INDIANAPOLIS 500 : Everything Goes Green for Fittipaldi : Auto racing: Anticipating the flag on a restart, Brazilian takes advantage of Mansell’s inexperience on oval tracks and wins for the second time.

INDIANAPOLIS —  Wily old Emerson Fittipaldi knew he had a rookie in his sights--even if it was Nigel Mansell, the 1992 world Formula One champion--when it came time for a crucial restart Sunday in the Indianapolis 500.

Mansell appeared to be on his way to a stunning victory in the first oval race of his career when he took the lead from teammate Mario Andretti with 25 laps remaining and kept Fittipaldi and pole-sitter Arie Luyendyk at bay until Lyn St. James’ car stalled at the pit entrance.

A caution flag caused the leaders to bunch up, and Fittipaldi, a two-time Formula One champion himself and a veteran of nine Indy car seasons, plotted his strategy. Fifteen laps--fewer than 40 miles--remained.

As Mansell followed the pace car around the track in anticipation of the green flag, Fittipaldi lagged a bit to get a run at him. Then, as starter Duane Sweeney dropped the green, Fittipaldi stomped on the throttle and swept past the startled Mansell as the cars dove into the first turn.

Luyendyk, watching the drama ahead, saw Mansell drop low in the turn in hopes of blocking the flying Fittipaldi and decided when Fittipaldi made it, he would try, too. Both went on the high side--a maneuver not considered possible after Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials restructured the corners following last year’s accident-marred race.

The huge throng, estimated at more than 425,000, let out a half-gasp, half-roar that might have been heard all the way to Fittipaldi’s native Brazil.

The double pass put Fittipaldi’s Penske-Chevrolet in front to stay for his second Indy 500 victory, this at an average speed of 157.207 m.p.h. with a margin of victory of 2.862 seconds. Luyendyk and Mansell finished second and third in Lola-Ford Cosworths in one of the most competitive 500s in its 77-race run.

Mansell had a chance to return the favor with six laps to go when the last yellow flag came out, but Fittipaldi gave the British rookie another lesson--this time in how to hold the lead on a restart. Once in, Fittipaldi ran the fastest lap of the race when he toured the 2 1/2-mile rectangular oval in 214.807 m.p.h. two laps from the end.

“The last restart, Emerson played it perfectly,” Luyendyk said. “He slowed me right down, and I had to shift into second gear. Then he got on the power, and by the time I got my car straightened out, he was gone.”

Curiously, Mansell himself brought out the last yellow when he brushed the wall going through the second turn. He continued without stopping, but officials slowed the race to look for debris on the track.

“Without that pass on the restart, I don’t know if Emmo (Fittipaldi) could have caught Mansell,” said car owner Roger Penske, who celebrated his 25th year at Indianapolis with his ninth victory.

Mansell admitted he was snookered.

“I thought I was getting down the straight pretty good for the restart when ‘vroom, vroom,’ I saw Emmo and Arie go by me,” Mansell said. “Twice before, in similar situations when I was behind, I got the jump on Mario (Andretti), so I guess it pays to be second or third on restarts.”

Penske said his strategy was to keep his drivers, Fittipaldi and Paul Tracy, on the lead lap for the first 400 miles and get them in position to win. Tracy, the Long Beach Grand Prix winner, went out early when he clipped wheels with Scott Brayton and spun into the wall on Lap 94.

“I was just hoping Emerson would get a break,” Penske said. “He was back as far as ninth for a time and fifth most of the time, but he drove an outstanding race and was where he had to be when it counted. I couldn’t believe he put the power on when he did.

“I was worried about Arie because he’s obviously no slouch. And Nigel, maybe because he hasn’t been here he doesn’t know how the restart works at Indianapolis. But at the end, Emerson had a triple-A finish.”

The climactic restart was reminiscent of 1986 when Bobby Rahal passed Kevin Cogan and Rick Mears after a late yellow flag to win the race.

