European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 26, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday May 26, 1990 the stars and stripes indy a just a one car race if history takes the wheel Page 2374th indy 500 by Steve Herman Indianapolis apr the Indianapolis 500 treasures tradition As much As Spee. With that in mind Here a a rundown of which Drivers wont win sundays race. It wont be Emerson Fittipaldi. Sure the 43-year-old brazilian is the defending Champion who qualified for the pole position at a record 225.301 Mph. Sure he a driving for the fantastically successful Penske racing team. Sure he has some of the Best equipment. But history is the great equalizer at Indianapolis. Only four Drivers have posted consecutive victories Here none since a1 Unser two decades ago. Back to Back wins by foreign born Drivers Are even More rare with Jim Clark in 1965 and Graham Hill in 1966 the most recent. No it wont be Fittipaldi. How about Rick Mears the three time Winner five time pole starter 10-time front Row qualifier also drives for Penske and is the acknowledged master of the 2 v2 mile Oval. He has won More Money at Indianapolis than any other Driver in history and is ready to make up for last years 23rd-place finish a shocking aberration from his otherwise Stellar career. But look where he a sitting. Mears qualified at 224.215 Mph for kiwis put . Back on track Indianapolis up a owners and designers of an american made indy car Are confident . Products can win races against the foreign made cars that dominate the sport. True sports racing of Hilliard Ohio sees its Effort As a Way to build a better car and attract sponsorship by appealing to patriotism. Ironically new sealanders Steve Horne co owner of the True sports racing team and Don Halliday the teams chief designer Are behind the $7.5 million 78-person Effort to develop the car. Indy a last american Model was the Eagle which enjoyed moderate Success in the 1970s. Bobby Unser won in an Eagle in 1975. Everything in the operation is american made from basics like the Chassis and the engine to testing facilities like a Columbus Ohio wind Tunnel re opened after 10 years of dormancy. Most indy cars and their parts Are foreign made including the Chevy engine which is made in England. True sports will not make cars for other teams. A a we la Only sell them if they re in a museum a Horne said. A so if the Experiment is successful others May be scrambling to catch up.�?�. Home said sponsors Are lining up to work with his team because of the All american Effort. A a it a a Good marketing tool a Home said. A a we be made a Strong Effort to Market ourselves outside of  race on an Central european time to and radio 5 . Sunday. Starting position in the Middle of the front Row. That spot Hasni to produced a Winner since 1969 with Mario Andretti and everyone knows of the Andretti Jinx at Indianapolis. Mears is guilty by association. He might even Lead most of the race but look for a blown engine or a Flat tire about the 180th Lap. Arie Luyendyk the fastest dutchman Ever to race at Indianapolis is the third front Row starter. He has been impressive All month. He qualified at 223.304 and has first rate equipment. But he has never won an indy car race in 75 career starts and you just done to get your first Victory at Indianapolis. Plus the same Bias against two straight foreign born winners works against Luyendyk. That also eliminates Dominic Dobson Tero Palmroth Raul Boesel Geoff Brabham Didier Theys Scott Goodyear Teo Fabi Roberto Guerrero and Jim Crawford foreign born All. Only six rookies have won the race none since 1966. That eliminates Goodyear Eddie Cheever and Dean Hall. There has never been a Winner whose father also drove at Indianapolis. That eliminates Brabham Michael Andretti Al Unser jr., Tony and Gary Bettenhausen Pancho Carter and Bill Vukovich Iii. There has never been a Winner from farther Back than 28th in the starting lineup. That eliminates Crawford Al Unser Vukovich John Paul or. And Rocky Moran. There has never been a Winner from the ninth 12th or 26th starting positions. That eliminates Danny Sullivan Randy Lewis and Scott Brayton. So who a left Mario Andretti forget it. He has endured every kind of Heartbreak at Indianapolis since his 1969 Victory. He has dropped out after leading most of the race and he has been the victim of a crash before the race even started. He was cruelly teased with Victory in 1981 before a . Auto club panel overturned a one Lap penalty against Bobby Unser and dropped Andretti to second a five months after the race. John Andretti he  dare win his first 500 before Uncle Mario won his second. Stan Fox who is Stan Fox Kevin Cogan he a driving car no. 11. No car with that number has Ever won the race. Ditto for Bobby Rahal in car no. 18. Tom Sneva the 1983 indy Winner Hasni to won a race at any track since 1984. Besides he has crashed during the up four time Winner . Foyt. Process of