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| Another year, another Indianapolis 500 |
Coverage
Time: Coverage begins at 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday May 29th. Green flag at 12:19 p.m. ET.
TV Channel: ABC.
Announcers: Allen Bestwick, Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever in the booth with Rick DeBruhl, Dr. Jerry Punch and Jon Beekhius working the pit lane.
Indianapolis 500 Weekend Schedule
Carb Day:
Practice- 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. ET (1 hour). NBCSN will have live coverage.
Pit Stop Competition- 1:30-3:30 p.m. ET (2 hours). NBCSN will have live coverage.
Sunday:
Race- 12:19 p.m. ET (200 laps).
The Starting Grid
Row 1:
James Hinchcliffe
This will be Hinchcliffe's fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 6th (2012)
Car #5 has won the Indianapolis 500 six times but not since Arie Luyendyk in 1997.
Eighteen times has the pole-sitter won the race, most recently Hélio Castroneves in 2009.
This is the first pole position of Hinchcliffe's IndyCar career.
Josef Newgarden
This will be Newgarden's fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 9th (2015).
Car #21 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Eleven times has the winner started second, most recently Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000.
Last year was Newgarden's first lead-lap finish in the Indianapolis 500.
Ryan Hunter-Reay
This will be Hunter-Reay's ninth Indianapolis 500 start.
2014 Indianapolis 500 winner.
His 2014 victory is the only Indianapolis 500 victory for car #28.
Eleven times has the winner started third, most recently Dario Franchitti in 2010.
After leading 56 laps on his way to victory in 2014, Hunter-Reay did not lead a lap in last year's Indianapolis 500.
Row 2:
Townsend Bell
This will be Bell's tenth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 4th (2009).
Car #29 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Six times has the winner started fourth but not since Bobby Rahal in 1986.
This will be Bell's 39th IndyCar start.
Carlos Muñoz
This will be Muñoz's fourth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 2nd (2013).
Car #26 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Dan Wheldon 2006.
Seven times has the winner started fifth but not since Buddy Lazier in 1996.
Muñoz was one of three Honda drivers to lead in last year's race and he led three laps, the most of the Honda drivers.
Will Power
This will be Power's ninth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 2nd (2015)
Car #12 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Peter DePaolo 1925.
Five times has the winner started sixth, most recently Dan Wheldon in 2011.
Power could become the 15th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 after finishing second the year before.
Row 3:
Mikhail Aleshin
This will be Aleshin's second Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 21st (2014)
Car #7 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice but not since Bill Holland in 1949.
Five times has the winner started seventh but not since A.J. Foyt in 1961.
Aleshin has not finished in the top ten in his last four starts. He has never gone more than four starts between top ten finishes.
Simon Pagenaud
This will be Pagenaud's fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 8th (2013).
Car #22 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Twice has the winner started eighth but not since Kenny Bräck in 1999.
Pagenaud led 35 laps in last year's race, more than the other three Penske drivers combined. Will Power led 23 laps, Juan Pablo Montoya led nine laps and Hélio Castroneves led two laps; 34 laps total.
Hélio Castroneves
This will be Castroneves' 16th Indianapolis 500 start.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner (2001, 2002, 2009).
Car #3 has won the Indianapolis 500 eleven times, the most victories for a car number. Castroneves' 2009 victory is the most recent victory for car #3.
Only once has a winner start ninth, Emerson Fittipaldi in 1993.
Row 4:
Oriol Servià
This will be Servià's eighth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 4th (2012).
Car #77 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Twice has the winner start tenth, most recently Gil de Ferran in 2003.
This is Servià's first top ten start in an IndyCar race since Iowa 2013 where he started and finished seventh.
Alexander Rossi
This will be Rossi's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #98 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times, most recently Dan Wheldon 2011.
Rossi is the top rookie qualifier.
Twice has the winner started 11th, most recently Hélio Castroneves in 2001.
Takuma Sato
This will be Sato's seventh Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 13th (2013, 2015).
