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Indy 500: Daily Track Report (May 11, 1998)

12 May 1998

Eddie Cheever.
Eddie Cheever
Cheever Lands New Sponsor: Rachel's Potato Chips has reached a multiyear agreement with Team Cheever to be the major sponsor of the #51 Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear driven by Eddie Cheever Jr., starting at this event. Cheever and Jim Garlie, Rachel's founder, president and chief executive officer, made the announcement this morning in the Trackside Conference Room.

Rachel's is a division of RLD Enterprises, Inc., based in Bloomington, Minn. Rachel's chips are available in nine flavors and are sold in 12 states..

This is the company's first motorsports sponsorship. Rachel's has been involved with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves and the St. Paul Saints semipro baseball team.

EDDIE CHEEVER JR. (Owner/driver): "It's a new company that's extremely aggressive. I think it's a good fit. Do you know of any families that don't eat potato chips? I don't." (About bringing another non-automotive sponsor into the sport): "I think the days of having just a variety of automotive products on the side of the car are over. We don't have sponsors anymore. We have corporate partners. Corporations are starting to understand that motor racing is an excellent way to reach their objectives."

***

Garage update: PDM Racing and rookie driver Jack Hewitt plan to return to the track Tuesday afternoon, PDM crew members said. The #18 Parker Machinery G Force/Aurora/Goodyear suffered heavy right-side and rear-end damage Sunday when USAC standout Hewitt crashed while exiting Turn 4. The "tub" portion of the chassis wasn't damaged, crew members said. Panther Racing, which fields cars for Scott Goodyear, offered PDM a tub if necessary, PDM crew members said.

Hewitt still needs to pass the fourth and final phase of the Rookie Orientation Program.

***

Rookie Robby Unser joined new teammate Eddie Cheever Jr. during the press conference announcing Cheever's new sponsor Monday morning and shared his thoughts about being the standard-bearer for his famous family this year at Indianapolis. Unser is the son of three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Bobby Unser. He is driving the #52 Team Cheever Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear.

ROBBY UNSER: (About joining Team Cheever): "I have to think it's probably one of the most proud moments of my life. For my first time at Indy, it's a big learning experience. I haven't been this impressed by a team ever. We have a very high level of faith in each other. Eddie worked very hard to build this team." (About being an Unser at Indy): "I don't know if it's intimidating. It is cool. As far as rookies go, I don't think there are too many rookies who can go and have all those people to bend the ear of. My dad and I talked yesterday after I ran. I'm just really lucky."

EDDIE CHEEVER JR. : "Every time his dad comes around, it scares the hell out of me. I wonder what I did wrong."

ROBBY UNSER: "Me too."

***

The track went green at 11 a.m.

***

The #5T Sprint PCS-Radio Shack-Qualcomm G Force/Aurora/Firestone driven by defending race champion Arie Luyendyk stalled on the access road adjacent to Turn 1, bringing out the yellow at 11:15 a.m.

The car was towed to Gasoline Alley, where the crew started to prepare the #5 primary car for afternoon practice. The #5T stalled due to an unknown engine problem, team spokesperson Ruthie Culbertson said.

The #5T is the same car that Luyendyk drove to victory in the 1997 Indianapolis 500. It also is the first G Force chassis ever built, serial number 01, Culbertson said.

***

The #10 Jonathan Byrd's-VisionAire-Bryant Heating & Cooling G Force/Aurora/Firestone driven by Mike Groff required a tow to the garage at 12:46 p.m. after the engine stopped, bringing out the yellow.

The #91 Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear driven by 1996 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Lazier is displaying new colors this month from new sponsor Coors Light. The company will sponsor Lazier in all remaining Pep Boys IRL events this season. Delta Faucet also continues to be a primary sponsor of Lazier and Hemelgarn Racing.

***

The #90 Lifetime TV for Women Special G Force/Infiniti/Goodyear driven by Lyn St. James required a tow from the track to the garage at 1:33 p.m. after the engine stopped, bringing out the yellow.

***

Johnny Unser will be the driver of the #9 Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear. Unser, son of late Indianapolis 500 veteran Jerry Unser, will be a teammate to 1996 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Lazier. Johnny Unser, from Sun Valley, Idaho, finished 33rd in 1996 for Project Indy and 18th in 1997 for Hemelgarn Racing.

***

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser was honored Monday as part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Parade of Champions. Unser, who won in 1968, 1975 and 1981, drove two laps around the track at 3:50 p.m. in the #98 Rislone Special that he drove to victory in 1968. This is the 30th anniversary of the victory.

The Rislone Special stalled in Turn 3 during Unser's final lap, and he required a tow into the pits.

ROBBY UNSER (Bobby Unser's son, driving this month for Team Cheever, while watching his father being towed into the pits): "Well, I guess that happens to all of us. That race car is as old as I am." (Robby Unser was born in January 1968, five months before his father won at Indy in the Rislone Special.)

BOBBY UNSER: "It kind of quit on us in Turn 3, but I guess it's done that before, hasn't it? It felt good while it was going. It brought back lots of memories. It's just really, really neat to drive what I drove all those years ago. I want to thank Tony George for putting this all together. It's really a neat thing. I hope the fans enjoyed it as much as we do." (About his son, Robby, making his Indy debut): "Robby has a long way to go and a lot of things to do, but so far everything is going good. You've got to finish this race. That's really important. The first three years (of my Indy career) I saw a lot of pretty girls and a lot of the press, but I didn't finish."

