European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 13, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday june 13, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 25 racing Roundup Drivers take a look at safety issues danger is an inherent part of motor Rac and while the danger element is always present such has been achieved in the past 20 years to make racin8forrnula one and indy car racing Modem techniques and materials have made the cars str Cut a safer while on Board extinguishers and Emer-2v oxygen supplies to Drivers have lessened the i of fire fatalities. The austrian Driver Gerhard bergers survival in his fiery crash last year serves As the Best example in san Marino grand prix at Imola Berger crashed off course at High Speed and his Ferrari went up in flames but he escaped with Only slight injures and was racing again a month after his Accident. Had he been in the same Type of Accident Only five years earlier he would not have survived fans at races too can be injured or killed it a car does out of control and jumps off the track. One such Accident occurred recently at an International championship formula 3000 race in England when a car went Over a retaining Wall and killed a Spectator. While much has been achieved in recent years to prevent such incidents there Are problems Here too. If the fan is too far removed from the action a and this is the Case at some circuits a he will stay at Home and watch the race on a a for years now Many critics have been saying that Monaco is due for a spectacular Accident involving spectators a an Accident similar in magnitude to the be mans tragedy of 1955 that nearly ended racing in Europe. And while safety Factor critics deserve to be listened to its always More interesting to get the Drivers Point of View. They can be High on safety As Scotland a Jackie Stewart was or in the opposite Camp a like Belgium a Jacky icky. Selecting brazils Ayrton Senna As an example among today a Drivers Senna does no to regard Monaco As Overly dangerous. Leading for the world driving championship and Winner at Monaco last month Senna rejected suggestions that formula one racing had outgrown the streets of downtown Monte Carlo. The Mediterranean principality first hosted the grand prix of Monaco in 1929. Discussing the current situation there Senna said a i done to think there is anything different than last year or the year before. Monte Carlo is a Street circuit and an extremely tight one. Formula one cars have always been fast Here and you simply have to Cope with every in motorcycle racing officials there Are seeking ways to slow the 500cc bikes because of the spate of accidents. Here too the people who take the risks see it otherwise. The texan Kevin Schwantz Winner of the recent German and austrian grand prix races for Suzuki said at the curb urging last month a i like Riding the bikes just As they Are. Nine out of 10 Falls Are the riders own fault and when i get up from a fall and dust off my leathers i blame myself and not the Bike. I want my Bike to be faster a not slower. But if they do slow them Down a and i Hope they done to you la still see the same Guys up a a be mans too was the subject for safety changes this year and after a prolonged argument Between fisa and the be mans race organizers about chicanes along the mul Sanne straight the safety Powers at fisa won out. For this weekends 24 hours of be mans two chicanes will be used on the straight to slow the cars Down. During the argument last Winter five time be mans Winner Derek Bell of England put the situation Randy Jamett in proper perspective when he said a i think that if a Driver does no to want to go to be mans then he does no to have to go. I respect that position. It is a dangerous race and if any Driver feels its too dangerous then he has a perfect right to exercise his free will and not Bell who will race a Joest porsche 962c at be mans this weekend added a a in a not against chicanes but wherever a chicane has been installed on a classic circuit its taken away some of its Charisma. And i think you have to ask whether chicanes Are safer or do they cause More accidents a because of the chicane controversy the be mans race did not get the Green Light until late february and it was also put on a non championship status for the second year in a Row. Both of these factors caused the withdrawal of the German Mercedes team last years Winner and the British Aston Martin team. Regarding the be a Tisa a Jug App mans chicanes you can Derek Bell bet that few a if any a Drivers were asked their opinions and this is a great mistake on the part of racing a a we recall talking to Jochen mass a few seasons Back about the Lack of communication Between the Drivers and the track designers and racing officials in general. We were discussing the new curb urging which is a magnificent and super Safe facility but one that has the fans placed much too far away from the track action. And its no secret that the new ring has had trouble attracting spectators since it opened in 1984. Regarding this Germany a mass who won at be mans last year for Mercedes said a if i had Ever seen a track plan i could have told them from the Start that some big changes would be necessary. But no one Ever asked for my one of Germany Stop Drivers for 20 years mass certainly should have been consulted along with All the other top Drivers. Safety is vital but the people who earn their living by taking the risks should be Given an Opportunity to air their opinions before the final decisions Are a a where to go this weekend the 24 hours of be mans the worlds classic race for sports cars will be staged this weekend on the revised Sarthe circuit just outside be mans. Although there s a full entry of 55 cars the race is a non championship event for the second year in a Row and it