European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 24, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes race Day at the Brickyard sunday May 24,1992 the track Indiana posts 500 two and one half Miles per Lap 45 seconds per Lap at 200 Mph 200 laps the motor Speedway was built As a test track for car manufacturers and is used for this race Only. Completion of the 500-mile race takes about three hours the average Corner Speed is about 210 Mph Corners Are banked at 9 degrees and 12 minutes main Gate comparing driving times the indy race is 500 Miles Long about the distance from san Diego to san Francisco. By the time a car travelling 200 Mph finishes the distance a car travelling at 55 Mph would reach the los Angeles area. Is fest a 1 i i 4 i n 111 a s >00 Inkins san Francisco 55 Mph 200 Mph a Walls come closer As cars get faster by Mike Harris a motor sports writer Indianapolis a at about 240 Mph the car is a Green and White blur As it crosses the Yard of bricks that Marks the Start finish line on the Long Straightaway. The electronic clock stops at 38.690 seconds and the average Speed for the Lap around the 2vi-mile Indianapolis motor Speedway Oval takes an instant to blink onto the computer screen a 232.618 Mph. By the time the brain registers the number and begins to digest its immensity Indianapolis 500 pole Winner Roberto Guerrero a Lola Buick is a Reading racing out of the first turn and setting up for turn 2 on another incredible Lap. How can these human beings who choose to drive the open wheel rockets known As indy cars do it the speeds keeping going up but the track built in 1909, Hasni to changed appreciably since Asphalt replaced bricks in 1937. Its still a Roadway just 50-to-60-feet wide with two Long Straightaway and two turns at each end separated by Short Straightaway known As chutes. The machines makes it possible for Drivers to go that fast but its the Drivers themselves who must hold the throttle to the floor As the a go forces press Down on them and the Concrete Walls Lurk just feet away. Its reached the Point where spectators hardly react until the Public address system squawks out laps of 230 or More. A who would have Ever thought you a come to fhe Speedway and go 225and the fans Are up there yawning a asked John Andretti racing in his with indy. The 33-car Field for sundays Indianapolis 500 has a record average of 223.479 Mph led by Guerrero a four Lap qualifying run of 232.482. The slowest qualifier in the Field Rookie Ted wrap Pas at 219.173, is faster than the Field average of 218.590 the previous year. Few of the Drivers enjoy the speeds they have to run to make the lineup. But they have no Choice if they want to be part of the worlds most important race. A people keep talking about the engines and horsepower a says Jim Crawford who several years ago had a terrible Bone breaking crash when he tried to drive through turn 1 at More than 230 Mph on a qualifying attempt. A but horsepower Isnit what gets you to the Middle of turn 1 at 230  the Fine line the Drivers tread was tragically demonstrated on May 15 when 27-year-old Jovy Marcelo of the Philippines an indy Rookie became the speedways first Driver fatality in 10 years. He died of massive head injuries after hitting the Wall at about 200 Mph. The tragedy raised the same old question Why do they need to go so fast a a in a not sure we need to be going this fast but Speed is pretty relative a said 1969 indy Winner Mario Andretti who was a Rookie in 1965 when top qualifying speeds flirted with 160. A you can to be afraid of it and be Here a said Andretti 52, who will Start sundays race from the outside of the front Row. A the cars Are As Safe As they be Ever been but there will never be a Safe race car. A Speed so far Hasni to been a  Andretti continued. Tut freed pm a when the cars were slower they were More unstable and we had a lot More crashes. The Guys out there ran out of paint from having to keep repainting the Walls. A in a lot of ways the Speed is the least of your problems particularly in the race. The big problem comes if something Breaks and you just become a passenger or if something else goes wrong and you have virtually no time to react. The Walls Are right there. That a the Only thing you  once the race begins speeds generally become slower and somewhat secondary with Drivers concerned More with traffic air turbulence and pit strategy. The one Lap Speed record in the race is 222.574 Mph set in 1990 by Emerson Fittipaldi on Lap 91 and equalled by Arie Luyendyk on Lap 162 in the same race. A i expect Well see those speeds go up too a Luyendyk the 1990 Winner said. A we 11 probably have some laps in the 224-225 Range in the race once the Field gets stretched out everybody makes some  but no matter what speeds Are made possible by technology and aerodynamics it All comes Back to the person behind the wheel. Gordon Johncock 55, a two time Champion starting his 24th indy said you drive by the seat of your pants not your brain. When you let your brain override your rear end you re in  number s up for 76 races Indianapolis Apall month at the Indianapolis motor Speedway its been numbers numbers numbers. Row numbers car numbers laps speeds and records galore. Here a a Brief history of indy by the numbers 0 a winners to Start from the outside of the third Row defending Champion Rick Mears starts from the no. 9 position j 0.16 seconds closest finish in indy history Gordon Johncock Over Rick Mears 1982 1 a three time Winner from the pole position Rick Mears. 2 a former formula one champions in the lineup Mario Andretti Emerson Fittipaldi 2.5 Miles a one Lap around the Indianapolis motor Speedway 3 _ four time winners . Foyt a1 Unser Rick Mears. 4 a record number of members of one family in the same race Mario Michael Jeff and John Andretti 5 a Drivers who have had improvements of 30 or More places from starting to finishing positions including Tom Sneva 33rd to 2nd in 1980 6 a record pole position starts Rick Mears 7 _ rookies in this years race 8 a pit number for pole starter Roberto Guerrero 9 a laps pole starter Roberto Guerrero has led in his career t. 10 a record number of former winners in this years race 11 a starters Over age 40 in this years race 12 a car number of Bobby Rahal the indy car series Leader this year 13 a Drivers who have won at least $1.4 million at indy 14 a winners from the pole position 14.870 Mph a average Speed for last years 33rd lace finisher buddy Lazier who crashed on the first a. 15 a crashes during practice or qualifications this year 16 a starting position of Rookie Philippe Gache the first Frenchman in the lineup since 1940 17 a record number of race starts by a Driver who never led a Lap Dick Simon 18 a record number of races Tom Binford has served As chief Steward 19 a age of youngest Driver Ever to Start the race Jostle Garza 1981 20 a starts for Gary Bettenhausen 22 a record number of race starts by a Driver who never won the race George Snider 25 a Drivers who have finished among the top three places three or More times 33 a cars in the starting Field 35 a consecutive starts for . Foyt indy record 47 a age of oldest Winner a1 Unser 197a 50 feet a Width of track along Straightaway 53 a Drivers who crashed in the race at least twice 57 a age of oldest Driver . Foyt 1992 60 feet a Width of track on turns 65 a people killed at the Speedway 74 a most laps completed by a last place finisher Bill Homeier 1954 74.602 Mph a slowest winning Speed Ray har Roun 1911 96 a garages in gasoline Alley. 185.981 Mph a fastest winning Speed Arie Luyendyk 1990 196 laps a most led in one race by a non Winner Ralph Depalma 1912 198 laps a most led in one race Billy Arnold 1930 625 a record number of career laps led a1 Unser 788.4 seconds a largest winning margin Jules Goux Over Spencer Wishart 1913 11,785 Miles a driven by . Foyt indy record a Roberto Guerrero qualifies at 232.482 Mph