European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 29, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 28 the stars and stripes Friday september 29, 1978 Andretti by Randy Barnetts a Auto racing columnist Mario Andretti goes into sunday s . Grand prix at Watkins Glen n.y., As world driving Champion the first Ameri can to Wear the Crown since californian Phil Hill. Ironically both americans won their world titles under tragic and similar circumstances. In 1961, Hill and his Ferrari teammate Wolfgang von trips arrived at Monza with the championship at stake. The German Driver von trips had 33 Points to Hill s 29. At the Start of that italian grand prix Hill took the Lead but on the second Lap von trips Ferrari touched another car went off the Road Tore along the Spectator Row and crashed. Von trips was killed along with 15 spectators. The american Hill went on to win the race and Clinch the world championship. Seventeen years later to the very Day sept. 10history repeated itself with the italian grand prix at Monza again the scene. This time it was Andretti and his Lotus teammate Ronnie Peterson of Sweden who remained in the running for the title and it was resolved by a 10-car crash in the first Lap that Cost the swedish Driver his life. Andretti who had pole position went on to win the race in Brilliant fashion after a re Start Only to have his Victory nullified by a controversial jump Start penalty. The defending world Champion Niki Lauda who finished third was awarded the Victory. What should have been the happiest Day in Andretti s life was marred by the events of that tragic sunday. Although the Hill Andretti Champion ships Are eerily similar and comparisons Are unavoidable the situation going into the Monza round was far from the same. Where Hill and von trips were battling each other for the Crown Andretti went to Monza with the championship practically his after scoring a Victory in the dutch grand prix two weeks earlier. Andretti arrived in Italy with a 12-Point Lead Over Peterson and Peterson was no. 2 on the Lotus team. His role All season had been to support Andretti not do Battle with him. It was team strategy that had been set up at the Start of the year. The great swedish Driver had fulfilled this Mission brilliantly and unselfishly supporting Andretti to the Hilt and never How they stand american league East new York Boston Milwaukee Baltimore Detroit Cleveland Toronto West a Kansas City California Texas Minnesota Chicago Oakland Seattle w 96 95 90 88 84 68 59 90 85 83 72 69 69 56 l 62 63 69 69 74 87 98 69 73 75 87 88 90 100 pet. .608 .601 .566 .561 .532 .439 .376 .566 .538 .525 .453 .439 .434 .359 go 1 6 a 7vj 12 26 a 36 a 4vj 6 a 18 20 21 32 vex clenched Pennant wednesday s Baltimore 3, Cleveland 1 Boston 5, Detroit 2 new York 5, Toronto 1 Seattle 4, Kansas City 2 Texas 10, Minnesota 5 California 4, Milwaukee 1 results National league East Philadelphia Pittsburgh Chicago Montreal St. Louis new York West a los Angeles Cincinnati san Francisco san Diego Houston Atlanta w 89 85 77 74 68 64 94 88 88 82 71 69 l 69 72 81 85 91 94 64 69 71 77 87 89 pet. .563 .541 .487 .465 .428 .405 .595 .561 .553 .516 .449 .437 go 3 a 12 15 a 21 a 25 5 /3 6vj 12vj 23 25 a clinched Pennant wednesday s results san Francisco 1, san Diego Philadelphia 5, Montreal 4 Pittsburgh 8, Chicago 3 Houston 4, Atlanta 0 Cincinnati 5, los Angeles 3 world Champ Hopes for Watkins Gen Victory that will tie Clark s record of 7 wins in a season Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson left celebrate Lotus Victory in Belgium complaining about his role. At Zand Voort where he finished second behind Andretti s Down on Power Lotus Peterson said afterwards that i would not have passed him even if i could have. My Job is to help Mario win the world championship the Lotus domination this season has been overwhelming and with such Superb Drivers As Andretti and Peterson piloting Lotus Boss Colin Chapman s ingenious creations it was strictly a Case of overkill. To the casual Follower of grand prix racing it doubtless has seemed unfair that a Driver