Indianapolis 500 Qualifying : Crawford In; One Spot Still Open

Four qualifiers, led by Scotsman Jim Crawford at 208.911 m.p.h., moved into the tentative starting lineup for the Indianapolis 500-mile race Saturday, leaving one spot open for the May 25 race.

Also completing four-lap, 10-mile qualification runs Saturday were Johnny Parsons, Rich Vogler and a nervous Dick Simon, whose average of 204.978 was the slowest of the 32 in the field so far, leaving him potentially the first or second to be bumped once the tentative 33-car lineup is filled.

The National Weather Service had forecast a 60% chance of rain Saturday, but the weather remained clear. However, an 80% chance of showers was predicted for today, the last of four days of time trials for the 70th Indy.

Once the field is completed, a rainstorm could work to the benefit of Simon, 52, trying to become the oldest driver ever to start the 500.

If rain washes out qualifying after the field is full, those already qualified will start the race, but if positions remain open at the official close of time trials--4 p.m. PDT today--another round of qualifying will be held on the next clear day.

Crawford made it into the tentative lineup after two aborted tries in Saturday’s session.

He drove his Buick-powered March onto the 2 1/2-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval shortly after the track opened for qualifying, turning a fast lap of 213.129 before a piece in his turbocharger shattered and spewed pieces of metal into the engine.

“The crew did a heck of a job,” Crawford said. “Within 2 1/2 hours, we were back on the track. I can’t thank them enough.”

Later in the session Crawford moved back onto the track and started to get up to speed when a hose broke, forcing him back to the pits for repairs without taking the green flag for another try.

“That was a 10-cent hose and it gave me a $1,000 scare,” Crawford said.

Crawford, who had two laps over 209 and two over 208 in his successful qualifying run, finished 16th at Indy last year as a rookie. He got his ride here this year when John Paul Jr., who started the month in the car, was sentenced to five years in prison on racketeering charges.