European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 24, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday May 24, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 29 ame switch on t slow Andretti Jinx once Day at the Brickyard Indianapolis up a John an Retti knows All about the a Andretti Jinx a at the Indianapolis motor Speed a even though his father is Aldo not Ario Andretti. The most famous name in Auto racing As had a hard Luck history at the Indi Napolis motor Speedway. Mario an Retti who won the 1969 indy 500, has eco plenty of opportunities at Victory and in adversity. His son Michael was in a position to in the 1989 indy 500 before he blew an engine while leading with just 38 laps left n the race. Last year he held the Lead six times for 7 laps but 12 laps from the end was Assed by eventual Winner Rick Mears. Jeff Andretti also the son of Mario and Michael a younger brother com eted in his first Indianapolis 500 last Eason. But John Andretti is familiar with the a Andretti Jinx a even though his tales rent As devastating As those told by his Uncle and Cousin. That does no to diminish is desire to become the Andretti that Reaks the Jinx at Indianapolis with a Vic Ory in sundays 76th Indianapolis 500. A my Rookie year proves i have the an Retti Jinx a said John who had to make free anxiety filled qualification attempts before finally making the race in 1988, qualifying 27th. A a that a Why in a changing my name to Ohn Mears. A but if my last name were not Andretti my lifelong dream would still be to win the race not to be the next Andretti in Victory  whole new awaits 92 game rookies Mario and Michael Andretti have gained Fame by being hard chargers aggressively driving to apr the Lead. John Dis John Andretti plays a More conservative driving style. A with Mike and Mario its More hard Luck they Haven to won Here than abuse to the car a said John who finished fifth last year. His father Aldo is Mario a twin Broth her. Born in Italy Aldo had the same love for Auto racing As Mario. In fact after the family emigrated from Italy in 1955, Aldo became a Fine race Driver. But two major accidents one in 1959 and the other in 1969, ended Aldo a racing career. Today Johns father takes great pleasure in watching his songs Success. A a that a a difficult question for me to answer a said John when asked about his father. A i get pretty emotional about it. My father should be racing Here. Id give up my career for him to be Here. A the first time i qualified Here 1988 i wanted to be the fastest Rookie in the race but i did no to achieve that goal. When i came Down the pit Lane i was upset with myself. I was bitterly upset that i was not the top Rookie in the race. A but when i got out of that car my dad was All smiles and i realized what i have i  take for  by Steve Herman Indianapolis map what advice would Mario Andretti give the seven rookies who will Start sundays Indianapolis 500? he would Tell them that despite the anxiety the sweat the bumps and bruises the physical Strain and mental torture they be endured the past two weeks the worst is still to come. A qualifying is fairly easy Here. The race is another thing a said the former Winner starting his 27th indy race from the outside of the front Row. Andretti was a member of the Rookie class of 1965, an impressive crop of 11 Drivers that also included Gordon John cock a1 Unser George Snider Jerry Grant and Joe Leonard. He won the race in 1969, started from the pole position three times and is on the front Row for the seventh time. Since his first race Here he has lined up against 149 rookies and he says this years Rookie class is Good. A you look at the Competition. Its probably better than Ever a Andretti said referring not Only to the rookies but also the 26 veterans who will take the Green Flag at 5 . Get on sunday. A the Quality of the Field is better a the 52-year-old Andretti said. A when i first started Here the Back of the Field was junk literally junk 4 or 5-year-old cars. In 1981, i  qualify because of a conflicting formula one event and had to Start 32nd. But i was Able to move up and i led the race. A now you re going to slice through a few cars but not like that a he said. The biggest gain by any Driver last year was 27 places by Johncock who started 33rd in a year old Lola and finished sixth a 12 laps behind w inner Rick a cars. Andretti who also started on the outside of the front Row last year was seventh when his engine gave out after 187 laps. A a in be been absolutely Happy the entire month the Way the car has been running a said Andretti who is driving a new Lola Ford co Worth identical to the one his son and teammate Michael qualified a Row behind him. A the complexion of the race could go Many directions a the elder Andretti said. A i like to set the Pace if i can. But then again you just have to see How that s going to come about. If you have to struggle to get there or get there fairly  it does no to figure to be easy. The inside position the pole belongs to Roberto Guerrero who qualified at a record 232.482 Mph. In the Middle at 229.639 Mph is Eddie Check or who has been feuding with Andretti since their cars bumped on the first Lap at in my Beach calif., six weeks ago. Andretti qualified at 229.503. A in the beginning id just like to get off clean a said Mario Andretti. A up in front its our responsibility to get off clean. There Are 200 laps and 1 done to care where you Start if the package is right you la Nave your Opportunity. The first Lap does no to really amount to a Hill of  the fastest of the seven Rookie qualifiers is Jimmy Vasser who was bumped on sunday but re qualified in a backup car at 222.313 Mph a a record for a first year Driver. He will Start from the inside of the 10th Row. The others Are Eric Bachelard of Belgium Philippe Gache of France Paul Tracy of Canada Brian Bonner Lyn St. James and Ted Prappas. Indianapolis 500race flags the seven flags used in the race and what they mean to the  starts the race Black pull in the pit for consultation yellow caution slow and hold positioned Stop unsafe condition Blue with Orange Diagonal a faster car is overtaking Driver give  Driver is entering the last Lap Check ered end of the race source Indianapolis motor Speedway Media fact Book historic Start to be terrifying a by Lyn St. James for the associated press Indianapolis from where i will begin my first indy 500 a a the outside of the ninth of 11 rows a in a expecting the Start to be pretty terrifying. In a told the air turbulence from 33 cars Rushing toward the Green Flag at Indianapolis motor Speedway is like being in the midst of a Hurricane. I will just have to Deal with that and Pray there a not an incident. God knows we be seen enough of those. One of the disconcerting things about turbulence is that when it knocks your head around your line of sight is really disrupted. You can Only go As fast As you can see and when you can to see clearly its a very unsettling feeling. Another thing is that a dirty air upsets the cards aerodynamics and it gets downright scary when your front end is washed away by the turbulence. Every one of the Drivers in be talked to about indy has said a believe your  in be repeated that phrase Many times this month because if my butt says the car feels Good and in a not Flat out All the Way around this place it Means i have got to go faster. We be gone awfully fast at indy this year. Roberto Guerrero a 232.482 Mph pole Speed shattered the previous record by More than seven Miles an hour and my 220.150 would have won the pole As recently As 1988. We be also endured a tragic month Here with particularly devastating crashes by Rick Mears and Nelson Piquet among others and of course the one that claimed the life of Jovy Marcelo. As i sat in my car while they cleaned up the Piquet Accident it just sent me a message. He was a Rookie at indy and so am i. But he had so much racing experience three time formula one Champion that it really bothered me. Even so this week there were Only fleeting moments for those kind of feelings moments among a multitude of others in which your focus is devoted completely to what you Are Here to do. I done to have a number As to where i would like to finish my first Indianapolis 500. We All drive Good races and Lousy races. I just want to drive smart and stay out of trouble and Hope that i done to make a mistake or get caught up in someone else a mistake. I want to drive the Best race of my life. With a woman in the indy 500 for the first time since 1979, there have been discussions about changing the traditional command of a gentlemen Start your  if there is to be a change my suggestion is that it be a Drivers Start your engines a because that command would be appropriate forever. In no Way whatsoever am i demanding a change. Because no matter what they say. If its still a gentlemen Start your  in a just going to Start my motor and go. Lyn St. James prepares to a Start my motor