“For sure, as a driver, this was the best race of my life,” Fittipaldi, 46, said. “It was emotional. For Roger, it was important because it is his 25th anniversary here. For me, it was important because it comes late in my career. I look and I see my wife and I see Roger and I see the checkered flag. It was fantastic--more fantastic than my first win here (in 1989). And for sure, more fantastic than any Grand Prix. Nothing in Formula One can compare with Indianapolis.”

There were 24 lead changes among 12 drivers, including three rookies--Mansell, Stephan Gregoire and Robby Gordon, A.J. Foyt’s protege who led two laps before his car quit with a broken gear box.

Ten drivers finished on the lead lap, with the front three followed in order by Raul Boesel, Mario Andretti, Brayton, Scott Goodyear, defending champion Al Unser Jr., Teo Fabi and John Andretti, who all hung in for a shot at the biggest prize in racing.

Track changes made with safety in mind paid off. There were only three crashes, and no one was injured seriously enough to be taken to the hospital.

It was a single-file race most of the time and got its big lift at the end when Fittipaldi made his million-dollar move. At tonight’s victory banquet, the winner is expected to collect approximately $1.5 million.

As often occurs in the Indy 500, an Andretti led the most laps.

Mario Andretti was in front for 72 of the 200 laps and still had hopes of breaking his 24-year Indy 500 drought as late as 26 laps from the end, until he was done in by Mansell on a restart.

“Nigel knew he could trust me because I did him a hell of a favor,” Mario said. “I just sort of let him go, and I wouldn’t do that for everyone. The car usually stuck like glue, but this time as soon as I entered Turn 1 I knew it was bad.”

Andretti, who led at the 100-, 300- and 400-mile marks, has not won the 500 since 1969.

At the start, he uncharacteristically dropped back from his front row position and let Boesel and Luyendyk compete for the first lap lead. Boesel took it and led the first 17 laps before pitting.

Boesel might have been car owner Dick Simon’s first winner but for two costly penalties for pit violations.

“We had two ‘stop-and-goes’ (when he had to come into the pits, make a complete stop and then return to the track),” Boesel said.

The first was for passing Mario Andretti on the pit lane. “They said I was speeding on (pit road),” Boesel said. “I wasn’t speeding.”

The second was for entering the pits when they were closed. “I was already coming into the pits when the yellow came on,” Boesel said.

The timing of the penalties also bothered him.

“They gave me ‘stop-and-go’ on the green, everybody else on the yellow,” Boesel said. “Plus, all those three guys in front of me overtook a slower car under yellow, and nothing happened.

“So, in my mind, I won the race. They took the race away from me.”

* AN EDUCATION: Nigel Mansell got a hard lesson about racing on oval tracks in the closing laps at Indy. C6

The Top 15 Finishers

Driver: Country 1. Emerson Fittipaldi: Brazil 2. Arie Luyendyk: Netherlands 3. Nigel Mansell: England 4. Raul Boesel: Brazil 5. Mario Andretti: United States 6. Scott Brayton: United States 7. Scott Goodyear: United States 8. Al Unser Jr.: United States 9. Teo Fabi: Italy 10. John Andretti: United States 11. Stefan Johansson: Sweden 12. Al Unser Sr.: United States 13. Jimmy Vasser: United States 14. Kevin Cogan: United States 15. Davy Jones: United States * Complete Results: C6

How They Finished

Official results of Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, listing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver (r-rookie), hometown or country, chassis-engine, laps completed.

