2005 Indy 500 Schedule Rookie Orentation Day One Rookie Orentation Day Two Rahal-Letterman Press Conference Team Penske Press Conference Kanaan Wins Indy 500 Pole Andretti-Green Press Conference Buddy Rice Will Sit Out 500 Brack Fills In For Rice Brack Faster Than Pole Sitter Giaffone Last Driver In 500 Futaba Freedom 100 Starting Lineup Futaba Freedom 100 Final Results

Indy 500 Entry List Indy 500 Qualifying Order Indy 500 Qualifying Day 2 Indy 500 Qualifying Day 3 Indy 500 Starting Lineup Indy 500 Practice No. 1 Indy 500 Practice No. 2 Indy 500 Practice No. 3 Indy 500 Practice No. 4 Indy 500 Practice No. 5 Indy 500 Practice No. 6 Indy 500 Practice No. 7 Indy 500 Practice No. 8 Indy 500 Practice No. 9 Indy 500 Practice No. 10 Indy 500 Race Results Points After Indy 500

Wheldon Wins Indy 500

IMS PR * Photo Shawn Payne

Dan Wheldon became the first Englishman to win the Indianapolis 500 in nearly 40 years, winning the 89th running of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" with a late pass at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Wheldon, the IRL IndyCar® Series points leader, passed rookie Danica Patrick for the lead with six laps remaining in the 200-lap race to claim his fourth victory in five IndyCar Series starts. When rookie Sebastien Bourdais made contact with the wall between Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 198, Wheldon clinched the biggest win of his racing career.

"This has been a dream come true for me," Wheldon said. "I've loved the Indianapolis 500 ever since I was a little kid in England. And you can see what a race it is. The best drivers in the world are here. The best teams in the world. I'm having an emotional moment. I'm just so glad. Thank you very much everybody. Thanks to the Hulman-George family for giving everybody this race. It's the best in the world. These fans make this race. So does Indianapolis. It's the best place in the world right now."

Vitor Meira finished second to match his career-best performance, while Bryan Herta finished third - his best Indianapolis finish in four starts. Patrick faded to fourth as she tried to conserve fuel, but still recorded the best finish by a woman at Indianapolis. 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier was fifth. Patrick led 19 laps, becoming the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500. She led three times in the race, and took the lead for the final time on Lap 189 passing Wheldon on the frontstretch, in an attempt for a historic first victory.

Wheldon's win gave his car co-owner, Michael Andretti, his first victory at Indianapolis. Andretti was winless in 14 starts at Indianapolis as driver and retired following the 2003 Indianapolis 500, handing his seat to Wheldon. Wheldon averaged 157.603 mph and covered the 500 miles in 3 hours, 10 minutes and 21.0769 seconds.

Dan Wheldon earned $1,537,805 from a record total purse of $10,304,815 for his hard-fought victory May 29 in the 89th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. The winner's purse and total purse were announced May 30 at the Indianapolis 500 Victory Celebration at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This year's event purse broke the record set in 2004, which was $10,250,580. This is the fourth consecutive year the overall purse for the field of 33 drivers has exceeded $10 million. The event purse is comprised of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy Racing League and sponsor awards, and other designated awards.
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Bruno Junqueira is due to undergo surgery today at Indianapolis Methodist Hospital to repair fractures to two vertebrae, damaged in a crash during the Indianapolis 500. The former Williams test driver was running in sixth place when he made contact with AJ Foyt IV as he was lapping the Texan on lap 77 of the 200 laps event. Junqueira remained conscious throughout the incident.(grandprix.com) Junqueira, driver of the No. 36 Newman Haas Racing Team Centrix Panoz/Honda/Firestone, is in fair condition following successful surgery on his fractured T-12 and L-1 vertabras on Monday.
UPDATE... Junqueira, driver of the No. 36 Newman Haas Racing Team Centrix Panoz/Honda/Firestone, is in fair condition following successful surgery on his fractured T-12 and L-1 vertabras on Monday. Dr. Terry Trammell, who performed the surgery on Junqueira, said the 28-year-old Brazilian suffered no additional spinal injuries and will remain hospitalized until the end of the week.

