European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 22, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday june 22, 197? the stars and stripes Page 25 . Leads Italy . In Rainy track Turin it nov Ziph do 1_ _. I Turin Italy up _ pouring rain slowed runners and swamped jumper monday night As the Italy United states great Britain triangular track and Hel meet opened Here with the american men and women piling up substantial leads inthe team Competition just the same. The constant downpour throughout the opening events of the two Day meet left most of the athletes Well off their Best efforts. World High jump Champion Dwight tones of the u. S. Was also put off by the rain he refused to participate leaving the held wide open to fellow countryman Ben Fields who won the event with a 7-1leap. Stones claimed that the heavy rainfall had left the Spring Board so wet that he Felt unable to meet the expectations of theurin  the american men eyeing a Good Star before going on to Sochi on the Black sea to take on the russians did very Well in the opening night events leading the ital ians 82-43 and the British 65-40. The Ameri can women did just about As Well building up a 53-31 Lead Over the italian  Williams won the men s 100 meters with a time of 10.28 seconds. Mike Kee came in second in 10.47 seconds. In the men s Long jump America s Mik Lofton fell Short of his own Best of 26-feet, 9 inches but still came out on top with a 25 by Randy Barnett racing Roundup Jacques Laffite a Victory in the swedish grand prix last sunday was especially noteworthy and not just because it was his first up win. It also marked the first Triumph for an All French car since the Modem Era of grand prix racing began in 1950.scotland s Jackie Stewart drove the French made Matra to several wins in the late 1960s, but the car was powered by a Ford co Worth engine. Laffite s Allgier Matra machine Sall French with Power coming from the v-12 Matra motor. Guy Ligier a former up Driver who Heads the uglier Matra organization said after the race i knew we would Doit sooner or later this season. We Are craftsmen with several years of racing experience and Jacques is a very talented and determined Driver. I know our Victory Here comes As Surprise to Many but they should t be All that  regardless it had to be a bit surprising because in the seven races prior to toe swedish round Laffite who is a very Good Driver indeed had still managed Only two seventh places one ninth and Lour did not finish Marks. But Laffite and the uglier team were due this season and their Victory in Sweden was a Well earned one. Uke the Walter Wolf team Ligier is Only into his second season and to score a Victory in that Short a time augers Well for the All French  the race Laffite said a wins a fantastic win for me my team and for France. I was Lucky though really Lucky but Luck is always part of the game. 1 did t know i Hadron until i saw the Flag. I thought i was still behind Mario Andretti because i did t see him driving into the pits. I had been separated from him by about 15  Lotus the car to beat it hardly needs saying that Mario Andretti should have won the swedish grand prix but should have worn Are notorious in racing. Andretti could Well capture the world championship this year As it s now obvious that the new Lotus 78 is the car to beat. Outwith two races out the window Belgium and Sweden Andretti will have to try All that much harder. If he had won those races he would be leading for the world title right now and those Points Don t come easy. Andretti must have been furious to say the least and running out of Gas with a full three laps to go Points to major mismanagement on the Lotus team s part or the car May have developed a fuel leak. There was no mention of a fuel leak however in wire service reports from  John Watson must be wondering what he s done wrong lately to deserve such hard treatment twice in a Row. He was leading the first Lap in Belgium when he was eliminated by Andretti then la Sweden it was Jody Scheckter s turn. Watson was run Ning second when Scheckler in third place bashed him from behind. Scheckler was out of the race but Watson recovered and fought Back to fifth. But if he had t been hit Watson then far ahead of eventual Winner Laffit might Well have taken the checker Flag. The Luck of the Irish May not apply if you re from Belfast Watson s Home town. World Champion James Hunt who has failed to score a Point in the past five Gas. I being upstaged at the moment by his teammate Jochen mass. The German Driver no. 2 on the Mclaren team finished second in Sweden and he now ranks fifth in the world championship standings. Mass is having a Good year with several sports car and formula 2 victories and it would come As no Surprise if he scores a win or two in formula 1 this season. With the standings so close he even rates a Chance at the world title. 100 Gas for Peterson for swedish Drivers Ronnie Peterson and Gunnar Nilsson it was a bad Day. Nilsson finished far Down after his Lotus was damaged and Peterson in his Loolah grand prix. Had ignition problems on his Tyrrell and was the first Driver out retiring on Lap seven. And he joined Tyrrell because of the team s reliability record. Only seven other Drivers have competed in 100 or More grands prix and they include Graham Hill Jack  Hulme. John Surtees. Jacky icky. Bruce Mclaren and to Bonnier. The next formula 1 world championship round is the French grand prix at Dijon on july 3 and going into that race ninth of the year. Scheckter still leads for the title with 32 Points Niki Lauda has 31, Carlos Reutmann 27, Andretti 23 and mass 14. The italian Ferrari cars Lead for the manufacturer s cup with 50 Points then comes Lotus with 34 and Wolf with 32. Giacomelli wins in Italy a few results from other races Are in order. At the formula 2 round in nugello italia Drivers scored first through fourth while cars powered by Bow engines took the first six places. First at nugello was Bruno Giacomelli who led from Start to finish and following him were Ricardo Patrese Alberto Colombo and Alessandro Presenti Rossi. Frenchman rent amour failed to score Points and toe same for american Driver Eddie Cheever. Amour Stilt leads for the of a Crown however with Giacomelli and Cheever tied for second. American Driver Danny Sullivan piloting a Boxer Ford for the continued on Page 26 11 jump. Teammate Tony Carter was second with 24-11. Sam Walker walked away with themen s shot put laurels with a 66-5 toss. In the 800 meters two americans battled each other right to the finish. James Robinson was declared the Winner Over Mike Flack both in 1 46.9. Stan Vinson put the . Team Back in front in the men s 400meters by clocking 46.07. The americans missed a one two sweep of the 400-meter hurdles when James King who had placed second was disqualified for running out of his Lane. Rick Walker won in 49.77 seconds Over Peter Kelly of Britain. The americans dropped the 10,000meters to Italy s Franco fava who bettered his own record of 29 28.6 to break the tape at 28 20.9. Britain s Mike Mcleod also ignored the rain to come in second with28 55.1. Julie Brown and sue latter made the american women look Good in the women s 800 meters taking first and second place with times of 2 03.6 and 2 04 0, respectively. Men s results 10,000 meted i. Franco Favl it 20. 1 Mikl Malmd Fli. It ill four standing gel.  4. Randy Thomat us29 01. I. Paul Stet mtr us. To metes hurdles. Rick Walker us.  1 paler Kelly