We got just one practice pit stop on Friday during “Carb Day” because of the rain. Saturday was a personal day, so we didn’t have to be at the track. On Sunday morning, we had to be at the garage at 5:30 a.m. At 6 a.m., they fire off a cannon to let you know the gates are open to the public. It’s loud, a big boom. There is a lot of standing around before the race, but it’s cool because there are so many celebrities roaming around. It’s really cool when you take the car from the garage into the pits around and see all the people. The race doesn’t start until 1 p.m. We towed the car to the starting spot on the track around 11:30 a.m. We started 12th, on the outside of row four. Townsend was the fastest of the second weekend of qualifying, and it was exciting to work on a quality car.

About 15 minutes before the start of the race, I went ahead and put on my helmet and made sure the radio worked; you get into race mode. Right when they started the cars and he drove away, he said he couldn’t upshift. It turned out because of the paddle shifters, it needed more throttle, and the battery voltage was low. I thought we’d lose laps at the start of the race, but it turned out to be a non-issue. During the race we made seven stops; all were very routine. We made a few adjustments to the front wing. I was really pleased with the way things worked out. I have attached a few photos from the day. Tony Leith, the chief mechanic at Fernandez Racing on the ALMS car, is with me in a photo. He also was called in for the 500 and was the outside front tire guy. I worked with him for several years at Fernandez, so it was nice to have someone you’re comfortable working with. There is a photo from on the track before the race and a photo of Milka and me.

We ended up finishing 10th, and the whole team was pleased with that. Buddy Rice finished eighth. So the D&R team had two cars in the top 10, and Milka took the checkered flag too. It’s just a thrill to participate in such a big event. For me, the U.S. Nationals is a bigger deal. Sure, it would be a big deal to win the Indy 500. I finished fourth at Indy with Alex Barron driving in 2002. To win Indy and that $2.5 million check would be a huge thrill, but I’m a drag racer at heart, and the U.S. Nationals is the grand daddy. At the end of the day, our Indy race is the one you shoot for to win. I was lucky enough to win at Indy in 1974, ’75 and ’77 with Dale Armstrong in Pro Comp and with Kenny Bernstein in 1991. We got lucky cause Pat Austin broke on the burnout, but a win is a win. I worked for Billy Meyer in 1986, and we lost to Mike Dunn in the final round. We broke an input shaft on the run, and I also know what it’s like to lose in the final at ORP. There you have it, my Indy 500 blog. Thanks for reading.