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'Old folks at home' Luyendyk leads Indy qualifying; Stewart 'too conservative'
Posted: Sunday May 23, 1999 12:11 AM
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Arie Luyendyk looked nothing like an old-timer. The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, retiring after the May 30 race, won the third pole of his Indy career Saturday with a four-lap, 10-mile run at 225.179 mph. The Flying Dutchman, overcoming unfavorable track conditions, was barely quick enough to beat pre-qualifying favorite Greg Ray. But Luyendyk kept his emotions in check even after his performance was applauded enthusiastically by the crowd scattered through the vast speedway grandstands and the teams and officials along pit road. "I didn't wake up this morning thinking this was going to be my last qualifying day," Luyendyk, 45, said. "When I completed the run, I was really moved by the enthusiastic crowd all around the track. And, coming into the pits all the crews were waving and clapping. "That could only be topped by coming in when everybody's cheering me into Victory Lane." Luyendyk's Indy wins came in 1990 and 1997, while his previous poles were in 1993 and 1997. Overnight rain and cooling temperatures slowed the 2 1/2-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval dramatically and had most of the teams scrambling following the morning practice. But Luyendyk's Treadway Racing team found the right combination that made his G Force-Aurora considerably faster than any of the other early qualifiers. "We tried something this morning, and it worked," Luyenduyk said. "I just said, 'Let's just go with it in qualifying.' It was a pretty exciting ride for four laps, but I was glad it was over." Ray, who had led the speed chart all but one day since practice opened last Saturday, planned to qualify his fastest car. But the Dallara-Aurora failed to pass inspection because a sidepod was too low. Ray moved to his slightly slower backup car -- close behind in the qualifying line -- and still challenged Luyendyk's speed, coming up just short at 225.073. Team owner John Menard had the option of withdrawing the qualified car and letting Ray try to win the pole in a third entry later Saturday. Instead, he put Robby Gordon in that seat and settled for the middle of the front row with Ray. "The pole position at the Indianapolis 500 is a very sweet thing,' Ray said. 'But it's a hell of a roll of the dice. This is a very, very competitive field. But by the same token, we've worked very hard for the pole. All I know right now is they hired me to be the pilot here, and they're going to make the decisions." Billy Boat, who drives for four-time Indy winner A.J. Foyt, wound up on the outside of the front row with an average of 223.469 despite crashing earlier in the day on a warm-up lap. It was his third crash since practice opened last Saturday. "It's been a really tough week," the relieved Boat said. "I don't think you can appreciate qualifying for this race until you go through something like this. There's nothing given to anybody here, and my boss told me that better than anybody." Tony Stewart, a former pole-winner, prayed for an early qualifying position so he could put his car in the lineup before having to fly to Concord, N.C., where he finished second to Terry Labonte on Saturday night in The Winston, a NASCAR all-star race. Stewart, a regular on the Winston Cup stock car circuit, is commuting to Concord and will attempt to race in both the 500 and the Coca-Cola World 600 on the same day. The 1997 Pep Boys Indy Racing League champion got his wish Friday night when Larry Curry, co-owner of his team, drew No. 2 in the qualifying order. But it didn't turn into the break they had hoped for. Moments after defending Indy winner Eddie Cheever, making the first of his allowable three qualifying attempts, waved off after three laps at about 221 mph, Stewart drove onto the track. With no chance to come back and try again later Saturday, Stewart settled for a disappointing average of 220.653, a speed that wound up 24th among the 33 first-day qualifiers. "That's all the car had today," Stewart said before rushing off to catch a plane. "The air is much thicker. I'm a little bit on the conservative side, but it was way too conservative for us today." Curry agreed the team had no choice but to take the slower-than-expected speed. "I don't care if he starts 33rd," Curry said. "He can win from anywhere. I just want to make sure we're in it. I don't want to have something stupid happen, like not qualify." The first of two days of time trials got under way 63 minutes late because of rain. A 60 percent chance of more wet weather on Sunday prompted a flurry of activity that filled the field for the first time on the opening day of qualifying. Drivers still hoping to make the lineup can bump their way in on Sunday. The fastest 33 drivers start the race. Gordon took the inside of the second row in the tentative lineup at 223.066, with Mark Dismore next at 222.963 and Scott Sharp at 222.771. Defending IRL champion Kenny Brack, Boat's teammate, wound up in the middle of the third row at 222.659, while Cheever cut short a second qualifying attempt before coming back late in the day to take the 16th position at 221.315. The only other former Indy winner among the entries, Buddy Lazier, was 22nd at 220.721. Five rookies completed qualifying runs Saturday, led by John Hollansworth Jr. at 221.698. The other first-year drivers were Jeret Schroeder, 220.746, Robby McGehee, 220.139, Wim Eyckmans, 220.092, and Jaques Lazier, Buddy's brother, 219.165. Lyn St. James, a former rookie of the year here and the only woman entered, is 'on the bubble' as the slowest qualifier at 218.970. "We're definitely in jeopardy and we're looking at our options," said St. James, whose teammate Robby Unser -- son of three-time Indy winner Bobby Unser -- made it safely into the field at 221.304.
Among the drivers hoping to bump their way into the field Sunday
are Robbie Buhl, who crashed while warming up for an attempt early
Saturday, Jack Miller, Johnny Unser, Jim Guthrie, Mike Groff and
rookies Brian Tyler and Nick Firestone.
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