. It's finally really going to happen.' And that was just giving me a weird feeling. Every time that was brought up, I started getting those butterflies or something telling me that this was going to be a special week. And that happened just about every appearance I went to.
``The car was really good right from the first time I tested it. And when I really knew it was a good car [was] when we started making long runs after qualifying. And the car just never quit, never fell off, it just continued to really stay good.
``That's when I knew we really had a great car. And what a wonderful feeling to have that good of a car for this race.''
Gordon said Tuesday it's too early to know if he'll get that feeling again this year. He'll be able to get an early read when practice begins here at 2 p.m. today.
But the Fords were equal to Gordon's powerful Chevrolet Monte Carlo at Pocono last month, and Dale Jarrett whipped Gordon there. Since Pocono is about as close to Indy as it gets in terms of track configuration, the Chevy folks, including Gordon, are concerned.
``Last time we were at Pocono, the Fords definitely had an edge,'' Gordon said. ``We had a good Monte Carlo and Ken Schrader had a good Monte Carlo, but there weren't too many up there that battled for that win.
``I'm a little nervous about the rules right now. I'm concerned that it might be a little lopsided. But we did not have our best car at Pocono. We do have our best car for Indy . We won a couple of races with it this year and we could have won a couple more.
``We feel like we've still got a little bit left, but that situation at Pocono is the only thing that makes me nervous.''
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB