MIKE KING: Welcome to Team Rahal and Scott Roembke, who is the chief operating officer for the team, he will be the official spokesman for the team, obviously. Scott is an Indianapolis native, and Scott, it's good to see you again.
Kenny Brack, 1999 Indianapolis 500 champion, 1998 IndyCar(R) Series champion. Great to have him back and looking – if you had seen him at Phoenix, it's amazing, it's truly amazing. Good to see you, Kenny, that's the bottom line. Buddy Rice, who is driving the Pioneer Argent Mortgage No. 15 for Team Rahal this year, currently in a substitute role until Kenny returns, and we wait to hear more about Buddy's future with the team. Roger Yasukawa, who will be the third member of the team running both at Motegi, coming up in April, and here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a member of Team Rahal. Roger was the runner-up in the 2003 Bombardier Rookie of the Year Award standings. Let's start with you first, Scott, if you could talk a bit about the announcement that was made last week by Bobby at Sebring regarding the two-car team in the IndyCar Series and the fact that this will be a three-car team come the month of May.
SCOTT ROEMBKE: Yeah, certainly first off, thank you for having us over today. I think Bobby and the press has said it pretty well. It was a pretty big decision in the history of Team Rahal to put all of our focus into the IRL. But as we sat and looked at the decision and the status of open-wheel racing right now, it was a – it was a tough decision, it wasn't an easy one to make. Certainly last year fielding cars in both of the premier series split our resources and our people, and having a one-car team certainly is a detriment. So I think our main goal behind us is to have two strong cars in the IRL and support the IRL in doing that. You know, it also certainly opens up the options for us as Kenny assesses his comeback schedule. What we didn't want to do was get in a situation where Buddy was well along in the championship, or something like that, and so it gives us a lot of options as we move forward. We're pleased to be here.
KING: Let's go to Buddy next because Buddy has started the two IndyCar Series events this year and captured his first career IndyCar Series pole at Homestead. Buddy, we've talked about this, the fact that you've settled in pretty quickly with this team. You've not yet been announced as one of the drivers that will assume one of the full-time roles. But tell us a little bit, if you can, about Team Rahal, your role and where you think your future is heading with this team.
BUDDY RICE: Well, I think for the opportunity that has been given to me from the Team Rahal standpoint, what they've given me is unbelievable to finally come to work with a big team and a properly-run team has just been huge, and that's how we started off the season. It is a fill-in role right now until Kenny is ready, as you guys can see, from his rehabilitation, it's going to be hopefully soon here. It will be excellent. It was nice to have him at Phoenix; it was a big help. We'll just have to wait to see what my future is at Team Rahal. I'm definitely happy to be here. I know what my job is, is to make sure that the No. 15 Pioneer Argent car is up front. We try to win races and do the best job we can right now. I think with the program that we've got going, and the Honda and G Force chassis has been an excellent combination. It's always taken just a little bit for us to get a handle on it, but I think we have a solid package right now, and it's going to be a good package to come and for when Kenny comes back and also having Roger on board. All the information we can get right now is going to be a huge help in developing this combination for Team Rahal and for the future. I'm very happy to be a part of Team Rahal and with this group sitting up here.
KING: Roger, your deal for the event at Motegi and here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was announced a few weeks back. If you could talk about your preparations for the upcoming event next month and the month of May.
ROGER YASUKAWA: Yes, certainly. I think we'll start testing on March 30th: We'll get a day of testing at Phoenix, and then we'll go straight to Motegi. Fortunately, I have Buddy already started the season, and the car is running good. It's going to be my first time in a G Force car, and just by doing the seat-fitting, I guess the view looks a little bit different from Dallara. But I think a day of testing would sort that out. And I'm looking forward to going to Motegi, first of all. It's a very big event for Honda and also for myself. My parents are Japanese, and I grew up there, too. So that's going to be a pretty big event. Then coming to the Indy 500, this is going to be my second year in it, and I guess winning the Indy 500 has always been my goal in racing. So, you know, I think I get another chance this year. Last year was a lot of learning. I think being here for the whole month of May you get a lot of track time, but one thing that I learned is things change a lot here during the month, and you have to stay on top of everything. So every day seemed new to me, and this year I think I know what to expect, which is good, and also during the race. I really want to thank Sammy, my sponsor, and Honda and Team Rahal for this opportunity. Hopefully I can turn this into something more after the Indy 500.
