Moving Through the Indianapolis 500 Field: 12-22

Three rookies, two would-be winners and a three-time champion are among the 11 drivers in the middle of the field for the 100th anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500.  With the 500 just three days away, it's time to focus on the drivers, and see if any of these drivers can become the 20th in 500 history to win between Row 4 and the inside of Row 8.

12. No. 4 - JR Hildebrand (R)Hildebrand was labeled 'Captain America' as he rose through the IndyCar ranks, on one hand for his solid driving (he was the 2009 Firestone Indy Lights champion), and on the other because he appeared to represent the limited number of young, talented American drivers in the open-wheel ranks. Driving the National Guard car for Panther Racing certainly does nothing to change the monicker, nor does Hildebrand's ability to get up to speed quickly at IMS, qualifying 12th, the best among any rookie drivers.

The car Hildebrand will pilot on Sunday is a known commodity at Indianapolis; Dan Wheldon and Vitor Meira have brought it to second place finishes in each of the last three years.  Expecting Hildebrand to continue that streak, or even to improve upon it may be asking a lot of the Californian, but he appears more than up for the challenge.

13. No. 06 - James Hinchcliffe (R)The Canadian was a scant .0047 second away from being the top rookie in the field. Another product of the Firestone Indy Lights, Hinchcliffe has been a godsend during the rainy days at Indianapolis, conducting numerous interviews with drivers and sharing the lighter side of Gasoline Alley with fans. Plus, he gave IMS planking, which managed not only to kill a rainy Wednesday, but also gave the news media something to talk about when they did exposés on the dangers of planking (seriously).

Regardless, Hinchcliffe and his Newman/Haas Racing team have been quick and relatively under the radar (as much as you can be when planking). With car coloring similar to that of Scott Goodyear's in 1992, Hinchcliffe will be looking for a similar result, albeit crossing the finish line first this time.

14. No. 30 - Bertrand BaguetteBaguette showed well as a rookie last year for Conquest racing, showing some surprising skills on the ovals given his road and street course background. The Belgian did not stay with Conquest, however, but upgraded his ride for the 500, signing on with Rahal Letterman Lanigan, where he has continued to demonstrate his talent on the most prestigious course in the world, qualifying in the middle of Row 5.

Last year, Rahal Letterman delivered a car that appeared to have a chance at winning before a black flag took the legs out from under the team; Baguette will have to make some moves to get to the front, but a top 10 or top five finish is not out of the question for this team.

15. No. 11 - Davey HamiltonHamilton was the first driver out in the 2010 500, with the Idahoan finding the wall on the opening lap. In his fifth consecutive 500 since missing five in a row due to devastating leg injuries suffered in 2001, Hamilton is starting in a nearly identical place to last year, the outside of Row 5 (in 2010, he was in the middle of the same row).

The highest-qualifying Dreyer & Reinbold car on the grid, avoiding trouble is a must if Hamilton wants to replicate his career-best finish at IMS, fourth in 1998. His his four races back at Indianapolis, Hamilton has completed all 200 laps just once, tallying a ninth-place finish in 2007, his first race at IMS since the 2001 edition of the 500.

16. No. 3 - Helio CastronevesThe three-time Indianapolis 500 champion has never started the race so low in the field, surprising many with a qualifying effort that left him on the outside of Row 6. There is good fortune for the Brazilian, however: in his first two wins at IMS, Castroneves did have qualifying runs that left him in Row 4 and Row 5, where he was able to navigate through the field.

Castroneves' modus operandi at Indianapolis has been to largely bide his time, work his way towards the front and then seize control of the race in the final 125 miles. Starting 16th will allow for plenty of time for this strategy to play out, so keep an eye out on the Shell V-Power/Pennzoil No. 3.

17. No. 43 - John AndrettiThe only Andretti Autosport car to make the field of 33 on Saturday, the local product is making his 12th career start at Indianapolis (in the 500). However, since coming back to IMS in 2007, Andretti has yet to record a finish better than 16th, completing 200 laps only once.

