PRACTICE DAY
93rd Indianapolis 500
NOTES - Friday, May 15, 2009

McDONALD’S DRIVER RAHAL AND DOORNBOS CONTINUED TO WORK ON RACE SETUP; DOORNBOS TO MAKE QUALIFYING ATTEMPT TOMORROW

1) Scott Dixon 56 laps 222.799 mph
10) Robert Doornbos 72 laps 220.804 mph
13) Graham Rahal 98 laps 220.677 mph

Graham Rahal, No 02 McDonald’s Dallara Honda/Firestone: “I think the McDonald’s team made quite a lot of progress on our race setup from where we started to where we finished today. Certainly it wasn’t ideal when we started but I think we got quite a lot closer at the end and I was pretty happy running with (Ryan) Briscoe, Helio (Castroneves), Tony (Kanaan) and Dario (Franchitti) there for a while. There is still a little more speed to be found but we will park the McDonald’s car now and try to find that last bit of speed on Carb Day. The McDonald’s boys have worked hard and deserve a few days off back home.”

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 our plan to forget about tomorrow (qualifying) and work on the race car but to be honest it (qualifying) was always in the back of my mind because we are in a strange situation. We have a fast car but we are not qualified. You just want to make sure you are in the show and then you start working on the race car. I am quite happy; we found a good car. We ran in traffic and did some good lap times and were in the top-10 at the end of the day so that’s not bad. Obviously tomorrow morning we have to go back a little bit to qualifying mode. Maybe not as much as we would have done running in the top-11 but yes, you do have to change the mindset a bit. I am comfortable though.”

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.