Indianapolis Motor Speedway Trackside Report, Day 8, Pole Day
11 May 1997
IMS Trackside Report
Day 8, Saturday May 10--Pole Day
Billy Boat passed the driver physical Friday, bringing the total to
46, according to Dr. Henry Bock.
The start of practice was delayed until track temperatures warmed. At
8:29 a.m., the temperature was 46 degrees with winds from the west at
16 miles per hour, gusting to 22 mph. Track temperature from Goodyear
tire engineers at 8:34 a.m. was 60 degrees. Track temperature from
Firestone tire engineers at 8:50 a.m. was 63 degrees. The track opened
at 8:45 under a running yellow. The track went green at 8:54 a.m. At
9:30 a.m., the temperature was 56 degrees and track temperature was
71, according to Firestone tire engineers.
9 a.m. update: John Paul Jr. remains in Methodist Hospital in good
condition, will be re-evaluated this afternoon and his release time
will be based on the re-evaluation. Scott Sharp remains at Methodist
Hospital in good condition and will undergo a routine repeat CT Scan
this morning. Lew Parks, a crewman for the AJ Foyt team, was treated
and released Friday from Methodist Hospital for a bruised chest
suffered in a fall while going to Sharp's aid.
Practice:
9:19 a.m. _ #52 Jeff Ward turned a lap at 214.756 miles an hour,
fastest of the day.
9:36 a.m. _ #5 Arie Luyendyk turned a lap at 215.921, fastest of the
day.
10 a.m. _ Temperature was 57 degrees, track temperature was 77
degrees, according to Firestone tire engineers.
10:03 a.m. _ #2 Tony Stewart turned a lap at 217.644, fastest of the
day.
10:04 a.m. _ #3 Robbie Buhl turned a lap at 216.768, second fastest of
the day.
PRESS CONFERENCE WITH TEAM OWNER RON HEMELGARN: "We ran as hard and
fast as we could with the Nissan. It was a hard decision. When Buddy
is the defending champion there is a sponsor level that you have to
meet. They want the very best. It is very mixed decision but it is
not a wrong decision. We need to have Buddy get a good run, which
will probably come this afternoon. Lyn will still be running the
Nissan and she is the fastest out there right now. I promised Nissan
that I would be running two cars at Indy. Lyn will be the one and I
am placing Johnny Unser will be the one. Johnny drove for me in an
ARS car. Unser is a name that Indy is used to and appropriate to run
him here. Understand that this is the one for Buddy, and he will run
it if necessary. It wasn't easy; sometimes you have to do what you
have to do. Both companies understand and they are appreciative of
what we're trying to do. It shows strength in this league. They both
share information just like the chassis companies and the tire
companies. We have to thank Stan Wattles for the Aurora engine. Stan
is a new team but he won't be starting up until a little later. I
paid the remaining balance on the engines and yesterday was the day I
decided to run the Aurora. I want to thank everyone involved."
At 11:00 a.m., the temperature was 60 degrees and track temperature
was 91, according to Firestone tire engineers.
11:00 a.m. #10 MIKE GROFF/Pasadena, CA
Jonathan Byrd's Cafeteria/Visionaire/Bryant - G / I / F
QA - 1 1 -- 43.255 -- 208.068 Q - 1
2 -- 43.120 -- 208.720 Locked In
3 -- 43.182 -- 208.420
4 -- 43.074 -- 208.943
T 2:52.631 -- 208.537
In 1977, Tom Sneva recorded the first 200 mph qualification lap
(200.401) in IMS history. Groff's 4th lap speed of 208.943 represents
the 2,500th 200 mph qualification lap at Indianapolis.
