Friday, September 24, 2004
Brack returns: Kenny Brack raced last weekend in his native Sweden, his first competition since being injured in an IndyCar crash last October. Driving a Porsche in the Carrera Cup series at Mantorp Park, the 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner and 1999 IRL champion finished fifth in races both Saturday and Sunday. "It was fun, but too much hype around the event about me," said Brack. "There were press and people everywhere. I actually feel quite drained." On Saturday, Brack was up to third before losing the front wing and developing an understeer. The following day, he got to fourth, but was knocked off the track by another car and had to settle for fifth again. "It's quite difficult to come in at the end of the championship when everybody has had a full year to prepare," Brack said. "I never could get the car to handle like I wanted. But it was fun to race again and that's the main thing." Brack, who had hoped to be back in an IRL car by this year's Indy 500 in May, tested one of Rahal Letterman Racing's IndyCars at Richmond in June. He will meet with team co-owner Bobby Rahal and general manager Scott Roembke later this week to discuss when he will race again. Brack fractured his back, sternum, ribs, right leg and both ankles in a crash last October at Texas Motor Speedway.
That's the ticket: Angela Fox couldn't believe it when Talladega Superspeedway officials notified her that her name had been drawn as the winner of tickets to the track's fall race for the next 35 years. "I thought it was a joke, seriously, until I got my tickets in the mail," the Birmingham, Ala., resident said. The 29-year-old investment services professional, who has attended both races at Talladega for the past six or seven years, was among the thousands who purchased a ticket to the Oct. 3 EA Sports 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup race before Sept. 1, qualifying her for the ticket drawing as part of the track's 35th anniversary celebration. Besides the tickets, Fox will also get a check for $35,000 if the driver who leads lap 35 in next week's race goes on to win. The odds are good. The winner of six of the last 11 Cup races on the 2.66-mile oval has led lap 35. "If I win the money, the first thing I would do is take care of any bills that I have," Fox said. "Then, I would go after my Roush Mustang. It's expensive and it's fast and that's what I'd prefer. But, really, any Mustang would do right now."
Associated Press