Yahoo Autos What To Watch For in the 101st Indy 500
Fernando Alonso. If you have't heard, he's racing in the Indy 500 this weekend. Of course, it's not possible that you haven't heard since it seems to be the only thing people are talking about before the race.
And they're talking about him for a reason. Fernando has been nothing but impressive since he got behind the wheel of an IndyCar and ran an oval for the first time this month. But that's not all that surprising. He's Fernando Alonso, one of the most highly regarded drivers in the world. And he's at Indy with a team that has won multiple 500s, including the 100th running a year ago. Of course he's quick. If he was mired back in 28th place and way off the pace, that would be the real story.
But Alonso isn't the only story at the 500 this year. Here's what you need to watch for during the race:
Weather
May in Indianapolis is always a crapshoot, and right now the weather for the race is looking iffy, at best. There could be delays and possibly a shortening of the race due to weather, so there could be strategy played to have a driver in the lead when the rain hits. Remember, once the race reaches 101 laps, it's technically official, so if rain forces the race to end anytime after that point, whoever is leading wins.
Honda
Honda has been fast all month, but has also had a number of engine failures (did Alonso bring Honda's F1 luck with him?). They are fast–Scott Dixon's Honda is on the pole with the quickest speed in 21 years–but they've also had a handful of engine failures. The Chevy's don't seem to have the raw pace, but they seem to have reliability. It could be a close one.
Drivers to Watch
There are a few that are always likely to be near the front. Marco Andretti is always quick during the 500, Tony Kanaan will pull off some dynamite passes. Last year's polesitter James Hinchcliffe has a definite shot. Ryan Hunter-Reay has been solid all month and you can never count out three-time champ Helio Castroneves since he's always near the front in the race. But JR Hildebrand looks quietly strong too. He hasn't been lighting up the time sheets necessarily, but he made it in to the Fast 9 in qualifying seemingly without anyone noticing. Look for him to be strong during the whole race.
Alonso...
Yes, I'm going to talk about Alonso. He has more than a shot at winning the race. He's been methodical all month, soaking up everything he can learn and using every tool that's been available to him to learn how to win here.
Like I said earlier, it's expected for him to perform. And we may just see him pull off something huge tomorrow. Time will tell.
The 500 will air tomorrow on ABC, starting at 11 AM EST.
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