European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 23, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday january 23, 1991 the stars and stripes a a a Page 25 a  Roundup tracking Down tales of the Road a with everything fairly quiet in the racing world at the moment its a Good time to relax and look Back. During our Many years of covering grand prix racing for the stars and stripes we enjoyed a lot of amusing incidents and today we would like to share a few of them. One of our favourites concerns Mario Andretti who won the Indianapolis 500 in May 1969 and came to Germany two months later to drive for Lotus in the German grand prix. Andretti who described the 14.2-mile curb urging circuit As a a real he Many a course a spent a week before the grand prix trying to learn the great circuits 200 twists and turns. He used a rented opel Wadett and thereby hangs our tale. S. Elka Zerba who at the time was editor of the avd s a motor Reise review a was visiting the Nair Burgering and decided that she would like to accompany Mario on. Some of his practice runs. When she heard that Mario was out touring the ring in his Little opel at that very moment she headed straight for the pits and asked him for a ride. A so hop in a Mario said and she did. A it was really something a she said. A i had gone around the circuit Many times before in some very fast cars but in a rented opel with Mario pushing it that was just fantastic. Its a real Drivers course and it was a privilege to watch him at work. A on about our third Lap we saw this big Bow quite a distance ahead of us. The Driver was very Good too because he was running the turns just right. But As we continued to gain on him i saw that he was no longer so smooth. He obviously had spotted us in his mirrors and he  believe that our opel was closing in. Pretty soon he was looking More in his mirrors than he was at the Road and his driving became More  let us add for the record that no one on the German roads a then or now a is More determined and aggressive than a Bow Driver. A so As Mario closed in a Elka told us a the Bow Driver made More and More mistakes and i think he was on the Edge of panic. Before anything further. Happened a like his going out of control maybe a Mario sped by and i saw the Bow Drivers face. He was just Bug eyed a a in a state of Shock maybe a in the next edition of a motor Reise review a Elka wrote about her curb urging a a Tours with Mario Andretti at the wheel and she pointed out that the Guy in the Bow should not feel too bad. A after All a she wrote a you were passed by one of the worlds Best  another Story about Mario involves the 1977 belgian grand prix which was held that year on the zolder circuit near Hasselt. He had pole position in his Black and Gold Lotus and he was a big favorite to win that race. On the first Lap however the Ulster Man John Watson in a Brabham Alfa got the jump on Mario and led slightly heading into the first chicane before the Hill. Mario a italian temperament prevailed and instead of backing off he tried to pass Watson in the Mario Andretti Jackie Stewart chicane. The result was a big crash with both cars out of the race. A the late Colin Chapman the dynamic Boss and owner of team Lotus was waiting in the pits Tor Mario a return. And Chapman had fire in his eyes. When Mario finally arrived Chapman shouted a this should teach you something a something you should bloody Well know by now a and that is you can twin the bloody race on the first Lap Quot Andretti proved a Good listener. He won the world driving championship for Lotus the next year with a Many flawless performances. Stories Are also plentiful about Scotland a Jackie Stewart another of the great ones. Stewart won the world championship three times a in 1969, �?T71 and�?T73. At the grand prix of Monaco in 1971, Stewart helped open an Auto show that was being staged in conjunction with the weeks racing festivities. While autograph seekers gathered around the a wee Scot a he happily obliged them by signing program after program and hamming it up As usual. Among the Many hero worshippers was an american boy of about 8. He mustered up his nerve to move Iii on Stewart then handed the great Man a Crisp new Dollar Bill to autograph. Stewart talked pleasantly to the wide eyed boy signed the Dollar Bill with a flourish then promptly stuck it into his own pocket. He continued signing autographs for other people. The boy stood there dumbfounded about ready to cry. Stewart kept his Eye on the boy and after signing a few More autographs handed the Dollar Bill Back. A a there a a Good lesson to be Learned there Sonny a Jackie said with a big smile a and that is never never give a Scot  Stewart thoroughly enjoyed playing the a stingy Scott role. During a championship touring car race on the on top of curb urging in 1973, he was co driving a German Ford Capri is  Fittipaldi the brazilian Star who eventually won two would driving championships As Well As the indy 500. A after the first Day of practice and qualifying we were talking to Ste Wail and asked him if he had read Fittipaldi a new Book. Quot it s been published in English now and it s inter casting a