James Hinchcliffe leads the field at the start of the 98th Indy 500. [Russ Lake photo]
Saturday, May 24, will signal the 99th time that drivers have taken the green flag for the Indianapolis 500; the oldest race in North America.
Thoughts of Ray Harroun, Wilbur Shaw and A.J. Foyt come to mind as race day 2015 approaches. But which of today’s drivers do we have to pay attention to as the 200 laps wind down?
Here are 10 things to watch for:
1. While attention is focused on the leaders, the back row holds some interest as Ryan Briscoe (James Hinchcliffe), Tristan Vautier (Carlos Huertas) and James Davison (Tristan Vautier) all start in cars that were qualified by other drivers. Who will make the greatest progress with the least amount of practice time?
2. Helio Castroneves starts in fifth spot and is the only active driver with three wins here. Will he join Al Unser Sr., Rick Mears and Foyt in the ‘Four Wins’ club?
3. Eleven U.S. drivers will start the race; one-third of the field. Will one of them make it two-in-a-row for the Red/White/Blue following Ryan Hunter-Reay’s 2014 win?
4. Chevrolet drivers will have something extra to think about after three scary incidents during practice. Will adjustments to their Aero Kits, and Honda’s, keep cars and drivers safe from harm?
5. Two women drivers will start the 500. Four started the 2013 race. How will Pippa Mann and Simona de Silvestro fare?
6. Traffic during the race bears watching as practice time with the changing Aero Kit requirements has been limited. Drivers were aggressive during Friday’s Carb Day runs as they tried to simulate race-day conditions. Keep an eye on traffic during the early laps.
7. Thirteen qualifiers are either ‘one-off’ or partial-season drivers. Will any impress their teams and earn a full-season contract?
8. Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal and Conor Daly have fathers who have raced in the 500. Will any of the three do better (or equal) Dad’s best finish?
9. Ten drivers in the past have started on the pole and gone on to win the race. Will Scott Dixon, who accomplished that feat in 2008 do it again on Sunday?
10. Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Autosport have 14 cars in the race including the first six spots. Will another team beat the odds and snatch a win from these three entrants?
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