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I I i Record Speed Field In 500-Mile Classic Defending Champ Parsons, Rose, Nalon and Miller Are Among Fastest Qualifiers By ED SAINSBURY United Press Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., May 28. — The Speedways fastest field in" history was completed today when six cars invaded the starting lineup for Wednesdays; 500-mile chase in a hectic four-hour qualification session in which 26 cars toured the two and one-half mile track. Among the qualifiers were the defending champion, Johnny Parsons, two-time winner Mauri Rose, pole winner Duke Nalon, qualifying record king Walt Faulkner, and Chet Miller, who piloted a sister car of Nalons to the third fastest time on record today, 135.798 miles per hour. Fourteen of the venturesome, who braved a shifty 20- to 30-mile-per-hour wind, which made some lighter vehicles virtually uncontrollable on the backstretch, actually completed the 10-mile qualifying test at better than the required 115 miles per hour today. But of these only six made the starting lineup, composed of the 33 fastest cars who try to get into the struggle. Twenty-seven qualified in earlier trials. For Wednesdays thirty-fifth annual go-around, 200 laps of the giant brick and asphalt track, the starters averaged 133.570 miles per hour. This was far better than the previous "fastest field," the 1950 squad, with an average of 131.045. Clips Off 137.615 Miller, Glendale, Calif., a veteran of 13 Memorial Day runs, braved the wind to whip his Novi Special, now owned by Lou Welch, around the track in standout time. On one tour he clipped off 137.615, the third fastest lap in history. Still Millers overall time failed to match the record 136.872 set by Faulkner this year, or the 136.498 posted by Nalon, Chicago, in a sister Novi on the first day of the time trials to win the pole position. Todays pilots were given a chance to complete the starting field because the last regularly scheduled days, Saturday and Sunday; were rained out with only one car managing to go the 10-mile distance between showers. The "last chance" angle brought out a drove of vehicles, and the urgency of getting so many cars around the track in such a short period led to bedlam on the apron. At one time 20 cars were lined up waiting final inspection and the nod to get going. And when chief steward Tommy Milton proclaimed the tests over promptly at 1 p. m. CDT, five cars still were in the lineup. George Fonder, Lansdale, Pa., on the track at the time, was permitted to complete his run. But he was too slow, turning in a 128.242 mark, far short of the 131.472 posted by Bill Mackey, Indianapolis, earlier, to become the last car In the lineup. None of the 27 cars qualified before today was "bumped" by todays clockwatchers, and Parsons stayed safely in the lineup. He qualified at 132.154 earlier and had 10 cars qualified at a higher speed today, he would have been out. There were two spins on the track, both by cars from the same stable, but neither resulted in serious injury. Owner Joe Barzda, New Brunswick, N. J., spun on the southeast turn first, but escaped injury as the car washed out without a collision. Later, Bud Sennett, Los Angeles, driving another.. Barzda car, went into a spin on the same turn and eventually hit two trees in the infield. H6 was hospitalized, but physicians said he was in good condition with minor hurts.
