LILLEHAMMER / ’94 WINTER OLYMPICS : NOTEBOOK

Driver Brian Shimer stirred another bobsled controversy when he changed pushers for the second of two training runs. Shimer, who has been dissatisfied with his start times throughout the 1993-94 season, switched from Randy Jones to Jeff Woodward, who had been the pusher for Randy Will. Will was defeated by Shimer and Jim Herberich in a Wednesday race-off for the two U.S. starting berths in the Olympic two-man competition beginning Saturday.

Shimer could not be reached for comment after the training runs, but his start time with Woodward improved to 5.14 seconds, fourth- best in the field of 44, after a 5.24 with Jones in the first run. U.S. coaches were still investigating the legality of the crew change late Thursday night, according to a federation spokesman, and would have no statement until today.

Shimer was earlier required to change the axle and footing on his Bo-Dyn sled because of a ruling by the technical jury of the international federation.

Shimer said he could make the changes, but found it annoying. “We just spent several weeks fine-tuning the sled in Calgary, then we get here and have to do it again,” he said.

The rulings were not directed only at Shimer’s Bo-Dyn. They were first announced during a recent race at St. Moritz, Switzerland, but the United States did not attend and was not notified, Shimer said.