Larry Foyt, driver of the No. 41 ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt Racing Dallara/Toyota/Firestone, suffered a chip fracture of his lower spine in a single-car accident on lap 18. He was fitted with a back brace and is expected to be released from the hospital by Tuesday.

2005 Indy 500 Front Row * Photo Dan Helrigel IMS PR

Hornish Team Wims Pit Stop Competition

IMS PR* Photo By Dana Garrett

Sam Hornish Jr. hopes that winning the Checkers Rally’s Pit Stop Competition on Miller Lite Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a good omen. There is precedent. Hornish, driving the No. 6 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Toyota/Firestone, defeated Andretti Green Racing’s Bryan Herta in the championship round on May 27. His pit crew received the $30,000 first prize for its speed and accuracy. The winner of the competition has gone on to win the Indianapolis 500 five times, most recently in 2004 with Buddy Rice and Rahal Letterman Racing. Penske Racing teams have won the pit stop competition a record eight times, the last with Helio Castroneves in 2002. The race winner? Castroneves.

Though Hornish stalled the car in the final, it didn’t cross the timing line (pit stops were elapsed time). His crew completed the four-tire change and simulated fueling in 8.9704 seconds. The crew for Herta’s No. 7 XM Satellite Radio Dallara/Honda/Firestone completed its stop in 9.9170 seconds. Hornish’s crew (8.4064 seconds) advanced to the final by beating the time of the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car driven by Scott Dixon (9.3444 seconds). Herta’s crew (10.1662 seconds) moved on by defeating the No. 15 Rahal Letterman Racing team of driver Kenny Brack (no time for not completing pit stop).

Jaime Camara outdueled Wade Cunningham to claim his first Menards Infiniti Pro Series victory in the Futaba Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday. The two rookies dueled throughout the 100-mile event that saw six lead changes between Laps 12-19, including one by Jon Herb. The middle section of the 40-lap race on the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval was a drafting battle, with Camara, driving the No. 1 CELG - Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone, in front but not able to pull away from the No. 33 Visit New Zealand entry. The last lap was a drag race - with Camara beating Cunningham to the finish line by 0.1319 of a second for his first Menards Infiniti Pro Series victory.

Cunningham, who recorded his second-straight second-place, took the series points lead with his fourth top-four finish in as many events. Jay Drake, who also planned to race in the Hoosier Hundred USAC Silver Crown event at the Indiana State Fairgrounds later in the day, finished a career-best third after Indy Racing League officials reviewed video replays and Timing & Scoring information of the Lap 37 restart. It was determined that the No. 3 car driven by Al Unser passed Drake's No. 20 Vision Racing car after the yellow caution flag flew. Unser was credited with fourth place. Roth, Travis Gregg, Jeff Simmons, Chris Festa, Taylor Fletcher and Quiroga completed the top 10.

The month of May belonged to Danica Patrick as it did in the final practice on carb day at Indy. She turned in the quickest time of the day with a lap of 225.597 mph. Tony Kanaan was second followed by Dan Wheldon, Sam Hornish Jr., Tomas Scheckter, Scott Sharp, Tomas Enge, Adrian Fernandez, Vitor Meira and Sebastien Bourdais to round out the top-ten.

Thursday, May 26, 2005 - Simply put, the 2005 edition of Miller Lite Carb Day should be the best Carb Day celebration ever at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Fan-friendly changes, including a shift from Thursday to Friday and the addition of a 100-mile race, complement the traditional lineup of Miller Lite Carb Day activities May 27. The final, one-hour practice for the 33-car Indianapolis 500 field kicks off Miller Lite Carb Day at 11 a.m. (local time). Also at 11 a.m., fans will receive, on a first-come, first-served basis, the Firestone Indianapolis 500 collectible sponsor trading pin at Firestone's Formula One garages No. 25-27.

