European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 25, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 28 a the stars and stripes tuesday february 25, 1992brabham captures Miami up by Mike Harris Miami apr on a Day when nearly everyone else was struggling with or succumbing to problems Geoff Brabham a biggest obstacle was an oily Windshield. The four time defending Simsa Camel Ftp sports car Champion driving a Nissan Npt-92 prototype overcame that problem sunday to win his fourth Miami grand prix. It was easy at the end but that nearly opaque Windshield almost Cost Brabham dearly Midway through the two hour timed race. He took the Lead for the first time when the pole winning Jaguar xjr-14 of Davy Jones spun 42 minutes into the race and had to make an unscheduled and Early pit Stop. Brabham who previously won on the 1.873-mile downtown Street circuit in 1987, 1989 and 1990, built a Lead of 32 seconds Over Jones before the australian born Winner made his Only scheduled pit Stop 67 minutes into the event. With his Windshield clouded by Oil the Sun shining brightly in his eyes and another car parked just ahead of his pit the disoriented Brabham overshot his Stop and had to drive Back onto the track. Quot i had picked up a lot of Oil from somewhere a Brabham said. A i could Only see vague shapes of bodies and i  see colors or anything. A i came in real slow and tried to pick out the red uniforms of my Crew but when i stopped i looked out and saw a sign that said a buds Jones sponsor and i knew i was in the wrong place and had to go a round  his Lead had shrunk to 19 seconds when he went Back onto the track. Brabham came Back into the pits the next time around making his Stop without problem. A the next time i came in i got my Guys to talk me Down the pit Lane Brabham said. A it was kind of like a plane being talked in during a really Baa fog. After that i was Fine the rest of the  he came Back onto the circuit trailing Jones by 32 seconds. But Jones who dominated the first half of the 1991 Miami race before an engine problem ended his race lost the Lead to Brabham when he made another Stop one hour and 20 minutes into the race. This time Jones skidded a Little too far through his pit and his Crew could not reach the outside tires with their airguns so All he took on was Gas. Brabham then began to pull away building a Lead of up to 26-second margin with 30 minutes to go. Jones fell out of the Lead Lap when he had to pit for tires with 26 minutes remaining then saw his race end five minutes Early when he spun and stalled the engine on course while still running second. That Cost Jones important Points As he wound up sixth. He retained the series Lead but saw Brabham move into second trailing 37-21. Brabham set a race record average of 92.040 Mph breaking the Mark of 84.470 set by Raul Boesel in a Jaguar xjr-10 last year. The Winner covered 99 laps and 185.427 Miles and he won the 26tn race of his Simsa career. Second place in the race went to the Chevrolet Ftp of Wayne Taylor of South Africa who finished two laps plus 1 minutes 6.201 seconds behind Brabham. The Chevy was followed by the Nissan shared by Chip Robinson and Bob Earl the porsche 962 of Oscar Larrauri of Argentina and Bernd Schneider of Germany and the Chevrolet spice of David Tennyson. Only nine of the 17 starters were running at the end. The real hard Luck Driver of the Day was Robinson Brabham a teammate and last years series runner up who injured his Side when he drove Over a rough Section of the bumping circuit that winds through Bayfront Bicentennial Park and along a Section of Biscayne blvd. Robinson was taken to a nearby Hospital for a rays to determine the extent of what was apparently a rib injury. Earl finished the race. Tommy Kendall who started third behind Jones and Brabham in a Chevrolet Ftp ran As High As second in his first race since badly injuring his feet and legs in a crash last june at Watkins Glen , but his solid Effort ended with a broken water pump 76 minutes into the race. Steve Pate six packs Way to 1-shot Victory by Bob Green san Diego apr Steve Pate got up and Down from a Spectator s Beer then converted the gift of a big league boo boo by Mike Springer into a one stroke Victory in the Buick invitational of California. Pate birdied the final Hole to Complete a 5-under-Par 67 in this weather shortened event sunday but it was his recovery from someone else a adult beverage that brought the loudest cheers. A a rousing ovation a Pate said after his second shot on 17 came to rest on top of a spectators 12-pack. He got a drop chipped close and saved the Par then went on to Birdie the final Hole from about 16 feet accounting for the margin of Victory. But the tournament really turned on Mike springers self inflected