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Indy 500: Buhl Best on Opening Day; Four Faster than '97 Pole

10 May 1998

INDIANAPOLIS, May 10, 1998 - Robbie Buhl led the opening day of practice for the 82nd Indianapolis 500 at 219.325 mph Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the best of four drivers faster than the 1997 pole speed.

Buhl, from Indianapolis, completed 34 laps on the 2.5-mile oval under sunny skies in the Johns Manville-Menards Special Dallara/Aurora/Firestone. Defending race champion Arie Luyendyk (219.207), Scott Sharp (219.101) and rookie Jimmy Kite (218.765) also were faster than the 1997 pole speed of 218.263 by Luyendyk.

"I think you're looking at the whole front row at 220 plus," Buhl said. "So far everything is fine. The conditions are kind of tough today. It was windy and gusty in Turn 4 and coming off of Turn 1. You never know what it's going to be like on Pole Day, so you've got to run."

Pole Day is May 16 and Bump Day May 17 in the new, shortened qualifying format. The Indianapolis 500 is May 24. The race is the third of 11 this season in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League.

While Kite was the fastest rookie, his day ended with an accident just 15 minutes before the track closed. The right side of Kite's Royal Purple Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear hit the outside retaining wall exiting Turn 4. Kite was unhurt, and the car is repairable.

Rookie Jack Hewitt also crashed exiting Turn 4 earlier in the day. USAC veteran Hewitt was unhurt, but his Parker Machinery G Force/Aurora/Goodyear was heavily damaged.

Veteran Mike Groff was the first driver on the track. He started his first lap in the Jonathan Byrd's-VisionAire-Bryant Heating & Cooling G Force/Aurora/Firestone at 11:07 a.m., less than one minute after the track was opened. Thirty-two drivers in 35 cars combined to complete 928 laps before practice ended at 6 p.m.

1963 Indianapolis 500 winner Parnelli Jones was honored as part of the Speedway's Parade of Champions. He drove his #98 Agajanian Special for two laps around the track as part of his salute. Three-time Indy 500 winner Bobby Unser will be honored Monday and will drive two laps in the Rislone Special that he guided to victory in 1968.

Practice continues at 11 a.m. Monday.