• At noon, more than 40 vintage race cars, including many from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum's extensive collection, will take five ceremonial laps around the Speedway's legendary 2.5-mile oval.
• At 12:10 p.m., driver introductions for the Futaba Freedom 100 Menards Infiniti Pro Series race will take place, and at 12:30 p.m., budding open-wheel stars such as Marco Andretti, Al Unser and others will compete in the 100-mile, 40-lap event.
• At 1:30 p.m., 12 of the fastest pit crews in motorsports will compete for bragging rights, the first-place trophy and $30,000 winner's check in the 29th annual Checkers/Rally's Pit Stop Challenge. Since 1977, the Checkers/Rally's Pit Stop Challenge has paired the finest pit crews and drivers in exciting head-to-head competition to determine the fastest pit crew at Indy for the year. The 2005 Checkers/Rally's Pit Stop Challenge grid will showcase many of the finest teams and most popular drivers in the IndyCar® Series as they compete for an $80,000 purse. Eleven of 12 pit stop contest participants are IndyCar Series race winners, and two drivers - Helio Castroneves and Kenny Brack - are Indianapolis 500 champions

Brazil's Jaime Camara claimed the first SWE Race Car Parts Pole Award of his Menards Infiniti Pro Series career, winning the pole for the Futaba Freedom 100. Camara, driving the No. 1 CELG-Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone, had a two-lap qualifying average of 189.870 mph to claim the pole position as the Menards Infiniti Pro Series used a format similar to the traditional Indianapolis 500 qualifying format for the first time. Camara's second lap, 47.3349 seconds, 190.135 mph, also was a new event qualifying lap record. Camara's Sam Schmidt Motorsports teammate, Travis Gregg, qualified second for his first race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a two-lap average of 189.385 mph. It marked the sixth time teammates had shared the front row, and the fifth time it had been accomplished by Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Rookie Cole Carter, the son of 17-time Indianapolis 500 starter Pancho Carter, and reigning USAC National Sprint Car champion Jay Drake qualified on the second row. Third generation drivers Al Unser, the son of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., and Marco Andretti, son of Michael Andretti, qualified seventh and 10th, respectively. The third Futaba Freedom 100 is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (EDT) on May 27. It will be telecast as part of ESPN2's coverage of Miller Lite Carb Day which is scheduled for 2 p.m. (EDT) on May 27.
For Starting Lineup... (Speed News Now)

The 33 drivers who will comprise the starting field for the 89th Indianapolis 500 lined up in traditional 11-row order - wearing their colorful firesuits and with helmets tucked under their right arms - in Times Square for an unprecedented media photo opportunity behind a "yard of bricks" graphic. The Borg-Warner Trophy and a Team 7-Eleven show car of MBNA Pole winner Tony Kanaan flanked the field. The drivers were joined by former U.S. Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell, who will drive the Pace Car in the May 29 classic. The Borg-Warner Trophy made its first public appearance in New York City since its unveiling at the Roosevelt Hotel in 1936. "It's going to be a fun day," said two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who occupied the space reserved on Military Island for the middle starter in Row 2. It was a full day of activity for the drivers. Kanaan, the reigning IndyCar Series champion, and Danica Patrick appeared on ESPN2's "Cold Pizza" and on Fox News Channel. Patrick will be the fourth woman to start the 500-Mile Race. In the afternoon, Patrick was a guest on the syndicated "Jim Rome Show," taped a segment for "CNN NewsNight with Aaron Brown" and was a guest on the "Late Show with David Letterman." Letterman, an Indianapolis native and co-owner of Rahal Letterman Racing, will cheer on Patrick and teammates Kenny Brack, the 1999 race winner, and Vitor Meira on Race Day.

