Rice turns first laps at Indy in Red Bull Cheever.

Indy Racing League driver Buddy Rice turned a top speed of 223.3 mph with Red Bull Cheever Racing on Nov. 20 in his first test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Rice, of Phoenix, completed 73 laps in a 2002-spec Dallara with Infiniti power on an unseasonably warm day at the famed 2.5-mile oval. Skies were partly to mostly sunny with temperatures in the mid-50s.

"I think Indy is quite exciting and challenging," said Rice, who made his Indy Racing debut in July 2002 with Red Bull Cheever. "For my first time out, it was fun and fast. I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to come back and see what it is like with the rest of the field out there with me."

Rice, 26, arrived at the Speedway with a veteran team that has already tasted success at Indy, as owner-driver Eddie Cheever Jr. won the 1998 Indianapolis 500.

"We wanted Buddy to get in some miles at the Speedway so he could go home and think about it over the winter," Cheever said. "Everything we do is geared for winning the Indianapolis 500."

Rice's Indy Racing career began July 28 at Michigan International Speedway, and he impressed from the start by leading 15 laps and finishing second to his teammate at the time, Tomas Scheckter. Rice competed in five races for Cheever during the 2002 season, Michigan through the season-ending Chevy 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, scoring two top-five finishes, four top-10s and leading a total of 37 laps.