Buddy Rice kept one eye on the fuel gauge, one on the darkening sky and his foot on the pedal and won a rain-soaked Indianapolis 500 Sunday. With storm clouds closing fast, the 28-year-old Rice grabbed the lead for good in a final flurry of pit stops and took his first career victory under a yellow caution flag as the rain that first delayed the race and then interrupted it for almost two hours finally ended it 50 miles short of the scheduled finish. “This is unbelievable,” said Rice, who got his ride with Rahal Letterman Racing this season only because 1999 Indy winner Kenny Brack was out with injuries. Michael Andretti, scion of Indy’s most famous hard-luck family, suffered the same also-ran fate in his second year as a team owner as he had in 14 years behind the wheel: ever so close, but not first. Three of his drivers – Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon and Bryan Herta – finished second, third and fourth. “It’s indescribable,” said television talk-show host David Letterman, who co-owns the team with 1986 Indy winner Bobby Rahal. “I don’t think the rain made any difference. We could have gone the full 200 laps. My God! What a job Buddy did. It’s a thrill to be a part of this.”(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(5-30-2004)
