Long Beach Will Hum With Electricity

Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Bobby Rahal and other Indy car drivers will be displaying state-of-the-art racing machines in the 19th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach this weekend, but what might be a preview of things to come will take place Sunday morning on the same 1.59-mile street course.

The first Edison Electric Car Grand Prix will showcase most of the world’s existing electric formula race cars--capable of 110 m.p.h.--in a 20-minute demonstration race.

The race will include at least one pit stop. Instead of refueling, however, crews will swap battery packs, which requires about 20 seconds.

“This event goes a long way toward showing the public that electric vehicles are not only safe and practical, but fast and exciting, too,” said Peter Quinn Hackes, co-promoter of the race with Rebecca Murray.

“Although it will be fun and competitive, the bottom line is the environment and its goal toward zero emissions.”

Diane Wittenberg, manager of Edison’s electric transportation system, said: “The race will help demonstrate that clean-air transportation is here and now, not futuristic fantasy.”

Among the favorites will be Richard Zimmerman, driving the General Electric-Trojan Formula Battery Ford-type car; Tim Considine, formerly of the “My Three Sons” television show, in the APS Kragen/Exide midget-type car; and Bill Roe in an Indy-type car.

The electric car race will start at 9:35 a.m. Sunday. The cars will be on display Friday at the EXPO in the Long Beach Convention Center exhibition hall.

The Grand Prix weekend will begin Friday with practice and qualifying between 8:15 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

The first of two Indy car qualifying sessions will begin at 2:15 p.m. with 28 drivers shooting for the one-lap record of 106.251 m.p.h. set last year by Michael Andretti in a Lola-Ford.

Mansell, last year’s world Formula One champion, will be in the former Andretti car this weekend. He accepted the ride from car owners Paul Newman and Carl Haas after the younger Andretti moved to Formula One this season.

The Newman-Haas team has won both PPG Indy car races this season--Mansell on the road circuit in Surfers Paradise, Australia, and Mario Andretti two weeks ago on the mile oval at Phoenix.

Among the drivers trying to snap the Newman-Haas string will be Rahal, the defending Indy car champion; Al Unser Jr., the Indianapolis 500 winner; Danny Sullivan, last year’s Long Beach winner and Unser’s Galles Racing teammate, and Emerson Fittipaldi, like Mansell and Andretti, a former world champion.

A 10-lap pro-celebrity race, featuring entertainment and sports personalities, and a one-hour Tide Trans-Am Classic race will share the spotlight Saturday with the final Indy car qualifying session.

Celebrity drivers include Mary Lou Retton, former Olympic gymnastics gold medalist; Bob Golic, former Raider defensive lineman; Eddie Lawson, four-time world motorcycle champion; Tony George, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway; John Force, two-time funny car drag racing champion, and Troy Ruttman, 1952 Indianapolis 500 winner.

The Trans-Am is the first of a 15-race national championship series. Jack Baldwin of Marietta, Ga., is defending champion after edging his Camaro teammate, 1991 champion Scott Sharp of East Norwalk, Conn., on the final lap of last year’s final race. Tommy Kendall, the 1990 champion from La Crescenta, who is on loan from the Jack Roush International Motor Sports Assn. team, could provide the main challenge from Ford.

Walter Payton, former Chicago Bear running back, will continue his second career as a race driver in one of Tom Gloy’s Mustangs. Last year’s winner, Robby Gordon, has moved up to Indy cars this season.

Also on Sunday, besides the Indy car and electric car races, will be a 47-lap race for Firestone Indy Lights and a 38-lap crowd chaser for Toyota Atlantics after the main event.

Indy Lights is a series designed to put the emphasis on driver skill rather than superior equipment, creating a showcase for future Indy car drivers. All cars are Lolas powered by Buick V-6 engines.

Sandy Brody of Boca Raton, Fla., won the series opener at Phoenix, but will face strong competition at Long Beach against two young Los Angeles drivers, Robbie Groff and Brian Herta. Groff won two of the final three races last year, and Herta was the series’ top rookie last year after winning the Zerex Saab Pro Series in 1991.

Motor Racing Notes

MOTORCYCLES--The 23rd annual El Trial de Espana and the Schreiber Cup, premier events of the American Trials Assn. season, will be run Saturday and Sunday at Cougar Flats in the Johnson Valley off-highway vehicle area, near Lucerne Valley in San Bernardino County. The Schreiber Cup--named for Bernie Schreiber, the La Crescenta rider who became America’s only world trials champion--is scheduled for Saturday and the El Trial de Espana for Sunday.

World superbike champion Doug Polen will continue his quest of his first American Motorcyclist Assn. national title this weekend at Laguna Seca Raceway, near Monterey. Polen won the season opener at Phoenix and is defending champion at Laguna Seca. National champion Scott Russell will also ride, but is expected to leave the series to compete for the world championship left undefended by Polen. . . . Speedway bikes will be at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa for their weekly Friday night program.

MIDGETS--United States Auto Club drivers will be at Ventura Raceway for a full midget and TQ doubleheader Saturday night. A large field, headed by defending champion Sleepy Tripp, is expected as drivers prepare for a return to ESPN Saturday Night Thunder on May 8.

STOCK CARS--Competition for the $79,500 NASCAR Winston Racing Series national short-track championship will begin Saturday night at Saugus Speedway, Cajon Speedway, Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino and Las Vegas Speedway, all part of the Sunbelt Region. A record 96 tracks are in the competition. . . . Racing is also scheduled Friday night with a season opener at Ventura Raceway and Saturday night at Bakersfield Speedway, Blythe Speedway and Imperial Raceway.

The Winston West series will resume Saturday night at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield with the Spears Manufacturing 200. Featured will be former winners Rick Carelli, Bill Sedgwick, Mike Chase and Hershel McGriff. Page Jones will skip the USAC midget race at Ventura to drive in the Winston West late model feature.

DRAG RACING--Indy car driver John Andretti has been named to drive Jack Clark’s new top-fuel dragster, beginning with the Southern Nationals in Atlanta on April 22. . . . The Chrysler Power Nationals will be run Saturday and Sunday at Los Angeles County Raceway in Palmdale. . . . The Southern California pro gas and super street groups will hold points races Saturday at Bakersfield Raceway.

DRAG BOATS--The National Jet Boat Assn. will open a six-race series this weekend at Castaic Lake. Races will include all classes, from ski jet through blown glass hydro.

MISCELLANY--About 100 entries are expected for the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 200 off-road race on Saturday. . . . The second annual Racing Memorabilia Show will take place Saturday at the Ramada Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach.