KANSAS CITY, KAN. ? As if seeing the enlarged picture everyday in the Rahal Letterman Racing Shop in Hilliard, Ohio was not enough to remind Vitor Meira how unbelievably close he was to victory last season at the Kansas Speedway, a special photo session with teammate Buddy Rice Thursday afternoon at the 1.5-mile track certainly reopened Meira’s second-place wounds.

“I got spanked,” said a smiling Meira, who held up a sign with Rice that showed just how close (18 inches, or .0051 seconds) he was to winning the 2004 Argent Mortgage Indy 300.

“I’ve watched that tape many times, and it’s the same result,” continued a chuckling Meira – who had a slightly faster car than Rice most of the afternoon last Independence Day, led the next-to-last lap, but could not overtake his teammate from the outside lane despite closing in before the checkered flag.

Rice – last year’s Indy 500 champion, who finished third overall in the points standings – admitted he hasn’t watched last year’s race (the second-closest finish in Indy Racing League history), but might have to check out a replay this weekend in hopes of changing his luck this year.

“There’s just been a string of bad luck we can’t shake with the 15 car,” said Rice, who was victorious three times last season but has yet to lead a lap this year. “Hopefully, we can get to Kansas and break it.”

Buddy Rice (15) edges out teammate Vitor Meira (17) for the 2004 Argent Mortgage Indy 300 title in this file photo. The two are back in Kansas City, Kan., this weekend for the 2005 race, which takes place Sunday at the Kansas Speedway.

Rice was unable to defend his Indianapolis 500 title this year after partially tearing a spinal ligament and sustaining a concussion when he went backward into the wall during practice for Indy.

Both of Rice’s two top-10 finishes came in his first four races. In his return after his accident at Texas Motor Speedway on June 11, Rice suffered mechanical problems and finished 21st. Last week in Richmond, Va., he was 11th.

But the 29-year-old Phoenix native doesn’t necessarily think he has to win Sunday’s race to get back in the mix.

“Right now to get back on track, a win is not necessary. We just need a solid weekend,” Rice said. “If we can have a weekend where we have no issues whatsoever from start to finish, then I think we’ll be able to be in the top three or top five for sure.”

While Rice was bumming at Indy, a new Rahal Letterman teammate – Danica Patrick – was exploding on the racing scene.

The 23-year-old Roscoe, Ill. native became the first woman to lead a lap at the world’s most famous auto race, and also ended up with the best-ever finish by a woman with a fourth-place showing.

Rice said his teammate’s publicity certainly hasn’t hurt the sport, and because of the way his and Meira’s cars ran at Kansas last year, he thinks Patrick could have a shot at becoming an even bigger star this weekend.

“Anything is possible. All three cars have a shot this weekend,” Rice said. “The equipment is there.”

Finishing high hasn’t been a problem for Meira, who currently is tied for seventh in points and has three top five finishes.

The No. 17 Menards Johns Manville driver said he expects more of the same for himself and is counting on Rice’s luck to change because of the way the pair ran at the Speedway last season.

“Those kind of tracks – the high-banked, 1.5-and 2-mile speedways – always seem to produce great finishes, and it will be tough to get a better one than last year,” Meira said.

Of course, for Meira, there is one scenario that would be more special – an encore of last year’s nail-biter, with a little twist.

“It was a really cool race,” said a smiling Meira. “To repeat it would be OK, but I would rather be in his position this time.”