Motorsport News International
IRL: Indianapolis practice notes 96-05-10
"Lee A. Driggers"
MNI - Motorsport News International
Fri May 10 19:57:23 EDT 1996
DAY 7 -- FRIDAY, MAY 10
At 11:05 a.m., Scott Brayton in the #2 Glidden Menards Special turned a lap
at 235.270 miles per hour, fastest of the day at that point only five
minutes into practice. At 11:19 a.m., #2 Brayton upped it to 235.688. At
11:32 a.m., Tony Stewart in the #20 Menards/Glidden/Quaker State Special
reached 236.004, fastest of the day at that point. At 11:50 a.m., Arie
Luyendyk in the #35 Treadway Racing entry reached 236.992, fastest of the
day at that point. At 12:07 p.m., Scott Sharp in the #11 Conseco AJ Foyt
Racing entry, reached 235.300, third fastest of the day, and followed it up
with 235.701 at 12:28 p.m., still third fastest. At 12:29 p.m., #35 Luyendyk
reached 238.045, fastest practice lap in Speedway history at that point. At
1:04 p.m., #35 Luyendyk reached 239.260, fastest practice lap in Speedway
history. The track closed at 3:25 p.m. because of rain.
By 1:15 p.m., 13 drivers and 13 cars had exceeded 230 miles per hour in
practice today. On "Fast Friday" of 1995 (May 12), 13 drivers and 16 cars
exceeded 230 miles per hour in practice, both track records.
ABC Sports announced today that the network's longstanding broadcasting
relationship with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway would be extended through
1999. The agreement covers broadcasts for the Indianapolis 500, the related
Indy Racing League (IRL) events, and the Brickyard 400 NASCAR Winston Cup
stock car event at IMS. The announcement was made in the Trackside
Conference Room by ABC Sports president Steve Bornstein; David Downs, senior
vice president of programming for ABC Sports; Tony George, president of the
Speedway and Bill Donaldson, IMS vice president. ABC Sports' existing
contracts with the Speedway and IRL were extended through 1999 and ABC will
have the first negotiation rights to IRL events during that period.
Pole Day Schedule:
7:00 a.m. -- Gates open
8:00 - 8:30 a.m. -- Group 1 practice
8:30 - 9:00 a.m. -- Group 2 practice
9:00 -10:00 a.m. -- Open practice
11:00 - 6:00 p.m. -- Qualifications and/or practice
Pole Day Radio and Television Schedule (Indianapolis times):
10:15 - 6:15 p.m. -- IMS Radio Network, hourly reports
10:30 -11:30 a.m. -- IMS Radio Network, INDY AM
11:00 - 1:30 p.m. -- ABC Sports Pole Day qualifying coverage
Noon -12:30 p.m. -- WNDY, Channel 23, Fan Fest
5:30 - 6:00 p.m. -- IMS Radio Network, INDY PM
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. -- WTHR, Channel 13, Eyewitness News/Speedquest
6:30 - 7:00 p.m. -- WISH, Channel 8, SportsLocker Extra: Qualification Wrapup
6:30 - 7:00 p.m. -- WRTV, Channel 6, Trackside Six Qualification Summary
7:00 - 7:30 p.m. -- WNDY, Channel 23, Qualification Recaps
10:25 -11:05 p.m. -- WXIN, Channel 59, 59 Overtime Extra
The PPG Pole Award of $100,000 plus trophies crafted by Tiffany's of New
York for both driver and car owner and a $35,000 customized van from Tiara
and Dodge heads the list of qualifying awards for the 1996 Indianapolis 500.
The PPG Pole Award was started in 1989. Based on Roberto Guerrero's track
record of 232.482 miles an hour (2 minutes, 34.851 seconds) for the four-lap
run, his pole position in 1992 was worth $645.78 per second and $38,746 per
minute. Other qualifying awards include:
American Dairy Association -- $5,000
Ameritech "Youngest Starting Driver" Award -- $7,500
Citadel Group "Overachiever" Award -- $5,000
Delco Battery/CAM "Great Start" Award -- $5,000
GTE "Front Runner" Awards -- $30,000
Indianapolis Motor Speedway qualifying prizes -- $120,000
Kruse International "First in the Field" Award -- $5,000
Loctite Award -- $3,000
Mi-Jack "Top Performance" Award -- $5,000
Marmon Group "Fastest Rookie Lap" Award -- $5,000
NewsPager "Most Consistent Qualifying Laps" Award -- $5,000
Nissan "Rookie Team Owner" Award -- $2,500
Pinkerton Security "Most Senior Starting Driver Award -- $5,000
SRE Industries "My Bubble Burst" Award -- $5,000
Sure Start/Automotive Armature "On the Bubble" Award -- $10,000
T.P. Donovan "Top Starting Rookie" Award -- $5,000
Tiara "Pole Position Car Owner" Award -- $5,000
True Value "Pole Winning Chief Mechanic" Award -- $10,000
Winners in the 30th annual STP/AARWBA writing, photography and broadcasting
competitions will be announced May 25 in Indianapolis. The announcement will
be made at the annual American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters
Association breakfast at the Speedway Motel. The annual contest has been
funded by STP since its inception in 1967. Competitions are held in 13
categories of writing, photography, radio and television.
Robbie Buhl completed the final observation phase of his driver's test,
becoming the 14th of the month to do so. Veteran observers were Eddie
Cheever, Steve Chassey and Tero Palmroth.