will Lack some of its former Luster. Mercedes the defending world Champion Marque and be mans Winner last year will not be present at this weekend s race As noted. Jaguar Nissan Toyota and a Host of in vate entry porsche Are among the top entrants and Jaguar with a four car factory lineup is favored to win. The race starts at the traditional time of 4 . On saturday and ends 24 hours later. General admission tickets Are available at the circuit with the Cost about 250 francs about $44. Huge camping areas Are available throughout the track area but get there by Friday As they fill up fast. Another 24-hour race this one the International 24 hours of the Nair Buering for group an 1 during cars will be flagged Oft at 4 . On saturday with More than 180 cars entered. The 24-hour race will be held on the classic old Northside circuit and if you Haven to seen a race there yet now a your Opportunity. Two other races will precede the 24-hour event and both will be run on the 14-mile-Long Northside circuit. These include the fourth round in the porsche Carrera cup series with the Start set for 10 ., and the seventh round in the International German touring car championship. The first championship heat four laps starts at noon and the second also four laps starts at 1 . Practice and qualifying for All classes will be held from 9 To 11 . On Friday. Camping right along the track which is traditional on the old ring is available All along the circuit. This program is one of the years Best in Germany and we recommend it highly. A weekend ticket for both Days costs 34 Marks. Children under 12 Are admitted free and Young people from age 12 to 17 pay half Price. To reach the curb urging take the Koblenz Trier autobahn a48 and exit at Ulmen curb urging. In Spain meanwhile the fourth round in the International formula 3000 championship will be held sunday at Jerez while in Italy the fifth race in the italian National championship for formula 3 cars will be staged sunday at the Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola near Bologna. Rallying a the 39th International Hessen rally with 105 cars entered will be staged from Friday through saturday with the Start set for 1 . Friday at the hotel am Kur Park in bad Hersfeldt West Germany. Drivers from 10 different nations will take part. The rally will be run in the North Hessen area and it will include a Section of East Germany North of Eisenach for the first time. Fridays first stage ends at the bad Hersfeldt rally Headquarters at 8 30 ., while the second stage starts at 5 30 Saturday at bad Hersfeldt and ends there at 4 15 . The rally routes Are available at the bad Hersfeldt Headquarters. Motorcycle racing a the grand prix of Yugoslavia with world championship races in the 125, 250 and 500cc classes will be held at Rijeka on sunday with practice and qualifying set for Friday and saturday. Going into the yugoslav round which is the seventh in the world championship american riders Wayne Rainey and John Kocinski both Yamaha Lead for the 500 and 250cc titles respectively. In zolder Belgium the eighth round m the european Road racing championship will be held sunday with practice and qualifying on Friday and saturday. The town of zolder is located just North of Hasselt in Eastern Belgium. In Luxembourg the sixth round in the German National championship for 80 and 500cc bikes will be held on sunday with other races on the program. The races will be staged on the Goodyear circuit at Colmar Berg. Motocross a the grand prix of Germany for 125cc bikes seventh round in the world championship will be held sunday afternoon in la bus Eschbach with practice and qualifying races on Friday saturday and sunday morning. The town of la bus Eschbach is located in the Taurus Mountain area and West of Limburg. American rider Donny Schmit Suzuki leads for the 125cc world title going into the German round. The Star and stripes americans Brace for Italy look ahead to �?T94 by Rusty Bryan staff writer Sirrenia Italy a with a game against More than prohibitive favorite Italy looming it was probably easier for the . Soccer team to take the Long View tuesday. A �?~1 think Well be much better in �?T94,�?� said midfielder Tab Ramos. A a we la be at Home there la be that excitement. There la be interest. Well be better no doubt about but for the . Team to get better Ramos said the system will have to change. First is the inescapable matter of league experience. A we need experience to get used to the Little things you can to learn except by playing like the grabbing and pulling that goes on every time you touch the Ball a said Ramos who was All but undressed by the czechs on sunday. And that a just part of what a involved when you re playing for keeps. A during our year of qualifying wed play International friendlies Ramos said. A a we a play the Marlboro cup and wed be doing better a getting two three goals a posting some Good results. A then wed get into the qualifying games and All of a sudden the goals dropped a 0-0, 1-nothing. Its very difficult to get the goals in a situation where it s so competitive. A the difference lies in the intensity imposed by the other Guys system Ramos said. A we spend four years at College play 20 games a year and get eight months a year off. You think the europeans do that a they play soccer 11 months a year. They re not supermen they just play All year Long. And that show you get better a by the year round atmosphere is what the americans can to get in the United states not even in the fledgling pro leagues such As the american soccer league. A the Asl is a step above College but several Steps below where we want to be a Ramos said. 4 not All College players can play there but a lot How can the Domestic leagues a the Asl and the Western soccer league a improve As training grounds see world cup on Page 27
