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By MARK PATTERSON
Battalion Sports Staff
With beer being guzzled as fast as
fuelj the Coors 200 will kick off
Sunijay afternoon at Texas World
Speedway, led by local favorite A.J.
Foyt.
Foyt, winner of the last three
races held at the speedway, is com
ing off of a double win in his last
outing. Competing at Ontario
Motor Speedway in Ontario, Calif.,
two weeks ago, the Houston native
■both the stock car and Indy car
divisions. With the two victories, he
becan e the point leader in USAC
competition this year.
The drivers will compete for 400
USAC points in their last race be
fore pe Indianapolis 500. Last sea
son Foyt captured the Texas Grand
Prixjand the Texan 250 at Texas
World Speedway.
In his last appearance at TWS,
Foyt won the Aggieland 250 held
March 11. Foyt won a protested
victory over Freddie Fryar of
Beaumont.
Driving stock cars, Fryar at
tempted to file a protest claiming
thatjFoyt took a pit stop under the
th
yellpw caution flag and then re
turned to the track ahead of Fryar.
USAC officials refused to hear the
protest and Foyt was awarded the
victory.
In last year’s Coors 200, the first
held at TWS, pole sitter Danny On-
gaisfcame from behind to take the
win.l Mario Andretti jumped off to
an early lead but was overtaken by
Foyt on the fourth lap. Gordon
Johnjcock took the lead from Foyton
Ififth and held it through the
19th| when Andretti forged to the
fronl again.
Foyt dropped out of the race on
thBSth lap and Andretti, Johncock
landpngais battled for the lead. On-
gais edged ahead on the 46th lap
and held on for the victory.
Tom Bigelow will be driving for
the second time at TWS. In
Bigelow’s first appearence, in last
yeans Coors 200, the Wisconsin na
tive finished 12th, completing 90 of
the 100 laps on the two-mile oval.
Bigelow is one of the many drivers
making the transition from stock
cars to Indy-type cars for Sunday’s
race.
“It usually takes me about four or
five laps to refamiliarize myself with
this type of car, ” Bigelow said about
the transition for Sunday s race from
stock to Indy cars. “You need to get
your mind going in the right direc
tion.
“All I’ll try to do is stay up with
the leaders the first few laps. That
way if there is a bad pit stop, or
something goes wrong with the
leader, you’re right in it.”
Mike Connor, Speedway vice-
president, tabs Foyt as this year’s
favorite.
“The Speedway is in his bac
kyard,” Conner said about Foyt.
“The Indy cars have run one race
this year and A.J. won that one.
“But he didn’t blow the other
drivers out. He sat on the pole posi
tion at the start but entered the first
turn seventh. Gary Bettenhausen
led the first 25 laps but cut a tire.
Foyt went on to win but it wasn’t an
easy victory for A.J.”
Missing from this year’s line-up
are the top three finishers last year:
Ongais, Tom Sneva and Gordon
Johncock. All have chosen to pass
up TWS. Connor says he doesn’t
mind a bit that Johncock choose to
stay home.
“I could care less if Johncock ever
comes back,’’ Connor said. “He
choose the race here last August
(Texas Grand Prix) to stage a protest
of the 4-cylinder engine.
“He got upset when he found out
that he had to qualify for the race
before he could run in it. So he went
out and qualified at 78 m.p.h. And
that was for an Indy car race.”
Though the speeds at TWS usu
ally reach a little higher than
Johncock’s 78 m.p.h., the speeds of
this year’s Coors 200 will be lower
than last year’s. USAC has imposed
rules that limit the speed of the cars
and switched the emphasis to the
driver’s ability.
“USAC has imposed new boost
restrictions (manifold pressure) on
the cars,” Connor said. “It’s a good
rule and the effects will be seen in
this weekend’s race.
“It was done for three reasons.
First, for safety. The speeds will be
lowered because of the changes.
Second, it will equalize the compe
tition. There will be more new driv
ers on the scene. And third, it’s
more economical. Drivers won’t
need big-money backers in order to
compete.’’
The changes were shown at On
tario where Foyt won the pole posi
tion, qualifying at 188 m.p.h. Last
year, Tom Sneva qualified for the
pole at Ontario at 202 m.p.h.
“The speeds will be down and the
drivers won’t be able to just point
their cars,” Connor said. “Few
people can comprehend that these
cars travel 100 yards, the length of a
football field, in one second. With
the restrictions and the lowered
speeds, the driver has time to make
a decision on when to pass and when
not to.
“You’re not going to see two guys
jump out ahead and run away with
this year’s race. There will definitely
be more competition than last
year.”
Time trials for Sunday’s race are
scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m.
Saturday.
Also on this weekend’s race card
are the mini-indy cars. The small
cars will hold their race preceding
the running of the Coors 200. The
mini-indy cars are scheduled to
begin qualifying runs Sunday at 9:30
SPORTS CAR CLUB
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