KING: Kenny, it's been an odyssey for you since the events that transpired at the season finish, naturally, at Texas, everything from your rehab to additional surgeries to the birth of your daughter, just a little bit about getting to you this point and where you stand right now, I guess your hopes for the month of May.
KENNY BRACK: Well, thank you. It's been certainly an exciting offseason, nearly as exciting as the racing season, actually. But everything is coming along good. You know, it's been a quick recovery, I have to say, because New Year's I couldn't be up more than 20 minutes at a time and sat in a wheelchair. Now I'm back to normal. Maybe not as normal as to get in a race car, but at least, you know, being functional in the everyday life. So it's been going quick. I just don't know, since I haven't been in this position before, how quick the recovery is going to continue. So I'm doing my best every day to start the next day as good as possible, I guess, is my view on this right now.
KING: I know everyone has a lot of questions.
Q: Scott, as a guy who grew up in the city of Indianapolis, I guess you had a rather – you wore the bus service out coming over from the east side over here as a kid. If you could just talk a little bit about that, your history here when you were a kid, how often after school you took the bus system over here and all that.
ROEMBKE: I grew up on the east side, and I love the Indianapolis 500, always have. Obviously, me and you have had too many beers somewhere someplace. (Laughter) You know, I used to get out of school, Thomas Carr Howe, and take the bus downtown and transfer in front of G.C. Murphy’s and get dumped off at Rosner's Drugstore and spend two bucks, come in, and then had to hurry back to Rosner's by 6:15 or I'd never make it home. That was my life. And my family, we've always come out for the qualification days and the race, and I just grew up, this is what I always wanted to do, and it's always been a part of my life. You know, to think that I could make my living, you know, doing something like this is something I thank myself for every day.
Q: How many days during the month would you --
ROEMBKE: Oh, I tried to get out here, I mean, every weekend day and probably three or four days during the week. I mean, I spent a lot of two dollars at the gate.
KING: Questions? Holy cow.
Q: I notice looking through the packet, I don't see Miller listed anywhere. Are they now completely out as a sponsor at Rahal?
ROEMBKE: For the time being they are.
KING: Let's see your hands. I know we had some folks over here.
Q: Kenny, I know you play the guitar. Have you been practicing a lot since you've been rehabbing?
BRACK: Yeah, that's been a good therapy for me. I have guitar playing as a hobby, and I was just saying to somebody, this is lucky that I have guitar playing as a hobby and not golf because golf wouldn't have been appropriate in my state. So yeah, it's been fun. It's been going good.
Q: Kenny, can you give us some more detailed assessment of your physical condition presently?
BRACK: Like what?
Q: Well, organ by organ -- well, not really. (Laughter)
BRACK: Well, you know --
Q: Say limb by limb.
BRACK: My new name is now Kenny the Rod Brack. Is that good enough? (Laughter)
KING: Can we use that on air? (Laughter) Scott says let's not go there. See, you're basically just wanting an assessment of his overall physical health.
BRACK: Well, I think that everything's going really well. The thing that I work on a lot is my right ankle. That was crushed in the accident, and it takes a long time for that to heal properly. I mean, I'm walking around and everything, and some days the ankle feels really good, and some days it doesn't. So it's at a stage right now where it just needs to – I just need to keep working at it. And by that – because it's sore and everything, that affects the whole right leg, basically. I'm sure I can hold the throttle down, but it's not at this point comfortable. And for a race car comeback, you have to feel strong, you have to feel confident that no matter what happens, I can do this, I can take maybe a hit if it comes to that or whatever. And if you don't feel that confidence, I don't think that you are able to do your job a hundred percent. But in two-and-a-half months, it's gone extremely well. I've been rehabbing five days a week, Monday through Friday, three to four hours a day. It makes a difference, surely. So let's see what happens here in the next few weeks.
KING: Kenny, you spent the entire weekend at the track at Phoenix. Was there much time in terms of recouping on Monday? Did you feel just fine when you got up or does it take a little extra time to recharge the batteries?
BRACK: I think that was kind of a good first test basically because that involved a lot of traveling. I went through airport security, which is not, you know, it's – I didn't think it was any point to take my shoes off and stuff like that because I was going to have to go through the extra security anyway. But it actually worked for me coming back from Phoenix because there was a huge line, probably 45 minutes or an hour wait, and I got ahold of an airport security guy there and showed him my scars and a little of that and he escorted me straight through. So it can work for you, too. It was well worth it. (Laughter)
KING: That's a tough way to get through security a little faster, yeah.
