Buddy Rice (born January 31, 1976) is an American racecar driver. He is best known for winning the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona for Brumos Racing.
I've always loved old hot rods. I have four or five of them at home that I work on when I'm not working out.
You have to take everything as it comes.
I'm not promoting myself as the next great American driver, as some people are describing me. If that's what people want to call me, fine. But I've got more important things to focus on.
No matter if I have a job for one weekend or for the next year, or three years, I'm going to drive the same way. That's the way I am. I'm going to give it everything I have.
It's pretty cool to be able to hang out with the President and have the race-winning car on the South Lawn.
I've always been under the radar.
Things happen for a reason. We'll see where life takes me from here.
In the past, people said I wasn't focused and didn't give it the time. That's a bunch of crap. I'm not doing anything different now than I did before.
Its always a little different, racing on your hometown track. It makes it more special.
Mile tracks put more emphasis on the driver. On the longer tracks, you can drive flat out all the way around, so it's more of an engineering exercise. On a mile, you can't run flat out. You're constantly in traffic, there's more driver involvement.
There's a ton of talent in this country. Some just need to be given a shot.
When the car's going well, I purr like a kitten.
You have to take the hits as they come and you have to take the opportunities.