Gearing up for the 90th Indianapolis 500

[rustyfan]

Being almost an annual tradition I think it's high time to get a thread started about the preparations for the Indianapolis 500 (it is, after all, less than two months until practice etc gets underway at Indy). The main question, as usual, is, of course, whether or not we'll see 33 cars on the grid, and this year it seems a bit more uncertain than in the last couple of years.

If I was forced to place a bet I'd put my money on seeing 33 cars taking the green flag though

The following is a quick round-up of entries more or less certain to take part - make sure to post any additions/corrections if I've managed to overlook anything (which I probably have):


Andretti-Green Racing
- Tony Kanaan
- Bryan Herta
- Dario Franchitti
- Marco Andretti
- Michael Andretti

Team Cheever
- Eddie Cheever

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
- Buddy Lazier
- Al Unser Jr.

Fernandez/Super Aguri*
- Scott Sharp
- Kosuke Matsuura

Foyt Racing
- Felipe Giaffone

Ganassi Racing
- Dan Wheldon
- Scott Dixon

Hemelgarn Racing*
- P.J. Chesson

Panther Racing
- Vitor Meira

Team Penske
- Helio Castroneves
- Sam Hornish Jr.

Rahal-Letterman Racing
- Danica Patrick
- Buddy Rice
- Paul Dana

Vision Racing
- Tomas Scheckter
- Ed Carpenter

* Indicates having filed an official entry, per the summary on the official Indy 500 website (last updated on March 15th).




Entries that are either Possible/Rumoured/Pure Speculation:

Yellow Ribbon Racing
- TBA
- TBA

The obvious question here is what teams we might see field additional cars. Panther and Foyt should be a very real possibilities I think (Foyt perhaps fielding additional cars for A.J. and Larry?), as well as Ganassi. Perhaps Cheever will field a second car? Other things to wonder about are whether or not Penske and Schmidt co-operate on an entry again and how many additional cars will we see from Vision Racing. One? Two?

One team I definitely don't see fielding any more cars is Andretti-Green, and who can blame them?



Drivers known (and rumoured) to be looking towards Indianapolis:
Alex Barron
Al Unser
Sarah Fisher
Ryan Briscoe (hoping to make a deal with Ganassi)

Please add any other drivers you have heard/read might be looking towards Indy.

On a side-note there is an interview with Kenny Brack in a Swedish magazine today in which he mentions that he's been contacted by several teams in regards to a ride for this years' Indianapolis 500, but that he's turned them all down. Seems he more or less considers himself officially retired now. From IndyCars, anyway.




The 'Month of May' schedule for 2006 is as follows:

Sunday, May 7th
- The Star and CareerBuilder.com Opening Day – Rookie Orientation Program, Noon-5 p.m.

Monday, May 8
- Rookie Orientation Program, Noon-5 p.m.

Tuesday, May 9-Thursday, May 11
- Practice (All drivers), Noon-6 p.m.

Friday, May 12
- Fast Friday practice (All drivers), Noon-6 p.m.

Saturday, May 13
- MBNA Pole Day, Noon-6 p.m.

Sunday, May 14
- Second Day Qualifying, Noon-6 p.m.

Monday, May 15-Tuesday, May 16
- No Track Activity

Wednesday, May 17-Friday, May 19
- Practice (All drivers), Noon- 6 p.m.

Saturday, May 20
- Third Day Qualifying, Noon-6 p.m.

Sunday, May 21
- Bump Day Qualifying, Noon-6 p.m.

Monday, May 22-Tuesday, May 23
- No Track Activity

Wednesday, May 24
- Community Day

Thursday, May 25
- Freedom 100 Practice, Qualifying Noon-5 p.m.

Friday, May 26
- Miller Lite Carb Day (Indianapolis 500 practice, Freedom 100, Checkers/Rally’s Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge, Miller Lite Carb Day Concert), All Day

Saturday, May 27
- Public Drivers’ Meeting, 11 a.m.

Sunday, May 28
- Gates Open, 6 a.m.
- 90th Indianapolis 500, 1 p.m.

[D.R.T.]

33 is just a number, remember Rusty.

However I agree TG will go to any lenght to ensure there are 33 cars on grid for Indy.

[Snips1]

Cheever will likely have a 2nd car at Indy, he asked C. Fittipaldi about driving it, but he turned it down (fortunately)

Al Jr will be with DRR
Fisher will most certainly have a ride somewhere, maybe Cheever?
Townsond Bell is looking for a ride and has some supporting from Justin Timberlake
Hearn will drive for Schmidt nothing confirm but remember they have been together for the past 3 years at INdy

[drdisque]

Hearn said he was retiring after the last indy 500, don't know if he's sticking to that though. I expect some car from schmidt though.

I definitely expect an entry from Marty Roth, he's ran the last 2 races pretty much on his own dime so sponsorship doesn't seem to be an issue for him and now its even cheaper to run the race because the lease price is lower.

[D70s]

Rusty, by Al Unser I assume you mean Al Unser III? I also read Arie Jr was going to be there as well.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by D70s

Rusty, by Al Unser I assume you mean Al Unser III? I also read Arie Jr was going to be there as well.