BRACK: Well, anyway, during the weekend I walked a lot, of course, and it was really the first time that I was in a normal situation, and I felt good about it. Yeah, Sunday night I was a little sore, but traveling back Monday, you know, I think I felt the best I've felt in my ankles were yesterday. I think it needs to – you have pain, but you just have to work through it and, you know, yes, put load on them. It's going well. So I thought it went very well for me. Obviously, I didn't have to drive, Buddy did that, so that was obviously good. But, no, it was fun, it was fun to be back in the paddock and see all the friends and everything, really was fun.
Q: Kenny, a non-participant such as myself, in asking or directing a question at you, we generally lay out our fear levels coming back from an accident. Your equation now is a new child in your life. When you get away from these questions, where was your fear level about continuing to race?
BRACK: Well, I think that if you ask my wife, I never take any – you know, I don't pay any consideration to my family, you know. (Laughter) Actually, I think that it's not – it hasn't changed my love for the racing. I think that every driver, you might look nuts out there on the track, but I think all drivers are fairly intelligent and, you know, think through the sport and the risks and whatever you have there and so do I. I mean, I've always known that there are risks involved in racing. It is kind of self-explanatory if you drive 220 miles an hour around a track with no run-off areas. But, also, I know that the risks are fairly low. You can get hurt, and I did get hurt, and that's obviously something every driver hopes is not going to happen. It does happen sometimes. But if you look at the amount of incidents that happens during a season, the percentages of you getting hurt is really very low. My view hasn't changed on that, but I do want to get back into excellent physical shape before I put myself – expose myself to that, because I know that if you're not fit, then things can go wrong. But if you're fit, you have a good chance of doing well even if the accident is big. But like I say, most accidents are quite fairly small. So my outlook on that hasn't really changed. What my – the program here is to get back to a fitness level that's acceptable, basically.
Q: Kenny, I think you answered most of what my question was. The physical problems aside, are you mentally ready to get back in a race car at this point or do you need a little time there as well?
BRACK: Depends who you ask. (Laughter)
ROEMBKE: I think mentally you've always been challenged. (Laughter)
BRACK: I think that I never felt any fear or any doubt in my mind about the racing and the speeds and stuff like that. But I do realize that I have to get back into good shape. I talked a little earlier, that's the main thing. If I can do that, then I think mentally it will be the same as before.
Q: Buddy, would you describe the difference of driving for Eddie Cheever, 500 winner, and Bobby Rahal, 500 winner?
ROEMBKE: There you go. (Laughter)
BRACK: Without using any swear words.
RICE: To come over to such a large operation, for it to be ran the way it is, it is a big eye-opening experience right now. The way everything has been going since I was brought in, knowing the job that I had to do was to just fill the spot until Kenny was ready to come back, and the way they go about things and their tasks and the way it's ran from top to bottom I think has just been huge. To learn all the stuff that a big team does is just impressive to me. I mean, it's just a huge opportunity, and it's run completely different. I'm just trying to get used to that making sure that I can fulfill my end of the deal right now, which is just to make sure the car that runs up front. But to say the difference between driving for Eddie or Bob or something, I mean everything's different completely. Now I have a teammate that I'm filling in for right now that is also a 500 winner. So that's going to be huge for when we come back here and do our testing and running, and we'll see what happens from there. But there's always differences in everything. Personalities are completely different, and the operation is completely different.
Q: Scott, since Bobby announced that Team Rahal would run three cars at Motegi, three at Indy and two the rest of the way through the IRL season, there's been a lot of speculation about how the drivers are going to stack up. But conceivably if Kenny is back and ready for the Speedway, it could be only one substitute driver for one race at Motegi. Am I reading that right?
ROEMBKE: Yeah, I mean I think the worst thing that could happen is if we come to Indy with these three gentlemen you're looking at, that wouldn't be a bad deal for us. Certainly we're committed to running a third car at Motegi, and Kenny is not available, so we're going to have to fill that seat. We're going to do so shortly. Fortunately we've got an interest from, you know, a list of drivers who are all highly qualified. I mean, as you would expect, the motor home was a busy place in Phoenix. (Laughter) But with that said, I think any of the people we choose will come in and do a fine job. You know, all of them understand the situation. If a driver doesn't have a job at this point, he just wants the opportunity to show he can do the job. So they're not really caring if it's for one race or for two or three. So we'll identify someone here in the near future and put him in the car for Motegi. And what we've tried to do by expanding is to, as I said at the beginning, increase our flexibility so Buddy can focus on what he's doing, and Kenny doesn't feel like he's rushed. The last thing we want to do at Team Rahal is push Kenny into the seat before Kenny's ready.
