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Rice Secures MBNA Pole Award For Indy 500
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Gordon Qualifies, Quickly Leaves
Robby Gordon left almost as quickly as he toured the Speedway during qualifying.
Gordon had a four-lap average speed of 216.522 mph to place him on the outside of the sixth row in his No. 70T Meijer/Coca-Cola Robby Gordon Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone. He immediately left by helicopter and private jet to participate in a 6 p.m. (EDT) mandatory drivers meeting before the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race in Richmond, Va. The owner-driver had a 3:30 p.m. (EDT) deadline to put his car on the Speedway oval for a qualification attempt.
Gordon on May 14 qualified sixth for the NEXTEL Cup event. He finished 19th in the May 14 NASCAR Busch Series 250 at Richmond and then had a 65-minute flight to Indianapolis.
“I’m pretty disappointed,” said Gordon, who had limited practice time in the No. 70T after his primary car made contact with the Turn 2 wall on April 10. “The car just started getting tighter and tighter with every lap. It’s going to be our worst qualifying effort in years here at Indianapolis. Normally (team manager/engineer) Thomas Knapp and myself, we hit it pretty good here but we just missed it this time. But we’ll work real hard on race set-up next week and get ourselves in a position to have a good race day.”
Three make contact with wall
Bryan Herta suffered abrasions to his right leg and foot after the No. 7 XM Satellite Radio Dallara/Honda/Firestone made contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 1 on his first official qualification lap.
“We tried to free the car up,” said Herta, who was checked in the infield medical center and released. “We had a little bit of understeer in (Turn) 1, and I think we went a little too far. I went into (Turn) 1, and the back just gave up.”
He had recorded a final warm-up lap of 215.498 mph.
Felipe Giaffone’s No. 24 Team Purex/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone made contact with the outside retaining wall between Turns 1 and 2 on his first official qualification lap.
Giaffone, who had a final warm-up lap of 217.706 mph, was checked in the infield medical center and cleared to drive.
“I was still not flat and lifted through (Turn 1), so it wasn’t like I tried to run it flat,” he said. “I almost thought I’d be able to save it as it started to (wiggle). It’s too bad for the team.”
Alex Barron suffered a bruised right foot when the No. 51 Red Bull Cheever Racing Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone made contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 1 with about 25 minutes left in the session on his first official qualification lap. He had turned a final warm-up lap of 217.646 mph.
He was checked in the infield care center and cleared to drive.
“I was going into Turn 1 and just before the apex the car went loose and I spun into the wall,” Barron said. “With temperatures cooling down, there were a lot of incidents on track today. I wish I could have given the crew a good qualifying run. We’ll just have to get out there and try again tomorrow.”
Indiana National Guard members honored
Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 152nd Infantry and 1st Battalion, 163rd Fire Support team of the Indiana National Guard were honored in the ceremonies before practice. The 690 soldiers, who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, were welcomed home by Indiana by Gov. Joe Kernan, who presented the Overseas Service Ribbon and Indiana Homeland Defense Service Ribbon to battalion commander Lt. Col James Gentry.
“This is extraordinary sacrifice that these soldiers have made for each and every one of us here in Indiana, and in the country,” Kernan said. “We’re so proud of them and so proud of the extraordinary service that they have rendered. It’s great to be here with everyone here today to officially welcome them back home.”
Of note
Kosuke Matsuura, who qualified on the outside of Row 3 (220.740 mph), was the fastest rookie. “Starting ninth on the outside is a good position to fight for 200 laps and maybe I will have an opportunity to win the race,” he said. ... The Indy Racing League celebrated its 10th birthday on May 11 -- when Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George announced plans for an open-wheel racing series to begin in 1996 that would include the Indianapolis 500 as its cornerstone event. ... Members of REO Speedwagon waved the green flag to start practice. ... Marsh Family Day Qualifying/Armed Forces Day on May 16 begins with IndyCar Series practice from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (EDT), followed by an Armed Forces ceremony and then qualifications. Gates open at 9 a.m. (EDT). Entertainment on the Coca-Cola Stage in Pagoda Plaza includes “One 5 Oh” at 1:30 p.m.; “Building 429” at 2:30 p.m.; “Jeremy Camp” at 3:30 p.m. and “Audio Adrenaline” at 5 p.m. (EDT). ... The first 3,000 fans in Pagoda Plaza at noon will receive a complimentary movie-style poster featuring the “Lights, Camera, Traction!” theme and IndyCar Series drivers Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti and Barron. The third poster is available on Bump Day on May 23 and includes Tomas Scheckter, A.J. Foyt IV, Sam Hornish
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