Buddy Rice will have two teammates in 2005

Christmas arrived a little early for a trio of Rahal Letterman Racing drivers. The team's youngest driver, 22 year-old Danica Patrick, is being moved from the Toyota Atlantic series to the IndyCars where she will join Buddy Rice and Vitor Meira. In return for strong 2004 performances, both Rice and Meira have been rewarded with multi-year contract extensions that will bring stability to their young careers.

Heading into the 2004 season without a permanent ride, Rice was the interim driver of the number 15 car replacing the injured Kenny Brack, while Meira had to wait until the Japan round when Rahal decided to add a car to his stable.

Brack remains on the sidelines and has told the team he is not ready for a return to IndyCar Series competition. Rahal noted the team would likely give Brack a test in the first quarter of 2005, though the Swedish star is also considering sports car racing as a less dangerous racing option.

“I still feel like I would try to do whatever we could to help him,” said Rahal. “If he decides he wants to continue, then we'll see how we can help that or how we can help make that happen.”

Rice and Patrick will sport nearly identical paint schemes as they share Argent Mortgage/Pioneer sponsorship for the number 15 and 16 cars. Meira's car number 17 will be distinctly adorned with as yet unannounced new sponsorship.

While Patrick will quickly be thrust into the IndyCar spotlight her move to the Series is the culmination of 13 years of preparation, including a move to England to race when she was just 16.

“I had read about her years ago in karting magazines,” Rahal recalled. “Kind of lost track of her. Then when I was at Jaguar and the Formula 1 team, I met up with her again. That previous fall she finished second in the Formula Ford Festival, which is a huge accomplishment, the highest an American driver has ever finished. I don't think there's any tougher environment in the world than English Formula Ford, especially during the days she was there.”

When Patrick signed with Rahal in 2002, her development, “…was kind of a sketchy plan that we came up with,” said Patrick. The team went on to two successful seasons in Toyota Atlantics, highlighted by 2004's third place finish overall. Their best race result was a second at Portland where she was also the first female pole sitter in Atlantics history.

In 2005, Patrick will take over the newly created, and highly coveted, third seat with Rahal Letterman. In the brief history of females in IndyCar racing, Patrick may have the best equipment and talent combination of her predecessors.

Sarah Fisher was rushed to the IRL after winning several midget races in 1999. She was quickly signed to race for Derrick Walker, with the then 19-year old having to learn rear-engine formula cars while racing for a mid pack team. Patrick brings a career full of formula car experience to a highly talented race team that finished third in the IndyCar championship and won the 2004 Indy 500 with Buddy Rice.

All indications are that Patrick has the talent to succeed in the IRL, though Rahal is careful not to place instant expectations on the soon to be rookie.

“I don't expect her to be immediately competitive at the first race, but certainly come Indy, I expect us to be competitive,” said Rahal.

Patrick will get her first test against other competition when she participates in the IRL's Homestead Open Test from January 18th through the 22nd. She has already completed successful solo test sessions at Kentucky Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway, and on the Homestead road course.

ORS / CAPSIS International