Local 500 Contestant Has Hit 136 MPH in Practice

This department learned in a telephone conversation Thursday evening with Jimmy Daywalt, Wabash’s first and only entrant in the 500-Mile Memorial Day race, that in all probability the local race car driver will attempt to qualify in the time trials at the Indianapolis Speedway Saturday.

The Wabash pilot has been clocked at 136 miles per hour in the No. 19, the new Sumar Special owned by Chapman S. Root of Terre Haute, in practice runs, but both Daywalt and Root’s mechanics wanted the car to run faster.

Thus the Sumar crew was busy Friday attempting to “put more steam” into Daywalt’s car.  The latter was almost certain as was owner Root, that the new Sumar would be ready to take its turn again around the 2 ½ mile oval Saturday.  Despite the fact that the weatherman has predicted rain for the weekend the Sumar gang feels that Saturday is the day, Daywalt related.

Daywalt, who has been in Indianapolis since May 1 in preparation for the May 31 race said he and other felt that the car would do 13 m. p. h. or better, but also stated that he believed 136.3 would be fast enough for qualification.  Jimmy indicated he would like to get on at least the third or fourth row if possible.

The Sumar crew has headaches more serious than those that besiege them on Daywalt’s car.  Jerry Hoyt, who is driving the Sumar that Daywalt drove in the last year’s 500-miler, has been able to get his racer up to only around 133 miles per hour, which is needless to say, too slow for qualifying time.

Last May 23 Daywalt drove the same car to a sixth place finish in the race and had a qualifying time of 135.747 miles per hour, which placed him on the seventh row.

High winds kept most of the driving activity down Thursday.  The veteran Mike Nazaruk was having his troubles.  His McNamara Special threw a rod in a practice turn.

Daywalt’s close friend, Duane Carter, has the fastest time thus far in the practice sessions, having been clocked unofficially at 137.8 miles per hour in his Automobiles Shippers Special.

Qualifications at the Speedway start at 11 a.m. (DST) and last until 6 p.m. (DST).