Like most of the country, the final installment of the Star Wars series of movies has been a topic of conversation in Gasoline Alley. "I think anyone who has grown up in our generation knows Star Wars," said 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier. "It's always been pretty cool. I've heard this one is a pretty good one. I remember being a kid and everyone said that was the end of the story. There would be no more, and then there was more. I'm hopeful that it continues and is sort of a lifetime series of movies." Richie Hearn, driver of the No. 70 Meijer Coca-Cola Racing Special Panoz/Chevrolet/Firestone, was one of the first people in the garage area to see the movie. He saw the Star Wars, Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith on May 19 when practice for the Indianapolis 500 was rained out. "I thought it was a good movie, but I'm kind of a Star Wars geek," said Hearn,. "I have all the movies and I was happy with way it all tied in. The special effects were pretty incredible. I'm definitely going to see it again." Jimmy Kite, driver of the No. 91 Ethanol Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Toyota/Firestone said he hadn't seen the movie, but had plans to see it soon. "I've been waiting on this one since the last one ended," Kite said. "You know it always comes out in May, and I've had the date circled. My PR guy and I have been counting down the days. As soon as he gets up here, we're going right to the movie theater to watch it."

Sam Schmidt, owner of Sam Schmidt Motorsports and founder of the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation, is scheduled to appear on CNN at approximately 1:30 p.m. (EDT) on May 24. Schmidt, who will field a car for Richie Hearn in the Indianapolis 500 and four cars in the Futaba Freedom 100 for Jaime Camara, Chris Festa Travis Gregg and Tom Wood will be on Live From., which runs 1-3 p.m. (EDT) on the cable television news network.

IRL IndyCar® Series veteran Felipe Giaffone bumped his way into the 89th Indianapolis 500 only a few hours after signing to drive for four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt on Bump Day. Giaffone, the 2001 IndyCar Series Bombardier Rookie of the Year, recorded a four-lap average qualifying speed of 217.645 mph in the No. 48 A.J. Foyt Racing Panoz/Toyota/Firestone to bump rookie Arie Luyendyk Jr. from the 33-car field. Luyendyk, who completed the Rookie Orientation Program on May 21, became the 33rd qualifier with an average speed of 215.039 mph in the Beck Motorsports-prepared No. 98 Fat Wallet.com/CURB Records Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone. His attempt to bump Giaffone was unsuccessful.
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Brack Qualifies Faster Than Pole Sitter Third Day Qualifying was a homecoming for the 1999 Indianapolis 500 winner Kenny Brack - and a shot across the bow of the 32 other drivers in the May 29 classic. Nineteen months removed from a racing accident that left him with several 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. Three days and 13 hours of available practice time later, Brack had 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) recorded May 15. But Brack, because of the qualifying procedure, will start 23rd.

ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 To Provide 7 Hours Of Final Qualifying

ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will provide a combined seven hours of live coverage of the final two days of qualifying for the 89th Indianapolis 500 this weekend from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The final 11 spots in the 33-car field for the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" will be filled Saturday, May 21, while Bump Day Qualifications will be featured Sunday, May 22. The schedule (all times Eastern Daylight):

SATURDAY, May 21            SUNDAY, May 22
Time, Network               Time Network

1-2 p.m., ESPN2             1-3 p.m., ABC
5-6 p.m., ESPN              5-7 p.m., ESPN2
6-7 p.m., ESPN2

Thirty-two driver-car combinations totaled a month-high 2,828 laps (7,070 miles -- one of the busiest practice days in the past five years) without incident as qualified drivers tinkered with their race set-ups and tested how cars responded to various fuel loads. Teams with unqualified cars were seeking that extra measure of speed. MBNA Pole Award winner Tony Kanaan, driving the No. 11 team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone, led the speed parade at 226.490 mph (39.7368 seconds) on the 2.5-mile oval. He recorded the fast lap late in the six-hour session under a cloudy sky and temperature in the mid-60s. Kanaan added to his prize fund for the month by accepting the $5,000 Argent Mortgage Fastest Lap award.

