Lake Nebagamon's Brygger will play vital role in Sunday's Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS — When the 33-car field of world-class drivers takes the green flag for Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, Lake Nebagamon’s Scott Brygger will play an integral role on one of the top teams competing in the ‘Greatest Spectacle of Racing.’

Brygger works for Sam Schmidt Motorsports (SSM), which is owned by former driver Sam Schmidt. The team has two cars entered in the 2012 Indianapolis 500 for drivers Townsend Bell and Simon Pagenaud.

On race day, Brygger is the tire specialist for the No. 99 BraunAbility Schmidt Pelfrey Motorsports Dallara/Honda/Firestone car driven by Californian Townsend Bell. The team will start 20th Sunday.

Last year, the Sam Schmidt Motorsports team sat on the pole for the Indy 500, which remains the largest single-day sporting event in the world, with driver Alex Tagliani.

SSM was established in 2001 and is owned by former driver Sam Schmidt, who was paralyzed (quad) in 2000 after an accident during testing at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, Fla. As a car owner, Schmidt fields cars in the IZOD IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500, and the Firestone Indy Lights championship.

The team is the most successful in Firestone Indy Lights history with 48 race wins and five championships. In addition, SSM has now qualified 14 cars in the Indianapolis 500 since 2001 and won the coveted Indy 500 pole in 2011.

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