NOTEBOOK : GOLD MEDALIST WILL PUT PEDAL TO METAL.

Byline: Bill Schlotter Daily News Staff Writer

With his two gold medals at the Atlanta Olympic Games last summer have come appearance demands on Simi Valley archer Justin Huish.

He made a showing at the dedication of an international archery facility in Switzerland. There were clinics to teach in the Netherlands and Belgium. A competition in France. Another in Turkey.

But the invitation that really got the 22-year-old bowman excited was a recent request to drive in the celebrity race at the Long Beach Grand Prix.

The request came via phone call about two months ago.

``They asked me if I wanted to do it and I said, `Sign me up,' '' Huish said.

Huish said his initial expectation was that race organizers would put all the celebrities in their cars and let them go for it.

``I thought it was like the craziest person would win,'' he said.

Four days of driving school later, he has some new behind-the-wheel skills and a better understanding of what it takes to be a race driver.

``There's a lot of technical stuff,'' he said. ``It's a four-day school and they go over everything.''

Huish said he's had the Toyota Celica he will race Saturday up to about 100 mph.

And he said it looks faster behind the wheel than it does from the grandstand.

Still, he said he's gone fast in a car before.

``I've gone faster on the highway,'' he said. ``I have a friend who has a fast car and likes to drive fast.''

Race organizers have told Huish he looks like he might contend for the winner's circle Saturday.

``People keep telling me I'm going to be pretty competitive,'' he said. ``I haven't crashed yet.''

Huish plans to try to make the U.S. archery team that will compete in the World Championships in British Columbia this summer. And he said he isn't worried about getting hurt on the race track and missing his chance.

``I don't know about hitting a wall about 100 mph,'' Huish said. ``But I figure with a harness, a helmet and a roll bar, I'm safe.''

Fittipaldi out: Christian Fittipaldi, who broke his right leg in an accident in Australia on Sunday, will not compete at Long Beach.

Fittipaldi, injured in a crash on the second lap of the Sunbelt IndyCarnival, had surgery to repair breaks to his fibula and tibia and will remain in Australia until at least Saturday.

Doctors predict a recovery period of six to eight weeks.

Fittipaldi's Kmart/Budweiser racing team is expected to pick a replacement driver this week in time for the Long Beach Grand Prix.

Lasorda is Grand Marshal: Former Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda is this year's Long Beach Grand Prix Grand Marshal.

Among Lasorda's duties will be waving the ceremonial green flag at the race's start and presentation of the trophy to the winner.

Fathers, sons: Racing great Parnelli Jones said he tried to dissuade his children, including CART racer PJ Jones, from going into auto racing.

``I didn't want them to be race drivers because - let's face it - auto racing is dangerous,'' Jones said.

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Photo

Photo: JUSTIN HUISH: The Olympian archer, from Simi Valley, is considered a favorite in the celebrity race.