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White-knuckle time Drivers panicking about making the Indy 500
Posted: Monday May 15, 2000 07:16 PM
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Even though Donnie Beechler has already raced in two Indy 500s, the qualifying process still makes him a nervous wreck. His 39th birthday is Thursday, but Beechler says he won't celebrate until he is safely qualified for the race. “My stomach's in my throat right now,” Beechler said Monday before climbing into his Dallara-Oldsmobile to practice on the 2.5-mile oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The unique schedule for the Indy race gives the drivers seven full days of practice prior to time trials on Saturday and Sunday that will determine the 33-car field for the May 28 event. The pressure builds each day as the drivers try to find enough speed in their four-lap qualifying efforts to insure a berth in the world's richest race. Each entry is allowed up to three attempts during the two-day qualifications. Beechler qualified 24th on his first try as a rookie in 1998, then needed two attempts to make it into the 19th spot last year. “In 1998, it was coming down to the wire,” he said. “There were three or four cars out there running quicker than we were. We were fortunate there was an engine that had blown and put those guys back. Six o'clock came and the gun went off, and there wasn't a dry eye in our garage area. That's how emotional this is.” Beechler struggled last year throughout the week leading up to qualifying. Knowing he needed to be above 220 mph, he was running in the 218-219 range. Nothing the team tried mechanically seemed to work. In heavy humidity during Pole Day practice, Beechler's car wouldn't exceed 218. The team then decided to remove some of the downforce from the car and he qualified at 221.228. “It's tough,” he said. “The qualifying for me is more stressful than the race is. You don't know who is going to run quick. You don't know who is going to make it. You don't know who is going to have problems, and it very well could be you. That's why you don't take anything for granted.” Engine problems in both races relegated the driver from Springfield, Ill., to finishes of 32nd and 29th. But Beechler doesn't even want to think about the race, yet. “Once you've qualified, you're in the dance. Take five, relax,” he said. With rain in the forecast for the new few days, Monday was another busy session at Indy. Midway through Monday's practice, defending Indy Racing League champion Greg Ray led the way at 221.736, followed by 1998 race winner Eddie Cheever at 220.650 and top 1999 IRL rookie Scott Harrington at 220.317. CART stars Jimmy Vasser and Juan Montoya made it back from the race in Japan on Sunday and got up to speed in a hurry. Vasser was third at 220.148 after only nine laps, while Montoya, the defending CART champion and an Indy rookie, was seventh at 219.212 after just 12 laps. Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, which has won an unprecedented four straight series titles, is the first CART team to compete in the 500 with its regular drivers since CART split with the then-new Indy Racing League in 1996. Robby Gordon was a CART regular when he raced here for IRL owner John Menard last year, and CART team owner Derrike Walker is running rookie Sarah Fisher in the IRL series this year as well as fielding a car in CART for Japanese rookie Shinji Nakano.
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