European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 8, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Stripes n n n Sas Baziun a Ferrari formula 1 freaks Down the Back stretch at Germany s nuer Burgering blur in foreground is the pits which separate the front Start from the reverse straight. By Randy Barnetts a racing columnist the world of grand prix racing is an entity in itself a glamorous sport that has no  is so demanding that Only 15 or 20 Drivers in the world Are qualified to compete and of these perhaps Only six Are capable of winning a world championship. It is among the most dangerous of sports and the most exacting it is a sport that can Cost a Driver his life if he makes even a slight miscalculation. Today s up cars Are faster and mor Complex More fragile than Ever and the chances of a Driver making a mis take Are increased just that much More. It is the danger certainly that pro Vides much of the Glamor associated with grand prix racing. The participants Are hero Drivers with 420 horsepower charging Back of their Heads. They Are not simply players As in other sports. The grand prix Driver accepts dangers a Way of life. So do All those who race. But the grand prix Driver i racing with an elite group in elite cars where the danger is equal to the higher ratio of Speed. It s a fantastic world a colourful world that takes the top men to every continent where motor sport is King. Jim Clark of Scotland who lost his life recently at Bockenheim Germany was acknowledged generally As the bes Driver on the world s circuits. By Many including Enzo Ferrari Clark was new the Best three or four Drivers of All time. Tops in the Field today Are Mike Pence John surtes and Graham Hill ? Kneland Jackie Stewart of Scot a Gummy of the United states " Lundt of Austria Jack Brab of Australia Denis Hulme of new j and Chris Amon of new zealand f Rodriguez of Mexico Jackym n bulb we and Bruce Mclaren new zealand. American race fan who Hasis share of Stock t or icing a Polis races dirt tru races All  courses Ami even sports car ask win a report circuits might Well a s a this Offrand jaw l8,Ood question. The tag grand by a cml been kicked around so much i sing agencies films Detroit 5 that has to its the danger As a. Way of life cars Roar to Ward the finish at Monza s aut Dromo scoreboard gives details. It or not. It sports cars. Is a formula 1driver s world most important e mans for instance is not a grand prix believe an endurance race for a genuine grand Pri race counting for the championship. It is therace held during the year by the nation sponsoring it. This year there Are 12.Only in these races can a Driver earn championship Points. Points Are awarded in the ratio of 9-6-4-3-2-1 for firs through sixth  though a Driver Oral races if he fail the top in the others he championship. A Driver two races yet finishing All races in Sec Ond or third place could win the world first May win Sev to finish near could lose the winning Only championship. Stirling Moss of Britain one of the great Drivers in racing history never won a world Champion ship because of this Rule. Unlike Indianapolis one race does make a season. With the United states Auto club Sac scoring system Awin at Indianapolis almost guarantees the Driver the us a championship unless he fails to compete in any other race. A win at Indianapolis is worth500 Points while a win at Trenton n.j., is Worth Only 100. The european system it seems is far More fair. All up races must cover roughly the Suph distance and the Points remain the same for All races. Formula 1 up races and formula 1cars Are the ultimate in racing. The up circuits Are fantastically demanding Uphill and downhill stretches straights where a car can hit 200 . And hair pin curves where the Driver has to gear Down to 30. The cars Are designed Socope with these circuits and the Driver faces every possible test. The nuer Burgering in Germany for example is about 17 Miles Long offers every Type of Uphill and downhill run. Has85 right turns and 89 lefts. The longest straight is Only one Kilometre five eighths of a mile at the Start finish line. When one compares this variety of track to Indianapolis 21-j-mile Oval the Rigours and difficulties of up racing be come obvious. Other major differences Between european racing and Sac racing in Europe the race continues no matter How serious the crashes. In Sac racing a yellow Light is flashed on after a Crasher spin the cars Bunch up and hold their positions at reduced Speed until they get the Green. Weather is no problem. Grand Pri races Are run in the rain even if it s a downpour. Last year at a formula 2event at the nuer Burgering the race was run in the Snow and patches of fog Andin several places there was even ice on the track. I wednesday May 8, 1968 the stars and stripes n european racing cars Start from a Grid according to the times the achieve in practice. This standing Start method is also used in sports car races in the United states. At Indian Apolis and other Sac big car races a flying Start is used wherein the cars Circle the track two or three times Andare Given the Flag when the starter thinks the cars Are properly in  experts consider the flying Start safer although there have been Sham Bles at the Start in both situations. Pity the Driver sitting on the Grid of a a whose car won t Start. At Monaco a few years Back half the Field was wiped outta the Start. The same thing occurred at Indianapolis in 1966 when one third of the 33 racers never made it into the first turn. The Start is always a problem. The up car made its first Dent on the Indianapolis racing mind in 1961 when Jack Brabham entered in a Coope car that was so tar Down on horsepower compared to the monster roadsters that his entry Drew wry smiles. The Contin ii i at a u Page 11