IMS Brickyard Friday rain out notes

INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, Aug. 5, 2005 -- Steady rain forced cancellation of the two scheduled practice sessions Aug. 5 for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

It was the first complete rainout of an official event day in the 12-year history of the event.

The rain also forced a shuffle of the schedule for Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Qualifying Day on Saturday, Aug. 6. The schedule (all times local):

7 a.m.: Public gates open
8-9 a.m.: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series practice
9:30-10:30 a.m.: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series practice
3:10 p.m.: Allstate 400 at the Brickyard qualifications (best of two laps)

The rainout also forced the event to become an impound race, in which NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams can only do very limited work on their cars between the end of qualifying and the start of the race at 1:30 p.m. (local time) Sunday.

Reaction was mixed from drivers about how the loss of today's activity will affect drivers' attempts to earn a spot in the prestigious 43-car field and on the race.

"It changes little bit, but it really doesn't affect us that much," Michael Waltrip said. "We are used to doing this impound stuff. My team has been really good at the impound races. We sat on the pole at Pocono and ran real well up there with the impound.

"We feel really good about our chances. We think this only compliments our chances to get the pole and win the race."

Said Kenny Wallace: "Well, the whole game has changed now because within six hours we went from a race where you qualify and then you practice to now after the qualifying you line up and race. It's pretty big. You see a lot of teams walking around here now with springs and shocks in their hands. The whole game has changed."

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Allstate 400 at the Brickyard tickets: Tickets for the 12th annual Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Aug. 7 are on sale.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com or by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area. Parking and camping information also can be obtained through the ticket office.

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