THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 : Six Rookies Will Be Starting in This Year’s Race

Davy Jones, the youngest driver in this year’s Indianapolis 500, has studied under four-time winner A.J. Foyt to become the fastest of six rookies in the 33-car field for today’s race.

“Working with A.J. has been a fantastic experience. I couldn’t have had a better opportunity,” said Jones, who will drive one of four Foyt-owned cars competing in the 71st Indianapolis 500.

Jones, 22, of McGraw, N.Y., drove a 1986 March-Cosworth to a qualifying speed of 208.117 mph, edging Italy’s Fabrizio Barbazza by 0.079 mph for top rookie honors. Jones said Foyt’s coaching was similar to what he would expect from Indiana University basketball coach Bob Knight.

“He’s like Bobby Knight. He only accepts the best. He makes some demands and makes sure they are done now and right. He can always laugh about it later,” said Jones, who also credited Foyt with keeping his mind on racing.

“I’ve been trying to get my mind off all you have to do,” Jones said. “I just had to concentrate and try to relax. The coaching from A.J., and that he had the faith in me, helped me keep it together.”

Jones first climbed into an Indy car on April 24 during a rookie orientation session. Exactly one month later, he will start in the 71st Indy race.

“He did a hell of a job,” Foyt said. “I knew he had the ability. I think he has good potential and I’m looking for someone young who wants to go out and run 17 or 18 races a year and knock heads.”

Other rookies include Barbazza, Canada’s Ludwig Heimrath Jr., Stan Fox of Janesville, Wis., Randy Lewis of Hillsborough, Calif., and Jeff MacPherson of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

The last race with more rookies was in 1982, when Bobby Rahal and Danny Sullivan were among nine drivers to make their Indy debuts. Seven former rookies of the year are in this year’s race, but not one of the four rookies from last year is in the 1987 field.

Heimrath, son of a former Canadian national champion, has the best rookie starting spot, opening in the middle of the fourth row in a Lola-Cosworth.

Heimrath skipped school 20 years ago in Toronto to stay home and watch his first Indy 500. He took his first trip around the 2 1/2-mile oval last February, when teammate and car owner Dick Simon drove him around in a passenger car in the snow.

“I was about 3 or 4 years old when I started talking about becoming a race driver,” Heimrath said. “My dad wasn’t thrilled about me racing at first. It was a year-long process to get him to buy that first cart.”

MacPherson qualified with a March powered by a new Honda racing engine. He found qualifying the most intense racing experience of his life.

“It was the toughest 10 miles I’ve ever gone. I guess when you are a pioneer, you’re going to get shot with a few arrows,” he said. “It’s wild here and I’m just glad to be qualified.”

Barbazza is glad to have a better seat than last year.

“Sunday morning, I will feel excited,” he said. “I talked to (former Indy rookie of the year) Teo Fabi and Mario Andretti and they tell me to take your time here. This place can really scare you. Last year I watched the race from turn one. I think I have a better seat this year.”