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." # # #