ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, May 27, 1996 TAG: 9605280145
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
DATELINE: INDIANAPOLIS
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
NAYSAYERS predicted doom and destruction for Sunday's race, but it just didn't happen.
The surprise was what didn't happen to the rookies in the Indianapolis 500.
``It was cleaner than usual. I mean all that was BS, that there would be all kinds of crashes around the first couple of laps. That wasn't the case,'' said Buzz Calkins.
Calkins, like most of his rookie colleagues, was sent to the pits by mechanical problems. Of the serious crashes, the only one involving a rookie was when Scott Harrington tangled with Lyn St. James. Neither driver was seriously hurt.
``I couldn't tell the difference between a rookie and a veteran out there,'' said Joe Gosek. ``I didn't see any stupid moves out there like a rookie might do.''
Gosek might not be in the best position to judge how rookies might compare to veterans behind the wheel of an Indy car. Sunday's 80th 500 was his first race in the type.
There were 17 drivers who were making their debut in the Indianapolis 500, beneficiaries of the split between the rival Indy leagues. Two others besides Gosek were making their very first races in Indy cars. Any youthful zeal was tempered by the realization that mistakes at the Speedway are costly, occasionally deadly.
Prior to the race, there were all sorts of predictions of doom, destruction and devastation. Images of rookies careening into the whitewashed Speedway walls sprung to mind.
Fermin Velez kept that in mind.
``I was taking it real easy. I didn't want to take any chances. I was letting the fast cars go by,'' Velez said.
Racin Gardner did have an unfortunate meeting with the wall, but said it was a problem with the car that didn't want to turn when he wanted, something drivers call a push.
``At least I kept it straight, didn't take anybody else out,'' Gardner said.
Johnny Parsons, a veteran Indy racer returning after a decade on the sidelines, complimented the youngsters.
``The new guys are doing great in traffic,'' Parsons said minutes after his own car gave out. ``I give them a lot of credit. They really kept their noses clean. They should be proud of themselves.''
Richie Hearn, the highest finishing rookie who wheeled home in third, said it was like going to school, except that the bus was traveling 200 mph.
``It took me a few laps, probably about 50 laps, to figure it out,'' Hearn said.
Enthusiasm and inexperience may have cost Hearn dearly. He stalled his car a couple of times after pit stops.
``I just had to figure it out,'' Hearn said. ``Next time I come here, I'll do better.''
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP Buddy Lazier celebrates his Indy 500 win with theby CNBtraditional bottle of milk and his fiancee Kara Flinn. KEYWORDS: AUTO RACING