 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
- Had Buddy not made it in auto racing, he would have raced motorcycles. He is still intrigued by SuperBike and SuperCross competition.
- Even after earning a regular IRL ride, Buddy still took part in the mini-bike races held in his neighbor’s backyard.
- Buddy says the fastest he has ever driven an Indy Car is 241 mph.
- Buddy, Juan Montoya, Rick Mears and Gordon Johncock are the only drivers in history to win at Indy and Michigan in the same year.
- Buddy collected a record $1.76 million for his Indy win.
- Buddy led for a total of 91 laps in the 2004 Indy 500.
- Buddy’s Indy win marked the first win for co-owner Bobby Rahal since he drove to victory at the Brickyard in 1986.
- The three cars that finished behind Buddy at Indy in 2004—driven by Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon and Bryan Herta—all belonged to Andretti Green Racing.
- Buddy was the first American to win at Indy in six years.
- The last driver to score his first IndyCar victory of his career at the Indianapolis 500 was Arie Luyendyk, who won the race in 1990.
- Buddy was the first “fill-in” to win at Indy since Al Unser Sr. subbed in for Danny Ongais in 1987.
- During Buddy’s visit to Yankee Stadium, he got a huge welcome from utilityman Miguel Cairo. Cairo had Buddy in the team’s Indy 500 pool and won $400.
- Buddy is a self-professed roller coaster addict.
- Buddy played lead guitar for the Subwoofers, a band comprised of racing professionals that opened for Blues Traveler prior to the 2004 Indy 500.
- Buddy still likes to blow off steam by getting together with his baseball buddies and spending the afternoon at the batting cages.
- Buddy has a big, dragon-like gargoyle in his driveway. He says it is because he was born in the year of the dragon.
- Buddy’s favorite food is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
- Buddy’s girlfriend is named Michelle Noonan.
Juan Montoya, 1999
On Track
Al Unser, 1978 Sport
Illustrated