INDIANAPOLIS, 25 May 2004 — Greg Ray led a group of seven final-day qualifiers on Sunday for the 88th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 30.
American Buddy Rice, clocking an average speed of 222.021mph in a G-Force/Honda, secured pole position for the 200-lap race last weekend when a total of 26 drivers qualified.
Under rules unique to the Indianapolis 500, qualifying takes place over three days with a maximum of 33 cars making the final field, ranked by their speed depending on the day they advanced to the grid.
The last day of qualifying is known as “bump day” when the slowest cars are “bumped” from the field once 33 drivers have clinched their places on the grid. But there were no bumps on Sunday.
Ray, driving a G-Force/Honda, averaged 216.641mph in his four-lap run and will start 27th on the grid.
Although Ray, who won pole here in 2000, was at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval since it opened for practice, a lack of financing prevented him from driving until the final day of qualifying.
Buddy Lazier, the 1996 Indy 500 winner, qualified 28th in a Dallara/Chevrolet. Robby McGehee was the slowest of the day, and slowest qualifier for the race, in a Dallara/Chevrolet at 211.631mph.
Tony Stewart, the 2000 NASCAR champion and 1997 Indy Racing League champion, created a stir when he turned up unexpectedly at the request of four-times winner here AJ Foyt.
Stewart was fitted for a car, suited up and went down to pit road, only to be informed by his agent that his contract with the Joe Gibbs Racing (NASCAR) team prevented him from competing.
