Best of Both Worlds: An IndyCar Timeline

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1994 Indy 500 Time Trials: Day One
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    1994 INDY 500 POLE DAY (TIME TRIALS DAY ONE)
    ​
    The sun rose over Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Today was pole day, the beginning of time trials. This weekend, drivers would set the 39 spots for the race in two weeks. Some of lineup for today included the Penskes (minus Tracy), Raul Boesel, Al Unser Jr, Rahal, Robby Gordon, Villenueve, and Tim Richmond.

    Hideshi Matsuda was the first out. He averaged 222.570 MPH. In the course of a year, he went from being a broadcaster for Japanese television to actually driving in INDYCART. Time will tell what happens with him. Scott Brayton went out next and went 1 MPH faster. Teammate Richmond followed and was running well, but surprisingly team owner John Menard waved him off. Jeff Andretti then went about .400 MPH faster than Matsuda putting him up to second. Roberto Guerrero was waved. The King Racing Budweiser King has been having some kind of issue all week and the crew can't figure out what. All they would need is for him to get pole and just have the car die on him in the pace laps. Wouldn't be the first time cursed shit would happen to them.

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    The first of the real contenders for pole then got ready. Raul Boesel left the previous qualifiers in the dust going 227 MPH. Adrian Fernandez was waved while Dennis Vitolo ran a credible 222 keeping the chain of Dick Simon cars qualifying going. Then Little Al himself came roaring off of pit road. He tried so hard to knock Boesel off but came up short. The first two Porsches of qualifying then went. Robby Gordon waved off while Jacques went third fastest.

    Now it was Senna's turn. The way he ran, you would've thought he had been at Indy his whole life. He zoomed around the track like he was battling someone on the last lap. When it was all over, he took pole. 228 MPH. The crowd roared, Roger cried tears of joy. "I feel like he just won" he told ABC's Gary Gerould "I think the only one who could top him, is another of my cars! God bless Ayrton and Honda, my team has hit a new peak."

    unser_94.jpg


    Right after Senna finished his lap, it started to rain. The rest of the day was rained out and pushed to tomorrow. Here's the grid after day one:


    Ayrton Senna (228 MPH) Raul Boesel (227 MPH) Jacques Villeneuve (226 MPH)
    Al Unser Jr (226 MPH) Scott Brayton (223 MPH) Jeff Andretti (222 MPH)
    Hideshi Matsuda (222 MPH) Dennis Vitolo (222 MPH)






    ​
     
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    • 1994 Time Trials Day Two
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    Chocolate Raines

    1994 INDIANAPOLIS 500 TIME TRIALS DAY TWO
    ​

    Pole qualifying resumed from where it left off yesterday. The two Rahal cars went out and recorded some disappointing speeds with Bobby at 220 MPH and Scott Pruett at 218. They sat at the bottom of the grid. Lyn St James came after them and put down a shocking 224, putting her up to fifth. Others that qualified including all the Newman Haas cars, Olivier Grouillard, Hiro Matsushita, Stan Fox, Danny Sullivan, Dom Dobson, Herta, Luyendyk, and Robbie Buhl. Tony Bettenhausen and Eddie Cheever also tried, but were waved. Tim Richmond had to leave for NASCAR priorities and won't return until the final day of qualifying next week.

    Robby Gordon made up for waving off yesterday but was rather slow at 221. It doesn't look like he'll try again and will settle for 19th at the moment. Wally Dallenbach Jr proceeded after him. He looked good, but only went 222. It was kind of a shame; everyone thought he could at least get on the second row but it didn't matter because now here came the one driver that could challenge Senna, his own teammate and idol Emerson Fittipaldi.

    Emmo flew around Indy. ABC showed a side-by-side of him while Senna watched on. He was coming awfully close, even of he didn't get it he'd at least be second. The first lap speed came up 227 as did the second and third. Emmo began his final lap. He pushed so hard but came up short."Ayrton Senna is your 1994 Indianapolis 500 Pole Winner!" shouted Paul Page. Fittipaldi ended up third making it an all Brazilian front row; the two Penske's and Raul Boesel in his Dick Simon Lola.