damage when he followed Pate to the 17th. Springer was tied for the Lead when he stepped to the tee on that Par-4 Hole at about the time Pate was walking off no. 18 at Torrey Pines his Days work finished and a 16-under-Par total in the books. A i was thinking playoff a Pate said a i was hoping to win but i thought id be  the playoff possibilities were eliminated when the Chunky Springer yanked his tee shot far to the left and his pm Quot. Barranca. Watched his chances disappear deep into the Brush of a Steve Pate coaxes 18th-Hole Birdie putt into the cup. It was unplayable and he  find a place to drop it that would not also be unplayable. So Springer returned to the tee and eventually took a triple bogey 7 that dropped him out of Contention and helped Pate to his second Victory on this Oceanside Buick invitational course. Pate also won this tournament in 1988 when it carried the heavy handle of the Shearson Lehman Hutton Andy Williams open. He won this one a shortened to 54 holes after saturdays play was smothered by fog a with a 200 total. The fifth Victory of his career was Worth $180,000 from the total purse of $1 million and pushed his earnings for the year to $221,182. A i thought a 67 might give me an outside Chance to win if nobody at 13-under made a move a Pate said. Tom Watson Brad Faxon and of course Springer cooperated. Those three entered the final round in a tie for the Lead at 13 under Par. None broke Par Over the final 18 holes. Faxon blew to a 74 and finished five strokes off the Pace. Watson 41, with an Opportunity to break a five year Victory drought simply could not get it going. His last Chance dissolved in a 3-putt bogey on the 15tn Hole and he finished with a 72. Springer who joined golfs major leagues last year after a season on the Ben Hogan tour also matched Par and was with Watson in a 6-Man tie for sixth at 203. Chip Beck came from four shots Back with a 66 and claimed second at 201. Robert Wrenn Rookie Chris Tucker and australian Steve Elkington were next at 202. Wrenn and Tucker each shot 70 and Elkington had a 69. Sampras poised to move up after Victory Philadelphia up Pete Sampras moved two Steps closer to being the no. 1 player in the world with one Victory sunday taking a 6-1, 7-6 7-42-6, 7-6 7-2 Triumph Over Amos Mansdorf to capture the . Pro indoor championship. Sampras a 20-year-old from Bradenton fla., is expected to move past germans Boris Becker and Michael Stich into the no. 3 position on the weekly computer rankings which were to be released monday. He will be behind Jim courier and Stefan Edberg. The tone was set Early when Mansdorf was unable to handle Sampras first three serves of the 2-hour, 43-minute match. Sampras had five aces in the first set and 21 in the match. Sampras broke Mansdorf twice in the first set taking it in 25 minutes. Both held service throughout the second set forcing the tiebreak. Sampras used two aces to take the tiebreak for a 2-0 Lead in sets. A i started off extremely Well a Sampras said. A then won the tiebreak which was very crucial to the  Mansdorf finally broke Sampras serve in the third game of the third set hitting an a returnable Winner Down the left line. He went up 3-1, then broke Sampras again for a 5-2 Lead and won set Point with an Ace. A instead of getting More intense after winning the first two sets kind of let up Quot Sampras said. A a and he started to play  Sampras broke Mansdorf s serve with a forehand Cross court shot to go up 3-1 in the fourth set. However Mansdorf came Back to break Sampras in the next game then Drew even at 3-3. A return to his booming serve put Sampras ahead 5-4, but they each then held serve. Mansdorf fought off one match Point in the 12th game to Force the second tiebreak. Sampras took the first five tiebreak Points used an Ace to reach championship Point then won when Mansdorf was Long on his return serve. A my serve is a huge advantage in a tiebreak a Sampras said a especially if i serve  Sampras who said he was fortunate to even be in the title match after facing two match Points against Aaron Krickstein in the quarterfinals picked up $141,500 for his eighth career title. It was his first win since he beat courier in the world championship last november. If Sampras rises to no. 3, it will Mark the first time two . Players were in the top three since John Mcenroe was first and Jimmy Connors third in june 1985. Sampras has his Eye on the no. 1 spot. A a it a attainable a he said. A if i stay healthy and be More consistent there is no stopping  this was Sampras third straight appearance in the title match of the . Pro indoor. He won the event in 1990, and lost to Ivan Lendl last year. Mansdorf a 26-year-old israeli received $76,000 for his first career title match appearance in North America