11:06 a.m. #52 JEFF WARD/San Juan Capistrano, CA
FirstPlus Team Cheever - G / A / G
QA - 2 1 -- 41.738 -- 215.631 Q - 2
2 -- 41.897 -- 214.813
3 -- 42.060 -- 213.980
4 -- 42.124 -- 213.655
T 2:47.819 -- 214.517
11:13 a.m. #40 DR. JACK MILLER/Carmel, IN
AMS/Crest Racing - D / I / F
QA - 3 1 -- 43.109 -- 208.773 Q - 3
2 -- 43.000 -- 209.302 Locked In
3 -- 42.974 -- 209.429
4 -- 42.960 -- 209.497
T 2:52.043 -- 209.250
11:19 a.m. #17 AFFONSO GIAFFONE/Sao Paulo, Brazil
General Motors of Brazil Chitwood Dallara - D / A / G
QA - 4 1 -- 41.696 -- 215.848 Q - 4
2 -- 42.300 -- 212.766 Locked In
3 -- 42.514 -- 211.695
4 -- 42.525 -- 211.640
T 2:49.035 -- 212.974
11:29 a.m. #3 ROBBIE BUHL/Miami, FL
Quaker State/Special - G / A / F
QA - 5 1 -- 41.768 -- 215.476 UA - 1
2 -- 41.864 -- 214.982
3 -- 41.948 -- 214.551
4 -- waved off
This is the 1st 3-lap wave off since 1995 when Davey Hamilton waved
off after completing 3 laps of a qualifying run at 5:44 p.m. on the
4th day of qualifying that year.
11:51 a.m. #7 ELISEO SALAZAR/Santiago, Chile
Copec/Cristal/Scandia - D / A / G
QA - 6 1 -- 41.972 -- 214.429 UA - 1
2 -- 43.023 -- 209.190
3 -- waved off, hit bird in 3rd turn)
12:00 p.m. #90 LYN ST. JAMES/Daytona Beach, FL
Lifetime-TV-Cinergy - D / I / F
QA - 7 1 -- 42.858 -- 209.996 Q - 5
2 -- 42.877 -- 209.903
3 -- 42.804 -- 210.261
4 -- 42.771 -- 210.423
T 2:51.310 -- 210.145
12:06 p.m. #21 ROBERTO GUERRERO/San Juan Capistrano, CA
Pennzoil-Pagan Racing Dallara Infiniti - D / I / G
QA - 8 1 -- waved off UA - 1
12:13 p.m. #30 ROBBIE GROFF/Atlanta, GA
Alfa-Laval/Team Losi/McCormack Motorsports - G / A / G
QA - 9 1 -- 43.226 -- 208.208 UA - 1
2 -- brushed wall in south short
chute, waved off, pulled in
Records and facts on normally-aspirated engines at the Speedway:
--The 1997 Indianapolis 500 pole winner will be the first powered by a
normally-aspirated engine since Mario Andretti took the pole at an
average speed of 168.982 miles per hour with a Ford V8 in 1967.
--The last driver to win the Indianapolis 500 with a normally
aspirated engine is A.J. Foyt with a Ford V8 in 1967.
--When Mike Groff qualified at 208.537 miles per hour as the first
qualifier today, he broke the existing record for normally-aspirated
engines of 204.224 miles per hour set by Steve Chassey in
1985. Chassey was bumped from the field.
--The last driver prior to this morning to complete a four-lap
qualification run with a normally-aspirated engine was Sammy Swindell,
who qualified a March/Pontiac at 201.840 miles per hour in
1987. Swindell was first alternate.
--The last driver prior to this morning to make a "500" field with a
normally-aspirated engine was Kevin Cogan, who qualified at 203.622
miles per hour with Pontiac power in 1984, started 27th and finished
20th.
Temperatures according to Firestone engineers (degrees Fahrenheit):
11:30 a.m. ambient - 57, track 95; 12:00 p.m. ambient - 65, track -
98; 12:30 p.m. ambient - 65, track - 103; 2:30 p.m. ambient - 74,
track - 112; 3:00 p.m. ambient - 70, track - 110.
