Yahoo Autos What You Need to Know About The Contenders of The 100th Indianapolis 500
The hundredth Indianapolis 500 is just hours away, and the Field of 33 is more open than it's been in years. Just one driver can win, however. These are the favorites.
Stefan Wilson - #25 KV Racing Technology Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 30th
Stefan Wilson, in his first Indianapolis 500, finds himself behind the wheel of the extra KV Racing entry reserved for James Davison in recent years. It's hard to think of Stefan without thinking of his brother, the late Justin Wilson, and while this year's grid is full of tributes to Wilson, none are more poignant than this entry, wearing the number Justin drove under with Andretti Autosport and the livery of the Indiana Donor Network that allowed him to save six lives even after his death. The younger Wilson isn't expected to compete for the win, but he's a strong rookie-of-the-year candidate and, with this program coming together at the last minute, his very presence on the grid is one of the feel-good stories of the race.
Graham Rahal - #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Dallara-Honda - Starting 26th
A year ago, Graham Rahal's career looked to be spiraling out of control. The second-generation driver hadn't won a race since his first, a rainy post-merger Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in 2008, and despite grabbing one or two podiums a year since, had never bested the 7th place championship finish he put up in his second IndyCar season. He came into this race with two consecutive second-place finishes, and a top five in the 500 propelled him to a season that saw two wins, two more additional podiums, and a career-best finish of 4th in the final standings. That momentum has continued into 2016, where he's finished in the top five in three of five races (including a runner-up finish) and has consistently been one of Honda's strongest competitors. He hasn't shown much speed in the Month of May, however, and while the rest of the Honda teams are excelling, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing heads into the 500 without having found the pace of the Andretti Autosports and Schmidt Petersons.
Sage Karam - #24 Dreyer & Reinbold/Kingdom Racing Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 23rd
After a partial season odyssey with Chip Ganassi Racing punctuated by plenty of very impressive runs and plenty more rookie mistakes last year, Karam returns to the DRR team he was so impressive with in the 500 in 2014. Most of his focus is now on his career as a full-time sports car racer with Lexus starting later this season, but he's already proven his mettle in these cars on big ovals and even though he put down middling laps in qualifying and practice, he goes into the race in a similar position to 2014, where he ran near the front all day and recorded a debut finish of ninth.
Ed Carpenter - #20 Ed Carpenter Racing Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 20th
Six full years into his Graham Rahal-esque career resurrection as the ultimate oval specialist, IndyCar's only owner-driver looks to finally capitalize on his many strong runs at the track in the DW12 era, including two that started from pole, but have resulted in just one top ten finish. His team may have lost two partners with the closure of the Fisher-Hartman portion of Carpenter-Fisher-Hartman Racing and his teammates JR Hildebrand and Josef Newgarden may have done more in qualifying, but Ed Carpenter will still be a threat come race day.
Tony Kanaan - #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 18th
While one win and nine podiums in two and a half seasons are enough to leave most teams happy, when you're replacing four-time series champion Dario Franchitti at Chip Ganassi Racing, it's a downgrade. Tony Kanaan certainly hasn't disappointed in what has been the best ride of his career, but his second-career Indianapolis 500 win would go a long way towards securing his future with a program that became used to having two of the three best drivers in IndyCar at any given time.
Juan Pablo Montoya - #2 Penske Racing Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 17th
The defending 500 Champion's 2015 may have ended in disappointment when Scott Dixon took the IndyCar Series championship from him in a wild season finale at Sonoma, but it was nonetheless one of the stronger IndyCar seasons in recent memory. While teammate Simon Pagenaud's similarly strong start to 2016 has grabbed the headlines for Penske Racing, Montoya's off to a quick start as well, already boasting a win and no finish worse than ninth. He enters the Indianapolis 500 the slowest qualifier of four Penske Racing entries, but his combination of a strong car and strong big oval experience mean a win isn't out of the picture. After all, he's won the race in two of his three career attempts.
JR Hildebrand - #6 Ed Carpenter Racing Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 15th
Though his career may still be defined by what might have been, JR Hildebrand has worked hard to move past the last corner of the 2011 Indianapolis 500. He hasn't found a consistent ride since being dropped by a panicking Panther Racing after the 2013 500, but he's recorded respectable and clean top tens in his two one-off races here since, and with an entry from a strong Ed Carpenter Racing yet again, is in position to do the same this year.
Marco Andretti - #27 Andretti Autosport Dallara-Honda - Starting 14th
The slowest of five Andretti Autosport entries, Marco will look to finally reverse the Andretti Curse by taking the win he seemed destined for in 2006 and 2012. He disappointed by missing the Fast Nine and by extent his shot at pole last weekend, but he's still a perennial contender in the 500 Mile Race.
Scott Dixon - #9 Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 13th
Capping a stacked fifth row is the reigning IndyCar Series champion, who hasn't finished worse than third in the series standings since 2006, when he finished a disappointing fourth. He has just one win in the race, but as he continues to press former teammate Dario Franchitti for the title of best driver of the post-CART era, he's a contender at every track he shows up at.
Helio Castroneves - #3 Penske Racing Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 9th
He may not have the championships of Scott Dixon, but while the New Zealander has shined elsewhere, Helio Castroneves has spent the last sixteen years becoming the active driver with the most Indianapolis 500 wins. He hasn't won a race in IndyCar in nearly two years, and a record-tying fourth 500 win today would make quite the return to climbing fences.
Simon Pagenaud - #22 Penske Racing Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 8th
He may not be starting on pole, he may not be an oval specialist, and he may not be driving for one of the practice-dominating Honda teams, but make no mistake, Simon Pagenaud is the favorite to win this race. In five races in 2016, the French ace has an average finish of 1.4 on the back of three wins. The Indianapolis 500 win would mark his first-ever oval win, but his strong run against teammates Will Power and Juan Pablo Montoya last year proved he's more than capable of competing to win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Will Power - #12 Penske Racing Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 6th
Leading the Penske contingent in qualifying (and most of the Month of May) is their most recent series champion, the spectacularly-named Will Power. After spending four years as Dario Franchitti's (and later Scott Dixon's) foil, Power finally broke through to win the title in 2014, and followed his strong season up with a runner-up finish in a wild duel with Juan Pablo Montoya in this race last season. He'll need to improve just one position to become Australia's first ever Indianapolis 500 winner.
Ryan Hunter-Reay - #28 Andretti Autosport Dallara-Honda - Starting 3rd
On the outside of the front row is Andretti Autosport's lead driver, 2012 series and 2014 500 champion Ryan Hunter-Reay. He benefits from the combined resources of one of the strongest teams of the Month, the program that has seemingly found the most speed in a Honda package that has had a slight advantage on Chevrolet all May long, in addition to the sheer strength that comes with a five-car program.
Josef Newgarden - #21 Ed Carpenter Racing Dallara-Chevrolet - Starting 2nd
After a breakout 2015, the highest-qualified American driver on the grid is in search of a career-defining moment. The lead driver of an expanded Ed Carpenter Racing stable hasn't won an IndyCar race on an oval, but he certainly isn't without experience at Indianapolis; he won the Indy Lights Freedom 100 at this track in 2011.
James Hinchcliffe - #6 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Dallara-Honda
Many drivers struggle to get their partnerships and sponsorship packages ready for a season of racing, but certainly, nobody has had a tougher path to their season than James Hinchcliffe, who overcame near-fatal blood loss in 500 practice last year to return to Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and, for the first time in his career, start on the inside of the first row for the Indianapolis 500.
