By Dave Lewandowski
indy500.com
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Photos | Driver Audio | Notes | Timing Reports
Before sending out Kenny Brack to rocket around the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, chief steward Brian Barnhart completed his instructions with "Welcome home."
Third Day Qualifying indeed was a homecoming for 1999 Indianapolis 500 winner Brack - and a shot across the bow of the 32 other drivers in the May 29 classic.
Nineteen months removed from the race crash that left him with multiple serious injuries, Brack answered team co-owner Bobby Rahal's call and returned to the Speedway May 18 as the substitute driver for injured reigning race champion Buddy Rice. Many asked why, and Brack has a simple answer: "I want to write my own chapter in my own book."
Practice that day was his first time in an IndyCar Series car since the incident in the season-ending race in 2003 at Texas Motor Speedway and a twist of fate. Before the 2004 season, Rahal Letterman Racing principals brought aboard Rice to replace Brack during his rehabilitation.
So after 13 hours of available practice time, Brack inched the No.15 Rahal Letterman Racing Argent Pioneer Panoz/Honda/Firestone at the front of the qualifying line. He brought it back 2½ minutes later with the fastest qualifying speed in the 33-car field.
Brack recorded a four-lap average speed of 227.598 mph, which was faster than the pole-winning speed of Tony Kanaan (227.566). But Brack, because of the qualifying procedure, will start 23rd.
Ten spots were filled for the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" on May 21. Arie Luyendyk Jr. will make a qualifying attempt May 22 to complete the 33-car field. The last time a second-day qualifier ran faster than the pole speed was in 1996, by Arie Luyendyk.
"I am just relieved that we are in the field," said Brack, the 1998 IndyCar Series champion. "I am also glad for the team, obviously. They have had a real tough month. I guess they had faith in that I could do the job. And I am just thanking them for doing all of these things because it was a lot of fun to put the car in the eighth row."
In his five previous Indianapolis 500 starts, Brack's highest starting spot was third, in 1998. He was in the middle of Row 3 when he won the 500-Mile Race in 1999.
"I am confident in the car," he said. "Although I have to say the car has changed a lot since I've been gone. You see less out of them at the sides. And that is something that I have to get more used to in traffic situation. On my own, I guess I am pretty confident."
Rice, who was one of the first to congratulate Brack after his qualifying run, has confidence his teammates Brack, Danica Patrick and Vitor Meira. It was with a ting of disappointment May 18 that Rice proclaimed that his car would have been an MBNA Pole contender had he been allowed to make a qualifying attempt three days earlier. 2004 pole sitter Rice knows his car's - and crew's -- capabilities.
"He's put the fastest car in the field, and that's what we needed to do," said Rice, who was ruled out by the Indy Racing League medical staff because of a partially torn spinal ligament. "To come in on short notice and to hop in and do this is awesome. It will be a great boost to the team. Obviously, I can't drive, but I couldn't be happier with who's in the car."
There is a recent history of success for substitute drivers in the Indianapolis 500. In 2003, Alex Barron finished sixth as the substitute for the injured Arie Luyendyk. In 1996, Danny Ongais finished seventh after replacing the late Scott Brayton. In 1987, Al Unser replaced Ongais and won the race. It is the 19th time in Indianapolis 500 history that the fastest qualifier will not start from the pole.
"In previous years, I don't think that the starting position had been critical," said Brack, who had a quick lap of 228.432 mph in the one-hour pre-qualifying practice session. "What is critical in this race is to have a good car. If we can get a good race car, then you can win this race from (the) 33rd (starting position) if you are just methodical and have a little bit of patience. It is 500 miles and it's going to be 10 pit stops or more. And there's a lot of stuff that is going to happen next Sunday, and you do just don't want to be one of the stories before the 200th lap."
Brack doesn't have any qualms about the physical demands of running 500 miles. He tested a Rahal Letterman Racing car at the demanding Richmond International Raceway last June but believed he wasn't ready to return to the circuit.
"Obviously it is a year later, I am strong enough now I think," he said. "I am on the same workout plan as before the accident, so I have no reason to believe that I should be any worse than I was before (the accident). It is a great feeling to be back, especially with Rahal Letterman Racing. They are a great team and great friends."
IndyCar Series rookie Ryan Briscoe averaged 224.080 mph in the No. 33T Target Chip Ganassi Racing Panoz/Toyota/Firestone and will complete Row 8. His speed would have placed him 18th on the grid if posted May 15.
Others currently in the field include, in order, Patrick Carpentier (222.803), Ed Carpenter (221.439), Jaques Lazier (221.228), A.J. Foyt IV (220.442), Marty Roth (219.497), Larry Foyt (219.396), Jeff Ward (218.714) and Jimmy Kite (218.565).
Luyendyk completed the Rookie Orientation Program and is eligible to put his Beck Motorsports-prepared No. 98 CURB Records Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone in the qualifying line. Plans of making a qualifying attempt were squashed late in the day when the car brushed the SAFER Barrier in Turn 4 during practice.
"I felt pretty good up until I hit the wall," said Luyendyk, son of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk. "We had a tough day. It started out with rookie orientation, then I went out there and I was a little impatient. I made a mistake, and now it cost us the qualifying today and not a lot of track time. I'm really disappointed.
"The guys have worked real hard to get the car together. This is just a setback. It's obviously not good for me because I need the track time, and it's not good for them because they are working on improving the car for me. So we'll get out there tomorrow and hopefully qualify for the race and get this thing up to speed and get some more laps."
***
Tickets:Tickets are available for the 2005 Indianapolis 500 on May 29. For information, log on to www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com, or call the IMS ticket office at (800) 822-INDY or (317) 492-6700.
Share:
| Indianapolis 500 Talkback | Post Comment |
|
|
|