Fittipaldi’s Nephew Beats His Uncle To Indy

Auto racing

Christian Fittipaldi qualified twice on Saturday for the Indianapolis 500. His famous uncle Emerson and defending champion Al Unser Jr. couldn’t manage the feat once.

While the two veteran drivers still struggled for speed, the younger Fittipaldi, a 24-year-old rookie from Brazil, had a problem with his primary car in the morning practice and wound up putting his backup into the tentative lineup for the May 28 race.

Car owner Derrick Walker, deeming his average speed of 224.246 mph might not be good enough to keep him in the field, withdrew that entry and sent the youngster out again in his primary car in the waning moments of Saturday’s time trials.

Fittipaldi responded with a four-lap, 10-mile run at 226.375, putting him solidly into his first Indy 500.

Final qualifications are today, with three more positions to fill in the 33-car field before bumping begins.

The humbled Team Penske duo of Fittipaldi and Unser, both two-time Indy winners, continued their struggle just to make the race that car owner Roger Penske’s drivers have won a record 10 times. Neither was able to qualify on Saturday.

Lyn St. James dusted the wall, then earned a tentative spot in her fourth Indy 500 with the fastest qualification speed by a woman in the history of auto racing.

St. James, the 1992 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, qualified at 225.346 mph in a car she drove for only the first time Thursday after being rescued by a last-minute sponsorship.

St. James’ speed broke her own women’s qualifying record of 224.208 mph for the 1993 Michigan 500.

Little to start 16th

David Green won the pole position for today’s Meridian Advantage 200 Busch Grand National Race in Nazareth, Pa., driving a Chevrolet on the 1-mile oval at Nazareth Speedway at a speed of 128.265 mph.

Spokane’s Chad Little will be in the 16th position.

Gordon wins

Jeff Gordon pulled away from Sterling Marlin over the final 10 laps to win The Winston Select at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.

It was a $300,000 payday for the 23-year-old Gordon, who became the youngest winner of the event.

His winnings broke down to $50,000 for winning each of the first two 30-lap segments and $200,000 for capturing the final segment, a 10-lap sprint around the 1.5-mile trioval.