Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 28, 1994 TAG: 9408180043
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Rick Mast, driving a Hoosier-equipped Ford, was quickest on both days of the test. And on Wednesday, he ripped off what appeared to be the fastest unofficial lap in pre-400 testing.
In full qualifying trim, but in the heat of the afternoon at 2 p.m., Mast circled the track in 52.25 seconds, or 172.248 miles per hour, said a source at the test.
Ernie Irvan, a Goodyear driver, had the previous-best unofficial test lap at 52.28 seconds, or 172.149 mph.
Mast's best speed Tuesday was 171.429 mph.
Hoosier's apparent edge reportedly prompted at least one Goodyear regular to bolt on a set of Hoosiers and try them during the test Wednesday.
And veteran A.J. Foyt, coming out of his retirement to race in the 400, reportedly was four-tenths of the second quicker per lap when he switched from Goodyear to Hoosier.
Both Bill Elliott, a Goodyear driver, and Greg Sacks, a Hoosier driver, had laps of 168.811 mph in their Fords Wednesday, but Elliott was said to be in qualifying trim while Sacks wasn't.
The fact that Mast did his fastest practice lap in the heat of the day is prompting speculation that the pole winner for the Aug.6 race will exceed 173 mph, which is less than 52 seconds per lap.
ENTRY LIST RELEASED: Eighty drivers and 83 Winston Cup cars will battle it out for 44 starting positions in the inaugural Brickyard 400 on Aug. 6 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The speedway released a tentative entry list Wednesday that includes two Indy 500 winners, eight Daytona 500 winners and former champions from 14 different American racing series.
A.J. Foyt Jr., four-time winner of the Indy 500 and a past Daytona 500 champ, is the most illustrious name among the non-regulars on the entry list. Foyt is entered in the No. 50 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Ford.
Danny Sullivan, the 1985 Indy 500 champ, also is entered, along with Indy 500 veterans Stan Fox, Gary Bettenhausen, Davy Jones, Geoff Brabham and John Andretti.
The oldest entrant is 66-year-old Hershel McGriff, the Winston West veteran who raced in the first Southern 500 in 1950. Winston Cup regular Jeff Gordon is the youngest at 23.
Besides McGriff,13 other Winston West drivers have also entered the 400, most notably Scott Gaylord, Mike Chase, P.J. Jones and Ron Hornaday.
Other entrants include Delma Cowart, Kerry Teague, Randy LaJoie, Bob Brevak, H.B. Bailey, Bobby Hillin, Billy Standridge, James Hylton, Jeff Purvis, Brad Teague, Robert Pressley, Bob Schacht, Andy Belmont, Jim Sauter, Rick Carelli, Jerry O'Neil, Doug French, Charlie Glotzbach and Norm Benning.
Three cars were entered without drivers: the No.39 Roulo Brothers Racing Chevy, the No.62 Henley Gray Ford and the No.95 Sadler Ford.
TV TALK: ABC, which televises the Indy 500, won the right to telecast the first Brickyard 400, which will go on the air at 1 p.m. Aug.6.
But it may sound more like an ESPN telecast, since veteran ESPN motorsport commentators Bob Jenkins and Benny Parsons will be the men behind the microphones. Jenkins, who anchors the Indy 500 radio broadcast, will provide the play-by-play of the 400, and Parsons will serve as analyst.
Paul Page, the anchor of ABC's Indy 500 telecast, will serve as host of the 400 telecast. Mike Joy, who anchors TNN's Winston Cup telecasts, will handle play-by-play on the 400-station Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network broadcast, with Ned Jarrett serving as analyst.
POWERFUL PROTEST: When KTVK, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix, a NASCAR city, decided recently to not broadcast the Brickyard 400, racing fans went nuts, bombarding the station with calls of protest.
On Monday night the station relented, literally waving checkered flags of surrender on its evening sportscast as it announced that it would air the race.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB