European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 7, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday March 7, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 25racing roundup1990 a year of Senna a revenge a Ayrton Senna the United states has the Honor of hosting the opening formula one grand prix race of the new decade with the action set for this sunday on the streets of Phoenix Ariz. Phoenix also staged the . Round on its Street circuit last year but had to Settle for a june 4 Date As the Calendar stipulated that weekend for the . Round. Although they knew the june heat would make things unpleasant for Drivers and spectators alike the Phoenix organizers accepted the Date to guarantee inclusion for future races. Although that first Phoenix grand prix was anything but a financial Bonanza it was Well run and the teams and Drivers As Well As formula one officials were generally pleased with it. As a Reward of sorts Phoenix was tapped for the 1990 opener and As March usually offers perfect weather on the Arizona desert this sundays . Grand prix should be a Success All around. An edited version of this opening world championship round will be shown on German televisions second program Adf beginning at 11 30 . Sunday and ending about 1 of clock monday morning. A a a As noted before in this column the 1990 Campaign will be fought out by Mclaren Honda and Ferrari with the Benetton Ford and Williams Renault teams possibly picking up a Victory now and then. The italian Minardi Ford team should also do Well. Unlike last year when the Arch enemies Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost were on the same team Mclaren Honda they will renew their Battle this season from a different perspective. _ the Frenchman Prost who won the world championship last year has switched to Ferrari while the brazilian Senna world Champion in 1988, remains with Mclaren Honda. With this setup we have an Ideal situation for dramatic confrontations in All 16 grand prix races and this aspect will not be lost at the track a Box  actually the 1990 Campaign shapes up As a perfect script for a movie and there is no fiction involved. Senna sometimes referred to As the a Monk of motor racing because of his fanatical dedication to the sport will be going All out to win everything As usual. And he will have the added incentive of getting even not Only with his a a Tormentor Jean Marie Balestre of fisa but his enemy Prost As Well. Many racing magazines Are already Billing the 1990 season As a the year of Senna a  Prost meanwhile appears anything but worried. The Victor in last years . Grand prix at Phoenix Prost has already said that he would like nothing better than to win a fourth world title and to win it for Ferrari. The Frenchman left Mclaren under the most acrimonious of conditions and to win another world driving championship and put Down Senna at the same time would be the highlight of his already illustrious career. So where Prost and Senna Are concerned we can All look Forward to some More exciting stuff. A a a two other Drivers to reckon with Are Nigel Mansell of England now in his second year with Ferrari and Gerhard Berger of Austria. The talented austrian left Ferrari at the end of 1989 to join Mclaren Marlc Alain Prost Gerhard Berger Honda. Mansell who won two races for Ferrari last year is extremely fast and if the legendary italian team continues to make Progress As it has done in Winter testing then Mansell could also come through this season to win his first title. He a Long overdue. But with a Driver like Prost also on the roster Ferrari will probably give Prost the no. 1 status in the run for the championship. Austria a Berger meanwhile has said he will be Able to work with Senna and that he looks Forward to racing for Mclaren Honda. The austrians Best season so far was in 1988 when he finished third in the world championship run. In a recent interview Berger said a that was my High Point but now i want to be world Champion and its possible to reach this goal with Mclaren Honda. In three seasons with Ferrari i never had that possibility. Now if Ferrari really improves and gains the upper hand to win races this season its just my bad Luck that i left them when i did. But i had to take that risk because i think Mclaren is the better team. I know that Senna is fast and that he never gives up but i never give up  Beiger says that he likes Senna whom he has known for a Long time and that he has kept in Telephone Contact with him throughout the Winter. He says that he looks Forward to competing against him. And if anyone can get along with the brazilian superstar the Happy go Lucky Berger is the Man to do it. A a a at the beginning of the year we predicted that brazils Senna would win the 1990 title and Well stick to that prediction. Senna is the fastest Driver in formula one grand prix racing and he a the most dedicated. And As his new teammate Berger says he never gives up. That was demonstrated in the dramatic japanese