INDIANAPOLIS 500 / DAILY REPORT : Forecast Better After Showers Cancel Practice

Intermittent showers forced Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials to cancel Saturday’s first day of practice for the May 29 Indianapolis 500. Although no such records are kept, veteran observers said it was the first time in more than a decade that no cars were on the track on opening day.

Forecasts are for clear and warming weather today, with crews hoping to get a full day of running to prepare their equipment for pole qualifying on Saturday.

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Although the track was never opened, car owner Dick Simon had his racing fleet poised to be first out, just in case the track dried. Hiro Matsushita, Dennis Vitolo, Raul Boesel, Marco Greco and Hideshi Matsuda--all associated with Simon, were in the line in pit lane.

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Three cars were withdrawn Saturday, leaving the entries at 106. They included car No. 34, entered by Tasman Motors for rookie Bryan Herta of Los Angeles, and Cars No. 36 and 36T, entered by Formula Project 500 veteran Stephan Gregoire. Herta is expected by be named as driver of A.J. Foyt’s No. 14, originally assigned to Davy Jones.

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Roberto Guerrero, who holds the Indy 500 four-lap qualifying record of 232.428 m.p.h., is entered in the same 1992 Lola-Buick in which he set the record. It will be the San Juan Capistrano driver’s first start this season.