3:21 p.m. #5 ARIE LUYENDYK/Scottsdale, AZ
Wavephore/Sprint PCS/Miller Lite - G / A / F
QA -8 1 -- 41.160 -- 218.659 Q - 6
2 -- 41.264 -- 218.108 Locked In
3 -- 41.250 -- 218.182
4 -- 41.265 -- 218.103
T 2:44.939 -- 218.263*
* New IRL Track Record
3:41 p.m. #4 KENNY BRACK/Karlstad, Sweden
Monsoon Galles Racing - G / A / G
QA -9 1 -- 42.552 -- 211.506 Q - 7
2 -- 42.375 -- 212.389 Locked In
3 -- 42.456 -- 211.984
4 -- 43.055 -- 209.035
T 2:50.438 -- 211.221*
3:53 p.m. #27 JIM GUTHRIE/Albuquerque, NM
Jacuzzi/Blueprint Racing Dallara - D / A / F
QA -10 1 -- 41.984 -- 214.367 Q - 8
2 -- 41.772 -- 215.455 Locked In
3 -- 41.829 -- 215.162
4 -- 41.696 -- 215.848
T 2:47.281 -- 215.207
3:58 p.m. #14 DAVEY HAMILTON/Boise, ID
AJ Foyt PowerTeam Racing - G / A / G
QA - 11 1 -- 41.620 -- 216.242 Q - 9
2 -- 41.818 -- 215.218 Locked In
3 -- 42.257 -- 212.982
4 -- 42.150 -- 213.523
T 2:47.845 -- 214.484
4:06 p.m. #33 FERMIN VELEZ/Barcelona, Spain
Old Navy Scandia Royal Purple Alta Xcel - D / A / G
QA - 12 1 -- 42.710 -- 210.723 UA - 1
2 -- engine trouble,
waved off, pulled in
4:15 p.m. #6 SCOTT GOODYEAR/Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Nortel/Sprint PCS/Quebecor Printing - G / A / F
QA - 13 1 -- 41.821 -- 215.203 Q - 10
2 -- 41.455 -- 217.103 Locked In
3 -- 41.638 -- 216.149
4 -- 41.899 -- 214.802
T 2:46.813 -- 215.811
4:23 p.m. #8 VINCENZO SOSPIRI/Monte Carlo, Monaco
Scandia Royal Purple Alta Xcel - D/ A / G
QA - 14 1 -- 41.525 -- 216.737 Q - 11
2 -- 41.464 -- 217.056
3 -- 41.540 -- 216.659
4 -- 41.506 -- 216.836
T 2:46.035 -- 216.822
4:28 p.m. #2 TONY STEWART/Indianapolis, IN
Glidden/Menards/Special - G / A / F
QA - 15 1 -- 41.287 -- 217.986 Q - 12
2 -- 41.318 -- 217.823 Locked In
3 -- 41.263 -- 218.113
4 -- 41.254 -- 218.161
T 2:45.122 -- 218.021
4:41 p.m. #34 ALESSANDRO ZAMPEDRI/Monte Carlo, Monaco
Mi-Jack Scandia Royal Purple - D / A / G
QA - 16 1 -- 43.529 -- 206.759 UA - 1
2 -- 44.127 -- 203.957
3 -- waved off
4:45 p.m. #7 ELISEO SALAZAR/Santiago, Chile
Copec/Cristal/Scandia - D / A / G
QA - 17 1 -- 41.904 -- 214.777 Q - 13
2 -- 41.912 -- 214.736 Locked In
3 -- 42.013 -- 214.219
4 -- 42.144 -- 213.554
T 2:47.973 -- 214.320
4:49 p.m. #3 ROBBIE BUHL/Miami, FL
Quaker State/Special - G / A / F
QA - 18 1 -- 41.459 -- 217.082 UA - 2
2 -- pulled in
5:00 p.m. #12 BUZZ CALKINS/Denver, CO
Bradley Food Marts - G / A / G
QA - 19 1 -- 42.929 -- 209.648 UA - 1
2 -- 42.936 -- 209.614
3 -- 43.188 -- 208.391
4 -- waved off
5:06 p.m. #77 STEPHAN GREGOIRE/Vittel, France
Chastain Motorsports - G / A / G
QA - 20 1 -- 41.963 -- 214.475 Q - 14
2 -- 42.146 -- 213.543 Locked In
3 -- 42.330 -- 212.615
4 -- 42.475 -- 211.889
T 2:48.914 -- 213.126
5:12 p.m. #51 EDDIE CHEEVER, Jr./Tampa, FL
FirstPlus Team Cheever - G / A / G
QA - 21 1 -- 41.966 -- 214.459 Q - 15
2 -- 41.896 -- 214.818 Locked In
3 -- 42.102 -- 213.767
4 -- 42.203 -- 213.255
T 2:48.167 -- 214.073
#91 Buddy Lazier took warm up laps but did not take the green.
