Giaffone unexpectedly joins Indy 500 field

INDIANAPOLIS -- Felipe Giaffone went from shopping for baby clothes to the starting lineup of the Indianapolis 500 in less than four hours.

The four-time Indy starter was at a local mall with his wife around 2 p.m. Sunday when he got a call from A.J. Foyt's team asking if he'd like to try qualifying a car for Sunday's race.

After a hurried trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a quick change into his driving uniform, and just 49 laps of practice on the 2 1/2-mile oval, Giaffone was ready.

His four-lap, 10-mile average of 217.645 mph was the slowest of the 33 drivers who will start the 500-mile race, but it was easily fast enough to bump the 215.039 posted earlier in the afternoon by rookie Arie Luyendyk Jr., who had filled the Indy field.

New Indy qualifying rules this year allowed drivers up to three attempts in the same car on each qualifying day, and the 23-year-old Luyendyk, who passed his rookie test on Saturday, tried to return the favor to Giaffone.

But the son of a two-time Indy winner and a veteran of the Indy Racing League's developmental Infiniti Pro Racing series couldn't do it.

With his father in the pits, watching intently, Luyendyk barely made it out of technical inspection for a final qualifying try, beating the final gun at 6 p.m. by seconds. But he wasn't even close to bumping Giaffone, turning a top lap of 214.123 on the way to an average of just 210.351.

The 30-year-old Giaffone, who qualified fourth and finished third at Indy in 2002, appeared incredulous to have made the race.

"I was here from Wednesday on and there was nothing happening," the Brazilian driver said. "We were going to go home and we were just doing a little shopping when I got the call. I wasn't ready at all.

"I had no credential, hadn't been cleared to drive and I was just shopping and packing and getting ready to go home. I'm still waiting to wake up, I guess. After two hours, I'm in the car and qualifying."

Foyt, who finally got his son Larry and grandson A.J. IV in the field on Saturday after struggling to find speed since practice began May 8, was delighted with the job Giaffone did, although the two had not worked together before.

"He did a wonderful job," said the elder Foyt, who has won the big race four times as a driver and once as an owner. "Larry had that car up to 216.2, but we didn't know if there was any more speed in it.

"It was just hard for me to understand him. But we'll get better communications before the race."

The elder Luyendyk, who won in 1990 and 1997 and holds the one- and four-lap qualifying records, was proud of his son's effort.

"We knew it was going to be hard for him to pick up 2 miles an hour," Luyendyk said. "He hasn't been that fast yet.

"I said, 'If the car feels good, go for it. If the car doesn't feel good, it's not worth risking it.' He listened to me."

The youngster seemed relieved the stressful day was over.

"After the first lap, I knew it was not going to be enough, so I cut it," Arie Jr. said. "Obviously, we lost the momentum. I was not going to risk it.

"It's a shame, obviously. That's what the car had for me. it comes from not having enough track time and we'll try to bounce back from this one."

The final day of time trials began with one spot still open and only Luyendyk Jr. on track, trying desperately to find enough speed and get comfortable enough in his new Chevrolet-powered Dallara to make a qualifying attempt.

With time running out and rain also threatening to end the session early, the youngster rolled onto the oval and turned four solid laps, each faster than the last. In his final two trips around the historic track, Luyendyk had laps of 215.104 mph and 215.924 -- his fastest since climbing into an IndyCar for the first time on Friday.

"Yesterday, he completed his rookie test and then he brushed the wall and that slowed everything down," Arie Sr. said. "It really has been a tough time, but he's got a good head on his shoulders. He stayed calm when the pressure was on."

Giaffone, who has not raced in the IRL this season, didn't run a lap until after Luyendyk Jr. qualified. He quickly got up to speed, though, going over 215 on his 14th lap and hitting 216 on his 21st.

Luyendyk Jr. practiced a bit and wound up waiting in his car during the final hour to see what Foyt and Giaffone would do. They finally rolled the No. 48 Toyota-powered Panoz through technical inspection and qualified with less than half an hour remaining, setting up the last-minute drama.

The first of four scheduled days of time trials was rained out on May 14, but 22 drivers qualified last Sunday, led by polesitter Tony's Kanaan's 227.566. Ten more drivers made it into the field Saturday, topped by 1999 Indy winner Kenny Brack's 227.598, which placed him 23rd for the race.

Next slowest to Giaffone is Jimmy Kite, who qualified at 218.565 on Saturday.