IndyCar Series points leader Dan Wheldon was atop the speed chart (226.399 mph; 39.7528 seconds) until Kanaan's late quick lap. Dario Franchitti, driving the No. 27 ArcaEx Dallara/Honda/Firestone, made it an Andretti Green Racing top-three sweep with a quick lap of 226.065 mph. Arie Luyendyk Jr. will be looking for consistency - quickly -- May 21 as he attempts to complete the Rookie Orientation Program that is mandated by the sanctioning Indy Racing League before a driver can practice for the 500-Mile Race and then make his four-lap qualifying run. He'll be on the recently repaved track at 10:15 a.m. (EDT). There's a one-hour practice window scheduled May 21 preceding qualifying (1-7 p.m. EDT; live Timing and Scoring on indycar.com) to fill the final 11 spots in the 33-car field. ESPN and ESPN2 will broadcast the action live (check local listings) as will the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network (1-2 and 6-7 p.m. EDT).

Practice for the 89th Indianapolis 500 was canceled May 19 due to persistent rain at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Practice will resume at 1 p.m. (EDT) Friday. The 89th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 29. IMS and Indy Racing League officials announced the cancellation at 3:15 p.m. (EDT) after heavy showers returned to the Speedway area. It was the first Indy 500 practice day completely washed out by rain since May 18, 2001.

IRL IndyCar® Series points leader Dan Wheldon recorded the fastest lap during practice May 18 as teams' preparation for the 89th Indianapolis 500 turned to race setups. Most of the 22 qualified drivers in the field turned laps on a busy day on the 2.5-mile oval. Wheldon's best lap in the No. 26 Klein Tools/Jim Beam Dallara/Honda/Firestone was clocked at 39.5918 seconds, 227.320 mph, during the afternoon as several cars ran in tight packs. MBNA Pole Award winner Tony Kanaan was second fastest at 39.7372 seconds, 226.488 mph, in the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Adrian Fernandez was third-fastest at 39.7156 seconds, 226.042 mph in the No. 5 Investment Properties of America Panoz/Honda/Firestone.

1999 Indianapolis 500 winner Kenny Brack will replace injured 2004 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Rice in the 89th edition of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," Rahal Letterman Racing officials announced May 18. In other driver news, rookie Arie Luyendyk Jr. was named as the driver of the CURB/Agajanian/Beck Motorsports entry, and veteran Jimmy Kite was named to replace injured rookie Paul Dana in the Ethanol Hemelgarn Racing entry. Brack will attempt to qualify the No. 15 Rahal Letterman Racing Argent Pioneer Panoz/Honda/Firestone on Third Day Qualifying, Saturday, May 21 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to earn one of the 11 remaining spots for the race May 29.
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Jimmy Kite will be looking to make his fifth career start in the Indianapolis 500 this weekend when he attempts to qualify the No. 91 Ethanol Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Toyota/Firestone for the 89th running of the event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kite will drive for the injured Paul Dana, who suffered a fractured spine during an incident in practice last Friday. Kite, 29, from Stockbridge, Ga., finished 13th in the Indianapolis 500 in 2003. He also qualified for the race in 1998, 1999 and 2000. He is currently in his rookie season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and, for the last three years, has competed in the United States Auto Club (USAC) Silver Crown Series.

Reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Rice will not compete in the 89th Indianapolis 500 on May 29 due to an injury sustained in a practice crash earlier this month. Rice was injured May 11 in a single-car accident in Turn 2 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as he prepared for the Indianapolis 500. Rice sustained a concussion and a severe back contusion. According to Dr. Henry Bock, Indy Racing League and Indianapolis Motor Speedway senior director of medical services, further evaluation of Rice revealed a partially torn spinal ligament in his mid to lower neck area. The ligament is essential to maintaining the alignment of the spine.
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Injured IRL Indycar Series driver Paul Dana has been released from hospital and can return home without requiring surgery but will not be able to participate in what would have been his first Indianapolis 500 for Hemelgarn Racing. Rookie driver Dan suffered a fractured T-7 and T-8 vertebrae when he crashed his #91 Ethanol backed Dallara-Toyota during Friday's practice session at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway and spent two nights in the nearby Methodist Hospital as a result. Dr. Henry Bock, the director of medical services for the Indy 500 confirmed that Dana would not require surgery and that Dana would be allowed home wearing a neck brace. Ron Hemelgarn's team will announce a replacement driver for Dana in the next couple of days ahead of the next official practice session on Wednesday.(crash.net)

Tony Kanaan

2004 IRL IndyCar® Series champion Tony Kanaan went out early in qualifying, posted the best time and then waited. And waited. His patience was finally rewarded. Kanaan, third in the qualifying line, won the MBNA Pole Award for the 89th Indianapolis 500 after recording a four-lap average of 227.566 mph (2 minutes, 38.1961 seconds) on a cool and breezy day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Sam Hornish Jr., who had the 10th-best speed through the initial round of qualifiers, withdrew the car per the qualifying rules and made a second run at 4:30 p.m. (EDT). Hornish improved to second after a four-lap average of 227.273 mph. That bumped Scott Sharp, who kicked off qualifying with a four-lap average of 227.126 mph, to third. "We made a couple adjustments to pick up more downforce so we'd have more grip around the track," said Kanaan, who posted qualifying laps of 227.821 mph, 227.771, 227.459 and 227.212. "I'm pleased with my run. I think I pushed too hard too soon, but I'm pleased with the run."
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Heavy rain in the Indianapolis area forced cancellation of the first qualifying session for the May 29th -- 89th running of the Indianapolis 500. The forecast is calling for better conditions on Sunday when qualifying will resume, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Racing League officials announced. All on-track activity was canceled at 12:15 p.m. (local time) Saturday after rain fell on the Speedway throughout the morning, preventing any action on the historic 2.5-mile oval. Qualifying for spots 1-22 in the field will start at noon Sunday and continue through 6 p.m. Practice will precede MBNA Pole Qualifications from 9:30-11 a.m. -- Public gates will open at 7 a.m., with tickets from Saturday honored.

Rookie Paul Dana was seriously injured and two-time Indy Racing League champion Sam Hornish Jr. was able to walk away from a crash during Friday's practice for the May 29 Indianapolis 500. Dana lost control heading into turn two on the 21/2-mile oval and backed hard into the outside wall. Hornish ran over debris from Dana's wreck, flipped high into the air, turned over and skidded along the track on the open cockpit of his Team Penske entry. Hornish was able to scramble from his overturned car and came away with only a cut and a bruise on his right knee. Safety workers removed Dana from his battered car and speedway officials said he was taken by ambulance to Methodist Hospital, where he was awake, alert and in good condition with a spinal fracture and a concussion. It was Dana's second crash in two days and the fifth accident overall since the track opened for Indy 500 practice on Tuesday.(That's Racin')

Tomas Scheckter topped the speed chart on a rain-shortened day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the day before MBNA Pole Qualifying for the 89th running of the Indianapolis 500. Scheckter, driving the No. 4 Pennzoil Panther Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone, lapped the 2.5-mile oval in 39.5076 seconds, 227.804 mph to claim the Argent Mortgage Fastest Lap award. Scheckter's lap was the fastest recorded this month. IRL IndyCar® Series defending champion Tony Kanaan was second fastest with a lap of 39.6142 seconds, 227.191 mph. Danica Patrick, who paced the field May 12 in her No. 16 Rahal Letterman Racing Argent Pioneer Panoz/Honda/ Firestone, was third fastest at 39.6880 seconds, 226.769 mph. Shortly before the rain began, the yellow flag came out due to an incident involving Paul Dana and Sam Hornish Jr. Dana's car spun in Turn 2 and made contact with the SAFER Barrier. Hornish's car flipped after running over debris. Hornish walked away from the incident and was cleared to compete in MBNA Qualifying. Dana was awake and alert when he was transported to Methodist Hospital where he was listed in good condition after sustaining a spinal fracture and concussion.

