IRL: Indy 500: Stewart dominates practice

STEWART DOMINATES THIRD DAY OF PRACTICE

INDIANAPOLIS, May 12, 1998 - Tony Stewart continued to serve notice that he is the favorite for the pole for the 82nd Indianapolis 500, turning a fast lap of 223.691 mph - more than 2 mph faster than his nearest competitor -- to lead practice for the second consecutive day.

Defending Pep Boys Indy Racing League champion Stewart recorded his fastest lap in the Glidden-Menards Special Dallara/Aurora/Firestone during the last 10 minutes of the seven-hour practice. His best lap Monday was 223.703.

Pole Day is May 16 and Bump Day May 17 in the new, shortened qualifying format. The Indianapolis 500 is May 24.

"I don't care if we run 200 mph," Stewart said. "I just care if we get the pole. Then I'll be happy. For some strange reason, (A.J.) Foyt always seems to pull about three-tenths (of a second) out of his hat for qualifying, so we'll see."

Foyt's two drivers were in the top five for the second consecutive day. Kenny Brack was second fastest at 221.593 in the A.J. Foyt-Power Team Racing Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear. Billy Boat was fourth fastest at 220.060 in the Conseco A.J. Foyt Racing Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear. Scott Sharp was third at 220.092 in the Delphi Automotive Systems Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear.

Rookie Danny Drinan was unhurt when his D.B. Mann Development Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear did a half-spin in Turn 1 and hit the outside retaining wall with the left rear and left side of the car. Drinan was evaluated and released by Dr. Henry Bock, Speedway medical director.

Veteran Danny Ongais will not be cleared to drive in the race due to a slight concussion suffered in an accident Monday, Bock said. Ongais was released from Methodist Hospital on Tuesday. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Gordon Johncock was honored as part of the Speedway's Parade of Champions. He drove his STP Oil Treatment Wildcat for two laps around the track as part of his salute. Three-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford will be honored Wednesday.

Practice continues at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Daily Practice Report 5/12/98 (18:00) Race Starts at 11AM Central

