Rice's 221.766 mph doesn't make top 11

A1 TEAM USA owner Rick Weidinger will write a diary during the Indianapolis 500 following every day that the A1 TEAM USA entry driven by Buddy Rice runs on the famous 2 1/2-mile Brickyard this May.

Saturday, May 12 (Pole Day)

There was plenty of excitement Saturday on the opening day of qualifying, but unfortunately, the A1 TEAM

USA

car wasn't a part of it. We were the first to make an attempt, right at high noon, and Buddy ran four laps that ranged from 221.873 to 221.672 miles per hour and averaged 221.766 for the 10-mile run. It was slower than the 222.685 that we ran in the morning practice. The difference might have been getting a tow in the draft from another car. In qualifying, you're on the track alone.

We weren't sure where it would stack up. It wasn't hot, but was warmer than in the morning and the sun was shining brightly and baking the track surface. Scott Dixon had been the fastest in practice this week, the only driver over 227, and he went immediately after us and ran 224.351. It told us the conditions had changed enough to effect the setup on the cars and maybe, just maybe, we'd have a chance of sticking in the top 11 with our speed.

An hour later, we had been bumped out. Michael Andretti averaged 222.789 to move into the top 11 and it became the speed everybody had to beat. When the qualifying line broke, the track was opened for practice and we ran 13 more laps. None of them were faster than Andretti or what we had run in the morning.

Indy's new qualifying format allows for three attempts on each qualifying day. We had two remaining, so I thought we might go back out late in the day until I learned we had to make another engine change.

It was very disappointing not to be a first-day qualifier and be in the top 11. We had a few problems this week and never caught up to everything we wanted to try on the A1 TEAM USA/A1GP car. We'll try to be fastest tomorrow, which would be 12th fastest and start us on the outside of the fourth row. Certainly, we're expecting to be in the show by tomorrow at 6 p.m. when the second day of qualifications ends with 22 cars in the field. We've been in the high teens on the timing sheet in practice most of the week.

The conclusion to qualifying was pretty dramatic. Helio Castroneves had qualified and was on the second row. He withdrew that spot and went out with eight minutes remaining. Castroneves ran 225.817 to take the pole away from Dario Franchitti. Tony Kanaan was qualified on the third row and he withdrew to take a shot at Castroneves. He just missed, running 225.757 to take the middle of the front row. The qualifying model worked the way it was supposed to work. It was pretty cool.

Aside from our qualifying, it was an enjoyable day. My son Paul is headed to college next year and we drove out early in the morning to Rose-Hulman. It's a small, very regarded engineering school in Terre Haute, Ind., about an hour drive west of Indianapolis. I was impressed with it and Paul realy liked it. The campus was very nice. They really take good care of it. Rose-Hulman stayed on our list. Thanks to Curt for the personal tour. Curt is a graduate of Rose-Hulman and still very proud of the Institute.

We went to the track from there and I spent some time rapping with Buddy right after his qualifying run. They had a concert scheduled for the afternoon in the infield plaza. The band--Augustana--came into our garage and we met them. Paul and I went out to listen to them and they were pretty good. We then rushed out to the track to watch the last 45 minutes of qualifying from the pits.

I remain confident that we have a good driver and a good race team and that we'll do well in the race, but I sure would have liked to have qualified Saturday.