Dutch treat in Vegas

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

SO what's a fast guy like Arie Luyendyk doing among all those unproven youngsters and old pros who comprise the fledgling Indy Racing League?

Running around in circles. And enjoying every minute of it.

Just 11 days shy of his 43rd birthday, Indy car's Flying Dutchman also could be counted among the seasoned drivers who have jump started stalled careers in the new all-oval, cost-conscious series founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway chief Tony George. But unlike some of his IRL brethren, Luyendyk doesn't appear to have slowed very much.

In fact, this past May at the first IRL Indy 500, he circled the fabled Brickyard at the mind-boggling speed of 237.498 mph -- faster than any man (or woman) had gone before. In practice, he topped out at a senses-numbing 239.260 mph.

With his CART IndyCar buddies off competing in the inaugural U.S. 500 in protest to a change in Indy qualifying rules (25 of the 33 starting spots essentially were reserved for IRL competitors), Luyendyk might have felt like the proverbial big fish in the small pond. He was the only former winner (1990) entered at Indy.

But with all the top seats in CART spoken for, at least it felt good to be back in the water.

"It's not even fair to compare it (the IRL to CART)," said Luyendyk, who will drive the No. 5 Treadway Racing Mi-Jack/Bryant Heating & Cooling Reynard-Ford in Sunday's inaugural Las Vegas 500K at the new Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "If you do compare it, the IRL still has a long way to go.

"But the race you are going to see in Vegas is going to be better than the one you saw at Orlando (in the 1996 season opener). And you look at the Indy 500 -- I don't think many fans thought that was a (bad) race. It's too bad I wasn't around at the end myself, because it was a pretty good show."

The lead switched hands three times over the closing laps at Indy with former CART journeyman Buddy Lazier holding off sports car ace Davy Jones for the win. Luyendyk's bid for a second Indy victory was nullified midway through the race in a pit exit collision with Eliseo Salazar, who was at fault.

Each has had only one race to make amends since. Luyendyk said the IRL's miniscule five-race schedule (it will add races in Texas and Colorado after next year's Indy 500) is the biggest growing pain it must conquer as it strives for acceptance among the racing public.

"You have to give it time, but the series needs more races, the series needs more sponsors, the series needs more corporate involvement," said Luyendyk, who lists two other IndyCar victories, a 1993 Indy 500 pole start and an IRL win at Phoenix this year among the achievements of a 12-year career.

"(But) it's got a good TV package and it's got Tony George and the (Indianapolis Motor) Speedway behind it. It takes a lot of money to create a new series."

It also takes a lot of money to field a successful race team. That's where Fred Treadway comes in. Luyendyk is so impressed by the team his new car owner has assembled and the professional way he runs it that Luyendyk is considering a multi-year agreement that would probably have him finishing his career in the IRL.

"I look at it as a new adventure," said Luyendyk, who nonetheless was on hand at the CART season finale at Laguna Seca this past weekend. "I'd been driving CART for 10 years but not always in the best equipment. It's been quite a struggle. I won at the Speedway, but then the whole team fell apart."

Unbeknownst to Luyendyk, Doug Shierson, who owned his 1990 Indy-winning car, had agreed to sell the team to partner Bob Tezak even before that year's race.

"After Indy, I only did a half-day of testing the rest of the year," said Luyendyk, who proceeded to bounce around with various teams through 1994. His best opportunity was with Chip Ganassi in 1993, but he lost that seat at season's end to Michael Andretti.

Luyendyk ran part of 1994 with Indy Regency Racing. When it folded, the best he could do for 1995 was a one-off Indy drive with John Menard. That was Luyendyk's only start prior to the IRL forming this season.

"I'll be 43 at the end of September, so I guess I'm one of the old guys," Luyendyk said of his future. "But it's all a matter of attitude and desire and I still love driving race cars.

"It's hard to get a competitive ride in IndyCar, so with that knowledge, a couple of years ago I set out to get the best deal to run Indy ... (and) the best possible deal in the IRL. It's a good, competitive situation and I'm surrounded by good people. With the right budget, I think basically I'll stay there for next year and the year after that."

As for this weekend, Luyendyk will be hoping to get up to speed as quickly as possible after missing the IRL's June tire-testing session at the 1.5-mile superspeedway (he was vacationing in Holland). He'll also have a teammate for this race, as Treadway has signed veteran Johnny O'Connell to drive Luyendyk's backup car.

"Learning a new race track is one of the easy aspects of racing as far as a driver is concerned," Luyendyk said. "We've got such a good baseline (setup) ... that it shouldn't be a problem.

"I'd just like to find out how to get there."