Speeds can be deceiving heading into Pole Day
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS -- Who is really fast heading into qualifications for the Indianapolis 500? Sometimes those big numbers are misleading.

Scott Sharp's 223.936 mph was listed as the fastest lap since practice for the May 28 race opened last Saturday. The question, though, is how much help did Sharp get from other cars circling the 2½-mile oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

"With all the cars out there during practice, the air is getting stirred up pretty good," Sharp explained. "That creates quite a bit of draft, and your car can really get a big tow."

Eddie Cheever, the 1998 Indy winner, said the tow from other cars can mean as much as 3 mph.

"It's worse now than it's ever been," Cheever said, pointing to the wider cockpits and new wings on the developing Indy Racing League cars as the reason for the change. "I can't even tell you exactly why it's happening, but it is.

"The other day, I was way behind somebody -- maybe 300 yards or more. I couldn't even tell what color the car was. All of a sudden, my engine picked up 150 rpms, just like that. I couldn't believe it."

Jimmy Vasser, who has been part of CART's boycott of the IRL's big race since 1996, says little has changed since he last raced at the Brickyard in 1995.

"It's still hard to tell from the numbers who's got what," said Vasser, who returned to the speedway this month with Chip Ganassi's team -- a winner of the last four CART championships. "You're not even sure if your own times are real because you can't see how much of a draft you're in out there."

The answers will come on Saturday -- the first of two days of time trials. The fastest cars will vie for the pole and the other top positions in the 33-car race-day field.

In the unique qualifying format at Indy, Sunday's time trials will fill the remainder of the lineup and allow some of the remaining entries an opportunity to bump out the slowest qualified cars.

Cars qualify at Indy with the average speed from a four-lap, 10-mile run.

"That's when all the bull stops," Cheever said. "In qualifying, you're out there by yourself for four laps and you've got nobody to help you and no place to hide."

Rick Mears, a four-time race winner who also won a record six Indy 500 poles, was honored Wednesday as one of the legends of the speedway. It was also the first time back at the track since 1995 for Mears, retired as a driver since 1992 and working as a consultant for car owner Roger Penske.

Asked what he best remembers about qualifying at Indy, Mears smiled.

"I never believed I could hold my breath for four laps on a 2½-mile oval, but I did every time I went out there," he said.

Rain cut into practice time earlier this week, and Thursday's session began with a threat of more wet weather as well as strong winds that made the track treacherous.

But the rain was only intermittent and the action on the track was heavy, with 38 cars making laps.

Ganassi teammates Vasser and Juan Montoya, the defending CART champion, led the way with laps of 221.681 and 221.555, respectively. Robby McGehee was next at 220.964, followed by Mark Dismore at 220.896, Sharp at 219.921, Jimmy Kite at 219.810, Cheever at 219.670 and 1996 race winner Buddy Lazier at 218.913.

Search for on espn.comthe web

Copyright ©2000 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Click here for a list of employment opportunities at ESPN.com.