Still, Andretti Autosport has been fairly spot on with its setups for the 500, and Andretti figures to have the easiest route to the front, given that three of his teammates start in the last three rows. Asking for a top 10 from the Ritter H.S.-product does not seem out of the question for this team.

18. No. 59 - E.J. VisoThe only thing possibly complicated matters for Andretti (or those in Row 7) may be E.J. Viso, the talented but erratic young Venezuelan.  At times, Viso can be more pinball on the track than car, racking up incidents in two of the first races of the year.  Still, the talented youngster is also capable of running up front, as he did at Sao Paulo this year.

Having never finished better than 24th in three runnings of the Indianapolis 500, the pressure is beginning to amount on Viso to deliver results, rather than repair bills.  Oddly enough, Viso's 500s have all ended after 139 laps; getting past that mark would be the first step in achieving a solid result.

19. No. 22 - Justin WilsonLooking back at last year's 500, it is easy to forget that for a time, it was Justin Wilson who was leading the race. Dreyer & Reinbold's decision to stay out with 39 laps to go in the race came up one more yellow flag shy of potentially putting the Englishman in Victory Lane. A solid, if unspectacular qualifying effort puts Wilson on the outside of Row 7 this year.

2010 marked Wilson's first top 10 finish at Indianapolis. Traditionally a strong performer on the road and street courses, Wilson has not been up to his usual strong standards thus far. However, in his fourth run at Indianapolis, Wilson may be primed for a breakout on an oval, especially one where he could nearly taste Victory last year.

20. No. 20 - Jay Howard (R)Howard is in his first 500 in three attempts at qualifying for the 500. Perhaps the most veteran of the rookies at Indianapolis, Howard first arrived at the track in 2008, only to have his ride taken by John Andretti, who brought sponsorship to Roth Racing. Returning in 2010, Howard put his Sarah Fisher Racing car in the field, only to withdraw the time and fail to bump his way back into the field.

The Englishman left no doubts this time, sticking in the middle of Row 7 in a partnership between Sam Schmidt Motorsports and Rahal Letterman Lanigan. Having achieved his goal of running at Indianapolis, it will be interesting to see how Howard performs; given the pedigree of the teams he has partnered with, he should have a solid car on Sunday, putting him in contention for Rookie of the Year honors.

21. No. 07 - Tomas ScheckterIt has been a career of almosts for the South African. Controlling the 2002 Indianapolis 500, the rookie got high in Turn 4 with 27 laps separating him and a visit with the Borg-Warner Trophy. Consistently fast, Scheckter has never been able to consistently find a ride for more than a year or for one-off deals, bouncing from team to team in a nine-year IndyCar career.

Still, Scheckter remains one of the drivers called when a team wants to put a car in the 500 field, and this year was no exception when he hooked up with KV Racing Technology. Scheckter ran near the front for most of the 2010 500, eventually taking 15th, and KV would certainly be happy with any place above that for Scheckter.

22. No. 82 - Tony KanaanNearly without a ride in the season-opening race, Kanaan was thrown a lifeline by KV Racing Technology, Geico and Lotus. That Kanaan was able to muster a podium finish in his first start with the team shows both the talent of the driver and the potential of the team. Figuring out Indianapolis may present a bigger challenge, but Kanaan knows how to navigate traffic.

Last year, after a hellish weekend saw him start 33rd on the grid, Kanaan nearly pulled off the comeback, sitting in second place before a late pit stop was needed. Frequently one of the hardest chargers in the IZOD IndyCar Series, watching the green and yellow No. 82 (a tribute to Jim Clark's 1965 winning Lotus), will be a treat for fans. Always a fan favorite, sentiment will be with Kanaan to finally collect his first Borg-Warner Trophy.

The Greatest 33: No. 10 - Arie Luyendyk

With 10 days remaining until the 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana is continuing its countdown of the Greatest 33, the ultimate Indianapolis 500 field. Through a fan vote, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has released its field, which can be seen here.  Today, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana looks at the only driver to capture the Borg-Warner Trophy in both the CART and IRL eras.