ARIE LUYENDYK: (about fastest lap today): "I definitely had a pretty good
tow on that lap. It was a black car -- I don't know who it was, maybe John
Paul Jr. The lap looked good on paper though." (about qualifying): "I'd
really like to get the pole. Last year I had a pretty good shot at it but it
didn't happen. This year, we have a one-car team and have a really good
shot. I think we can put in two laps in the 237 range. Speed fluctuates. The
first lap is never as fast but we can probably end up in the 237 range. You
only want to run as fast as you have to go in my mind."
Brief explanation of qualifying procedures:
1. The pole position is decided by the fastest qualifier on the first day,
or the fastest qualifier after one trip through the original qualifying
line, whichever comes LAST.
2. Each car can make three qualification attempts. When a car completes a
four-lap, 10-mile qualification attempt, its speed becomes official. The car
may not requalify. The driver, if the car is bumped, may qualify in another car.
3. If a top 25 car in Indy Racing League points meets the minimum average
speed requirement of 220.000 miles per hour, it cannot be bumped.
4. Cars must meet the minimum average speed requirement of 220.000 mph to be
eligible for the field.
5. Cars eligible under the IRL qualifying provision for spots in the field
if they meet the minimum speed:
#2 Team Menard, #3 Team Menard, #4 Della Penna Motorsports, #5 Jonathan
Byrd/Treadway, #7 Team Scandia, #9 Hemelgarn Racing, #11 AJ Foyt
Enterprises, #12 Bradley Motorsports, #14 AJ Foyt Enterprises, #15
Tempero-Giuffre, #16 Team Blueprint Racing, #17 Leigh Miller Racing, #18 PDM
Racing, #20 Team Menard, #21 Pagan Racing, #25 Tempero-Giuffre Racing, #27
Team Blueprint Racing, #33 Team Scandia, #41 AJ Foyt Enterprises, #45 Zunne
Group Racing, #54 Beck Motorsports, #64 Project Indy, #75 Cunningham Racing,
#90 Team Scandia, #91 Hemelgarn Racing.
In an announcement this morning, the Hoosier Lottery will sponsor the #12
Bradley Motorsports entry assigned to Buzz Calkins. In addition, May 17 will
be Hoosier Lottery Day at the Speedway; the Hoosier Lottery will award 5,000
tickets to the fastest qualifying driver on both May 18 and May 19; and the
Hoosier Millionaire game show will be taped at Fan Fest May 24. "The Hoosier
Lottery reached an agreement with Bradley to become a primary sponsor for
the Indianapolis 500," said John Dillon, Hoosier Lottery Director. "Buzz and
the Calkins family are superb and we think they are the best team here."
Calkins said, "Thanks to everyone at the Hoosier Lottery. It's nice to have
a local community sponsor and we hope the relationship is beneficial to them
and us. And the Hoosier Lotto is up to $5 million this week."
LANCO International, Inc., and its subsidiary Mi-Jack Products, Inc., has
announced a sponsorship of Alessandro Zampedri driving Team Scandia's #8
Mi-Jack/AGIP/Dinema entry.
Pennzoil, which became the Official Motor Oil of the Speedway this year, now
has 19 cars contracted to use Pennzoil motor oil in the Indianapolis 500.
Pennzoil has posted $13,000 in contingency prizes, with $10,000 going to the
race winner and has offered free fuel service for the month. Overseeing the
changeover to Pennzoil at the Speedway is Jim Reynolds, newly appointed
manager of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Racing Services, who celebrated his
25th anniversary as a Valvoline employee in March and left that company a
month later to take his job here. He supervises a crew of six that includes
Nelson Stewart, father of Tony Stewart.
Treadway Racing announced today that the Oldsmobile Aurora V8 engine will
power the team's Indy Racing League program in 1997. Treadway becomes the
first IRL team to commit to a specific engine program for 1997. "We believe
the Oldsmobile engine will be the superior option for the 1997 IRL season,"
said Fred Treadway. Ed Keating, program manager for the Aurora IRL project,
said, "we are honored that they have the confidence in our program to make a
commitment at this time.
The 26th annual Terre Haute First National Bank Tony Hulman USAC sprint car
race scheduled for tonight has been postponed to Sunday at the Terre Haute
Action Track. Practice is set for 5:30 p.m. with first race at 8 p.m.
29 cars were on the track today, running 685 laps. Cars on track today: #2
Brayton; #3 Cheever; #4 Hearn; #7 Salazar; #8 Zampedri; #9 Gregoire, #10
Murphey; #11 Sharp; #12 Calkins; #14 Hamilton; #15 Gosek; #16 Parsons; #18
Paul Jr.; #20 Stewart; #21 Guerrero; #22 Jourdain Jr.; #25 Gosek; #27
Guthrie; #30 Dismore; #33 Alboreto; #35 Luyendyk; #41 Greco; #45 St. James;
#54 Buhl; #60 Groff; #64 Unser; #70 Jones; #91 Lazier; #96 Durant.
A total of 46 cars are now at the Speedway, 42 have passed technical
inspection, 38 have received final inspection stickers and none are in the
process. 33 drivers have been on the track to date. There were 11 yellows
for 2 hours, 48 minutes. At 11 a.m., the temperature was 73 degrees and
winds were SW at 8 miles per hour. At 2:10 p.m., the temperature was 71
degrees with winds NW at 25 mph with gusts kicking at 32 mph. At 3:30 p.m.,
the temperature was 64 degrees and winds were south at 8 mph.
--IMS--
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