HERTA COULD LAND INDY RIDE.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

Valencia's Bryan Herta is turning into quite an auto racing commodity. The Hart High of Newhall graduate is seemingly testing the waters of every facet of racing.

His most recent deal might land him in the Indianapolis 500.

Herta was tabbed as a test driver for Andretti Green Racing as it prepares for the Indianapolis 500. Herta will be driving Robby Gordon's entry next week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gordon, also driver of the No. 31 Chevy for Richard Childress Racing on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, will be in North Carolina preparing for The Winston, NASCAR's all-star race.

``He is here,'' Gordon said of Herta. ``I think it's for after this weekend.''

Herta turned his first laps in the Andretti Green entry Wednesday. He took three planes, two taxis and a train to get to Indianapolis from France, where he was testing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Gordon, from nearby Orange, will attempt to pull off the ultimate auto racing double. He is entered in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600, which are run on the same day, May 25. Indianapolis 500 pole day, when cars qualify for the top starting spot for the race, is today.

This will be the fourth time Gordon has attempted to compete in both races.

Andretti Green Racing also is preparing cars for drivers Michael Andretti, Tony Kanaan and rookie Dan Wheldon. As a test driver, Herta might get the opportunity to qualify one of the Andretti Green cars for the Indy 500.

Herta, a two-time winner on the CART Champ Car series, also was named as a substitute driver for Andretti Green Racing driver Dario Franchitti for two races. Herta will be entered in Indy Racing League events at Texas Motor Speedway and Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado. If Franchitti, who is recovering from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident, is not able to return to racing after the Pikes Peak event, Herta also could be entered in the IRL race in Richmond, Va.

Herta, 32, has been in France preparing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans since April 27. He is driving for Team Nasamax, which is entering the only car fueled with agriculturally produced bio-ethanol.

All this comes on the heels of Herta's NASCAR debut last month at California Speedway. He finished fifth in a NASCAR Winston West race driving for Bill McAnally Racing.

``This was real good for me,'' Herta said. ``I have a lot of different things going on right now. Busy is good. I'm ready to be busy.''

--Super Aguri Fernandez Racing: Pole day for the 87th running of the Indianapolis 500 is today, and rookie driver Roger Yasukawa is having a hard time relaxing.

``Going for the first time, I think it will be a tense race,'' said Yasukawa, the West Hollywood driver for Super Aguri Fernandez Racing. ``You are there for the whole month and the entire team is working together to finish that 500-mile race. I think it is a lot more difficult than what it appears. My dream is to win the Indy 500 and, ultimately, I would love to do that.''

Perhaps Yasukawa should be concentrating more on finishing races. His past two Indy Racing League events, in Milwaukee, Wis., and Motegi, Japan, have ended in crashes.

Members of his crew have made championship runs at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Managing director Tom Anderson has worked on three Indy 500-winning crews (Johnny Rutherford in 1980, Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989 and Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000). Race engineer John Dick was with Arie Luyendyk's team when he won in 1990.

But Yasukawa, the top rookie in the Indy Racing League, ultimately will be the difference in the race.

``Racing in the 500 has always been my dream,'' Yasukawa said. ``It would be a great honor to hopefully be part of the race this year. One of the hardest things at the speedway is going to be the (track) conditions, which can change day to day. It will be a challenge to keep focus and not get lost when you are trying to set up the car for race day.''

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Robby Gordon is entered in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 on May 25.

Tom Strattman/Associated Press

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