elimination 500 More times six than any other Driver in history. By the process of elimination then the Winner can Only be . Foyt who will take the Check ered Flag for a record fifth time pull into Victory Lane and announce that after 33 years at Indianapolis and at the age of 55 years 4 months 11 Days its time to retire. Then again Foyt being Foyt he migh not. Snake bitten Andretti a ready for annual rematch with Fate by Mike Harris Indianapolis apr there is . And big Al and Mario. No last names needed. Any racing fan Worth his decals knows who they Are. . Foyt Al Unser and Mario Andretti Are men of legendary proportions at the Indianapolis motor Speedway. Each is indelibly marked by his participation in the Indianapolis 500, the worlds richest oldest and most successful Auto race. No one has driven As Many races at indy As this Trio. Foyt and Unser Are Best known for being the Only four time winners Andretti who won it 21 years ago has become known As much for his bad Luck on the tradition Rich 2 v2 mile Oval As for his Success. They will add to their indy legacies when the 33-car Field takes the Green starting Flag at 11 . Est sunday. Foyt 55, will make a record 33rd consecutive Start and become the oldest Man known to have raced Here Unser 51 on tuesday and the 50-year-old Andretti will be driving in their 25th indy 500s. Foot won in 1961, 1964, 1967 and 1977. Unser won in 1970, 1971, 1978 and 1987. Andretti was Rookie of the year Here in 1965 and won the race in 1969. The second Victory has proved elusive and frustrating although he did finish second in 1981 and 1985. Over the years there have been More heartbreaks and disappointments at Indianapolis than successes for Andretti. For example. A Andretti missed qualifying entirely in 1981 because of a rainout of the first weekend and a formula one commitment the second. He started from the last Row in a car qualified by teammate Wally Dallenbach charging to the front leading 12 laps and finishing second to Bobby Unser a alas older brother. Unser was penalized that night for a caution period infraction and Andretti woke up to the news that he was the Winner. There were no accolades or speeches the winners Money was held up by an Appeal of the penalty and five months later the Victory was returned to Unser. A the next year Andretti began from the second Row. But his race was Over before he crossed the starting line As front Row starter Kevin Cogan lost control bounced off Foyt then Slid into Andretti taking himself and Mario out of the race. A in 1987, Andretti started from the pole As the Odds on favorite. Mario Andretti he led 170 of the first 180 laps pulling steadily away from the Field until an engine failure left him heartbroken again just 50 Miles from the finish. He is not the favorite this time but Andretti is starting on the outside of the second Row with a car considered capable of winning. And despite All the heartache Here Mario remains confident of his ability. A a in be derived a lot of satisfaction from this business a he said. A i could never Ever have anything to be bitter about. I just want to be honest in my  he admits however a to win again Here and to do it at this stage of my career would totally rejuvenate me in every Way and i think it would do wonders for my  Michael Andretti the older of his two sons and starting his seventh indy race also has been touched by hard Luck Here. Last May Michael was in the Lead and pulling away on Lap 162 when his engine blew. Jeff the younger son Felt the chill last week when he qualified for his first indy Start Only to be bumped late in the final Day of time trials. He had another car ready to qualify a the engine running a when the final gun went of. The family a problems extend to Mario a Nephew John who will be in his third indy 500. He has gone out Early in both previous starts with blown engines. Jeff who was trying for his first indy car ride of any kind was asked about an Andretti Jinx Here. He said unhappily a it sure got  but Michael who has finished in the top 10 four times in six starts disagreed with the Rookie saying a i done to believe in any Jinx or hex or anything. This place has been Good to my family. We be done Well Here. Nobody gets away free at indy. Foyto a had his bad times Here and the users and Bobby  Foyt leads All Drivers with 67 indy car victories. Mario is second on the list with 51, but has not won since july of 1988. The wingless 1989 season and reaching 50 in february brought talk about retirement but the senior Andretti Wasny to listening. A that retirement is not in my thoughts at All a he said. A i done to derive satisfaction out of just being in the car. 1 have to have an honest feeling in my heart that i can really win that Day. When that feeling goes that a when i la get  asked if his 25th anniversary Here holds any significance for him Andretti said a if i can win this race there la be reason to celebrate. If i done to Well wait for no. 26.�?