    Only four cars went out for second day qualifying. Paul Tracy returning from his Friday crash, Stefan Johansson, John Andretti, and Adrian Fernandez. Andretti was the fastest at 223. After the first two days of qualifying, here's the grid:

    Ayrton Senna (228 MPH) Raul Boesel (227 MPH) Emerson Fittipaldi (227 MPH)
    Jacques Villeneuve (226 MPH) Al Unser Jr (226 MPH) Lyn St James(224 MPH)
    Michael Andretti (224 MPH) Olivier Grouillard (223 MPH) Jimmy Vasser (223 MPH)
    Mario Andretti( 223 MPH) Scott Brayton (223 MPH) Jeff Andretti (222 MPH)
    Stan Fox (222 MPH) Hideshi Matsuda (222 MPH) Dennis Vitolo (222 MPH)
    Wally Dallenbach Jr (222 MPH) Danny Sullivan (222 MPH) Hiro Matsushita (221 MPH)
    Robby Gordon (221 MPH) Dom Dobson (221 MPH) Robbie Buhl (221 MPH)
    Bryan Herta (220 MPH) Arie Luyendyk (220 MPH) Bobby Rahal (220 MPH)
    Scott Pruett (218 MPH) John Andretti (223 MPH) Paul Tracy (222 MPH)
    Adrian Fernandez (222 MPH) Stefan Johansson (221 MPH)
    ​
    29 spots are filled, 10 more need to and then the bumping begins!
     
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    • kinnikuniverse

    I never really understood how qualifying at indy works. Like, why aren't they using time-based qualifying? And what's with this waving off thing? Its so bizarre to have an owner just cancel his driver's qualifying run just like that.
     
    Chocolate Raines

    Chocolate Raines

    kinnikuniverse said:
    I never really understood how qualifying at indy works. Like, why aren't they using time-based qualifying? And what's with this waving off thing? Its so bizarre to have an owner just cancel his driver's qualifying run just like that.
    Click to expand...
    Just how it worked. I'll admit I kinda thought the same thing when I first watched it for the 93 500.
     

    MI Late Model Outlaw

    kinnikuniverse said:
    I never really understood how qualifying at indy works. Like, why aren't they using time-based qualifying? And what's with this waving off thing? Its so bizarre to have an owner just cancel his driver's qualifying run just like that.
    Click to expand...

    There is a equation that can be used to figure out the elapsed time. The mile per hours is used because it seems more impressive than a 4 lap timed run would be listed by minutes and seconds.
     
    1994 Time Trials Day Three
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    Chocolate Raines

    1994 TIME TRIALS DAY THREE
    ​
    Early in the day, John Paul Jr was the first car out and safely put his car in at 222 MPH. After his run nobody went out as they were all waiting for the evening when the frontstretch would be in the shade. During this time, some cars made practice runs and three time Indy 500 champion Johnny Rutherford had a retirement ceremony where he drove A.J. Foyt's 1993 500 car around.

    In the evening, Scott Goodyear went out, but was waved. This worried Goodyear fans, but he and the Porsche team remain confident and know they'll make it. Willy T Ribbs on the other hand is an unknown and won't be running til tomorrow, the last day. Steve Kinser was next. He qualified, but it was dead last for the time being and is expected to run again tomorrow if he has to as does teammate Guerrero, who ran the exact same speed only a little slower. Buddy Lazier was the last car out but was waved ending an overall uneventful day.

    Tomorrow, Goodyear as well as Lazier, Ross Bentley, Mark Smith, the Bettenhausen brothers, Willy T, Eddie Cheever, Didier Theys, Parker Johnstone, Ryan Kelman, and Tim Richmond will make their attempts. Here's the grid after day three:

    Ayrton Senna (228 MPH) Raul Boesel (227 MPH) Emerson Fittipaldi (227 MPH)
    Jacques Villeneuve (226 MPH) Al Unser Jr (226 MPH) Lyn St James(224 MPH)
    Michael Andretti (224 MPH) Olivier Grouillard (223 MPH) Jimmy Vasser (223 MPH)
    Mario Andretti( 223 MPH) Scott Brayton (223 MPH) Jeff Andretti (222 MPH)
    Stan Fox (222 MPH) Hideshi Matsuda (222 MPH) Dennis Vitolo (222 MPH)
    Wally Dallenbach Jr (222 MPH) Danny Sullivan (222 MPH) Hiro Matsushita (221 MPH)
    Robby Gordon (221 MPH) Dom Dobson (221 MPH) Robbie Buhl (221 MPH)
    Bryan Herta (220 MPH) Arie Luyendyk (220 MPH) Bobby Rahal (220 MPH)
    Scott Pruett (218 MPH) John Andretti (223 MPH) Paul Tracy (222 MPH)
    Adrian Fernandez (222 MPH) Stefan Johansson (221 MPH) John Paul Jr (222 MPH)
    Steve Kinser (220 MPH) Roberto Guerrero (220 MPH)​
     
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    • 1994 Indy 500 Time Trials Bump Day
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    Chocolate Raines

    1994 INDIANAPOLIS 500 BUMP DAY
    ​
    It was down to the final day. The final seven spots were up for grabs. Some looked guaranteed to make it, while others looked for a miracle. Of drivers hoping to make it was Mark Smith. Smith dnq'd last year in the Frank Arciero car and was back this year looking to be INDYCART rookie of the year and be in a 500. He was the first out at 3:50 P.M. He was rather slow but wasn't waved and slotted in for the time being at 219 MPH.

