| Date/Time: | 2006-05-02 08:17:00 |
| Race: | Indianapolis 500 |
Bucknum to Indy 2006 Update #1The Indianapolis Motor Speedway breeds pressure like no other place. Circumstances that are common at other events, take on new meaning at the Speedway. Qualifying is more dramatic at Indy than anywhere else. Those that qualify on the first day lock in their starting position. Last year, Jeff, who this year will pilot the #92 Hemelgarn Racing Honda Dallara, experienced his first Indy qualifying attempt and it brought pressure to new heights. Here is a short commentary and a timeline of the final hour of first day qualifying. Jeff had not been on the track all day as the team concentrated on his teammate’s entry. Once his teammate qualified they began to ready Jeff's car. The minutes and hours passed and several practice sessions were missed. Finally around 5pm, just one hour before the track closed, the car was put in the pit stall to await practice, and to insure the speed was there for an attempt. 5:21: Practice opens - Jeff is able to get his first six laps of the day with speeds within his goal. 5:29: Practice closes after just 8 min to allow final qualifying. Jeff's car is pushed about two hundred yards to the inspection area. In that transit Jeff's crew barely edged out a Ganassi car to a position in line, a fact that would be critical to the days effort. 5:34: With Jeff fifth in line, qualifying begins again. 5:44: Dario Franchitti qualifies and bumps Patrick Carpentier from the field. 5:56: Jeff Bucknum begins qualifying attempt putting down four of the most consistent laps of the month of May. Each lap was in the goal range and each lap was within .05 of a second on the 2.5 mile course. He bumps Jacques Lazier with a four lap average of 221.521 mph just as the gun is fired. Jeff is the final first day qualifier for the 2005 Indy 500. That's how Jeff Bucknum handles pressure. |
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