Upon his arrival at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1985, Arie Luyendyk was fast.  Winning Rookie of the Year honors in 1985, Luyendyk would go on to set the major speed records at IMS during his 17 start career.

With sponsorship from Provimi veal, Luyendyk was able to hang on during his first five years running in CART.  Though he never won a race in that span, the Dutchman was routinely quick at Indianapolis, taking seventh in his first year at the track after coming over from the road circuits of Europe.  With qualification efforts in the top three rows in two of the next three years, it was clear that Luyendyk had taken to IMS, but results were not forthcoming.

However, that changed in 1990, when Luyendyk, in his Domino's Pizza No. 30, passed Bobby Rahal on Lap 168 and took his first career win at Indianapolis.  With temperatures climbing throughout the race and just four cautions on the day (for 28 laps), tire wear was a persistent issue for drivers.  Luyendyk was able to nurse his throughout the day, and in the process set a new record for the average speed of the race, running at 185.981 mph.  The record stands to this day as the fastest 500 in the books.

Backing up the accomplishment with a third-place finish the following year, Luyendyk would be on the pole for the 1993 500, nearly taking Chip Ganassi to Victory Lane for the first time in the owner's time at Indianapolis, leading 14 laps while finishing runner-up to Emerson Fittipaldi.  The year would be Luyendyk's last with Ganassi and be part of a four-year stretch in which he ran for four different teams, finally settling with Treadway Racing in 1996.

In his first year with Treadway, Luyendyk looked to have the fastest car at Indy, backing it up on Pole Day by setting the one lap (234.742) and four-lap (233.390 mph) speed records.  Beaten for the pole later in the day, Luyendyk's car would fail inspection, setting the stage for the Dutchman to return the next day and obliterate the previous marks. 

Returning on Sunday, Luyendyk set new one-lap records on each of his four qualifying laps, going 236.239, 236.948, 237.260 and 237.498 mph, setting IMS's four-lap qualifying record at 236.986 mph.  With the fastest car in the field, Luyendyk was picking his through traffic when a pit road incident knocked him out of the race.

A year later, Luyendyk would again have the top qualifying speed at Indianapolis, but would this time sit on the pole for the second of three times in his career.  Leading 61 laps, it would be the final two led by Luyendyk that caused controversy in 1997, as the field approached the start/finish line under yellow, only to have the flag stand wave the green and white flags at the last minute, with yellow lights still on the catch fence.  Luyendyk hastily dropped into gear and pulled away for the win, but the confusion at the end marked the end of USAC's tenure at IMS.

Luyendyk would qualify on the pole once more, in 1999, but an accident marked the end of his run.  Four years later, a wreck in practice would keep him from a final run at IMS, where he led in eight of his 17 starts and led 188 laps in his career.

The Greatest 33:Row 4
10. Arie Luyendyk
11. Louis Meyer
12. Mario Andretti
Row 513. Dario Franchitti14. Emerson Fittipaldi15. Parnelli JonesRow 616. Rodger Ward17. Al Unser Jr.18. Jim ClarkRow 719. Gordon Johncock20. Jim Rathmann22. Tommy MiltonRow 822. Ralph DePalma23. Scott Dixon24. Juan Pablo MontoyaRow 925. Billy Arnold26. Bill Holland27. Dan WheldonRow 1028. Ray Harroun29. Mark Donohue30. Jacques VilleneuveRow 1131. Danny Sullivan32. Tony Kanaan33. Michael Andretti

The Greatest 33: No. 18 - Jim Clark

With 17 days remaining until the 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana is starting its countdown of the Greatest 33, the ultimate Indianapolis 500 field. Fans can build their own field by clicking here. Today, Drive Hard, Turn Left SB Nation Indiana looks at one of the world's top racers, Jim Clark.

Jim Clark ushered out the roadster at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Arriving in 1963 with the rear-engined Lotus, Clark was also in the midst of capturing the first of two Formula One world championships.  From the beginning, it was apparent that the green and yellow Lotus was bringing about a new era in motorsports at IMS, as he pushed Parnelli Jones and his Watson-Offy to the limit in Jones' lone 500 win.

