Andretti Is in a Familiar Location at Long Beach--Out in Front

Mario Andretti, more than anyone except perhaps founder-promoter Chris Pook, has been responsible for the success of the Long Beach Grand Prix.

In 1977, when the race was foundering in its second year with Formula One, Andretti gave it a boost by overtaking world champion Jody Scheckter three laps from the end to win what was then called the U. S. Grand Prix West.

“This was the greatest win of my career,” Andretti said at the time, rating it ahead of his Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500 triumphs.

The next season, Andretti won the world championship, and the charisma surrounding his win created a Formula One fever that brought 80,000 fans to the Toyota-sponsored street race.

“Without Mario, and what his win here and in the world championship did, I doubt if we would have survived,” said Pook, the former travel agent from England who created the race to attract attention to his adopted city.

Now, Andretti is threatening to the make the race his private province.

Last year, with Indy cars having replaced Formula One, Andretti won the pole and never looked back once the race started. He finished nearly a lap ahead of Geoff Brabham.

Today, he will be back on the pole again when the 150-mile race begins at 2 p.m. on the 1.67-mile circuit that Pook has created alongside Shoreline Village and the downtown marina.

Andretti broke his own day-old qualifying record Saturday with a lap at 92.190 m.p.h. in the red Paul Newman-Carl Haas-owned Lola. A crowd announced at 47,000 watched the final day of qualifying on a warm and windless day that kept speeds slightly slower than anticipated.

“The course was a little greasy in the afternoon because of some spilled oil and the heat,” Andretti said. “I ran a little quicker in practice this morning.”

Bobby Rahal, in Jim Trueman’s March, will start alongside Andretti. Despite hitting the wall and damaging his suspension, Rahal managed to come back and post a 91.876 lap.

This prevented an all-Lola front row as it dropped Al Unser Jr. back to third position. Little Al qualified at 91.390 in Doug Shierson’s Lola.

The first eight drivers bettered Andretti’s 1984 record of 90.729 m.p.h.

The pole was Andretti’s eighth in a row for Indy car road races, dating back to last year at Long Beach. It was also his 51st Indy car pole, putting him two behind all-time leader A. J. Foyt.

“I don’t expect any runaway like last year,” Andretti said. “I’m driving as hard as I can and it’s very close. The name of the game is to go quick and keep the pieces together for 90 laps. That’s a very tough assignment.”

One of the reasons given for the switch from Formula One to Indy cars was that the names of American drivers would be more familiar to the paying public than the foreign names who dominated Grand Prix racing.

So what has happened? Five of the first eight qualifiers are foreigners--Geoff Brabham of Australia, Emerson Fittipaldi of Brazil, Bruno Giacomelli of Italy, Jacques Villeneuve of Canada and Roberto Guerrero of Colombia--all drawn to the United States by the increased number of Indy car road races.

Technically, the number could be six as Andretti is a naturalized American who was born in Trieste, Italy.

Six more foreigners are in the 28-driver field. They are Jim Crawford of England, Josele Garza of Mexico, Arie Luyendyk of Holland, Dennis Firestone of Australia, Raul Boesel of Brazil and Michael Roe of Ireland.

The ill fortune that has plagued Danny Ongais in recent years continued as the Interscope driver hit the wall and then had his car heavily damaged when hit by Boesel while it was awaiting a tow. It prevented Ongais from making the field. Boesel’s car was also knocked out of the race, but because the young Brazilian had a qualifying time he was permitted to switch to teammate Dick Simon’s car. Simon, 51, the oldest CART driver, had failed to qualify.

LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX

THE STARTING FIELD

POS. DRIVER HOMETOWN CAR-ENGINE OR COUNTRY 1. Mario Andretti Nazareth, Pa. Lola-Cosworth 2. Bobby Rahal Dublin, Ohio March-Cosworth 3. Al Unser Jr. Albuquerque, N.M. Lola-Cosworth 4. Geoff Brabham San Clemente March-Cosworth 5. Emerson Fittipaldi Brazil March-Cosworth 6. Bruno Giacomelli Italy March-Cosworth 7. Jacques Villeneuve Canada March-Cosworth 8. Roberto Guerrero Colombia March-Cosworth 9. Danny Sullivan Louisville, Ky. March-Cosworth 10. Jim Crawford Britain Lola-Cosworth 11. Michael Andretti Nazareth, Pa. March-Cosworth 12. Al Unser Albuquerque, N.M. March-Cosworth 13. Josele Garza Mexico March-Cosworth 14. Tom Sneva Paradise Valley, Ariz. Eagle-Cosworth 15. Arie Luyendyk Netherlands March-Cosworth 16. Howdy Holmes Ann Arbor, Mich. Lola-Cosworth 17. Bill Whittington Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Lola-Cosworth 18. Ed Pimm Dublin, Ohio Eagle-Cosworth 19. Kevin Cogan Redondo Beach March-Cosworth 20. Johnny Rutherford Fort Worth March-Cosworth 21. Randy Lanier Davie, Fla. Lola-Cosworth 22. Dennis Firestone Gardena March-Cosworth 23. Scott Brayton Coldwater, Mich. March-Buick 24. Raul Boesel Brazil March-Cosworth 25. Dick Ferguson Glendale Lola-Cosworth 26. Pancho Carter Brownsburg, Ind. March-Buick 27. Rocky Moran Arcadia March-Cosworth 28. Michael Roe Ireland Lola-Cosworth

POS. DRIVER QUALIFYING M.P.H. 1. Mario Andretti 91.876 2. Bobby Rahal 91.876 3. Al Unser Jr. 91.390 4. Geoff Brabham 91.297 5. Emerson Fittipaldi 91.161 6. Bruno Giacomelli 90.893 7. Jacques Villeneuve 90.851 8. Roberto Guerrero 90.766 9. Danny Sullivan 90.578 10. Jim Crawford 90.353 11. Michael Andretti 90.024 12. Al Unser 88.842 13. Josele Garza 88.535 14. Tom Sneva 88.464 15. Arie Luyendyk 88.403 16. Howdy Holmes 88.331 17. Bill Whittington 88.312 18. Ed Pimm 87.722 19. Kevin Cogan 87.636 20. Johnny Rutherford 87.380 21. Randy Lanier 86.969 22. Dennis Firestone 86.801 23. Scott Brayton 86.717 24. Raul Boesel no time 25. Dick Ferguson promoter’s option 26. Pancho Carter promoter’s option 27. Rocky Moran promoter’s option 28. Michael Roe promoter’s option

Andretti broke the previous Long Beach Grand Prix qualifying record of 91.443 that he set in Friday’s trials).

Boesel qualified at 87.971 m.p.h. but withdrew that car after crashing and will start at the back of the qualified cars in another car.