 S E S S I O N  E V E N T  
SR  Car  Driver  C/E/T  Laps  Time  Speed  When  Laps  Time  Speed  Date  
1  1  Stewart, Tony  D/A/F  17  40.234  223.691  17:46  54  40.232  223.703 5/11/98  
2  14T  Brack, Kenny  D/A/G  15  40.615  221.593  14:14  15  40.615  221.593 5/12/98  
3  8  Sharp, Scott  D/A/G  40  40.892  220.092  15:25  89  40.521  222.107 5/11/98  
4  11  Boat, Billy  D/A/G  28  40.898  220.060  15:29  28  40.898  220.060 5/12/98  
5  97  Ray, Greg  D/A/F  29  40.918  219.952  15:01  29  40.918  219.952 5/12/98  
6  11T  Boat, Billy  D/A/G  24  40.929  219.893  17:14  41  40.539  222.008 5/11/98  
7  28T  Dismore, Mark  D/A/G  27  41.098  218.989  12:27  45  41.075 219.111  5/11/98  
8  28  Dismore, Mark  D/A/G  38  41.105  218.951  17:52  108  41.105 218.951  5/12/98  
9  35T  Ward, Jeff  G/A/G  41  41.144  218.744  17:49  58  41.144  218.744 5/12/98  
10  1T  Stewart, Tony  G/A/F  17  41.216  218.362  16:12  60  41.216 218.362  5/12/98  
11  4  Goodyear, Scott  G/A/G  69  41.225  218.314  16:38  160  40.797 220.604  5/11/98  
12  5T  Luyendyk, Arie  G/A/F  70  41.225  218.314  17:51  110  41.057 219.207  5/10/98  
13  3  Buhl, Robbie  D/A/F  40  41.263  218.113  13:27  101  40.838  220.383 5/11/98  
14  7T  Kite, Jimmy  D/A/G  29  41.351  217.649  17:43  70  41.140  218.765 5/10/98  
15  16  Greco, Marco  G/A/F  47  41.391  217.439  16:47  146  41.391 217.439  5/12/98  
16  51  Cheever Jr, Eddie  D/A/G  33  41.420  217.286  14:24  102  40.748 220.870  5/11/98  
17  15T  Salazar, Eliseo  R/A/G  22  41.435  217.208  14:15  108  41.351 217.649  5/11/98  
18  6  Hamilton, Davey  G/A/G  55  41.539  216.664  17:38  140  41.342 217.696  5/11/98  
19  24  Drinan, Dan  D/A/G  34  41.587  216.414  17:11  83  41.587  216.414 5/12/98  
20  52  Unser, Robb1e  D/A/G  44  41.629  216.195  16:51  112  41.629 216.195  5/12/98  
21  77  Gregoire, Stephan  G/A/G  38  41.676  215.952  11:08  102  41.405 217.365  5/11/98  
22  30  Boesel, Raul  G/A/G  54  41.694  215.858  17:11  107  41.564 216.534  5/11/98  
23  12  Calkins, Buzz  G/A/G  48  41.708  215.786  17:51  70  41.637 216.154  5/11/98  
24  44  Yeley, J. J.  D/A/F  33  41.714  215.755  17:18  137  41.538 216.669  5/11/98  
25  10  Groff, Mike  G/A/F  37  41.754  215.548  17:51  37  41.754  215.548 5/12/98  
26  3T  Buhl, Robbie  G/A/F  11  41.793  215.347  16:11  18  41.793  215.347 5/12/98  
27  21T  Guerrero, Roberto  D/A/G  37  41.812  215.249  14:52  37  41.812 215.249  5/12/98  
28  91T  Lazier, Buddy  D/A/G  26  41.837  215.121  16:54  26  41.837 215.121  5/12/98  
29  98  Beechler, Donnie  G/A/F  47  41.873  214.936  16:50  136  41.873 214.936  5/12/98  
30  35T  Knapp, Steve  G/A/G  5  41.883  214.884  15:36  53  41.508  216.826 5/11/98  
31  35  Ward, Jeff  G/A/G  30  42.002  214.276  14:08  42  42.002  214.276 5/12/98  
32  33T  Roe, Billy  D/A/G  21  42.037  214.097  17:50  46  42.037  214.097 5/12/98  
33  40  Miller, Jack  D/I/F  7  42.049  214.036  11:38  54  42.002  214.276 5/11/98  
34  19  Wattles, Stan  R/A/G  43  42.558  211.476  15:23  118  42.387 212.329  5/11/98  
35  10T  Groff, Mike  G/A/F  18  42.579  211.372  11:35  78  42.422  212.154 5/11/98  
36  17  Michner, Andy  D/A/G  38  42.721  210.669  17:12  40  42.721 210.669  5/12/98  
37  12T  Calkins, Buzz  G/A/G  16  42.966  209.468  13:17  79  42.399 212.269  5/11/98  
38  90  St James, Lyn  G/I/G  28  43.250  208.092  17:05  43  43.250 208.092  5/12/98  
39  27  Bourbonnais, Claude  D/A/F  20  43.590  206.469  17:40  30  43.590 206.469  5/12/98  
40  66  Harrington, Scott  D/A/F  21  44.678  201.441  15:22  30  44.678 201.441  5/12/98  
41  20  Gosek, Joe  D/A/G  25  45.549  197.589  14:23  25  45.549  197.589 5/12/98  
42  23  Durant, Paul  G/A/G  15  50.802  177.158  11:11  20  50.802  177.158 5/12/98  
43  33  Roe, Billy  D/A/G  3  70.880  126.975  11:11  38  41.957  214.505 5/11/98  
44  21  Guerrero, Roberto  D/A/G  2  92.559  97.235  17:46  149  41.152 218.701  5/11/98  
45  14  Brack, Kenny  D/A/G  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  20  40.526  222.080 5/11/98  
46  99  Schmidt, Sam  D/A/F  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  68  40.616  221.588 5/11/98  
47  28  Dismore, Mark  D/A/G  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  17  41.075  219.111 5/11/98  
48  53  Guthrie, Jim  G/A/G  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  44  41.106  218.946 5/11/98  
49  6T  Hamilton, Davey  G/A/G  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  10  41.699  215.833 5/11/98  
50  81  Ongais, Danny  D/A/F  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  28  41.707  215.791 5/11/98  
51  91  Lazier, Buddy  D/A/G  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  35  41.784  215.393 5/11/98  
52  8T  Sharp, Scott  D/A/G  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  8  41.810  215.260 5/11/98  
53  5  Luyendyk, Arie  G/A/F  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  26  41.895  214.823 5/11/98  
54  20  Carlson, Tyce  D/A/G  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  37  42.091  213.822 5/11/98  
55  30T  Boesel, Raul  G/I/G  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  10  42.616  211.188 5/10/98  
56  32  Buhl, Robbie  D/A/F  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  10  43.152  208.565 5/11/98  
57  10  Groff, Robbie  G/A/F  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  10  44.838  200.723 5/11/98  
58  18  Hewitt, Jack  G/A/G  0  0.000  0.000  0:00  27  45.441  198.059 5/10/98  
  Total  1342    3524  

Legend: SR=Speed Rank, C=Chassis, E=Engine, T=Tire Chassis: D=Dallara, G=G Force, R=Riley & Scott Engine: A=Aurora by Oldsmobile, I=Infiniti Indy V8 Tire: F=Firestone, G=Goodyear

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