***

Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon walked pit row Monday afternoon.

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At 4:13 p.m., the #30 Beloit-Fast Rod-Team Losi-McCormack Motorsports G Force Aurora/Goodyear driven by Raul Boesel coasted down the backstretch and stopped in the deceleration lane, bringing out the yellow.

RAUL BOESEL: "We lost an engine today. It's too bad because we made some changes to the car this afternoon, and we didn't have a chance to try a new setup. Our biggest problem right now is sorting out the nervousness in the car through the turns. By solving this problem, I'm sure we'll pick up the much-needed speed."

***

Joe Gosek, driver of the #29 Liberty Special G Force/Aurora/Firestone, will attempt to take his refresher test Wednesday, team spokesperson Bill Allee said.

***

At 4:52 p.m., the #81 Team Pelfrey Dallara/Aurora/Firestone driven by Danny Ongais spun while exiting Turn 3 and hit the outside retaining wall with the rear and left rear of the car. The car slid and came to rest in the short chute between Turns 3 and 4. Ongais was transported to Methodist Hospital via ambulance for precautionary evaluation, said Dr. Henry Bock, Speedway medical director. Ongais was awake and alert, Bock said. A further update will be provided when available.

***

At 5:49 p.m., #1 Tony Stewart stalled at the north end of the track, bringing out the yellow. Stewart was towed to the pits.

#1 Tony Stewart recorded the top speed of 223.703 mph Monday, the fastest practice lap ever at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by a new-formula Pep Boys Indy Racing League car. Stewart had turned the fastest testing lap by a new IRL car, 223.104 mph, on April 20, 1998. Arie Luyendyk turned the fastest lap last year at the Speedway, 220.297, during practice May 7, 1997.

***

POST-PRACTICE QUOTES

TONY STEWART: (About track conditions) "I think every racetrack, when it warms up, starts to get a little twitchy." (Is there more speed in the car?): "Well, we hope so." (Explain your jump from last year's pole speed of 218 to your speed of 223 today): "Eighty percent of it is motor, 10 percent aerodynamics and 10 percent tires." (Is there a sense of urgency because of the shortened schedule?): "No. A sense of urgency is when you show up at a dirt track and have to qualify and race (in the same night)." (What do you think the spread between the pole and 33rd qualifier?): "Realistically, 7 mph. I think you're going to have to run 218 to make the race." (What will be the pole speed be?): "Mid 220's. No one will 228 to 230. I can't tell you exactly, but it will be around 223 and 224." (Will Team Menard field a third car?): "We don't have the physical resources to do it."

KENNY BRACK: "We just started today. For us the car is quick straight out of the box. We're going to play along and see where we end up for the rest of the week." (About team owner A.J. Foyt): "He knows this place inside and out. That is a great, great start for a driver. It's a big asset for a driver to call upon." (About today's conditions): "The conditions were pretty good today but not the fastest conditions. But it's the same for everyone."

SCOTT SHARP: "Yesterday was more of a shakedown for us. Today we just went out to see what kind of speed we had in the car. We had a few minor engine problems in both of our cars, so it limited the number of laps we could run. We'll be OK for tomorrow."

***

#28T Mark Dismore recorded a trap speed of 234 mph, believed to be the fastest trap speed ever by a new IRL car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That lap was 219.111.

***

Medical update: #81 Danny Ongais will be kept overnight at Methodist Hospital for further observation and scans, said Dr. Henry Bock, Speedway medical director. Ongais was unconscious in the car for a short period due to his accident, Bock said. Ongais is in good condition, Bock said. An update will be provided at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

***

Forty-three cars were on the track today, running 1,221 laps. Cars on track today: #1 and #1T Stewart, #3 Buhl, #4 Goodyear, #5 and #5T Luyendyk, #6 and #6T Hamilton, #8 and #8T Sharp, #10 and #10T Groff, #11T Boat, #12 and #12T Calkins, #14 Brack, #15T Salazar, #16 Greco, #19 Wattles, #20 Carlson, #21 Guerrero, #23 Durant, #24 Drinan, #27 Bourbonnais, #28 and #28T Dismore, #30 Boesel, #32 Buhl, #33T Roe, #35 Knapp, #35T Ward, #40 Miller, #44 Yeley, #51 Cheever, #52 Unser, #53 Guthrie, #66 Harrington, #77 Gregoire, #81 Ongais, #90 St. James, #91 Lazier, #98 Beechler, #99 Schmidt.

***

There were 12 yellow flags for 1 hour, 51 minutes. A total of 61 cars are now at the Speedway. Fifty-two have passed initial technical inspection, with five in the process. Forty-six drivers have passed physicals by 6 p.m. Monday, said Dr. Henry Bock, Speedway medical director.

***

At 12:53 p.m., the temperature was 71 degrees with winds out of the north-northwest at 8 mph. At 6 p.m., the temperature was 70 degrees with winds out of the north at 8 mph.

The track is open from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday for practice. Gates open at 9 a.m. FanFest opens at 11 a.m.