European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 26, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday may.26, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 2576th Indianapolis 500 Little Al pulls off big win by Jim Litke the associated press Indianapolis a Only a dozen cars were running at the end one fewer than w Ere hauled off on the Back end of a towing Winch after a string of crashes. The pole Sitter atop the fastest Indianapolis 500 Field went Down on the Parade Lap. Ten former champions began the race and half of them had exited before the Midway Point including two in the same pileup. Traffic at methodist Hospital was almost As heavy and celebrity studded As it was at the Speedway a 10-minute ambulance ride away. Al Unser or. Won the slowest race in More than three decades the closest Ever and without doubt the most bizarre. But it turned out to be everything he dreamed it would be. And More. Quot the indy 500 just Means life to me a Little Al still baby faced at the age of 30, said. A a in be been trying to do this since i was a Little  for the longest stretch sunday it looked like he would be trying again next year. This town likes to Call itself the a Crossroads of America a and when Dawn broke Gray and foreboding its most famous Road was undeniably Star crossed. And As the race unfolded there was nothing to indicate that Little alas quest was any More blessed than those of the Lozen or so other Drivers who found themselves spectators by Early afternoon. Yet by the time Unser pulled his red White and Blue Chevy onto that Check ered ribbon of Concrete that his family regards almost As holy ground it became Clear that Fate had determined no one else should. Little alas great Uncle Joe died preparing a car for this race in 1934, and another Uncle Jerry jr., was killed Here in 1959. Besides the four victories that his father claimed another Uncle Bobby had three. And then there was the race in 1989 when Little Al locked wheels at 220 Mph with Emerson Fittipaldi less than two laps from the finish. And the dream that was his Touchstone As a boy exploded in As Many pieces As his race car had against the Concrete retaining Wall of turn 4. Skid and Impact Marks at turn 1 at the Indianapolis motor Speedway Mark the Sites of some of sundays 10  despite that crushing disappointment Little Al kept picturing himself winning this race. But the details got considerably murkier. A i did t know a he said afterwards what kind of race it would  neither did anyone else though there was a hint when Roberto Guerrero who went faster in qualifying than anybody Ever had 232.482 Mph lid off the pole and out of the race a on the Parade Lap. In relatively Quick succession followed four time Champion Rick Mears 1989 Champion Fittipaldi and Jim Crawford a in the same crash a a and then 1969 Champion Mario Andretti and then 1990 Champion Arie Luyendyk. And after All that after everybody a everybody thought nothing nothing a could happen to Stop Michael Andretti something did. For 189 laps he went where he wanted As fast As he wanted driving so hard despite a huge Lead that it seemed he was trying to outrun the troubles that were being detailed Over his car radio. First he heard that his father had crashed. Then he heard that his brother had crashed. And then he heard perhaps the worst news the howling 800-horse Power Ford co Worth engine positioned directly behind him a just shut off when it lost fuel pressure. A i just can to believe it. This place is just so cruel. Everything was so perfect. It was to a Point a Michael said a where i could almost have walked it  almost but not quite. Little Al almost a half minute behind at that juncture had just about relegated his dream to just that for one More year. His focus was on his rear View Mirror where Scott Goodyear a Little heralded racer from an underfunded team began looming larger and larger. A was far As winning it i did no to think about that until i saw Michael sitting in the North Chute. And in that instant a Unser or. Said a i was thinking about Scott Goodyear passing  that Battle had been going on for nearly 40 laps at that Point but it became More than a Consolation Hunt when the Green Flag came Back out again on Lap 194. Round and round they went diving through the Corners sometimes separated by As Many As six car lengths sometimes in a single Long blur separated by As few As one. On the final turn of the final Lap for the first time since the Green Flag came Down five laps earlier the car suddenly Felt Loose and Unser lifted his pedal foot from the floor for the first time. A when i came off 4, he was in All my mirrors and i was trying to make that race car As wide As i could make it a he recalled. A but there was so much room out there there was nothing i could do about it. A so i just got on it a Little Al said a and figured the Best Man would  and As it turned out on this Day no other Man could. A victorious Al Unser or. First 2nd-gencration Winner Jeff Andretti fair Indianapolis up a Jeff Andretti the most seriously injured Driver in the crash filled 76th Indianapolis 500, was in fair condition monday at methodist Hospital. Indianapolis motor Speedway officials reported Andretti had 5vi hours of surgery late sunday to repair fractures to his lower legs Ankles and feet. Mario Andretti Jeffs father and Jim Vasser also had surgery for leg injuries. Jeff Andretti 28, Nazareth pa., slammed into the turn 2 Wall on Lap 109 when the right rear wheel cover on his 1991 Lola Chevrolet broke dislodging the tire. He finished 18th. He remained in the methodist critical care unit monday awake and Alert. A Long recuperation is expected. Mario Andretti and Vasser were in Good condition monday and Are expected to be released later this week. St. James tops Rookie starters by Beth Harris Indianapolis apr Lyn St. James kept a Cool head in the coldest Indianapolis 500 Ever icing the Best finish by a Rookie and melting doubts about her ability. The oldest Rookie finished 11th on sunday completing 193 of the 200 laps. St. James 1991 Lola was one of Only 12 cars running at the Check ered Flag of the 76th indy. She weaved her Way through 10 crashes by 13 cars. The 45-year-old St. James impressively held her own against four time Champion . Foyt As both Drivers ran evenly late in the race. He finished one place ahead of St. James in his 35th consecutive race. A i Wasny to trying to prove anything a she said. A people Are going to think what they re going to  St. James made herself a threat for the Rookie of the year Honor. A bit of Luck a Good for her bad for the other six rookies a left her As the top finisher. Brian Bonner Jimmy Vasser and Philippe Gache crashed Paul Tracy a engine failed and blown engines ended the Day for Ted Prappas and Eric Bachelard. Car owner Dick Simon believes St. James deserves the Rookie Honor. A if they done to make Lyn Rookie of the year then there a something crazy in somebody a mind a he said. A a it a not easy being a Rookie when everything around you is happening and you be got people lapping you a chief Engineer David Cripps said. A i think Michael Andretti was doing 229s out there. That a pretty fast when you re maybe Only doing 213s  St. James had the second highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis Speedway. She was two places from tying Janet Guthrie a ninth place finish in 1978. A a Ash what a great feeling. The car was absolutely perfect All Day a she said shouting above the Roar of a standing ovation and fans chanting a Blyn Lyn a i thought Lyn did a magnificent Job a Simon said. A Tihe watched the temperatures on the car to keep the engine warm and she kept the tires hot by zigzagging. She did no to forget very