Having led 28 laps, earning Rookie of the Year honors, expectations were once again high for Clark in 1964, especially after he qualified on the pole.  However, a suspension failure took him out of the race just 14 laps into the event.

Returning for a third crack at Indianapolis, Clark finally found the winning formula, dominating the '65 edition.  A.J. Foyt led ten laps, but other than that, Clark paced the field, leading the final 125 laps and 190 overall.  The No. 82 Lotus-Ford remains one of the iconic cars to have won at IMS.  In the Formula One ranks, Clark would claim his second world championship, becoming the only driver to have won the Indianapolis 500 and drivers championship in the same year.

Coming back in 1966, Clark looked to be one of the top cars again, as he started on the front row (second) for the third straight year.  Clark's three-year qualifying run was the top three-year run of qualifying at IMS in the 1960's.  The Lotus-Ford led 66 laps on the day, but it was Clark's fellow Formula One competitor, Graham Hill, who would take the checkered flag.  

The 66 laps led gave Scotsman 298 on his career, while he led in his fourth straight 500.

One more appearance at IMS would see Clark finish 31st with an engine failure, before his untimely death seven weeks before the 1968 Indy 500 following a wreck on the Hockenheim circuit.

In five runs at Indianapolis, Clark changed the trajectory of the sport with his Lotus.  No front engine car has won since his 1965 win, as the rear-engined era with increased downforces took over the sport. 

The Greatest 33:
Row 6
18. Jim Clark
Row 7
19. Jim Rathmann
20. Tommy Milton
21. Ralph DePalma
Row 8
22. Scott Dixon
23. Juan Pablo Montoya
24. Billy Arnold
Row 9
25. Bill Holland
26. Dan Wheldon
27. Ray Harroun
Row 10
28. Mark Donohue
29. Jacques Villeneuve
30. Danny Sullivan
Row 11
31. Tony Kanaan
32. Michael Andretti
33. Eddie Sachs

The Greatest 33: No. 21 - Ralph DePalma

With 20 days remaining until the 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana is starting its countdown of the Greatest 33, the ultimate Indianapolis 500 field. Fans can build their own field by clicking here. Today, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana looks at the first major star of the 500, Ralph DePalma.

Ralph DePalma won the Indianapolis 500 just once, but over his 10-year run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, gained international fame for his efforts on the track.  In fact, one could make the argument that DePalma had the infamous 'Andretti Luck' before Mario hit the Speedway grounds in 1965.

In his 10 runs at IMS, DePalma led 612 laps, including race-high amounts in 1912, 1915 and 1921.  However, DePalma would capture the checkered flag in just one of those runnings, the 1915 500.  It was not DePalma's most dominant 500 - he earned his fame three years earlier in the one of the iconic images of IMS - but he still led 132 laps in his Mercedes en route to becoming the fourth victor of the 500.

It was three years earlier, in the 1912 Indianapolis 500, that DePalma ensured that he would be part of 500 lore regardless of his future success.  The Italian dominated the race, taking the lead on Lap 3 and building a lead of over 11 minutes on Indianapolis native Joe Dawson.  However, DePalma's Mercedes began to lose power just three laps from the conclusion of the race.  Nursing the failing engine through Lap 198, DePalma and riding mechanic Rupert Jeffkins hopped out and began pushing the car.  

Passed by Dawson, DePalma was stopped scoring after Lap 198, as his car was dead.  As a result, he received no prize money, as only those who completed 200 laps received a financial reward.  However, DePalma still won in the hearts and minds of the public, including the 80,000 spectators who rose and cheered the duo as they attempted to complete the 500.  Images of DePalma and Jeffkins circulated worldwide, increasing the popularity of what would become "The Most Important Race in History."

