bob jennings' WORLD O' RACING  07/05/99

Tony Stewart qualifies for the 1997 "Indianapolis 500"

 Bob Jennings

My favorite place to photograph race cars, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is in the penthouse section, of Grandstand E, at the apex of turn one. The opportunity to do that doesn't come often though, because a combination of elements has to come together to make it possible. I have to get a spot in the first or second row of seats. Actually the second row is preferable, because I can shoot over the top of the debris fence, bordering the track, easier than if I'm in the first row. Too, it's better if people aren't sitting in the rows directly behind me, because to get good photos, it's easier to stand. But if I stand, with people sitting directly behind me, I feel guilty and tense up and that inhibits my ability to get the shot. It's not easy to catch a racing car, traveling in excess of 200 mph, in a spot about 10 yards long. Additional complications make things more difficult.    

Those rare opportunities, such as the afternoon, during "500" Pole day ,in 1991, or the early morning practice, on Pole day 1993, were my previous opportunities to shoot from my favorite location. I was able to locate in the Grandstand E penthouse again, during Pole day 1998. No doubt a photo or two, from those other opportunities, will also find their way on to this website.

While I was waiting for Tony Stewart to qualify for the 1997 "Indianapolis 500," I paid close attention to the shadows that were moving across the first turn. I wanted Tony to make his run before the shadows covered the track, so I could take advantage of the sunshine that seems to be a rare commodity during "500" Pole days, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. As you can see, from this photo, Stewart barely beat those shadows.  

"500" Pole day 1997 was sunny, but it was cool. When I arrived at the Speedway, during morning practice, it was about 50 degrees. I don't think it got much above 60 throughout the day. There was a sparse crowd. The Indianapolis Star reported a crowd of 35,000, which might've been one of the smallest Pole day crowds in history.

It was a good day for me though. I'd missed Pole day, the previous year, because I was reluctant to go to the Speedway, until race day, due to the fallout from the split with CART. So, it was good to be taking photos of "500" qualifications again.

The speeds had dropped dramatically from the previous May, with the arrival of the new Indy Racing League specification cars. The 3.56 mph difference between the top six qualifiers was a smaller margin than during the CART years though and the entire scene was intriguing. Having an entire field of brand new racing cars was unprecedented for the "Indianapolis 500" and I was enjoying the unique aspect of the day.

As mentioned, elsewhere in this website, Arie Luyendyk and Tony Stewart have been the most notable drivers during the first four seasons of Indy Racing League competition. The classic Luyendyk - Stewart competition came, in May 1997, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That competition began during the week of practice leading up to qualifications and the battle lines were drawn when Arie beat Tony for the "500" pole. 

Arie qualified a bit earlier, at 218.263 mph. It's worth noting that two years later, all 33 starters in the 1999 "500" surpassed Luyendyk's pole winning speed. Stewart averaged 218.021 mph on his run and though the battle for "500" pole wasn't as close as this year, 1997 still saw one of the closest pole winning margins in Speedway history. Rookie Vincenzo Sospiri qualified for the outside front row position, at 216.822 mph, in one of the Team Scandia Dallaras.

Stewart appeared to be upset that he lost the pole to Luyendyk. That night, he went to Indianapolis Raceway Park to run a midget in the USAC Sprint - Midget twin bill. I was at IRP that cold May evening. Dave Steele won the Sprint feature. In the Midget feature, Tony started at the back of the grid, in one of  Steve Lewis' Beast - Ford entries. When the race started, he must've been trying to compensate for losing to Luyendyk earlier in the day. Driving like a demon, picking his way through the field, Tony put on a clinic to win the feature. It was my first USAC event since going to a Sprint - Midget "double-header" at Winchester, in June 1991, and it was neat.

Looking back on that particular day makes me draw comparisons to the present. I still support the IRL and embrace the changes it has brought to Indy car racing, but in May 1997, I was full of optimism that the new series would catch on quickly. Things haven't developed in that way for the IRL, but as far as I'm concerned the series has grown to be a be a quality product and I sincerely hope Tony George continues to persevere. Tony Stewart is now sixth in Winston Cup standings and his days racing in Indy cars and USAC appear to be part of the past, which is a big disappointment.