Greg Ray -- Indy 500 Notes/Quotes

30 May 1999

Greg Ray
#2 Glidden-Menards Dallara/Aurora/Firestone


Race Day Notes/Quotes - Sunday, May 30, 1999
The 83rd Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway



Greg Ray's bid for his first Indy 500 victory ended on Lap 120 when,
while leading, he collided with Mark Dismore in pit lane.  Ray, who
started second on the grid for the second consecutive year, led 32 of
the first 120 laps.


GREG RAY - "I have no idea what happened.  I was told to go.  I was
focusing on all the things I'm supposed to be focusing on before heading
back out again.  We had an excellent race car.  I was motioned to go,
and I did.  The next thing I knew, I went sideways into the pit wall. 
We bent up the front suspension pretty good. We could probably repair
it, but we're so far out of the championship. The championship is about
points and finishing position.  But the Indy 500 is all about winning. 
It's about drinking milk in Victory Lane.  Things were going so well. 
It was truly an honor to race with Arie.  He was messing with me!  He
was ready to go.  Until I see a bird's eye view of what happened in the
pits, I can't even guess.  I'm speechless.  We've worked so hard for so
long.  We wanted this one so bad.  John Menard loves this place so
much.  It just breaks your heart to have it end this way.  If it was a
racing incident on the track, that would be better.  If it was a blown
motor, that would be better.  But to have it go like this, I don't know
what to say.  We're not going to go away and cry about it.  I have this
belief that days like this make you better.   We're going to analyze
what happened to us this month, and hopefully come back stronger.  I'm
getting older as a driver, but I feel I'm still getting better.  We're
so close.  We're knocking on the door.  If we keep at it, one of these
days we're going to get it.  I'm not sure what plans the man upstairs
has for me, but he's certainly made me very introspective.  In this
business, as with anything in life, you have to earn what you get.  But
you also have to have luck.  It wasn't our day today."

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