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Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Kenny Brack returns to IndyCar Racing
Kenny Brack Returns To IndyCar Racing This Week As
Replacement For Buddy Rice In No. 15 Argent/Pioneer Honda Car
1999 500 Champion To Take First Official Indy Car Ride Since Horrifying 2003 Crash
SPEEDWAY, Ind. (May 18, 2005) -- Former IRL Indy Car Series champion and 1999 Indy 500 winner Kenny Brack makes his official return in an IndyCar today with the announcement by Rahal Letterman Racing co-owner Bobby Rahal that Brack will replace defending Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice in the No. 15 Argent Mortgage/Pioneer Honda/Panoz/Firestone car for the 89th Indianapolis 500.
Brack will fill in for the injured Rice who was forced to sit out the remainder of the month due to a May 11 crash in turn two at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Brack passed his IRL physical with Dr. Henry Bock Tuesday evening and is scheduled to take his first laps in the Rahal Letterman machine on Wednesday.
In an strange twist of fate, Brack, who suffered a serious injuries in the 2003 IRL IndyCar Series finale at Texas Motor Speedway, replaces Rice who filled in for the recovering Brack in the 2004 IndyCar Series. Rice won the Indy 500 and two other races (Kansas and Michigan) as well as five pole positions in 2004.
“It is a pretty weird that Buddy filled in for me last year and now I will fill in for him,” said Brack, who tested an Indy Car last June at Richmond. “I’m very sorry that Buddy was injured and we have become good friends over the last year. I hope he gets well soon. But I wanted to come back to Indy with a good team and a fast car and I couldn’t have asked for a better combination. This is the team that won the race last year. I feel good and ready to go later today. I want thank Bobby (Rahal), Dave (Letterman), Scott (Roembke) and all of the sponsors for giving me this opportunity again.”
“We are very disappointed about Buddy having to miss this year’s race,” said Rahal. “When we heard that Buddy had to sit out the rest of the month, Kenny was the immediate choice. Kenny is a sensational driver and he showed last year in the test that he can still go fast. We believe Kenny is in better physical condition now than before his accident and we believe he will do a great job in the No. 15 Argent/Pioneer Honda car. Yes, it is a little ironic that Kenny is back in the cockpit for Buddy now.”
“Kenny was a big help to our team last year during the month of May,” said Rice, who suffered a torn ligament in his neck from a May 11 practice crash at the Speedway. “He assisted us in the engineering department and I am glad that he is able to fill in for me in the Argent/Pioneer Honda for the rest of the month. I know Kenny, I know the team and I know this racecar and he can win this year’s Indy 500. I want to assist him, Vitor (Meira) and Danica (Patrick) in an effort to get Rahal Letterman Racing back into the Speedway’s victory lane. I plan help out in any way possible.”
Last year, Brack returned to competitive driving when he drove a Porsche Carrera in a Porsche Cup race in Sweden and broke the all-time single-lap track record. He raced for the first time since his Texas accident and finished fifth in the competition. Brack recently tested a V-8 sedan car in Australia.
kennybrack.com
TB
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