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Nalon, Miller Seem One -Two Choice With Novi Specials in 500 -Mile Event Two Welch Autos Competed ► For Past Five Years, But Only Completed Two Races By ED SAINSBURY United Press Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS, lad., May 29.- Auto racings "jets," Lou Welchs Novi Specials were geared today for an all-out run in the thirty-fifth annual 500-xriile Memorial Day race, and it wouldnt be to surprising to see ,pole winner Duke Nalon and his running mate, Chet Miller, finish one-two. The Novis, splendidly resigned and engineered with some 575 horsepower, were rated the most powerful vehicles in the 33-car starting line-up, fastest in history. And there was no question but what the cars had the speed to win the race, but owners and drivers of the other 31 vehi*-cles had only one question, "Will they hold up?" Though the Novis have run every year since 1946, only twice has one of them finished, once in 1947 and once in 1948. But this year, Welch said today, "if working on a car to bring it to perfection can do it, then were in." "Weve had two men working on these cars since the last race," he said, "and we think weve got all the bugs out. Take this thing," he added, reaching into his pocket to display a thin piece of metal less than an inch square. "That was in the power drive for Chet Millers timing mechanism, and it was partially broken. Enough to throw the whole thing off enough to slow him down. "When we got that fixed, he ran." He ran, four laps or 10 miles, at an average speed of 135.798 miles per hour, the . third fastest in Speedway history. And on . one lap he was clocked at 137.615, the sec-; ond fastest lap in history. [ "Miller was ready to drive It," Welch ! said. "If it hadnt been for those winds, ; he would have gone 140 miles an hour." Welchs stable was in good position to , pick up plenty of lap prize money at 00 I ► . , I ; per lap. Nalon, who qualified at 136.498 on the first day of trials, will sit at the pole and the heavy-footed Chicagoan probably will be in front when the field comes around for the first lap. Thereafter it will be luck and strategy. "Ive about picked out the speed Im going to drive at," Nalon said, "and if somebody wants to go faster than that, then he can go by me." Welch said he had given his drivers no instructions. "Let them run their own race," he said, but Nalon indicated hed expect some advice along the line. "Well have a strategy meeting," he said, "and then well figure out what were going to do." Welch said there was absolutely no variation between his two cars, and though he couldnt pick a winner, he indicated he believed Miller had the better chance. "Hes had more experience with front wheel drives," he said, "and he drove this car more than 900 miles last summer making tire-tests." Nalon and Miller were certain to have competition, despite the power of their cars. Maury Rice, a two-time Speedway winner, will start from the second of the 11 rows with a qualifying speed of 133.422 miles per hour. Walt Faulkner, who set a one lap qualification record "of 138.122 and a four lap record of 136.872, will be the middle car in the fifth row. Last years winner, Johnnie Parsons, who captured a race limited to 345 miles by rain, qualified at 132.154 and will be in the middle of the third row. Another standout threat, Lee Wallard, will be in the middle of the first row, qualified at 135.039. Weather prospects were favorable for a good event. Though there was a risk of rain tonight, it was expected Wednesday would be partly cloudy with a low tempera-. ture of 60 and a high of 76. A crowd in the neighborhood of 150,000 was expected for the event, which will start at 11 a. m. CD.T.