KING: Scott, I know in listening to Bob on the teleconference from Sebring last week, he hedged a little bit when the question was asked about Buddy assuming a full-time seat. What is the timetable there? Because as we look at Buddy right now, he is still Kenny's substitute driver, correct?
ROEMBKE: That's the current situation.
KING: Is there a timetable?
ROEMBKE: I don't think so. I think Buddy, as he said, he knows his job right now. If Buddy keeps doing the job he's doing, then he'll be in that car for as long as it takes.
Q: Roger, understanding the political nature of both Honda and Toyota and the way the Japanese engine companies view this sport, were you really surprised when Adrian and Tom let you go last year?
YASUKAWA: Well, to some extent, yes, but we've been talking during the offseason, and I know what the team situation was. Well, basically Adrian's partner, Aguri Suzuki had his own driver that he was looking after for a while, and financially they couldn't run two cars out of Fernandez's base. And for that reason we talked, and we basically chose the best option for both ends. Fortunately, I was able to get a ride with Team Rahal for these two races. I think this is going to be a great opportunity for me. So I think it turned out to be good for both of us.
Q: But did you have a feeling last season that that might happen?
YASUKAWA: Well, a little bit toward the end of the year, we had been talking and, you know, I think as much as I wanted to stay a little bit with them, I think I've learned as much as I can from the team. You know, as for the second year, I wanted to focus on trying to win the race or at least try to finish in the top five, which I wasn't successful of doing last year. You know, as a team standpoint, I was really surprised when I went to visit Team Rahal just as a facility and the teamwork and everything is so much different from Fernandez, and I really feel that I have a better opportunity here, especially at Motegi. Last year they finished second. Also, they won the race in the past in Motegi, so the history is great there. You know, the car was strong last year here at the 500, as well. So I'm really looking forward to those two races.
Q: Phoenix used to be the track if you had the setup close, you used to say it's pretty close when you come here in the month of May. You have to run Motegi between now and then, obviously. What does that track bring to Indianapolis? What does a win at a track like that or good finish bring like that coming to Indianapolis? And that's for Buddy and Roger and Scott and whoever else wants to answer it.
RICE: I think there's a bunch of variables when we come back from Motegi, obviously for the Speedway. One, their whole package is changing. We've obviously changed chassis, and we also have an engine change coming in. So I think there are a bunch of variables that are going to happen that no one knows exactly where they're going to stack up until we have the first test and all the engine manufacturers start running. I think once again, it's going to be a learning curve from the start of the month. But you have the whole month to get a bunch of testing in which we haven't had prior to this. We've only had the four days of testing, so it's been quite trying to make sure you get – with myself especially with the team right now, and he's working first time with I'm new to the team. The engineer came over, and he's working first time with (inaudible). We also have a new chassis, so it's taken a little bit to get everything worked out. But with expanding to a two- and three-car team, it's going to speed that all up.
Q: Do you think the test you guys are going to have here on the 6th, the first time with that 3-liter engine, that is going to be really the first chance you're going to really get a handle on the setup here?
RICE: That's the spec engine we're running, so that will be the first, yeah. There's obviously all kinds of theories and speculations exactly how fast or how slow we're going to be and how the car is going to react. Some people say it's going to be simple to go around here flat. We don't know. Obviously Honda is working very hard to do whatever they can to claw back any kind of horsepower deficit that they have made with this 3-liter change. So I think when we come in, we unload for the first day of testing, we'll just have to wait and see. But no one really knows until you actually go and run the engine.
Q: I have two questions. One for Scott. You've set up a day of testing for Roger at Phoenix. Would you most likely have your third driver there for the same tests?
ROEMBKE: We're looking at that. We're trying to organize – the third car at Motegi is quite a reach for us. The team certainly was in place because it was getting prepared to participate in the other series. Getting the equipment done and all that in time for that test is going to be a question mark. It's the test is to clarify because the IRL does have very strict testing rules. It's a Honda using one of their manufacturer days at Phoenix. Because Roger hasn't been in a car, they're allowing Roger to go out there and get settled in, which is the right thing to do. So I don't know the answer to your question. I'd say it's doubtful, and then, you know, if we get everything done in time before the big load-up at the airport, we'll try to work with the IRL. Certainly we'd love to at least shake down the car and the driver, make sure everything works before we head across.
