Guerrero Named Brayton Award Winner

Roberto Guerrero received the Scott Brayton Driver’s Trophy on Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The San Juan Capistrano veteran, who will start his 14th Indy 500 today, was chosen as the driver who best honored the character and racing spirit of Brayton, who was killed during practice in 1996 after winning the 500 pole.

Guerrero received $25,000 and a crystal trophy. John Paul Jr. received the inaugural award last year.

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John Melvin and John Pierce of General Motors were given the Louis Schwitzer Award for their work on GM’s motor sports safety technology research program. The award recognizes outstanding engineering innovation in race car design for the Indianapolis 500.

The pair concentrated on driver safety, particularly in the area of how much energy is absorbed in a crash and how the car reacts. Among their recommendations were development on an insular material that can absorb impact and bounce back, changing the location of padding in the cockpit area, shaping the padding around the driver’s head for maximum safety and lengthening the honeycomb attenuator at the rear of the car to provide better impact absorption.

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Brad McCanless, chief mechanic for Team Scandia’s entry of rookie Jimmy Kite, was named recipient of the Clint Brawner Mechanical Excellence Award, which is given to the chief mechanic at Indianapolis that “exemplifies the mechanical and scientific creativity, ingenuity and dedication of the honor’s namesake.” McCanless received $5,000 from Firestone, even though his car runs on Goodyear tires. . . . John King, a mechanic for A.J. Foyt’s PowerTeam Racing car, won the inaugural True Grit award, created to acknowledge a dedicated mechanic in the 500. King also received $5,000.

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Rookie Steve Knapp says his major problem is not in getting up to speed, but in stopping.

“After running all week with a minimum of fuel,” he says, “when we started running on full tanks, that extra 200 pounds made a difference. When the car only weighs 1,400 pounds to begin with, that’s a big percentage difference.”

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Another rookie, 46-year-old Jack Hewitt, says his biggest problem has been pitting his car.

“I’ve got to stop killing the motor when I leave the pit,” he said. “Each time it costs me five cases of beer.”

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No driver will try to race here today and then fly to Charlotte to drive in the Coca-Cola 600, as John Andretti did a few years ago, but a mechanic will attempt the double.

Danny “Chocolate” Myers, gas man for seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, will work on A.J. Foyt’s cars today, then head south for the 600 tonight.

“Just to walk in this place, it’s a thrill,” Myers says. “It always has been. If you’re a racer of any kind, whether you’re a drag racer or in NASCAR, you’re going to watch the Indy 500. This is the one race everyone watches.”

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The annual Jigger Sirois Award, given by the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Assn. to the person with the worst luck leading to the Indianapolis 500, went to driver Scott Harrington. The Indianapolis native turned in a quick first lap during last Sunday’s Bubble Day qualifying, then hit the wall when his motor let go.

He was not injured, but had no financial resources to have the car repaired in time for another attempt, nor to buy another ride.