DRIVER HOME CAR 1. (9) Emerson Fittipaldi Brazil Penske-Chevy C 2. (1) Arie Luyendyk Netherlands Lola-Ford Cosworth 3. (8) r-Nigel Mansell England Lola-Ford Cosworth 4. (3) Raul Boesel Brazil Lola-Ford Cosworth 5. (2) Mario Andretti Nazareth, Pa. Lola-Ford Cosworth 6. (11) Scott Brayton Coldwater, Mich. Lola-Ford Cosworth 7. (4) Scott Goodyear Canada Lola-Ford Cosworth 8. (5) Al Unser Jr. Albuquerque, N.M. Lola-Chevy C 9. (17) Teo Fabi Italy Lola-Chevy C 10. (24) John Andretti Indianapolis Lola-Ford Cosworth 11. (6) r-Stefan Johansson Sweden Penske-Chevy C 12. (23) Al Unser Sr. Albuquerque, N.M. Lola-Chevy C 13. (19) Jimmy Vasser Discovery Bay, CA Lola-Ford Cosworth 14. (14) Kevin Cogan Palos Verdes Ests. Lola-Chevy C 15. (28) Davy Jones Lake Tahoe, Nev. Lola-Chevy A 16. (33) Eddie Cheever Aspen, Colo. Lola-Menard 17. (18) Gary Bettenhausen Monrovia, Ind. Lola-Menard 18. (26) Hiro Matsushita Japan Lola-Ford Cosworth 19. (15) r-Stephan Gregoire France Lola-Buick 20. (22) Tony Bettenhausen Indianapolis Penske-Chevy C 21. (30) Willy T. Ribbs San Jose Lola-Ford Cosworth 22. (32) Didier Theys Belgium Lola-Buick 23. (27) Dominic Dobson Truckee, Calif. Lola-Chevrolet A 24. (31) Jim Crawford Scotland Lola-Chevy C 25. (21) Lyn St. James Daytona Beach, Fla. Lola-Ford Cosworth 26. (29) Geoff Brabham Australia Lola-Menard 27. (25) r-Robby Gordon Orange Lola-Ford Cosworth 28. (10) Roberto Guerrero San Juan Cap. Lola-Chevy 29. (16) Jeff Andretti Nazareth, Pa. Lola-Buick 30. (7) Paul Tracy Canada Penske-Chevy C 31. (20) Stan Fox Janesville, Wis. Lola-Buick 32. (13) r-Nelson Piquet Brazil Lola-Menard 33. (12) Danny Sullivan Aspen, Colo. Lola-Chevy C

DRIVER LAPS 1. (9) Emerson Fittipaldi 200 2. (1) Arie Luyendyk 200 3. (8) r-Nigel Mansell 200 4. (3) Raul Boesel 200 5. (2) Mario Andretti 200 6. (11) Scott Brayton 200 7. (4) Scott Goodyear 200 8. (5) Al Unser Jr. 200 9. (17) Teo Fabi 200 10. (24) John Andretti 200 11. (6) r-Stefan Johansson 199 12. (23) Al Unser Sr. 199 13. (19) Jimmy Vasser 198 14. (14) Kevin Cogan 198 15. (28) Davy Jones 197 16. (33) Eddie Cheever 197 17. (18) Gary Bettenhausen 197 18. (26) Hiro Matsushita 197 19. (15) r-Stephan Gregoire 195 20. (22) Tony Bettenhausen 195 21. (30) Willy T. Ribbs 194 22. (32) Didier Theys 193 23. (27) Dominic Dobson 193 24. (31) Jim Crawford 192 25. (21) Lyn St. James 176 26. (29) Geoff Brabham 174 27. (25) r-Robby Gordon 165 28. (10) Roberto Guerrero 125 29. (16) Jeff Andretti 124 30. (7) Paul Tracy 94 31. (20) Stan Fox 64 32. (13) r-Nelson Piquet 38 33. (12) Danny Sullivan 29

Fast Facts * Time of race: 3 hours, 10 minutes, 49.860 seconds. * Average speed: 157.207 m.p.h. * Margin of victory: 2.862 seconds. * Fast lap: 214.807 m.p.h., Emerson Fittipaldi, lap 198. * Lead changes: 24, among 12 drivers. * Lap leaders: Boesel 1-17, Gregoire 18, Cogan 19-22, Unser Sr. 23-31, Mario Andretti 32-46, Luyendyk 47-57, Unser Sr. 58-63, John Andretti 64-65, Gordon 66-67, Goodyear 68-69, Mansell 70-91, Mario Andretti 92-128, Mansell 129-130, Luyendyk 131-132, Mario Andretti 133, Luyendyk 134, Unser Jr. 135-151, Mario Andretti 152-168, Goodyear 169-171, Mario Andretti 172, Boesel 173, Mario Andretti 174, Mansell 175-184, Fittipaldi 185-200