#16 Sam Schmidt spun in warm-up lane in south short chute and did not
take the green. (Half spin, 180 feet, hit inside wall with left side
nose. Then continued 100 feet along the wall.)
5:30 p.m. #42 ROBBY GORDON/Cornelius, NC
Coors Light - G / A / G
QA - 22 1 -- 42.140 -- 213.574 Q - 16
2 -- 42.210 -- 213.220
3 -- 42.211 -- 213.215
4 -- 42.286 -- 212.836
T 2:48.847 -- 213.211
5:35 p.m. #34 ALESSANDRO ZAMPEDRI/Monte Carlo, Monaco
Mi-Jack Scandia Royal Purple - D / A / G
QA - 23 1 -- 42.592 -- 211.307 Q - 17
2 -- 42.979 -- 209.405
3 -- 43.106 -- 208.788
4 -- 43.494 -- 206.925
T 2:52.171 -- 209.094
5:45 p.m. #12 BUZZ CALKINS/Denver, CO
Bradley Food Marts - G / A / G
QA - 24 1 -- 42.890 -- 209.839 UA - 2
2 -- 42.918 -- 209.702 Locked In
3 -- 43.012 -- 209.244
4 -- 42.965 -- 209.473
T 2:51.785 -- 209.564
5:50 p.m. #3 ROBBIE BUHL/Miami, FL
Quaker State/Special - G / A / F
QA - 25 1 -- 41.745 -- 215.595 Q - 19
2 -- 41.633 -- 216.175 Locked In
3 -- 41.616 -- 216.263
4 -- 41.594 -- 216.377
T 2:46.588 -- 216.102
5:00 a.m. #91T BUDDY LAZIER/Vail, CO
Delta Faucet-Montana-Hemelgarn Racing - D / I / F
QA - 26 1 -- 41.792 -- 215.352 Q - 20
2 -- 41.894 -- 214.828
3 -- 41.955 -- 214.516
4 -- 42.359 -- 212.470
T 2:48.000 -- 214.286
#21T Roberto Guerrero took warm up laps and pulled into the pits.
6:00 p.m. #21T ROBERTO GUERRERO/San Juan Capistrano, CA
Pennzoil-Pagan Racing Dallara Infiniti - D / I / G
QA - 27 1 -- 43.175 -- 208.454 Q - 21
2 -- 43.211 -- 208.280 Locked In
3 -- 43.383 -- 207.455
4 -- 43.833 -- 205.325
T 2:53.602 -- 207.371
--History has repeated itself from qualifying in 1948-49. In 1948,
Duke Nalon was fastest qualifier and Rex Mays started from the
pole. In 1949, Nalon started from the pole and defending polesitter
Mays started in second position. In 1996, Arie Luyendyk was fastest
qualifier and Tony Stewart started from the pole. In 1997, Luyendyk
starts from the pole and defending polesitter Stewart starts in second
position.
--The years 1948-49 and 1996-97 are the only pairs in Speedway history
in which the fastest qualifier of a "500" who did NOT start on the
pole the first year and returned to take the pole the following year.
--Scott Brayton was the original pole position qualifier in 1996 with a
four-lap average of 233.718. Arie Luyendyk's 1997 pole speed is 15.455 miles
an hour slower at 218.263. This is the biggest one-year drop in pole
position speeds in Indianapolis 500 history. The previous record for biggest
one-year drop also involved Luyendyk when he qualified on the pole in 1993
with a speed of 223.967, which was 8.515 miles an hour slower than Roberto
Guerrero's 1992 pole speed of 232.482.
--Arie Luyendyk is the fastest qualifier in the 21-car provisional
field at 218.263 and Roberto Guerrero is the slowest at
207.371. Luyendyk and Guerrero have each started in 12 previous
Indianapolis 500s, making them, at the moment, the most experienced
drivers in the field.
Track temperatures from Goodyear tire engineers: 5 p.m. _ 95; 5:30
p.m. _ 85.
A total of 43 cars are now at the Speedway, 38 have passed technical
inspection and 0 are in the process. 30 drivers have been on the
track to date. There were 18 yellows for 1 hour, 48 minutes.