That is correct - I couldn't remember the exact spelling of his name, so to speak, so I put just Al Unser there and expected someone to add the correct one, so thanks for doing that

Yeah I now remember reading about Arie Jr. as well - totally forgot about him when making my original post though.

[rustyfan]

Letterman-Rahal Racing has now filed entries for Buddy Rice, Danica Patrick and Paul Dana, bringing the total up to six drivers and twelve cars.

[drdisque]

Marty Roth filed an entry today

[luke]

I'd rather see guys like Christian Fitipaldi and Memo Gidley take part then Marty Roth and co imo.

[luke]

Just read in Autosport that Christian Fittiapldi is gonna drive for Cheever.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by luke

I'd rather see guys like Christian Fitipaldi and Memo Gidley take part then Marty Roth and co imo.

Quite a few people would, but at the same time, who's going to stop Roth from, just like he's doing, putting together an effort on his own to chase his ongoing dream of racing in the Indianapolis 500?

Racing history is full with people who have worked hard at getting a shot at the Big Race, be it Indy or Daytona, and it's just one of the things I think make them so great.

Originally Posted by luke

Just read in Autosport that Christian Fittiapldi is gonna drive for Cheever.

If Autosport is correct I think that would be cool. A bit surprising though, since Fittipaldi supposedly quite recently said he had no interest in the Indianapolis 500 this year.

[luke]

Well Acording to them, Cheever is pushing Christian to drive his second car. I personally hope he takes part as it'll be his first 500 since '95 when he came 2nd.

[N I Tram]

Hopefully Rahal will have a third driver sorted out soon - someone like Memo or Roger would be (if we're realistic) better than Dana was.

I don't agree that 33 is just a number - it's a key part of the race's heritage and mystique. More than 33 starters would be bad, but less than 33 would be catastrophic.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by N I Tram

Hopefully Rahal will have a third driver sorted out soon - someone like Memo or Roger would be (if we're realistic) better than Dana was.

I think it depends a lot on whether or not Ethanol stays on board as the sponsor of the third car. I think they will though.

Originally Posted by N I Tram

I don't agree that 33 is just a number - it's a key part of the race's heritage and mystique. More than 33 starters would be bad, but less than 33 would be catastrophic.

While TG might have said what he said, I'm fairly sure he's well aware that he needs to do everything in his power to ensure that there are 33 cars on the starting grid come race day.

He might have a tendency to, at least in the past, say some things that probably had been better off had he kept to himself, but at the same time he's not stupid.

[luke]

What's to say Kenny Brack won't do the 500 again as a sub for Rahal?

[drdisque]

Brack has said he has been contacted by several teams to run the 500 and turned them all down.

Rahal is also likely looking for a full-time replacement for the #17, ethanol would probably want to see an American (or at least North American) driver for this spot. I think the most likely would be Carpentier, Mark Taylor, Jeff Simmons, or Townsend Bell.

[luke]

Jacque Lazier?

[drdisque]

yes, Jaques Lazier would be a candidate too, he seems to have become the designated substitute driver for the league.

[luke]

Jeff Simmons is being rumored.... I was hoping for someone more solid in my opinion.

[drdisque]

Foyt Filed 3 entries today (#14, #41, & #48 as usual) with Felipe Giaffone and Larry Foyt as named drivers, 5 chassis entered - 4 Dallaras (both #14's, #41T, and #48) and 1 Panoz (#41)

PDM Racing also filed an entry with no driver or chassis specified. Good news as I frankly didn't expect anything from them although it may also mean that "Yellow Ribbon Racing" didn't pan out.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by drdisque

Brack has said he has been contacted by several teams to run the 500 and turned them all down.

Rahal is also likely looking for a full-time replacement for the #17, ethanol would probably want to see an American (or at least North American) driver for this spot. I think the most likely would be Carpentier, Mark Taylor, Jeff Simmons, or Townsend Bell.

If they're after an American, why would British driver Mark Taylor figure?

Simmons is a great choice, if indeed that is who they have chosen.

[drdisque]

ya, I was under the impression that Taylor was American for awhile and actually looked that up yesterday and learned that he wasn't. '04 is kind a blur to me, I didn't watch many races that year.

[Snips1]

Simmons would be a good choice, the guy wants to be in IndyCar and has proven that he deserves it, ran well at the 2004 Indy 500, very impressive run by Simmons that day....

But Ryan Hunter-Reay has also been romoured to fill the seat....

Back on topic, ionteresting with the PDM ebtry, I though they were done with IndyCar and would run the USAC SC only.... Maybe Medeiros will drive for them he is their driver in Silver Crown I think

[luke]

Ryan Hunter-Reay? I doubt it. He wants to be in F1 and he said Champ Car is where he wants to be numerous times. But now unless I'm wrong he currently has no seat in Champ Car...

[Snips1]

Originally Posted by luke

Ryan Hunter-Reay? I doubt it. He wants to be in F1 and he said Champ Car is where he wants to be numerous times. But now unless I'm wrong he currently has no seat in Champ Car...

So said Dario, Dixon, Kanaan