Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Las Vegan Vasser remains on track at Japan’s Motegi

Friday, March 27, 1998 | 9:12 a.m.

BRIAN HILDERBRAND is a Las Vegas SUN sportswriter. His motor sports column appears Fridays. He can be reached on the Internet at bh@lasvegassun.com. For the latest in the world of auto racing, check out the SUN Racing web site at http://www. lasvegassun.com/sports/racing/

Jimmy Vasser had to go halfway around the world to make himself at home.

The Las Vegas resident continued his mastery of the Twin Ring Motegi oval in Motegi, Japan, Thursday by posting the fastest time during the opening day of practice for Saturday's CART FedEx Championship Budweiser 500.

Vasser averaged a track-record 217.964 mph to lead 30 drivers during the initial practice on the 1.549-mile, egg-shaped oval. Vasser bettered the old track record of 215.180 mph, which he set during an open CART test in November.

He received an added bonus when rain washed out today's scheduled qualifying. The cars will be lined up according to their practice speeds, meaning Vasser will start the race from the pole position.

Adrian Fernandez was second quickest during Thursday's practice session at 217.701, followed by Gil de Ferran at 217.116. Defending series champion (and Vasser's teammate) Alex Zanardi was fourth fastest at 216.812.

Henderson resident Richie Hearn will start 21st after posting a speed of 213.133 mph in his Budweiser Swift/ Ford Cosworth.

* NASCAR: Three-time Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip, who sold his No. 17 Chevrolet Monte Carlo race team this week, will drive the No. 1 Pennzoil Chevy in place of the injured Steve Park beginning with this weekend's race in Bristol, Tenn. ... Randy LaJoie, the two-time Busch Grand National Series champion, will sub for Ricky Craven in the No. 50 Budweiser Chevrolet. Craven will be out of the driver's seat for at least three months while he recuperates from post concussion syndrome -- the result of a concussion he suffered in an accident at Texas Motor Speedway last year.

* CART: Although you will have to wait until Saturday to see ABC's taped telecast of the Budweiser 500 from Montegi, Japan, the CART Radio network is providing a live audiocast of the race tonight beginning at 8 p.m. (PST) on two Internet web sites: www.cart.com and www.mciracing.com. ... Three-time series champion Bobby Rahal said that CART's first visit to Japan makes good business sense on several fronts. "You look at the fact that Honda and Toyota are participants in our series, and it's important for several of our series' top manufacturers to be able to compete in their home country," Rahal said. "It's also important for CART to be able to export out product to markets that demonstrate significant opportunities for us and our sponsors. All of our sponsors have business interests in Japan. It makes sense for us to go to those kinds of places."

* IRL: McCormack Motorsports and driver Raul Boesel have been named the official test team for Nissan's Infiniti Indy engine project. The agreement is designed as the next phase in the Infiniti's continuing Indy car engine development. At last weekend's IRL Dura-Lube 200, all 28 cars that qualified for the starting field were powered by the Oldsmobile Aurora engine. ... Although he is without a sponsor and failed to qualify for last weekend's Dura-Lube 200, 1997 race winner Jim Guthrie will have a ride for the May 24 Indianapolis 500, according to team publicist Robin Burger. "It is our intent to run two cars in the 1998 Indianapolis 500," Burger said on behalf of ISM Racing. "We also intend for those drivers to be Jeff Ward and Jim Guthrie. He is an integral part of our team and fully has our support and confidence."

* BACKMARKERS: Mike Ray powered to his third straight Late Model Sportsman victory of the year while Kurt Busch turned in his second straight two-win evening, highlighting NASCAR Winston Racing Series stock car racing action last weekend at the short paved oval at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Ray, who held off Wayne Jacks, Jerry Spilsbury, Scott Gafforini and Sonny Wahl, also won the trophy dash over Rich Attisani. Busch narrowly edged veteran Randy Swalwell in the Grand American Modified feature. He also won the Legends main event, marking the second straight race that he had won main events in both divisions. Lee Keach won the Street Stock feature. NASCAR Winston Racing Series action returns to LVMS Saturday night, with Late Models, Mini Stocks, Limited Late Models and Legends. Gates open at 4 p.m., with racing scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ... Derek Daly has signed a three-year contract with Speedvision to serve as the play-by-play man on the cable network's Formula One telecasts. Daly, a former F1 and Indy car driver, also owns the Derek Daly SpeedCentre Racing School at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. ...

Southern Nevada desert racers made their presence felt in a big way during last weekend's Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 in Baja California, Mexico. Of the 14 Southern Nevadans among the 238 entries in the race, 10 made it to the finish line under the 10-hour time limit for the 229.6-mile race. Leading the Las Vegas contingent was Troy Herbst, who finished second in the unlimited Class 1 and was second overall. Herbst finished the race in 3 hours, 56 minutes, 40 seconds, averaging 58.36 mph. He finished just under nine minutes behind the race's overall winner, Mark Post. Las Vegas' Danny Anderson and Rob MacCachren teamed to win the SCORE Lite class. Tony McCormack was the co-driver for David Westhem, who won Class 8 for the third straight race. Henderson's Bekki Freeman, one of three female drivers who started the race (two finished), finished second in Class 1-2/1600. In the featured Trophy Truck division, Lonny Helmbolt of Henderson was fifth and brothers Ed and Tim Herbst were seventh in the field of 11 starters. The other area finishers were: Tom Bradley, Class 1 (12th); Brian Collins, Class 8 (5th); Kenny Freeman, Class 1-2/1600 (9th); and Brad Mauer, Class 1-2/1600 (10th). ... Saturday's Protruck Stadium Series race at the Los Angeles Coliseum has been postponed because of "weather concerns," according to organizers. Rain pelted the L.A. area Wednesday and the forecast was for more rain and thunderstorms through Saturday. A new date is expected to be announced within two weeks.