In an Unusual Turn, Brack Replaces Rice

By Shav Glick

May 19, 2005 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS —

Kenny Brack returned the favor for Buddy Rice when the 1999 Indianapolis 500 winner was named Wednesday to replace last year’s winner in the No. 15 Rahal Letterman Panoz-Honda for next week’s race.

A year ago it was Rice winning the 500 as a sub for Brack, who had suffered multiple injuries in an accident at Texas Motor Speedway at the end of the 2003 season. Brack has not raced in an Indy car since, but after five laps was up to 220 mph and had a 225.774 before he called it a day.

“It was fun, it really was,” Brack said after logging 129 laps around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway circuit. “I think what allowed me to go so fast so quickly is that the team is a very good team and I knew it was a well-balanced car. I probably wouldn’t have been here had I not known beforehand how well prepared it was.”

After Indy Racing League doctors informed Bobby Rahal that Rice would not be able to drive in the 500 because his back injuries were worse than diagnosed, Rahal’s first call was to Brack at home in Columbus, Ohio.

“It was pretty weird that Buddy filled in for me last year and now I will fill in for him,” said the 39-year-old Swede who won the 500 driving for A.J. Foyt. “We have become very good friends over the year and I’m very sorry that Buddy was injured, but I wanted to come back to Indy with a good team and a fast car, and I couldn’t ask for a better combination.”

Since his near career-ending crash in October 2003, when he broke his right thighbone, breastbone, lower back and ankles, Brack has raced only once. Last September he finished fifth in two Scandinavian Porsche Carrera Cup events, his first races in his home country since 1992.

He tested in an Indy car early last year at Richmond, Va., and posted fast times but said he did not feel ready to resume racing.

“That was only about six months after I got out of the hospital and started my rehab program,” he said. “I was only a tenth off the track record, but in my mind I knew I didn’t feel physically fit to drive the Richmond race.

“Now it’s a year and a half and I’m back to the same physical condition as I was before the crash. I felt ready to race at the start of this year, but there were no offers I felt like accepting.”

Another substitute driver making his debut was Jimmy Kite, who is replacing injured Paul Dana in the Hemelgarn Racing No. 91. Arie Luyendyk Jr., a rookie son of the 1990 and 1997 winner, was named to drive the No. 98 Chevrolet for Greg Beck, Cary Agajanian and Mike Curb.

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No return

Indianapolis 500 winners who did not race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the next year:

2004: Buddy Rice (injured)

* 2003: Gil de Ferran (retired)

* 2000: Juan Montoya (raced Formula One)

* 1999: Kenny Brack (raced in CART)

* 1995: Jacques Villeneuve (raced Formula One)

* 1994: Al Unser Jr. (failed to qualify)

* 1981: Bobby Unser (retired)

* 1957: Sam Hanks (retired)

* 1956: Pat Flaherty (injured)