The Greatest 33:
Row 7
21. Ralph DePalma
Row 8
22. Scott Dixon
23. Juan Pablo Montoya
24. Billy Arnold
Row 9
25. Bill Holland
26. Dan Wheldon
27. Ray Harroun
Row 10
28. Mark Donohue
29. Jacques Villeneuve
30. Danny Sullivan
Row 11
31. Tony Kanaan
32. Michael Andretti
33. Eddie Sachs

Four-Time Winner Foyt to Pace Indianapolis 500 Field

24 hours after Donald Trump backed out of driving the pace car for the 100th anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has tabbed four-time 500 winner A.J. Foyt to drive the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible on Sunday, May 29.

Foyt has been part of over half of the 94 500s run previously, with this year's 500 marking the 54th straight 500 Foyt has participated in as a driver or owner.  The 2011 edition of the 500 marks the 50th anniversary of Foyt's first win, which came in 1961.  The Houston native collected victories in 1964, 1967 and 1977 behind the wheel and entered Victory Lane as an owner in 1999 following Kenny Brack's win.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President and CEO Jeff Belskus said in a release:

We're very happy to welcome A.J. Foyt as the driver of this beautiful Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Pace Car at the 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500.  A.J. is one of the greatest and most beloved drivers in the 100-year history of the race, a true icon. I'm one of the millions of Foyt fans worldwide who can't wait to see A.J. back where he belongs, out in front of the '500' and leading the field to the start.

Foyt, who was a sentimental choice even before the announcement of Trump in April, stated:

Since I won my first Indy 500 50 years ago, I had hoped to still be racing in it, but driving the Pace Car is the next best thing! Seriously, racing has always been very important in my life - it's been my life - and the Indianapolis 500 is the most important race in the world. I lived for that race. When I got hurt in race cars, I always made it back for Indy because it is that important. That's where people know me from - Indy. So being asked by my good friend Mari George to drive the Chevy Pace Car for the 100^th anniversary of the Indy 500 - well, I couldn't have a bigger honor come from the Speedway and the Hulman-George family.

In addition to bringing the 33-car field to the green flag, Foyt will also be honored the day before the 500 during 'A.J. Foyt Day' at IMS on Saturday, May 28.

The Greatest 33: No. 23 - Juan Pablo Montoya

With 23 days remaining until the 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana is starting its countdown of the Greatest 33, the ultimate Indianapolis 500 field. Fans can build their own field by clicking here. Today, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana looks at the last driver to go 1-for-1 at IMS, Juan Pablo Montoya.

During the Split, when CART and the IRL went head-to-head, a generation of drivers made limited appearances in the Indianapolis 500, or missed out on competing in the race altogether.  Fortunately, Juan Pablo Montoya did make a single appearance in the Indianapolis 500, becoming the only driver to make a single appearance in the 500 and walk away with the win.

That Montoya won the 500 was not a surprise - he was the 1999 CART champion.  His owner, Chip Ganassi, became the first CART owner to break ranks and return to Indianapolis after five years, setting in motion the rejoining of the two series in 2008.  

Montoya qualified second in the race, and that seemed like a dubious spot for the Columbian, as no driver had won from the middle of Row 1 since Mario Andretti in 1969.  However, Montoya stalked pole sitter Greg Ray over the first 26 laps, until Ray blinked, crashing and handing Montoya the lead.

From there, Montoya put on one of the most dominating efforts in the modern Indycar era, leading 167 of the final 174 laps in collecting the win.  Watching the race in the IMS Paddock, the ease at which Montoya continually stretched the lead and controlled the race was remarkable.  By the checkered flags, Montoya had lapped 27 cars and won by over 7 seconds.

Collecting Rookie of the Year honors as well, Montoya, like Jacques Villeneuve five years before him, would soon be off to the ranks of Formula One, where he would compete in the United States Grand Prix on the IMS road circuit from 2001-06.

Moving to NASCAR Sprint Cup in 2007, Montoya would once again dominate a race at IMS in 2009 at the Brickyard 400, but speeding on pit road in his final stop of the race, Montoya was forced to serve a drive through penalty, relegating him to 11th.  The victory would have made him the first driver to capture titles at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in both the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400.