Q: Roger, could you talk more about your sponsorship with Sammy?
YASUKAWA: Basically Sammy makes Pachinko and slot machines in Japan, which is a fairly big market. I'm not sure if you guys are aware of Pachinko, it's like a pinball machine. They also just bought Sega, and they're going into the game entertainment, as well. They actually have office here in America, which I think they mostly do cartoon and movie stuff. So basically they're trying to become an entertainment company rather than just a Pachinko and slot machine.
Q: For Buddy and Roger, you're both coming into Indy in your second year. What kind of things are you going to try to learn from Kenny when you get in there?
RICE: Hopefully Kenny will be off his vacation here maybe. (Laughter). We'll have to wait and see. Hopefully they'll be able to give us a lot of information and help out. No, I think we have to wait and see exactly what the program is right now. Obviously, we're waiting to see what's going to happen with Kenny when he comes back. But I think the information we'll get from both Bob and Kenny, and obviously he's ran the Speedway quite a bit. So there will be a lot of information to get from there, and I think that will help boost, you know, both of our knowledge of the track and what we need to do for race day. I think also being able to come in and be competitive for the month of May will be nice, too. So we're definitely looking, I'm definitely looking forward to that, but we'll have to wait and see. That decision hasn't been made just yet.
YASUKAWA: I think same as Buddy, as long as Kenny offers me all that advice, I will take everything and fortunately this year I'm going to have two teammates, and last year I was just by myself. The team was new to the 500, as well. So everything was a lot of learning curve. Again, as I said earlier, I think this year I know what to expect. I think the team's going to help me a lot. I have a lot of experienced crew in the team, so I'm looking forward to it.
KING: Roger, could you give us an idea, I think it's difficult for American journalists to understand how important it is for Honda to win at their track, at Motegi. If a driver of Japanese heritage manages to pull that off, you're certainly going to be behind the 8-ball given the fact you haven't run yet this year, but if a driver of Japanese heritage wins that event or –
BRACK: He won't come to Indy, he'll be stuck over there. (Laughter)
KING: Give us some idea of what that race is.
YASUKAWA: Well, it certainly is a very big one for Honda, it's their home track. Unfortunately, they haven't won a race there yet, so I think they'll have a very good chance this year. Like they said, if I do win at the track, I think it will be a big thing for me. Hopefully I have a lifetime job after that. (Laughter) Hopefully I may be president of Honda, you never know. (Laughter) I think that's a little bit overboard, but even though I win, I will probably be here at the 500, and we'll see. But it certainly is a big race. I think everybody in Japan is excited. Last year, you know, it was a little bit of a chaotic race, but I think all the fans was excited about the race. They're all looking forward to see us back again next month.
Q: Scott, I know that (co-owner) Dave (Letterman) was always very supportive of the CART series. How enthusiastic or gung-ho was he on the decision that the team was coming over here exclusively?
ROEMBKE: I think Dave echoed Bobby's thoughts. At some point you just have to stop the madness that was stretching us as a team. I'm not even going to get into the political aspects. But in answer to your question, he was totally supportive. He understands what we're trying to accomplish as a team. He understands the importance of the Indianapolis 500, and he understands the growth of this series. So he was supportive of our decision, and we're ready to move on.
KING: OK, right over here.
Q: Scott, you've had to obviously adjust with Honda's interest in running a G Force this year. How much of the setup book do you need to throw out and go back to square one with the new car or how much of a challenge is that?
ROEMBKE: Actually the decision on the G Force was ours. Honda supported it, but it wasn't Honda's decision on the chassis, it was Team Rahal's decision we made just based on what we see coming and what we thought we saw coming down the road with both manufacturers. It's a different car, and Buddy said it best. We put Buddy in a pretty tough spot: He's in a new car with a new motor with a new engineer. We mixed up our engineering staff, and I think they're doing a great job. Certainly Homestead went well for us, and at Phoenix we struggled. I think at Phoenix you saw us trying to learn the car. We had two test days at Phoenix, but due to some minor mechanical things we really only ran one of them. So I think the whole Phoenix weekend we were about a day behind everybody else, and it showed. These cars in looking at the Dallara and the changes they've made, I'm not so sure we wouldn't have had to throw the book away, anyway. While they look the same, they're different. There's new aero rules coming down the pike for Indianapolis. So I think you just start learning fresh every year. Certainly that's the approach we're taking.
