Albert Lee "Buddy" Rice[1] (born January 31, 1976) is an American former race car driver.

Rice played baseball in high school in Phoenix, Arizona, and attracted the attention of college and professional scouts.

He also drove in the Dodge Shelby Pro Series, winning from the pole at Las Vegas, Nevada.

He also won the 1997 Valvoline Team USA Scholarship, where he represented the United States in Europe’s Nations Cup.

He finished seventh in Toyota Atlantic points, and won the Gilles Villeneuve Memorial Award.

He won the 2000 Toyota Atlantic Series championship, which gained the attention of Red Bull Cheever Racing.

[citation needed] Rice lost the race by inches to Scheckter, but made a mark in the series.

15 Argent Mortgage Honda when Kenny Bräck was injured in a late-race crash at Texas Motor Speedway in 2003.

[4] Starting the 2007-08 season, Rice signed to drive for A1 Team USA in the A1 Grand Prix international racing series.

In 2002 he resulted second at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen and fourth in Homestead and Phoenix, driving a Miracle Riley & Scott Ford.

He spent the second half of the season as teammate of Antonio García in a Spirit of Daytona Coyote Porsche, where he finished 4th at Barber in his only top 10.

Rice raced full-time for Spirit of Daytona in the 2010 Rolex Sports Car Series, joining again García.