Yahoo Autos Longshot 2004 Indy 500 Winner Buddy Rice Has Unique Place in Racing History
Buddy Rice would be a perfect candidate for an American Express commercial.
“Hi, do you know me?” Rice can be imagined saying. “I’m a former race car driver. I won the 2004 Indianapolis 500 and the 2009 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, yet I’m not always recognized for some of the big things I did. That’s why I carry the American Express card, because when I use it, I’m recognized around the world. The American Express card, don’t get behind the wheel without it.”
Rice is one of the most underrated Indy 500 champions, but he’s okay with that. He made a mark in various racing disciplines, including 100 IndyCar starts (3 wins, 8 podiums, 5 poles). He’s also raced in NASCAR, CART, IROC, IMSA, Grand Am and other series.
Rice admittedly won the Indy 500 during the IRL/Champ Car split that weakened the Indy 500 fields from 1996 through 2007, the field in 2004 included all-time greats Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Al Unser Jr. and Helio Castroneves.
But much like winners of The Masters golf tournament wear their green jacket for life, Rice proudly displays his ring for winning the Indy Racing League’s 2004 Indy 500.
Even though it’s been 19 years since he took the checkered flag, he recalls that day with great clarity. He was driving for team owners Bobby Rahal and David Letterman (who eventually expanded to become Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing).
As the race wore on, two things became front of mind: fuel mileage and the weather. As it turned out the latter took care of the former, as the race was shortened by rain, with the record books showing Rice won a 180-lap event that was originally scheduled to be its traditional 200-lap distance.
Still, Rice dominated the event, leading half (91 laps) the race, including the last nine laps as both the checkered flag and the rain came into view.
“It was my second Indy 500, so we we're excited,” Rice said. “We were out-front most of the day. The big thing was the rain. I mean, they talk about rain every single month of May.
“Because of the weather, we started late. We ran for a bit, we stopped and we ran again. When we got the green flag again, we kind of reasserted ourselves up to the front. We were kind of just really right. I don't want to say we were biding our time, we just wanted to make sure we took care of the car and were being smart.
“Our car was really rolling. When it got time to go, that we knew it was going to be probably a shortened race, we had to stand on it and get going. So we started coming back through everybody and Scott (chief strategist Scott Roembke) was watching the weather. He knew where we're at and what I was doing. All of a sudden, it turned into go time in the last little bit and we were able to get it done before the rain got there. Our stuff was mega at the end when it needed to be.”
When he crossed the finish line, it took a while before Rice realized the historic chapter he had just added to both the Indy 500 record book and his own personal record book with the biggest win of his racing career.
Because of the rain, the post-race trophy award celebration was held in the then-Formula One garage area in the IMS paddock.
"It took a little bit to get back because it was raining, it was a downpour,” said Rice, who worried about not spinning out as he meandered his way around the drenched track to the impromptu winner’s garage. “You couldn't believe how slick it was in (Turn 1) and you're just trying to tiptoe back through the rain on the slicks.
“For me, the coolest part is that even though everybody's into the tradition and all this stuff, and I am too, but our celebration was the only one like that, to ever be held in the F1 garage. It was a completely different celebration, a completely different view, so it will always be remembered just because of the weather, the way it ended. And then they had to wait to take the traditional photos all done the next day when the weather was nice. I mean, it was all cool, but it was just different.”
While Roembke had all the confidence in the world that Rice could pull off the upset win, the driver himself had a few moments of self-doubt.
“To a certain degree, you always do,” he said. “Don't get me wrong, everybody wants to win and thinks they can do it or whatever, but you still have to close the deal and bring it home. And we had to do what we had to do. I mean, we had a little bit of adversity, we had weather on top of it, and we made it happen.”
