Motegi - Rahal Letterman - Preview source: irl.racing-live.com Danica Patrick: "I have high expectations" Jeff Simmons knows he joined the Rahal Letterman Racing team under unusual conditions. The Boston College graduate who has lit up the Indy Pro Series ranks with five wins in the last ten starts will make his RLR debut this weekend at Twin Ring Motegi. Not only does Simmons hope to carve his own niche in the IndyCar Series, but the 29-year-old hopes to continue a legacy initiated by his predecessor, the late Paul Dana. Motegi holds fond memories for Danica Patrick. It was here in 2005 that Patrick shook off the rookie label and showed the ability that prompted Bobby Rahal to sign her. The rookie driver nearly won the pole position in the No. 16 Argent Mortgage Honda/Panoz starting second and she led 32 laps en route to a season-best fourth place finish. She would parlay that success into an incredible month of May and her historic run at the Indianapolis 500. Twin Ring Motegi has been a successful destination for RLR over the years. After a slow start in which the team didn't have a car finish at Motegi in 1998 and 1999, the team has collected seven top-five results since 2000. Kenny Brack won for Rahal Letterman Racing at Twin Ring Motegi in 2001. Brack dominated the Champ Car race leading 75 laps and lapping every car but runner-up Helio Castroneves for the victory. Brack added a second place finish in 2003 and a top-five in 2000. Buddy Rice finished third in 2005 and Danica Patrick fourth. Michel Jourdain Jr. finished fifth in 2002. The top qualifying effort for RLR at Motegi is second. Kenny Brack started second and finished fifth in 2000. Patrick started second and finished fourth in 2005. The old adage, 'Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades' rings true for Buddy Rice. The 30-year-old Phoenix native has had close runs at Twin Ring Motegi the last two years bringing home a pair of top-six results. That has left Rice optimistic heading to Japan for the 2006 event.
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