we said. A you should read it. You la enjoy  a yes i m certain i will Quot Stewart replied. Quot i hear it s very Good but i Haven t read it  Quot Why not a. A Quot because i m waiting for my complimentary  Austria a joci1en Rindt who was killed in a Lotus Ford at Monza during qualifying Tor the 1970 italian grand prix sadly became the posthumous world driving Champion that year. Strictly a superstar Rindt was As Good in the lighter formula 2 cars As he was with the More powerful formula 1 machinery. Flamboyant and fast you could Tell what Type of mood he was in by the Way he threw his car around. If angry he would practically gun it of a Corner then catch it at the last second. He was spectacular to watch. In one of the formula 2 races at Bockenheim which regularly attracted 100,000 spectators or More in those Days Rindt was enjoying a big Lead coming into the stadium when a newcomer came bearing Down on him from out of nowhere., it was Carlos Reutemann of Argentina who was having his first drive at Bockenheim. Reutemann eventually Becane one of the top grand prix Drivers. But at that time he had a Long Way to go. Coming into the Sachs curve Reutemann still bearing Down on Rindt Brake much too late and smashed into the rear of the austrian s car sending it out of action. Rindt jumped from his car Shook his fist at the rapidly disappearing Reutemann and shouted a they should Send that Argentine Monkey Back to the  a a a. A a a. A a a a a a a a a a a. A a a a a Back to the present. The 59th running of the Monte Carlo rally was discussed at some length last week so wont go into detail again except to say that 20 of the German starting rally cars will leave the ramp at 6 12 . Thursday in bad Homburg North of Frankfurt. The Spectator area will be set up near the Kuxhaus. The cars will arrive at the first checkpoint in Worms beginning at 8 19 . On the markup Lala and at the second checkpoint in Homburg Southwest of Lan Stuhl beginning at 10 02p.m. At the Auto aus Gro, Strasse 120. Fans May also see the cars and talk with the Drivers during the technical inspections thursday these be. Ginning at 8 . At the bad Homburg Kuxhaus. Top cars leaving from bad Homburg include the Toyota Pelicas of Armin Schwarz of Germany and Marc Duez of Belgium and the Mitsubishi of Ger. Many a Ronald Holzer. The Start and str Pat a world Saalbach Hinte Glemm aus a apr the rebellious boy who skied a from austrian authority came Home Champion tuesday As Marc Girardelli it end the world championships by win no the slalom. Girardelli slashed across a rutted urse in beating austrian Thomas Stang a Singer by More than a half second Shat ring the Hopes of austrians ready to own a new skiing hero. The Victory came barely a year after a go Speed fall severely injured Girardelli id threatened to end his skiing career. The previous 13 months were an ordeal physical and psychological rehab Ilita it a. The Triumph also came 15 years after Girardelli and his father rejected their native land in favor of Mountain less Luxembourg saying they would not Bow to the dictates of austrian ski officials. The versatile Girardelli favored to win a medal in All five menus events at the championships ignored pain and echoes of the past to claim his Gold medal. Quot before a race when in a standing around i can still feel the pain a said Girardelli who suffered Back and kidney damage in a december 1989 crash and underwent knee surgery in september. A in the two or three minutes i need for racing the Muscles Are Able to work Well. For longer than that it is  Girardelli 27, who won world titles in the combined event in 1987 and 1989, was clocked in 1 minute 55.38 seconds with the Best time on the first run and the third fastest time in. The second heat. Austrians had erupted in Joy when Sta Gassinger skiing four places before Girardelli on the final run took the Lead. But his 1 55.96 was Good enough Only for the Silver Medau four hundredths of a second ahead of Norway sole Christian Furuseth. A olympic slalom Champion Alberto Tomba again was a disappointment in the world championships finishing fourth. He also failed to win a medal in the 1989 championships at Vail col though he was favored in three events. Tomba known for his aggressive skiing style and Confidence said he failed tuesday because he was too careful. Quot i was Over cautious in the second run because i wanted to make it to the finish  he said. A i skied against my nature. I did not take risks and i paid for  Tomba headed Back to Bologna and will prepare in Italy for the giant slalom that closes the Competition feb. 3. Quot mama is always Happy when i return Home soon even without medals a he said with a Broad smile. No americans competed in the slalom and the . Team still was discussing whether to attend the championships. The americans worried about the threat of terrorism in the Wake of the persian Gulf War pulled out of world cup races in Europe last week and went Home. Security at the championships was tight tuesday As austrian president Kurt Waldheim opened the two week event. The elite Kobra anti terrorism squad has joined police armed with sub machine guns around race Sites and skiers hotels