26.MAY.02
Rayovac
Blair Racing Finishes 4th at Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS
(May 26, 2002) -- Rayovac Blair Racing driver Alex Barron of Menifee,
Calif. finished fourth today in the 86th running of the Indianapolis
500.
Barron and the
Blair Racing team were first timers today at the Indy 500 - but you
wouldn't know it. Larry Blair assembled this team in January and
today they showed well in front of the 400,000 plus fans plus the
millions watching on television around the world. Barron started
26th in the 33 car field, battling traffic and the three to five
wide competitors around the 2.5 mile oval for the start of the 200
lap race. Tom Gloy, President of Blair Racing was on the radio with
Barron today with Blair and the team working side by side on pit
strategy. Barron's skill in the car combined with the Rayovac Blair
team moved the #44 Chevrolet powered by McLaren Dallara through
field. The first pit stop was called on lap 32 under yellow as
Barron climbed through traffic with ease. He moved into the top-ten
by lap 91 and stayed there for the remainder of the race. Barron led
from laps 130 to 131, and 161 to 165. Additional and scheduled stops
were on laps 92, 131 and 165, all under green flag conditions. The
Blair crew chose to leave him out around lap 154 when others were
pitting. Barron came in on lap 165 for his final stop. This strategy
combined with Barron's cool and patience left the Rayovac Blair
entry as the only car that could have made it to the end if the race
had stayed green. The team waited and continued to talk to Barron on
the radio. On lap 173- Tomas Scheckter hit the wall bringing out the
yellow flag. Another yellow was on lap 199 and Barron brought the
Rayovac entry home fourth.
"John
Dick and the entire team gave me a great car, it was balanced all
day," said Barron. "I was able to drive flat out and it
was great in traffic. I was very comfortable in the car racing alone
or in traffic. We had an excellent car in the race; that was the key
today. Rayovac Blair Racing is what gave us what we did today. We
did consistent and good stops. We wanted to have solid pit stops and
we did, that was one of the keys to end up where we ended up. We led
and thought we could make it to the end but the last yellow changed
that. It's an awesome feeling; the track really came to us. To
survive the month with all of the ups and downs this is really
something. We had good pit stops and great pit strategy. We had a
good car and I really enjoyed driving it. Today says a lot for the
team. To come back from our crash a few weeks ago, qualify so strong
on Bump Day and today to lead and finish fourth is really great. To
have Rayovac come on board at Nazareth and to finish 6th there and
to run like this here at Indy -- this is great. Larry Blair put
together a great team and today shows just what a good team they
are. For my first Indy 500 to have the opportunity to be on a team
like this and the consistency they show, it's all about opportunity.
I'm hoping that we can continue to progress as the season continues.
This team came together late and to be where we are right now is a
big achievement."
"I am a
first time spectator here and a first time team owner," said
Larry Blair. "To finish fourth this is amazing. For Rayovac
Blair Racing we are enormously proud of Alex and the entire team and
the leadership that Tom Gloy our president has shown. It is with
great pride on behalf of my entire family and team members that I
congratulate Alex and Tom."
"Alex has
so much experience it is hard to give him advice," said Tom
Gloy, president of Blair Racing (and former driver at Indy) "I
have not seen a man or driver with the talent that he has. The
ability, sensations and feedback that he gives is a wonderful
situation for our race team. The way he drove today was incredible.
The one thing that he really doesn't understand today is that he
could have won today. Until Scheckter hit the wall we were the one
team that could have gone all the way today. It packed (the yellow)
everyone up. It put us in the right spot at the right time today and
that's what Alex did for us."
Rayovac Blair
Racing team members arrived early at the famed oval to avoid the
expected crowd of over 400,000 race fans. The team has been focused
and preparing for today's 500 mile race, working at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway for the past 25 days in Garage 6A intensely
practicing and preparing for the green flag. Over the month the
teams and drivers practiced over 40,000 miles getting ready for
today. The trackside officials indicated that this is the most
competitive field since the first race here in 1911. Barron and the
Rayovac team made quite an impression the entire month but
especially on Bump Day. On the second and final day of qualifying
they posted a speed of 228.580 mph to start 26th, in the middle of
the ninth row. This year, speeds were faster than ever, the 33-car
field average for qualifying speed - an Indy 500 record - was
228.648 mph, up 5.345 mph from last year. This year's pole speed of
231.342 mph is only the second time in history of the Indy 500 that
the slowest qualifier was faster than the previous year's pole
sitter. The slowest time in the field this year is 226.589 mph.
Barron posted the 17th fastest qualifying time of the 33 starting
drivers and is the third fastest rookie out of nine rookies this
year. Additionally, a driver with the surname of Barron had not
raced at Indy before.
Surrounded by
family and friends and well wishers from afar, Barron and Blair
Racing were ready when race day arrived. The team has plenty of
experience in all departments; today it came armed with race
experience, team president Tom Gloy drove at Indy, engineer John
Dick was on the winning team in 1990. Also, 14 of the crew members
have 69 years of collective experience in Indy 500 competition. This
gave this new team to the Indy Racing League and Indy an edge today.
"This
team has been dedicated and stands tall in my book," said team
owner Larry Blair of San Jose, Calif. "To own a team that raced
at Indy, finishing fourth, it has been my dream since growing up;
racing is what I love."
Barron added,
"This is definitely an experience. The last two years, I've
been here walking around, and this year I only had to buy one pair
of shoes. The last two years, I've had to buy two and three pairs of
shoes because I've done so many miles around this place talking to
owners and all my friends trying to get in. It's great to be here
and be in a competitive car and run with the friends I made in
racing in other series. It was an awesome race."
The team is
busy preparing for its next event, The Boomtown 500. The race will
be held on the fast track known as Texas Motor Speedway. It will air
on ESPN Television Network at 8:00p.m. EDT. The fifth race of the
season will also air live on the IMS Radio Network; the IRL's
official web site can help you locate a station near you and also
has live timing and scoring www.indyracing.com.
Powerful facts
about Rayovac:
Rayovac is one of the world's leading battery and lighting device
companies. Rayovac also markets the number-one selling rechargeable
brand of battery in the U.S. with nearly a 70 percent share. In
addition, the company is the world leader in hearing aid batteries
with a 60 percent worldwide share. Rayovac trades on the New York
Stock Exchange under the ROV symbol. Rayovac markets a variety of
batteries including alkaline and heavy duty batteries; lithium coin
cells; zinc air hearing aid batteries; and rechargeable alkaline and
nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries and chargers. The company also
markets a broad line of battery-operated flashlights and lanterns.
More information about Rayovac can be found at www.rayovac.com.
www.BlairRacing.com
keeps fans up-to-date with all the latest team news and
information.
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