grand prix last year and during his three seasons with Lotus 1985, �?T86 and �?T87 when he was Able to win against the likes of Mclaren Ferrari and Williams. And with Lotus Senna drove for a team that was no longer top line. He a had it fairly easy with the Mclaren a dream team during the past two seasons the Mclaren Honda combination a a a steamroller both in 1988 and again last year. But the a a steamroller Days May be Over because Nigel Mansell Ferrari is beginning to look extremely Good. When Prost quit Mclaren he took the Brilliant american Engineer Steve Nichols with him and that apparently has already made a difference. Both Prost and Mansell turned in some Brilliant times in final pre season testing in Portugal while Mclaren remained in England to give the new Mclaren Honda mp4/5b some Shakedown runs at the Silverstone circuit in England. So hopefully we can All look Forward to a More closely contested season where Mclaren and Ferrari Are concerned. Mclaren Honda must think so because Honda is keeping its new but still untested vi2 engine in the wings just in Case the regular Honda vi0 comes under attack from the latest Ferrari v12 pow Plant. After sundays grand prix opener in Phoenix where Prost will be aiming for his 40th career Victory the action moves to Brazil. That race is scheduled for March 25 at the inter Lagos circuit in Sao Paulo while the european opener follows May 13 with the san Marino grand prix at Imola Italy. Then comes Monaco two weeks later on May 27. The teams then travel to Canada and Mexico before returning to Europe in july for an eight race engagement through september. The season ends with races in Japan and Australia. For details and ticket information on the san Marino and Monaco races Contact the organizations As follows for san Marino a sagis via Calori 9/d, 1-40122. Bologna Italy phone 522158/522159/522085 for Monaco a automobile club de Monaco 23 Boulevard Albert 1 or by 314,98000 Monaco phone 93303220. A a a in sports car racing the world sports prototype championship Calendar has already been changed by fisa with the Silverstone round originally scheduled for May 13 now set for May 20, and the Spanish race Date changed from june 24 to july i. Amazingly enough the site has still not been confirmed with either Jarama or Jerez do la Frontera to Host the race. The . Round originally set for oct. 7, apparently will not be held and Mexico City will Host that event on the oct. 7 Date. The mexican race had originally been scheduled for oct. 21. The 24 hours of be mans meanwhile still has the Green Light for june 16-17, but Only if the Tulsa inc straight chicanes Are completed in time and All indications Are that they will be. Like last year the 24 hours of be mans will not be a championship event fisa says. A a a where to go this weekend in England there Are National races on saturday at the Silverstone circuit with formula vees and other formula cars on the program. Motocross a in Germany the 20th International Heilbronn Franken Bacher div Winter Moto Cross will be staged saturday and sunday at Frankyn Bach with the entry list for riders in the 250cc class. The town of Frankenbach is located just Northwest of Heilbronn. The stars and stripes nil agrees to entry of four underclassmen in draft new York apr four under Lassen including Keith Mccants the Mabama linebacker projected As the first Hoice have been granted permission to enter the april nil draft. Nil spokesman Joe Browne said that n addition to Mccants the nil has ranted the petitions of running backs Immitt Smith of Florida and Barry Foser of Arkansas and quarterback Scott Mitchell of Utah. Last month commissioner Paul tag liable lifted Many of the a Fly a restrictions on drafting underclassmen making juniors and red shirt sophomores eligible. All must submit petitions renouncing their College eligibility by March 22, a month before the draft. Mccants Smith Foster and Mitchell Are the first to be officially declared eligible since new policy on was announced. All four Are expected to be High draft choices with Mccants and Smith projected among the first five players chosen. So far 11 players All juniors have announced their intention to take part in the draft. Browne said an unspecified number of petitions had been received and were being reviewed. Among them is Fresno state linebacker Ron Cox who has decided to skip his senior season and make himself available for next months draft. The 6-foot-2, 240-Pound Junior had 28/� sacks As a Junior last season and was named the big West conference defensive player of the year. Still wavering on monday however was Heisman trophy Winner Andre Ware of Houston. A in my own mind i am close to deciding but i m not going to Tell you now a Ware said after joining the cougars for the first Day of Spring workouts. Ware has been gathering information designed to help him decide if he will declare for the nil draft next month or return for another season at Houston. He has until March 22 to make up his mind