MAX PAPIS (#44 Rubicon Race Team/Lifelock Dallara/Honda/Firestone):
“I can’t believe we didn’t make the Indy 500. We tried our best. We were plenty fast. The last thought for me was that we were going to be here struggling to make the show. I guess that I learned about the drama of the Indy 500. What can you say? The car was plenty fast. After 30 seconds to go yesterday, when the car turned around and put it in the wall and destroyed the car, we rebuilt it with a lot of effort and tried as hard as we could, and I guess that today was not meant to be. The disappointment is not enough to describe it, the word disappointment. Everyone put in a lot of effort. Lifelock, Geico, other sponsors, everyone put in a lot of effort. Everyone, a tremendous effort. But, you need to put things in prospective though, you know. There are mothers losing their kids in Iraq, there are people dying of cancer, you know, this is a sporting event. Of course, I’m sad about it, but you know, you can al ways try again. There are some people who would like to try it, and they can’t. I guess that I learned another lesson in life, and I learned that Indy can be brutal with you. I’m going to be going to Le Mans 24 Hour in my Corvette, and I’m going to be racing NASCAR the week after Le Mans 24 Hour, so I guess that I will focus on that. I would have 100 percent rather been here, but what can you say? If it’s not your day, it’s not your day, and again, you need to keep things in prospective. It’s just a huge disappointment. We tried it all. We tried everything we could. I would not change a single bit on anything we’ve done so far leading up to today. When you don’t have a backup car and even if everyone helps you, with a small mistake like that and you put it in the wall. Here you go. I guess it was just not meant to be. ” (About preparation for last attempt): “We never really tried too hard on the wing, and the last try was going to be the one to count. Unfortunately, when we w ere getting ready to go, I selected first gear, dropped the clutch and then I’m not really sure what happened. They said it was an input shaft or something like that. It is extremely disappointing. The last thing I thought was that I wouldn’t make the show in the Indy 500. I guess my wife (Tatiana) reminded me that even her dad (Emerson Fittipaldi) didn’t make it. I guess if there is a consolation, then that is one. It is just a disappointment for all the sponsors and everyone for not making the show. What can you do? ” (About his confidence coming into Bump Day): “My last lap on the track, we were 221 (mph). The guys did an incredible job putting the car back together. It is a different call, so it took a while to get it up to speed. We were at 216 (mph) or something like that. The confidence was there. I guess that is not enough. ”
ROGER YASUKAWA (#98 CURB Records/hhgregg/Real Power Dallara/Honda/Firestone):
“We had a good car, actually, at the end. It looked like the wind direction shifted. I thought we were going to be able to do 219.2’s, 3’s, no problem. The wind direction changed, and the best we could do was a 218 average. It’s very disappointing. I feel bad for my sponsors, hhgregg, CURB Records and Real Power, for not being able to make their car in the show. It’s very disappointing, but I must congratulate Buddy Lazier on being able to make the show. He came in really late. He was able to put it together, and I think experience counts quite a bit. Although I have five years of experience, I think a little bit more, especially with the win that he has, you know, I think that played a pretty big role. Congratulations to Buddy Lazier, and I hope to come back next year. ”
(On the wind change late in the day): “Early in the day, we pretty much had a crosswind going from Turn 1 to Turn 2. But the last half hour it seemed like we were getting a headwind going into Turn 3, so that was slowing the car down quite a bit. ”
GREG BECK (Owner, CURB/Agajanian/Beck Motorsports, #98 Yasukawa):
“I think we made a great effort. We waited until we new the conditions were a little bit more conducive. We didn’t have a lot of laps to run on our engine, so we just had to make everything count. We came out this afternoon and felt reasonably good about it. With running on old tires and being able to run some reasonably good times and tried to be smart about changes we made and made them as distinctive as we could. I think what got us at the end was a wind direction shift. ”
LARRY CURRY (Chief Engineer, Roth Racing, #25 Roth): (Curry was in tears when qualifying ended. ):
“Well you know, this place is so special … Let’s just say I have been through a lot this month. I’m happy that Marty got into the race, and I hope Dominguez is OK. It’s unfortunate that he got in an accident; he had a plenty quick enough lap to get in. It’s just been a tough month. I’m so happy for Roth Racing that John Andretti and Marty are both in the greatest race in the world. ”
(About his focus on the race): “I’ve always told everybody in all the years I have been here, the race is really easy compared to (qualifying). ”
TYLER TADEVIC (Owner, Pacific Coast Motorsports, #96 Dominguez):
“It’s disappointing, you know. It’s our first event in the IndyCar Series, and we just went ahead and picked the Indy 500 as our first event. You know, it’s the biggest show on earth, and we didn’t get to make it this year. But it’s just another race just like all the other races we do, and we’ll be in Milwaukee and we’ll represent Mexico City and Mario’s still our guy. You know what, I mean, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Mario’s OK; the car’s OK. We’ll be all right. We’ll be back in Milwaukee. We’ve had this car all of three weeks. To get here and make rookie orientation then get out there and be the last car; we were qualified if we could finish those last laps. That’s how it goes. ”
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