INDIANAPOLIS 500 / DAILY REPORT : Ilmor Engines’ Domination Confirms Status

Ilmor Engineering, designer and manufacturer of the Mercedes-Benz and other Indy car engines, has been named recipient of the Queen’s Export Award for Achievement for the second time in 10 years.

The award is given for outstanding export achievement in international motor racing.

As if to put their stamp of approval on the award, two of Roger Penske’s Ilmor Mercedes drivers posted the fastest laps Thursday in practice for the May 29 Indianpolis 500. Defending champion Emerson Fittipaldi’s lap of 230.438 m.p.h. was the fastest of the month.

“Today was the first day I felt comfortable in the car,” Fittipaldi said. “It took me a few days after I arrived back from (Ayrton Senna’s funeral in) Brazil before I felt where I was physically and mentally prepared.”

Teammate Paul Tracy was second fastest at 228.444. Both Fittipaldi and Tracy had trap speeds of 244 m.p.h. at the end of the straightaway. The third Mercedes driver, Al Unser Jr., was fourth at 227.457.

Only Michael Andretti, in a Reynard-Ford Cosworth, broke the Penske monopoly with a 227.698 lap.

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Trivia time: Who is the fastest rookie in Indy 500 history?

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One of the sponsors of the Lola-Buick driven by Stan Fox is the American Bowling Congress, so car owner Ron Hemelgarn had a golf cart made in the shape of a bowling pin to tow the car from the garage to the pits.

“It’s the only golf cart that takes two mechanics,” Fox said.

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Mark Smith, the McMinnville, Ore., driver who was bumped from the 500 last year by Geoff Brabham, is back again in one of Derrick Walker’s cars in an attempt to become a footnote to Indy history. In 77 races, no Smith has ever started the 500.

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Trivia answer: Jimmy Vasser, 222.313 m.p.h., in 1992.

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Bryan Herta of Los Angeles and Adrian Fernandez of Mexico City are two of the 10 rookies who will attempt to qualify for the 500. What do they think of it all?

Said Herta, driving for A.J. Foyt, “I think the speeds at first are a little intimidating. To pass my rookie test I had to go 70 m.p.h. faster than I’d ever been in a race car.”

Added Fernandez, driving for Rick Galles: “Rick Galles and (crew chief) Owen Snyder are my coaches. I have to show patience and wait for them to release me to go faster. A lot of people have asked me if this is easy and it isn’t.”