Patrick On Top Of Speed Chart

Rookie Danica Patrick became the first woman to lead a full Indianapolis 500 practice session in nearly 30 years as she posted the fastest lap of the month during preparations for the 89th Indianapolis 500. Patrick, driving the No. 17 Rahal Letterman Racing Argent Pioneer Panoz/Honda/Firestone, lapped the 2.5-mile oval in 39.5374 seconds, 227.633 mph, and joined Janet Guthrie as the only women to lead a full practice day. Guthrie led practice on May 7, 1977. -- 2004 IRL IndyCar® Series champion Tony Kanaan was second fastest in the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone with a lap of 39.5561 seconds, 227.525 mph. -- 2004 J.P. Chase Bank Rookie of the Year Kosuke Matsuura was third with a lap of 39.5822 seconds, 227.375 mph.

Rice Injured In Practice

Defending Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice sustained a back contusion and a concussion in an accident early in the day during the second practice session. Rice's status will be determined next week, knocking him out of MBNA Pole Qualifying and second-day qualifications this weekend. Sixteen minutes into practice - the second day veterans could drive - Rice's No. 15 car spun in the second turn and the back end slammed into the outside wall, scattering debris across the track. The car spun several times as it slid down the track before rolling to a stop. Rice remained in the smoking car for several minutes before track workers helped him out. He walked away from the wreck but was later diagnosed with a severe back bruise and a concussion. Track workers also repaired the damage to the SAFER barrier, a device Rahal credited for preventing more serious injuries. Rahal said onboard computers indicated the car hit with a force of 75 Gs - although Rahal believed it was even harder than that. "He's in good shape but he's hurting," Rahal said. "It was a big wallop but nothing is broken, fortunately."

Practice No. Two - Kanaan On Top

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - Defending IRL IndyCar® Series champion Tony Kanaan posted the fastest lap to date as teams continued preparations for the 89th Indianapolis 500. Kanaan, driving the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone, lapped the 2.5-mile oval in 39.5686 seconds, 227.453 mph. Rookie Danica Patrick was second fastest in the No. 16 Rahal Letterman Racing Argent Pioneer Panoz/Honda/Firestone with a lap of 39.6573 seconds, 226.944 mph. Scott Dixon, whose Target Chip Ganassi Racing team switched from a Dallara to a Panoz chassis, was third with a lap of 39.6797 seconds, 226.816 mph.

Wheldon Lead First Practice

Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - IRL IndyCar® Series points leader Dan Wheldon took advantage of the new surface at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to post the fastest time as veteran drivers began preparations for the 89th Indianapolis 500. Wheldon, driving the No. 26 Klein Tools/Jim Beam Dallara/Honda/Firestone, lapped the 2.5-mile oval in 39.6811 seconds, 226.808 mph. Scott Sharp was second fastest in the No. 8 Delphi Panoz/Honda/Firestone with a lap of 39.7160, 226.609 as speeds climbed throughout the day. In all, 22 drivers eclipsed Buddy Rice's 2004 four-lap pole average of 222.024 mph.

>Official Program Available Now

The Official Program for the 89th Indianapolis 500, packed with 224 pages of entertaining, colorful and informative content about the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," is available now. Fans can purchase the full-color, glossy program at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, at the two Brickyard Authentics stores in Indianapolis, online at (www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com) or by calling (800) 955-INDY. The cover of the program features a painting by famed sports artist LeRoy Neiman. The painting is a reproduction of one of 12 Neiman originals commissioned in 1962 by Harrison Eiteljorg, founder of the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in downtown Indianapolis, and given to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation through the late Tony Hulman, who purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1945.

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