Incident Ends XM Satellite Radio Driver Bryan Herta's Indy 500 Pole Run

       SPEEDWAY, Ind. (May 15, 2004) - XM Satellite Radio driver Bryan
Herta's run for the pole position in the Indianapolis 500 ended abruptly when he
hit the Turn 1 wall on his first qualifying attempt.
       Herta had just taken the green flag after three warm-up laps when his car
became loose in Turn 1 and he made hard contact with the outside SAFER
barrier.  Herta was released from the infield medical center with minor abrasions
to his right leg.  Herta's status will be re-evaluated tomorrow.
       Buddy Rice, driving with Honda power, earned the pole position today with
a four-lap average speed of 222.024 miles per hour, leading a Honda sweep of
the first seven positions on the grid.  Herta's Andretti Green teammates,
Klein Tools/Jim Beam driver Dan Wheldon and ArcaEx driver Dario Franchitti
make up the rest of the front row starting second and third, respectively.  Bruno
Junqueira was fourth fastest and another of Herta's AGR teammates, Team
7-Eleven's Tony Kanaan, was fifth.
       Second day qualifications will begin tomorrow morning at 12 p.m. EST.

Bryan Herta, Driver, #7 XM Satellite Radio Dallara/Honda/Firestone
       "It's unfortunate for the XM Satellite Radio team.  We tried to free the car
up. We had a little bit of understeer in Turn 1, and I think we went a little too far. I
went into Turn 1, and the back just gave up."

George Klotz, Team Manager, #7 XM Satellite Radio
Dallara/Honda/Firestone
       "It is really unfortunate we hit the wall today, but Bryan was out there
giving it his all to get the pole.  We had some understeer in the morning practice
and I guess we just made too big of a change."