segunda-feira, maio 31, 2004

 

Ah, um dia eu ainda vou assistir a essa corrida no Speedway...



Rice Takes Indy 500 for First Career Win

By Lewis Franck

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Pole sitter Buddy Rice, who began the season without a job, claimed North American motor racing's biggest prize Sunday, capturing the rain-shortened 88th Indianapolis 500 and his first career win.

Taking over the Rahal-Letterman racing G-Force Honda from injured IRL champion and former-Indy 500 winner Kenny Brack, Rice held his nerve and focus to become the first U.S.-born winner of the 500 since former-Formula 1 driver Eddie Cheever in 1998.

The 28-year-old American led the 33 car field much of the day and was holding the lead when the race was called official after 180 of 200 laps as rain began to fall on Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the third time.

The rain, however, did nothing to wash away Rice's excitement waving wildly to the crowd as he crossed the finish line under the yellow caution flag in front of Brazilian Tony Kanaan and Britain's Dan Wheldon.

"Just a tremendous job," team co-owner and late night talk show host David Letterman said.

"It was a heroic effort, Buddy fell behind a couple of times but kept coming back.

"An incredible job."

A long day of racing was made even longer by two rain interruptions totaling almost four hours and nine cautions, over half of them the result of crashes by rookie drivers.

After a two-hour delay to clear moisture from the sprawling 2-1/2 mile oval the race finally began under threatening skies, Rice leading the thundering 33-car field to the green flag.

Rice set a furious early pace until the first yellow caution came out on lap 11 when A.J. Foyt IV, 20 year-old grandson of four-time 500 winner and team owner A.J. Foyt, brushed the outside wall and was sent spinning into the infield.

SLIGHT DRIZZLE

Following a flurry of pit stops, Wheldon assumed the lead pursued by two-time winner Helio Castroneves and ran out front until a slight drizzle brought out the second caution of the day on lap 22.

Seven laps later, heavier rain brought out the red flag sending the field into the pits and nearly 300,000 race fans scurrying for cover.

Officials debated postponing the race until Monday but when the skies cleared after a one hour, 47 minute delay, they sent the cars back out onto the oval.

Wheldon led the field to the green flag on the restart and was still in front as the race reached the midway point under a caution making the race official.

But on the restart, the Briton was passed by hard charging Kanaan, the two drivers swapping the lead until Rice rejoined the fray charging to the front with 48 laps to run.

With dark storm clouds looming on the horizon, team's looked nervously to the sky pondering whether to gamble on pitting for fuel or staying on the track hoping for rain to end the race prematurely.

In the end, the rain held off just long enough for Rice to maintain his advantage and become the first driver to win from pole since Dutchman Arie Luyendyk in 1997.

"This is just great. With what everyone had done for me and my family and everything the way they helped me out," Rice said as he drank the traditional winner's quart of milk.

"This is unbelievable. We were strong and we knew it, we didn't panic when we had a bit of an issue.

"It's great."

It was tough day for Indy 500 rookies with six of eight first time starters crashing out, including Britain's Darren Manning and Mark Taylor, who was transported by ambulance to Methodist Hospital for observation and later released.

posted by Viviane at 5:43:00 PM