of Peterson s Caliper and Fame should have played a supporting role to Andretti almost a newcomer to up racing when compared to Peterson s eight Yea Span. But Peterson who wanted the world title As badly As Andretti had signed on with Lotus primarily to re establish his reputation after several dismal seasons. It was Andretti who had brought Lotus up from the ashes when the team had been at the very Bottom and the american made it Clear from the Start that he did not want Peterson on the team. He viewed the swed ish Ace As a no. 1 Driver in his own right. Regardless Lotus signed Peterson on the condition that he be strictly no. 2 on the team. Andretti had just turned Down a fab Ulous offer from Ferrari and when he. Decided to stay with Lotus he Felt it was his right to head the team and both Chapman and Peterson agreed. It was Andretti who had developed the cars who had won four Gas in 1977.in a new York interview before he left for Monza Andretti told up sports writer Gary kale that the ground rules were spelled out at the Start of the year and the agreement was that if i could stay in front Ronnie would Honor the arrangement and not fight me for the Ronnie is a gentleman in that respect. This is the closest he has Ever come to win Ning a championship and i feel he can thank me for it. I worked hard for the equipment we re now using. Ronnie left Lotus in 1976 when the ship was taking on water. I took his place and developed the equipment into shipshape form As the proper no. 1 Driver. He chose to go to an other team and then elected to return. Ronnie accepted the role of no. 2 Man. I have nothing but Good things to say about him but the situation is a potential Peterson also realized this and although he wanted to stay on at Lotus in 1979 if Chapman would put him on an equal no. 1" status with Andretti it was no Deal. So Peterson had signed on with Mclaren for major league top Fen ab556 513659 467463 479568 663 494 505 r 86 62 116 70 76 72 74 126 64 78 h186 167207 142140 143168 196 146 149 pet. .335 .326 .314 .304.302 .299.2% .296.296 .295 based on 460at-bats. American league g Carew Minnesota 150 Oiiver Texas 130 Rice Boston 158 Oglivie Milwaukee 127 Roberts Seattle 131 Otis Kansas City 139 Bostock California 147 Leflore Detroit 154 Yount Milwaukee 125 Brett Kansas City 126 Home runs Rice Boston 44 Baylor California 33 Thornton Cleveland 32 Hisle Milwaukee 32 Thomas Milwaukee 31. Runs batted in Rice Boston 135 staub Detroit 121 Hisle Milwaukee 113 Thornton Cleveland 102 Carty Oakland 97. Pitching 15 decisions Guidry new York 23-3, .885 Stanley Boston 14-2, .875 Gura Kansas City 16-4, .800 Hunter new York 12-5, .706 Eckersley Boston 19-8, .704 Caldwell Milwaukee 21-9, .700 Jenkins Texas 178, .680 Figueroa new York 19-9, .679. 541 554 580 r h pet. 98 188 .332 87 198 .314 88 169 .312 74 172 .310 90 179 .309 85 177 .308 72 146 .303 166 .29973 77 191 99 191 .298 .298 National league g a Parker Pittsburgh 144 567 Garvey los Angeles 158 630 Richards san Diego 151 Jcruz Houston 150 Clark san Francisco 153 Winfield san Diego 155 575 Burroughs Atlanta 150 482 Concepcion Cincinnati 150 556 Bowa Philadelphia 153 640 Rose Cincinnati 155 640 Home runs Foster Cincinnati 37 Luzinski Philadelphia 33 Parker Pittsburgh 30 Smith los Angeles 29 Kingman Chicago 28. Runs batted in Parker Pittsburgh 115 Foster Cincinnati 114 Garvey los Angeles 110 Clark san Francisco 98 Montanez new York 97 Luzinski Philadelphia 97 Winfield Sandiego 97. Pitching 15 decisions Perry san Diego 21-6, .778 Robinson Pittsburgh 14-6, .700 Bonham Cincinnati 11-5, .688 Hooton los Angeles 19-9, .679 Blue san Francisco 18-9, .667 Grimsley Montreal 19-11, .633 Rau los Angeles 15-9, .625 2 tied with .625. The 79 season. The swede s death leaves a great Gap in the world prix racing. He was one of the very Best and like the Swiss Driver Clay Regazzoni seemed Invulnerable in this very i Tiei sport. But at Monza his Luck ran out. At the dutch round in Zand Voort two weeks earlier Andretti had said he would stay on with Lotus next year and maybe the year after that. I have no plans for re tiring