PRACTICE DAY
93rd Indianapolis 500
NOTES - Thursday, May 14, 2009

DOORNBOS BACK ON TRACK IN PREPARATION FOR INDY 500 QUALIFYING SATURDAY; McDONALD’S DRIVER RAHAL WORKED ON RACE SETUP

1) Mario Moraes 103 laps 222.739 mph
8) Graham Rahal 92 laps 221.311 mph
27) Robert Doornbos 68 laps 218.429 mph

Graham Rahal, No 02 McDonald’s Dallara Honda/Firestone: “Overall I think we made a lot of improvements to the McDonald’s car for the race but the wind was a big factor today. Right now the wind is not being very nice to us but we certainly got better towards the end of the day. We still have a long way to go to get ready for the race but I am confident we will get there. We’re getting closer and getting a better pace. With a little more work we will be right on. I think we are close to the Ganassi boys and they are usually strong in the race. I am confident we will continue to improve and have a good balance in the car for the race.”

FAST FACTS: When his father, Bobby, won in 1986 he also started from fourth place…Will be his second race here. In 2008, he was the highest Indy 500 starter of the Champ Car transitioning teams with his 13th place start but made contact on L36 after driving high to avoid the slower car of Lloyd. Retired in 33rd place…Earned two of the three poles so far this season, the first of which earned him the distinction of being the youngest pole sitter in series history after winning pole in St. Pete on 4-4-09 at 20 years, 90 days old…Is ranked eighth in series points with 72.

Robert Doornbos, No. 06T Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “It was good to get back in the car, get back to work. It was horrible watching other drivers play and have fun while I was in my bus. Unfortunately we had a bad day today. We seemed to be going the wrong direction with the setup a little bit and I haven’t been enjoying driving the car. The wind condition was a bit tricky today as well. The speed is definitely in the car. This is the same car that we did good things with during Rookie Orientation and over the next days we proved to be in the top-11. Now we just need to show it again, it’s somewhere in the car. We’re trying to find the sweet spot for Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We have another day tomorrow. We’re going to work hard overnight and should have a good day tomorrow.”

FAST FACTS: Will be his first Indy 500 and third time to drive on this track after running here in the 2005 (Jordan GP test/Friday driver) and 2006 (Red Bull Racing) Formula One events…The Indy 500 will be his second-ever start on an oval. Qualified second in his oval debut in Kansas…Has competed against fellow ICS drivers Marco Andretti (A1GP), Danica Patrick (Formula Ford), Ryan Briscoe (F3) and E.J. Viso (F3000)…Two-time Indy 500 winner and fellow Dutchman Arie Luyendyk is serving as an advisor to Doornbos. Luyendyk won the 500 in 1990 and 1997 and is the only driver from the Netherlands to win the Indy 500 to date…Leads the Rookie of the Year standings.

1 POLE (1987) & TWO SECONDS AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY (IMS) FOR NHR/NHLR: The 2009 entry will mark the 17th year for NHR/NHLR in the event and the fourth since 1995. Prior to 2009, the team prepared a total of 25 entries for drivers such as Mario and Michael Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Paul Tracy, Bruno Junqueira, Sebastien Bourdais, Justin Wilson and Graham Rahal. Rahal and Robert Doornbos compete for the team in 2009 and will bring the total to 27. NHR’s highest finish in the Indy 500 is second place with Mario Andretti in 1985 and Michael Andretti in 1991 although team drivers have led many laps here. Mario Andretti also brought the team its highest start in the event when he won the pole position in 1987. NHR’s 2004 entry of Junqueira marked the first time for the team to compete here since 1995 and they returned in 2005 with Junqueira and IMS rookie Bourdais. In 2008 they ran Wilson and Rahal here during a transition season in the series but both made contact and retired in 27th and 33rd respectively. They have earned Rookie of the Year once, with Mansell in 1993 when he finished third.