Racing rivals will tangle in billiards

Thursday, Sept. 12, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

When Buzz Calkins and Tony Stewart sat down for the postrace news conference following their exciting duel at the IRL inagural Indy 200 at Walt Disney World this past January, the first thing they learned was what each other looked like.

Upon shaking hands, they also learned they had virtually nothing in common, other than their ability to hustle a race car.

Calkins is a road racer from Colorado, Stewart a dirt-track demon from Indiana. Calkins guides his car through the corners with the precision of a surgeon; Stewart wrestles his around the track with the finesse of a bull elephant.

But their newfound rivalry flourishes -- both on and off the track. After coming up just short on the pavement at Orlando, Stewart will try to get even on the felt in Las Vegas.

Calkins and Stewart have discovered they do have one thing in common -- billiards. They will play best-of-five, 8-ball at the Sahara Hotel Grand Ballroom at 6 tonight, a grudge match that has been eight months in the making.

IRL publicist Jan Shaffer, part of a regular group of Indianapolis pool-playing racers that includes Stewart, said the USAC short-track star and 1996 Indy 500 rookie of the year can handle a cue. But in that he's never seen Calkins play, Shaffer won't handicap tonight's big match, part of an IRL autograph party open to the public.

"The only man who has seen both of them play is (USAC executive) Dick Hansen," Shaffer says, "and he's not saying (who will win)."

Pit stops

* HARRAH'S SIGNS UP: Harrah's Sports announced Wednesday it will sponsor the cars of 1983 Michigan 500 winner John Paul Jr. and USAC midget/sprint car stalwart Tyce Carlson in this weekend's inaugural Las Vegas 500K, continuing an association that began at last month's True Value 200 in Loudon, N.H. Paul, the former IMSA Camel GT champion, and Carlson will drive V-Line/Earl's Performance Products Lola-Menards. As part of its race weekend celebration, Harrah's also announced it will put Michael Andretti's 1991 PPG IndyCar World Series championship-winning Lola on display in the hotel-casino lobby through Monday night. Fans will be permitted to pose with the car. Paul Jr. and Carlson also will be available for autographs throughout the weekend. Call 369-5033 for their schedule. The addition of Harrah's brings the number of Las Vegas IRL associate sponsorships to four. The Sahara is backing the A.J. Foyt Enterprises cars driven by Scott Sharp and Davey Hamilton, while the Rio is behind Michele Alboreto's Team Scandia effort and the Frontier is lending support to 1990 Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk and Treadway Racing.

FRONTIER RACING EXPO: To celebrate what is being billed as the "Raciest Weekend in the History of Las Vegas," the Frontier Hotel and Gambling Hotel will hold a free racing exposition in its north parking lot. The display, which begins at 7 tonight, will feature a variety of racing vehicles, including Indy cars, NASCAR stockers, Legends Cars and motorcycles. Tickets to Sunday's Las Vegas 500K will be raffled off during the expo, with proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House and other local charities. On Friday, 1990 Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk will sign autographs at a poolside barbecue. Cost of the barbecue is $10, which includes all-you-can-eat barbecue, beer and soda. Call 794-8330 for details.

* MUSEUM PIECE: Las Vegas race fans on Sunday will be able to see the man who won this past May's Indianapoils 500 but not his winning car -- unless they've got friends in the faucet business. The No. 91 Hemelgarn Racing/Delta Faucet Reynard-Ford that Buddy Lazier drove to victory at Indy has been retired, but will be the centerpiece of the Delta Faucet hospitality tent. The faucet company will host a huge gathering of Southwest-based plumbing professionals and distributors for the race weekend.

* SPEED READING: IRL driver Brad Murphey, who will partner 1996 Indy 500 champion Buddy Lazier in forming the Hemelgarn Racing entry for the Las Vegas 500K, once attended Clark Community College. But that's not the only distinction separating Murphy from his IRL rivals. He's a former rodeo cowboy and the only driver entered in Sunday's race to have his publicity shot taken while wearing a cowboy hat.