but i would like to Cut Down on my schedule next he announced later that he would not race on the Sac circuit during 1979, doing Only grand prix races and nothing else. Andretti had regarded the Zand Vort race As his most crucial and he was in an expansive mood after winning that event. But i Haven t clinched it yet he said even though i m three Points closer. So just keep your fingers and now he has done it All in his 20-year career. He s won the Daytona 500 in Lascar stockers the Indianapolis Fyk numerous Long distance sports car races and now the world driving championship which had been his one remaining goal. He has 12 career grand prix victories and if he wins at Watkins Glen on sunday he will tie the late Jim Clark s record of seven wins in a season. In Andretti now 38, the world of motor sports has its most popular Champion since Scotland s Jackie Stewart. The american is easily the most human Driver in grand prix racing one who is Happy to talk when he has the time and always willing to give autographs and show up willingly for press conferences. His sense of humor is famous and he never minces words. A few examples when accused by officials of jumping the Start in the 1976 swedish up he re plied listen you Guys i Don t jump starts. But i Don t just sit there letting the grass grow when he won the opening Argentine up this year he was escorted to the Victory Rostrum by a group of heavily armed sol Diers. A reporter asked him How he Felt and Andretti grinned and said just like being dragged off to when his car was launched into the air after hitting a curb in practice for the French up this summer Andretti said luckily it landed on All four wheels. Hell i had t even filed a flight the italian born Andretti he came to the . When he was 15 lives in Nazareth pa., with his wife Dee Ann and two sons and a daughter. Unlike most other Drivers he unwinds after a race with a few Beers smokes cigarettes and likes to talk. He takes the kids along to races when they want to go. After Andretti won at Zand Voort his Young son Jeff said in the hotel afterwards Well dad it All worked Andretti smiled and said yeah but i had a feeling this might not be my Day. But then it was and right now i m As Happy As a Guy could be. No feeling like it. If they had a re run of the race on television i d watch it All he has a philosophy of taking each Day As it comes and if something does t work out today then ill try harder tomorrow " Andretti tried his hardest this year and finally his big dream of becoming world Champion came True. Although he took the Crown under tragic circumstances his season Long achievements stand out. As the Man to beat the pressure was on him from the beginning and he came through. Affirmed won t run against Seattle slew new York up the anticipated rematch Between triple Crown Winner Seattle slew and this year s Champion affirmed will not take place this saturday in the $150,000 Woodward stakes As Trainer Laz Barrera has decided to enter affirmed in the $300,000 jockey club Gold cup in Stead. Affirmed who lost by three lengths to Seattle slew in the Marlboro cup on sept. 16, will Start in the Gold cup at Belmont oct. 14. Barrera explained the 3-year-old Colt had had a hard Campaign and needed the extra two weeks rest. The loss in the ivs mile Marlboro was affirmed s second straight defeat having been disqualified in favor of Lydar in the travers stakes at Saratoga in August. Pri or to that the Colt had won eight straight races and seemed to have the horse of the year honors wrapped up. Seattle slew whose Stop and go career finally seems under Way once again has been training Well for the Woodward and again will be Ridden by Angel Cordero. The Field for the 10-Furlong race looks Small with the Only Competition for Seattle slew coming from Nelson Bunker Hunt s exceller Winner of five of seven stakes starts this year. The 5-year-old horse has won More Money than any other horse in training More than $1.2 million and will probably fault s freezing Appassionato great con tractor and or. Patches who handed slew his first defeat of the year sept. 5
