1996 Indianapolis 500 Daily Trackside Report Quotes

BILLY BOAT (#99 Pagan Racing): (about qualifying speed): "I would've liked to have been faster although I think we'll be solid in the show. We'll be comfortable. You don't win the race on the first lap. You win it at the end. This day is a dream come true for me. The IRL has given me and many other drivers the opportunity to be here. In the end, the fans will be the winners because they will be the ones who are here." (About background): "I grew up on a fast one-half mile dirt track at Manzanita and I think we still hold the one-lap non-winged record there. That place taught me a lot and so did all the fast dirt tracks I ran around the country. I also ran the Phoenix mile and other Indy Lights (races) and I think I'm well-prepared for this. Every lap I run here, I get more comfortable. We had some boost problems that we've been fighting and a little bit of a push but I think the speed today will get us in the show."

FERMIN VELEZ (#34 Cristal/Copec Mobil): "I'm getting more comfortable. I was getting better lines. I wanted to be in the race mostly. Every lap I do, I get a little better. All I wanted was to be in the race because then I would be the first driver from Spain to be in the race. Now that I am, it is a big relief and I'm very happy. Finally, I made it. The run was quite easy. I always thought it was a dream to come here, but I never thought it was going to happen. Thanks to the IRL, it happened. Last year, I totally concentrated on the IMSA Championship. Then after that, I started to realize that they were starting to move with the IRL. Then, I was in Phoenix and finally I had a chance to be here. That's something that's unbelievable because just a couple months ago I never thought that would be possible. It had been a terrible month so far. I had too many problems and during the first weeks, I couldn't get any laps. Finally today for qualifying I got more laps and got to the level I wanted to be at. It took me awhile, especially to get the right lines and not to go to sharp into the corners. I want to thank the team and the other people that helped me to be in the race, especially Tony George, because without him, I wouldn't be here." (About Scott Brayton's accident) "It's hard. You never think about it. In thinking about him, I was out there yesterday and he was out there too and he passed me. Then I came in. Then "Poom," that happened. He was doing what he wanted to do. It's very sad, but you've got to keep going."

BRAD MURPHEY (#10 Hemelgarn Racing): (regarding his time) "We'd like to be faster. This is the slowest this week. We had some trouble with the boost; the heat does that. But, I can't complain, it's awesome." (strategy for qualifying) "As temperatures rise, it will make the car push more. The handling on the car was perfect. It started out smooth. I had trouble on the second lap with the pop-off valve and had to get off the throttle and reset the valve in the back straightaway. The crew has the handling and the car set up perfect. (regarding being at Indy) "Just to be a part of it is special." (regarding Scott Brayton) "It's part of racing. It's tough when you lose someone. It's what we like to do. We have a job to do. He'd want us to do it." (On being absent from racing) "It puts a smile on your face when you pass someone. It all comes back. Last race I was in was a Corvette Challenge. I destroyed the car and had a concussion, which put me on the sideline. I'm glad to be here." (Preference between broncs, from his rodeo days, or Indy cars) "Indy cars-race cars."

JOHNNY PARSONS (#16 Team Blueprint Racing Inc.): "I can't tell you the many years of heartbreak it's taken to get here. We're still piecing this car together and with a skeleton crew, the effort goes to them. It was the work of the crew that brought this back together in just a couple of laps. We ran almost 222 in the shakedown this morning and hit 9500 RPM in the back straight with 30 gallons of fuel. I shifted to sixth gear for the first time and 223 was comfortable. We decided not to wait because it is not going to be any better. There's nothing like being in the big show. We never gave up hope of getting here. It's great to get back to racing in the style and tradition it was meant to be." (Regarding Scott Brayton) "I remember Scottie from way back.. We're going to miss him a lot , but you have to focus on the job that needs to be done and you can't let anything interfere with that focus. We've lost a lot of friends over the years, but I think they would all tell us to keep going no matter what. We all know the danger involved and we accept it."