The Greatest 33:
Row 8
23. Juan Pablo Montoya
24. Billy Arnold
Row 9
25. Bill Holland
26. Dan Wheldon
27. Ray Harroun
Row 10
28. Mark Donohue
29. Jacques Villeneuve
30. Danny Sullivan
Row 11
31. Tony Kanaan
32. Michael Andretti
33. Eddie Sachs

Who Should Drive the Pace Car?

With Donald Trump backing out of driving the 2011 Indianapolis 500 pace car, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has a gaping opening for one of its most visible race day traditions.  So, with 24 days left until the 100th anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, who should be behind the wheel when the field of 33 comes around Turn 4 to take the green flag on the historic event?  Let's look at a few candidates:

Local Celebrities:
Brad Stevens - Head Coach, Butler University
Stevens and his 2010 Butler Bulldogs were the grand marshalls of the 500 Festival, so they have some experience with race-related activities.  Stevens has also waved the green flag to start practice before at IMS.  Presumably, Stevens has some time to carve out for practice at IMS, with Butler being a short drive over the track.  Locally, he would be a hit in a city and state that put aside Indiana-Purdue loyalties to cheer for the Bulldogs over the last two years.

Peyton Manning - Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts
Manning waved the green flag to start the 2007 Indianapolis 500.  With the lockout, Manning has time on his hands to get to the track for practice at driving the car.  Again, locally, this would be a hit.  But perhaps with Manning already having started the race, it's time to give someone else the chance to drive the pace car.

David Letterman - Host, Late Show
He's an Indianapolis native and part owner of an IndyCar team.  Letterman traditionally has on the winner of the Indianapolis 500, and I'm sure Biff Henderson could tag along and have a field day interviewing people in the Snake Pit and talking to celebrities as they come out for their parade lap.  Sure the race is on ABC, and most races are on Versus (owned by NBC), but Letterman would be a relevant choice both locally and nationally.

The Patriotic Choices:U.S. Navy Vice Admiral William McRavenThus far, McRaven is the only face of the operation to capture Osama bin Laden, as he relayed reports to CIA Director Leon Panetta, with them being passed along to President Obama.  While bringing the Navy SEALs who carried out the mission to IMS presents some problems, McRaven may be a good representative of the unit, as he was in charge of the operation.  McRaven's inclusion would heighten what is already a special time to recognize members of the armed forces, both past and present. 

President Barack ObamaI'm sure that IMS has reached out to the current President to have him involved in the Centennial Era in some way, shape or form, but it's never out of the question to see what his schedule entails on May 29.  Security-wise, trying to manage 300,000 spectators would be a nightmare, but the President would represent the culmination of the patriotic ceremony during the 500.  From the parade of troops to the playing of 'Taps' the pre-race festivities remind all of why we like living in America.  Having the President lead 33 cars to the green flag would only add to the pageantry of the event.  Plus, after Donald Trump was stumping to see his birth certificate for the better part of a month, it only seems fair to let the President take the ride.

The Historic Choices:
Mari Hulman-George - Chairman, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Co.
The daughter of Tony Hulman, the man widely credited with saving IMS after World War II, Hulman-George already takes center stage in pre-race ceremonies with the command to start engines.  However, with the 100th anniversary running of the 500 causing for reflection on the history of IMS, Hulman-George could fill both roles (though some logistics would need to be worked out).  Besides, suggesting that Tony George represent the family might cause a bigger storm than did Donald Trump.

Donald Davidson - Track Historian
For years, Davidson has regaled and amazed listeners by being a walking library of Indianapolis 500 history.  Armed with a fantastic ability to recall nearly every 500, Davidson, who devoted himself to IMS and the 500, would represent all those memories of years past while bringing the field up to speed. 

Rick Mears, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser - Four time Indianapolis 500 Champions
Fans have been clamoring for someone with ties to the track, preferably a multi-time winner, to pace the field for the historic running.  Mears, Foyt and Unser fill the bill, as all took home the Borg-Warner Trophy on four occasions.  The only problem then becomes, do you have three pace cars, or who exactly drives?  Additionally, both Foyt (owner) and Mears (consultant) will be busy during the race - would they leave their pit boxes to drive the car?