The Brickyard
The famed 2.5-mile speedway is celebrating the first year of a three-year centennial, because the track was built in 1909 and held its first 500-mile car race in 1911. But this is the 93rd Indy 500 because the race was not held during World War I and II.
What makes the race special?
Besides the cars’ 220-m.p.h. speeds and the race’s history and traditions, such as the winner drinking milk in Victory Lane, the race features a unique starting format of 33 cars in 11 rows of three cars each. The lineup makes for a thrilling first lap as the cars squeeze through the first and second turns after getting the green flag.
Who’s starting in front?
Two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, only a month from being acquitted on tax-evasion charges, won the pole position in qualifying and his Team Penske teammate, Ryan Briscoe, will start alongside him in second. Dario Franchitti, the 2007 Indy 500 winner, qualified third and starts on the outside of the front row.
Are they the favorites?
They are, along with several others, notably Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing. Dixon won the race last year on his way to winning the IndyCar Series championship, and the New Zealander won the series’ most recent race this season at Kansas Speedway. Dixon starts fifth in the second row on Sunday.
Who else might contend?
The drivers of the Andretti Green Racing team. They include Tony Kanaan (who starts sixth); Marco Andretti (eighth), who nearly won the race in 2006, and Danica Patrick (10th), who shot to fame by nearly winning the race in her rookie year in 2005 and is making her fifth attempt.
Is there a dark horse?
Keep your eye on Dan Wheldon, the 2005 race winner who moved to Panther Racing this year and starts 18th. Mario Moraes, starting seventh, also has been fast in practice and the 20-year-old Brazilian could be a contender.
– – –
The field
Pos. Driver, Car
*past winner
ROW 1
1 Helio Castroneves* 3
2 Ryan Briscoe 6
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3 Dario Franchitti* 10
ROW 2
4 Graham Rahal 02
5 Scott Dixon* 9
6 Tony Kanaan 11
ROW 3
7 Mario Moraes 5
8 Marco Andretti 26
9 Will Power 12
ROW 4
10 Danica Patrick 7
11 Alex Lloyd 99
12 Raphael Matos 2
ROW 5
13 Paul Tracy 15
14 Vitor Meira 14
15 Justin Wilson 18
ROW 6
16 Hideki Mutoh 27
17 Ed Carpenter 20
18 Dan Wheldon* 4
ROW 7
19 A.J. Foyt IV 41
20 Scott Sharp 16
21 Sarah Fisher 67
ROW 8
22 Davey Hamilton 44
23 Robert Doornbos 06
24 Townsend Bell 8
ROW 9
25 Oriol Servia 17
26 Tomas Scheckter 19
27 Mike Conway 24
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ROW 10
28 John Andretti 43
29 E.J. Viso 13
30 Milka Duno 23
ROW 11
31 Nelson Philippe 00
32 Ryan Hunter-Reay 21
33 Alex Tagliani 36