European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 19, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Indy 500 qualifying Sneva fits final 33 perfectly by Scott Horner Indianapolis up a Tom Sneva filled the Field for the 76th Indianapolis 500 Only because he fitted into his car. Sneva a last minute replacement for Rocky Moran on team Menard drove a 1991 Lola Buick 219.737 Mph for four laps sunday to become the 33rd qualifier for the May 24 race. Dominic Dobson two time indy Champ Gordon Johncock and rookies Jimmy Vasser and Ted wrap Pas also earned spots in the fastest Field in indy history. The 33 starters averaged 223.479 Mph in qualifying runs easily improving on last years record 218.590 Mph. A record 10 former winners with 20 indy victories combined made the Field. Sneva the 1983 indy Winner was named to drive after fridays practice session because Moran a 6-foot-3, 220-Pound Frame did no to allow him enough Arm room to drive the machine. A pretty much i was the last Guy standing in the parking lot a he said. �?o1 remember kickball games where i was picked last so i guess in a used to it. I guess some other Guys just did no to a we put Rocky in the car and he just did no to fit a said team owner John Menard a these cars Are getting smaller and smaller. Its too bad he just did t fit. So Tom was our Sneva earned a spot his 18th indy on his cards final attempt. Saturdays first attempt was waved off after three laps at close to 218 Mph. Throttle trouble Cut off his second attempt Early sunday after two laps. The seemingly Carefree Sneva said he Felt the pressure heading into his final attempt. A a you be got to pretty much get with it. This Loose Guy thing might be a Little bit of a facade a Sneva said. A if you done to feel the pressure Here you probably be Sneva will be starting from the 10th Row in sundays race. He started last in 1980 and worked his Way to a runner up finish the greatest improvement in race history. Johncock overcame persistent mechanical trouble to qualify with a run of 219.288 Mph in a 1991 Lola Buick knocking Vasser from the Field. Quot in a not going to lie to you there were a couple of times i Felt like going Home a said the 55-year-old 1973 and �?T82 Winner. A i think next to 1971, when Peter Revson and i blew seven engine this has been the Walker motor sports and team Kar inter nation race lineup the thirty three qualifiers for the indy 500 and qualifying Speed in Mph. The Drivers who qualified for the 500-mile race the Field is determined by four Days of qualifying. Starting positions Are determined by Speed with the fastest Driver on the first Day of qualifying winning the pole. New record Field average 223.479 Mph old record 218.590, 1991 r = Rookie Al a teams representing Drivers bumped from the Field a filed protests with the . Auto club which administers indy because the engine Johncock used also might have been used in the car qualified the first weekend by buddy Lazier. Tom Binford Sac chief Steward at the Speedway disallowed the protest saying no Sac rules address engine duplication. Vasser who qualified on the first weekend at 218.268 Mph rejoined the Field 12 minutes later by taking his backup 1991 Lola Chevrolet 222.313 Mph for four circuits. A a we be been prepared for being bumped for about a week now. We knew it was bound to happen a said the 26-year-old. A i was just Happy we got bumped before 5 30 or 5 45 and were in a position to qualify again a Vassers re entry run knocked Kenji Momota who earlier sunday qualified at 218.967 Mph in a 1991 Lola Chevrolet out of the starting Grid. Prappas completed a run of 219.173 Mph in his 1991 Lola Chevrolet minutes before qualifications ended at 6 . Edt Topping Scott Goodyear a 219.054 Mph. Apr this has been a struggle a said the 36-year-old from los Angeles. A it was like the worst two weeks of my life. Now its the Best five minutes of my Goodyear who qualified his backup 1991 Lola Chevrolet the first weekend because his primary �?T92 Lola Chevy sustained engine trouble will still drive the race but Start 33rd. Hell step into the �?T92, which was qualified at 221.081 Mph saturday by Mike Groff who signed with the Walker motor sports team last week. Groff came to the team with the understanding that Goodyear the teams Lead Driver throughout the season would have the Choice of car to drive in the race. Because the Driver switch was made Goodyear has to move to the Back of the starting Field. Three time Winner Johnny Rutherford went out moments before 6 . But failed to better Prappas Speed. Dobson 32, averaged 220.359 Mph in his 1991 Lola Buick putting him in his fifth indy. Mark Dismore Johnny Parsons Didier Theys Prappas and Tony Bettenhausen each waved off qualification attempts. In the final hour theyse engine blew on his final finds Bias a wrenching experience by Beth Harris Indianapolis a when the men in gasoline Alley Call Tona Eding ton a wrench she does no to mind. That a Auto racing Lingo for a Mechanic and Edington is the Only female one this year at the Indianapolis motor Speedway. Fittingly she works on a 1991 Lola cos world driven by Lyn St. James who on sunday will become Only the second woman to Start the Indianapolis 500. A a she a a really neat lady. She s real enthusiastic she a just like one of the Guys Quot Edington said of St. James. A she makes my Little Road its been a Road fraught with discrimination in the military and More recently in racing. Edington 25, has spent the last 51.2 years As a member of the Indiana air National guard unit in Terre haute. One weekend per month she a a Crew chief responsible for servicing inspecting and maintaining f-16 fighter jets. A when 1 joined the guard i had a desk Job and i hated it a she said. A a in a hear the jets take off and i thought a this is stupid. What am i doing sitting Here a i had to be where the action was so i ended up on the she turned Down a full time military Job to pursue her interest in racing. Last year she worked for a team that eventually folded when sponsorship ran out. Edington approached car owner Dick Simon last month about a Job with his Crew. At the time she did no to know St. Janies had a Deal with Simon racing. She did no to have any problems with Simon but Edington remembers other so called Job interviews she endured. A they would come up with some of the stupidest things. Instead of asking my experience and qualifications the Only thing one Guy asked me was what would we do when we re out on the Road and there a no other girls wed have to gel you your own hotel room a she said. A like that a a main Edington says her biggest problem is not being taken seriously. A i do get a Little disappointed when you talk to some of the older Guys that done to like you being around. In be had some of the other Guys on the teams come up and say of nobody wants a lady wrench a a she said. Quot sometimes you listen to it and then you got to really sit Down and forget what they said. Its kind of hard when you hear something like Edington is one of four mechanics working on St. James car. She said she can keep up with her male counterparts but would like to build up her strength. A a there a a lot of bolts on the Back part of the car that have to be extremely tight and i la Tel the Guys a double Check that before it goes out a a she said. Quot i always watch them to Sec How much More Thuv get on it. Its great if they done to get any More. They compliment me on qualifications end this weekend and if St. James becomes the second woman to drive in the indy 500, Edington will break a Barrier too. Shell be the first female to jump the pit Wall on race Day. Previously female Crew members have worked in the pits but never crossed the Concrete Wall to work on pit Road during a pit Stop. A a in a a Little nervous about race Day because in a supposed to go across the Wall. We be practice a Little bit a said Edington who will change the cards left front tire during the race. She a been coming to the indy 500 a since before i knew what i was coming Here for. Quot this is the race i grew up on a she said. A i catch myself sometimes walking into work and you see the stands and gasoline Alley its like a whoa realize where you re at. You re Al Indianapolis a a
