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Sunday, May 22, 2005
Kenny Brack is Back!
’99 CHAMP SETS FASTEST QUALIFY TIME
AT INDY AT 227.598 M.P.H.
Argent Mortgage/Pioneer Honda Driver Proves He Is Ready for May 29 Race
SPEEDWAY, Ind. (May 21, 2005) – There were tears in the eyes of the racing fans Sunday when Kenny Brack drove the No. 15 Argent Mortgage/Pioneer Honda Panoz Firestone car on his four qualifying laps for the 89th running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile race.
Brack did not disappoint the appreciative crowd with a stunning performance in the Rahal Letterman Racing machine with the fastest overall speed in qualifications with a clocking of 227.598 miles per hour in a four-lap average, bettering pole sitter Tony Kanaan’s 227.554 four-lap average last Sunday.
Brack was named the replacement driver in the No. 15 Honda-powered machine when defending Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice sustained neck injuries in a May 11 practice crash. Ironically, it was Rice who replaced Brack in 2004 after Kenny’s massive crash in the 2003 IRL IndyCar Series finale at Texas Motor Speedway.
In addition, Brack posted the best qualifying lap of the month at 227.940 and beat out his teammate and fellow Argent/Pioneer Honda pilot Danica Patrick, who recorded a 227.840 lap last Sunday.
Brack, the 1999 Indy 500 and 1998 IRL champion, had not sat in an Indy car officially since the Oct. 12, 2003 incident that broke his vertebra, ribs, leg, collarbone and both ankles. But the 39-year-old Swede showed that he was ready for a strong run Saturday when he clocked a 228.431 reading in the morning practice. In fact, Kenny run five 228-plus lap in practice.
“I am just relieved that we are in the field,” said Brack, whose first laps were Wednesday at the track. “I am also glad for the team obviously. They have had a real tough month. I am happy that they gave me the chance to shine a little bit. The crew could have kept it nailed to the ground, and we could have probably been in the field that way, too. I am really happy with that scenario, too. I am confident in the car. 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.” We have to get a good race setup. Obviously, it is a bit different from qualifying to (the) race (setup). We worked all day (Friday) on the race setup and all the day on Wednesday. We are going to continue working on that today, and hopefully we can get a good racecar, then we’ll see what happens. I am still a little un-used to the race situation, but it will be fine.”
Brack’s qualifying run has put him in the 23rd starting position for the May 29 500-Mile as he makes his sixth Indy 500 start and second for Rahal Letterman Racing.
“I don’t think the starting position will make a difference,” said Brack. “I think having a good race car is what matters. And we’ll just see if we have that yet. I don’t know that yet, but we’ll see if we can get there. I have to say thank you to Team Rahal Letterman, obviously, for giving me a chance to come here in the first place. They called me and asked me if I wanted to fill in for their difficult situation with Buddy (Rice). It is great to be in the field.”
Practice continues on Sunday before the cars are parked until Friday’s Carb Day. Brack is expected to be run a selected number of laps before parking his mount. Meira and Patrick will not run on Sunday at the Speedway.
Please go to News at www.kennybrack.com for audio files where Kenny gives comments about the Indy 500.
kennybrack.com
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