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102nd Indianapolis 500: Full field preview (Part 1)

IndyCar driver Justin Wilson and his rosella helmet. (Image: Andretti Autosport)
Roar Guru
23rd May, 2018
0

The fabled field of 33 is set for the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500-mile race. From last to first, here are my thoughts on each of the entrants.

Row 11
Conor Daly – Dale Coyne Racing Honda: a local boy, and long a favourite at Indy making hiss only scheduled IndyCar Series start in 2018. At or near the bottom of the speed charts all week, so a top-twenty finish would be like a win.

Alexander Rossi – Andretti Autosport Honda: surprising to see the 2016 winner so far down the charts. Honda have lagged behind Chevrolet all month, but if they find speed this week, seeing Rossi carve through the field wouldn’t be a complete surprise. Keeping out of early trouble is the key.

Jack Harvey – Meyer-Shank Chevrolet: running a part-time schedule, the affable Brit is going to find it hard going on Sunday. Harvey is a clean and respectful racer, so a rise through the running order as others fall by the wayside around him is likely. A top fifteen finish would be a huge deal for the small team.

Row 10
Graham Rahal – Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan Honda: the son of 1986 winner, Bobby, was in real danger of being bumped from the field last week. That said, Rahal’s always been able to turn poor qualifying efforts into strong race finishes. A dark-horse contender if Honda find speed this week.

Ed Jones – Chip Ganassi Racing Honda: surprising to see a Ganassi car so far down the order. Jones finished a memorable third for Dale Coyne Racing last year, which helped get him into a top-line IndyCar seat. Will likely lean on savvy teammate Scott Dixon this week. Expect a big improvement from the only man in the field of 33 who hails from the United Arab Emirates.

Jay Howard – Schmidt-Peterson Honda: widely believed to be the man most likely to vacate his seat in favour of bumped teammate James Hinchcliffe, Howard has always been a solid driver at Indy and works hard to get a good group of sponsors together for his annual IndyCar run. With the Hinchliffe situation sure to dog him all weekend, his raceday fortunes will be closely followed by all and sundry.

Row 9
JR Hildebrand – Dreyer and Reinbold Chevrolet
: memorably crashed on the last corner of the last lap in 2011 handing an unlikely win to Dan Wheldon. Hildebrand lost his fulltime ride with Ed Carpenter Racing this year, which is ample motivation. Certainly knows his way around IMS.

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Oriol Servia – Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan Honda: the veteran Spaniard suffered through a slow week of practice like teammate Graham Rahal. Has been a reliable, fast presence at Indianapolis for many years.

Zach Veach – Andretti Autosport Honda: the American-born graduate of the Road to Indy feeder program has impressed in his rookie IndyCar Series season and is a promoters dream. Like I wrote about his teammate Rossi, expect Veach to move steadily forward on race day.

Row 8
Sage Karam – Dreyer and Reinbold Chevrolet
: fastest in race-trim practice on Monday. Has a chequers or wreckers mentality. If he’s on, he’s really on. If he’s off, it can go bad spectacularly. Whatever else, the Pennsylvanian is fun to watch.

Stefan Wilson – Andretti Autosport Honda: driving in memory of his late brother, Justin, and carrying sponsorship from organ donation group ‘Donate Life’. One of the great stories of the Month of May. A win would be something to behold.

Gabby Chaves – Harding Racing Chevrolet: the 2014 Indy Lights champion drives for one of the new teams to arrive full-time in the IndyCar Series. Finished ninth one year ago in one of the better stories of the month. Can race into the top-ten again this year.

Row 7
Carlos Munoz – Andretti Autosport Honda
: an Indianapolis specialist. Talk about a guy who knows his way around Indy. Twice a runner-up, eighth last year in an under-performing AJ Foyt Enterprises car. Back with Andretti this year, and if his record is anything to go by, a threat.

Max Chilton – Carlin Racing Chevrolet: crosses over from Ganassi Racing to spearhead Carlin Racing’s entry into the IndyCar Series. Led a lot of laps late last year, and was a legitimate chance to win, eventually finishing fourth in easily his best IndyCar start. If he recaptures that sort of form, anything is possible.

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James Davison – AJ Foyt Enterprises/Belardi Racing Chevrolet: the Australian qualified dead-last on Bump Day, but improved to nineteenth fastest the following day. Wowed the field last year, coming from last to lead late for Dale Coyne Racing. If the speed of his satellite teammates Kanaan and Leist is anything to go by, Davison will have a good day.

Row 6
Robert Wickens – Schmidt Peterson Honda
: the impressive IndyCar rookie hit the wall in Monday practice, continuing a difficult week for the Schmidt-Peterson crew. The Canadian has shown speed everywhere the series has been in his debut go-around. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him sneak a top ten or even better on Sunday.

Kyle Kaiser – Juncos Racing Chevrolet: The sort of driver who passes well under the media coverage radar. Kaiser put in one of the most impressive drives of Pole Day qualifying to start in the middle of row six. Encouraging signs for the young team.

Takuma Sato – Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan Honda: the defending and very popular champion switched teams from Andretti to the Rahal squad in the off-season and has probably been his new team’s most consistent driver. Anything is possible with Sato, whose personal motto is ‘no attack, no chance’. Always fun to watch. He could easily win again. Just as he could easily bin it.

Row 5
Charlie Kimball – Carlin Racing Chevrolet
: another who moved from Ganassi to Carlin, Kimball races with diabetes, which in of itself is an impressive feat. Will be encouraged by the pace he showed in Sunday qualifying. It bodes well for race day.

Ryan Hunter-Reay – Andretti Autosport Honda: the Floridian, who won at Indianapolis in 2014, finds himself in a pretty good spot in the middle of Row 5. Hard to believe he’s a veteran now, starting his eleventh 500 on Sunday. Always a threat.

Zachary Claman De Melo – Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan Honda: drafted in to replace the injured Pietro Fittipaldi, the Canadian rookie had never driven an IndyCar at Indianapolis before last week. You wouldn’t know it, given he’s qualified solidly in lucky thirteenth. Pretty impressive effort. Should be fast on race day.

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