    Tim Richmond was next. He waited over a week for this moment and badly wanted to compete at Indy once more. "I'm hoping to inspire these NASCAR guys to come do this" he said. "Dale and Rusty really want to and we could be restarting the movement of NASCAR drivers running the 500. Richmond was easily faster than Smith going 222.

    Now here's Scott Goodyear. Goodyear waited til the last day to make his run to make sure the Porsche engineers got his car right. He was running close to 226 MPH in practice runs. The qualifying run he made, if he had done it on pole day, would've put him in the second row. He went 224 MPH as fans cheered that the Canadian favorite would be in.

    Gary Bettenhausen looked to rebound from his practice crash and make it in. He went 220. His teammate in the #76 was next but it wasn't his brother. Tony Bettenhausen Jr decided it was pointless for him to run while other drivers were there trying to find a ride. One of those was last year's qualifying rookie sensation Stephan Gregoire. Gregoire was only there in case one of the Dick Simon drivers got injured in a crash and could replace them. That hasn't happened so he was given this opportunity. He was just on the first lap, when the rear end stepped out and he spun into the turn two wall. He was fine, but heartbroken that he wouldn't make it.

    Didier Theys would have worse luck, his car died before he could even make a lap. Willy T Ribbs followed. He had been in the same situation last year. He knew he could prevail, after all he was in a Porsche even if it wasn't the best one. He was faster than Smith, but slower than Richmond. Almost all the Porsche cars were in. The last would be Ross Bentley who was next. Bentley only could muster 216 but wasn't waved in hopes he could be the one to start dead last. Eddie Cheever faced the possibility of missing the 500 for the first time in his career. He had been safe with Ganassi and hoped for the same with Menard. He started off slow at 219 but by the fourth lap was 221.

    All the spots were filled but three remained, Johnstone, Lazier, and Kelman. Could any of them bump? Both Lazier and Kelman couldn't as they both gave up. It would now be the weakest Porsche vs the weakest Honda. The Comptech team had shown up with their Lola, but were loaned a Penske to conform to Honda engines in Penske cars. Would it be good to them? Of course it would! Johnstone went 223 MPH and knocked Bentley out. All the Hondas were in and Mark Smith would make his first 500! Here's the official starting lineup for the 78th Indianapolis 500:

    acura_6_000000000d640960.jpg

    ms-indy93.jpg

    Parker Johnstone and Mark Smith will join Senna, Grouillard, Matsuda, Vitolo, Buhl, and Herta for Indy 500 rookie of the year.

    Ayrton Senna (228 MPH) Raul Boesel (227 MPH) Emerson Fittipaldi (227 MPH)
    Jacques Villeneuve (226 MPH) Al Unser Jr (226 MPH) Lyn St James(224 MPH)
    Michael Andretti (224 MPH) Olivier Grouillard (223 MPH) Jimmy Vasser (223 MPH)
    Mario Andretti( 223 MPH) Scott Brayton (223 MPH) Jeff Andretti (222 MPH)
    Stan Fox (222 MPH) Hideshi Matsuda (222 MPH) Dennis Vitolo (222 MPH)
    Wally Dallenbach Jr (222 MPH) Danny Sullivan (222 MPH) Hiro Matsushita (221 MPH)
    Robby Gordon (221 MPH) Dom Dobson (221 MPH) Robbie Buhl (221 MPH)
    Bryan Herta (220 MPH) Arie Luyendyk (220 MPH) Bobby Rahal (220 MPH)
    Scott Pruett (218 MPH) John Andretti (223 MPH) Paul Tracy (222 MPH)
    Adrian Fernandez (222 MPH) Stefan Johansson (221 MPH) John Paul Jr (222 MPH)
    Steve Kinser (220 MPH) Roberto Guerrero (220 MPH) Scott Goodyear (224 MPH)
    Parker Johnstone (223 MPH) Geoff Brabham(222 MPH) Eddie Cheever (221 MPH)
    Gary Bettenhausen (220 MPH) Willy T Ribbs (219 MPH) Mark Smith (219 MPH)

    DNQ: Ross Bentley, Buddy Lazier, Stephan Gregoire, Didier Theys, and Ryan Kelman.​
     
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