Long Beach Grand Prix Qualifying : Andretti Sets Fast Pace at 90.931 M.P.H.

The Andretti mystique continues to hold in Long Beach.

Driving a Newman-Haas Lola powered by a new Ilmor Chevrolet engine, Mario Andretti turned the 1.67-mile road course at 90.931 m.p.h. Friday, setting the pace for qualifiers for Sunday’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

The speed was nearly two full miles an hour faster than defending national champion Bobby Rahal’s 88.986 in a Cosworth-powered Lola.

In three previous races sanctioned by Championship Auto Racing Teams at Long Beach, Mario has won two and his son, Michael, won last year. Before the Indy cars came to the beach, Mario won a Formula One race in 1977 and Michael won a Super Vee race in 1983.

“I don’t know what it is about this place,” said the 47-year-old Mario after being accused of taking a shortcut around the picturesque track. “I’ve always liked it at Long Beach, but I’m really surprised at how much edge we had today.

“Things will change tomorrow when more rubber gets down on the track. I know the times will come down considerably.”

A second qualifying period is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. today. The fastest 24 cars from the two sessions will make up the starting field. Only 23 cars took laps Friday, so everyone at the track may start.

Michael Andretti managed only an 88.307-m.p.h. lap and is in sixth position.

“In the morning, we weren’t quick in the corners and we weren’t quick on the straights,” a disappointed Michael said. “In the afternoon, we were getting around the course better each time. I got messed up by a car coming out of the pits on my hot lap. It may have cost me two-tenths of a second.”

For the first time since the Cosworth Ford engine replaced the Offenhauser as Indy car racing’s No. 1 power plant in the 1970s, there were three different makes of engines in the four fastest cars.

Mario and Kevin Cogan, third at 88.985, had Ilmor Chevies. Rahal had a Cosworth and Geoff Brabham, fourth at 88.675, had a Honda built by car owner Rick Galles from a Formula 2000 engine.

“The Chevrolet is a newer engine, with a little more modern technology, so it should be a little more efficient,” Mario said. “I like the Chevy better from every standpoint. Its power curve makes it much easier to drive. In wet conditions we will have a big advantage. It’s just a better rounded package.

“However, it doesn’t have the proven quality of the Cosworth, which has been so capable for so long. I think this is interesting, from a technical aspect, to see new equipment coming forth. It’s good for the sport, having the Chevy and the Honda and, maybe someday soon, the Porsche challenge the Cosworth.”

Cosworth engines have won 84 consecutive Indy car races. The last non-Cosworth winner was in 1981 when the late Mike Mosley, in Dan Gurney’s stock block Eagle-Chevy, won the Milwaukee 150.

Rick Mears, who did the development driving for the Chevy for Roger Penske, won two pole positions with the Ilmor engine last year, at Sanair, near Montreal, and in the Michigan 250. He did not win a race, however.

Friday Mears was far back, in 12th position, managing only a 86.271-m.p.h. lap.

“This is the first road-course test for the Pennzoil car and we’re still trying to learn what it wants,” Mears said. “Danny (Sullivan) and I shook it down at Willow Springs but that doesn’t count. All we were doing was finding out if the brakes worked and it shifted properly. I think we’re gaining, though.”

Nearly every driver said the same thing, that they were gaining, that they expected to do better today.

“We picked up a second (a lap) in our session, but the problem was, so did Mario,” Rahal said. “We’re getting there. I’m confident and feel good about the way things are going.”

Rahal and the Truesports team switched to a Lola this season after winning the championship last year in a March.

“We knew Mario would be tough because he’s had so much experience with the Lola, and he’s driving hard out there,” Rahal added.

Andretti has been driving one of Carl Haas’ Lolas since 1983. He won 13 races and his fourth national championship in 1984.

“It’s a great marriage, the Lola and the Chevy,” Mario said. “I only go well when I feel I have good equipment under me, because that gives me a good attitude. When the equipment is right, I have a ball, and I’m having a ball this week.”

One of Andretti’s secrets, he revealed, is that he and the Newman-Haas crew are not afraid to make changes--even when they are well ahead of the competition.

“Every time out, from the first lap in the unofficial practice to the last lap in the qualifying, we made changes,” he said. “We’ll be doing the same thing tomorrow to squeeze everything we can out of the car.”

Chip Robinson, who drives the Lowenbrau Porsche for Al Holbert in IMSA Camel GT races, scraped the wall during morning practice and damaged the front wing on his March. Team manager Brian Fuerstenau decided to make overnight repairs before putting Robinson back in the car.

The only thing close to an incident occurred after qualifying had ended when Josele Garza and veteran Dick Simon, at 53 the oldest Indy car driver in competition, came close to colliding.

“There was no contact, but it couldn’t have been closer,” Garza complained. “Simon shut the door on me twice. He almost ran me off the track but he didn’t even know it because he doesn’t look in his mirrors.”

Simon, as expected, had a different version.

“It was after the checkered flag and he (Garza) was intent on racing,” the Capistrano Beach veteran said. “I saw the corner worker signaling to slow and did. But then Garza came up behind me. I figured, hell, let him brake.”