Car #14 has won the Indianapolis 500 six times, most recently Kenny Bräck 1999.
Twice has the winner started 12th, most recently Tony Kanaan in 2013.
Sato has completed all 200 laps the last three years. He is one of eight drivers to do that.
Row 5:
Scott Dixon
This will be Dixon's 14th Indianapolis 500 start.
2008 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #9 has won't he Indianapolis 500 four times with Dixon's 2008 victory being the most recent.
Four times has the winner started 13th, most recently Hélio Castroneves in 2002.
Dixon could lead a lap in his sixth consecutive Indianapolis 500. That would tie him with Rick Mears for second most consecutive Indianapolis 500s led. Tony Kanaan led seven consecutive Indianapolis 500s from 2002-2008.
Marco Andretti
This will be Andretti's 11th Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 2nd (2006).
Car #27 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times, most recently Dario Franchitti 2007.
Only once has a winner started 14th, Bob Sweikert in 1955.
Jim Rathmann and Johnny Rutherford both won their first Indianapolis 500 in their 11th start.
J.R. Hildebrand
This will be Hildebrand's sixth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 2nd (2011)
Car #6 has won the Indianapolis 500 five times, most recently Sam Hornish, Jr. 2006.
Juan Pablo Montoya became the fourth driver to win from 15th with his victory last year.
Hildebrand has completed 200 laps in four of his five previous Indianapolis 500 starts.
Row 6:
Charlie Kimball
This will be Kimball's sixth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 3rd (2015).
Car #42 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Twice has the winner started 16th, most recently Dario Franchitti in 2012.
This is Kimball's second best starting position in the Indianapolis 500. He started 14th in 2012 and 2015.
Juan Pablo Montoya
This will be Montoya's fourth Indianapolis 500 start.
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (2000, 2015).
Car #2 has won the Indianapolis 500 nine times, including Montoya's victory in last year's race.
Twice has the winner started 17th but not since Eddie Cheever in 1998.
Montoya could become the sixth driver to win consecutive Indianapolis 500s.
Tony Kanaan
This will be Kanaan's 15th Indianapolis 500 start.
2013 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #10 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Dario Franchitti 2010.
The best finish for the 18th-starter is second in 1920 by René Thomas and in 2009 and 2010 by Dan Wheldon.
Kanaan could move into sole possession of second all-time in Indianapolis 500s led. He is tied with Al Unser and Mario Andretti having led 11 Indianapolis 500s. A.J. Foyt led in 13 Indianapolis 500s.
Row 7:
Sébastien Bourdais
This will be Bourdais' sixth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 7th (2014)
Car #11 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Tony Kanaan 2013.
Twice has the winner started 19th, most recently Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2014.
The Frenchman has never led a lap in the Indianapolis 500.
Ed Carpenter
This will be Carpenter's 13th Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 5th (2008).
Car #20 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times but not since Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989.
Three times has the winner start 20th but not since Al Unser in 1987.
Should Carpenter win, he would match Sam Hanks for most Indianapolis 500 starts before winning.
Gabby Chaves
This will be Chaves' second Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 16th (2015).
Car #19 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Only once has a winner started 21st, L.L Corum and Joe Boyer in 1924.
Chaves was last year's Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.
Row 8:
Max Chilton
This will be Chilton's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #8 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times but not since Pat Flaherty in 1956.
Twice has the winner start 22nd but not since Kelly Petillo in 1935.
Chilton could become the fourth British driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year joining Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and Nigel Mansell.
Sage Karam
This will be Karam's third Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 9th (2014).
Car #24 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Graham Hill 1966.
The best finish for the 23rd-starter is second in the 1933 race by Wilbur Shaw.
Karam could become the youngest winner in Indianapolis 500 history at 21 years, two months and 25 days.
Conor Daly
This will be Daly's third Indianapolis 500 appearance and hopefully second start.
Best finish: 22nd (2013).
Car #18 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 24th-starter is fourth in 1967 by Denis Hulme, in 1969 by Mel Kenyon, in 1972 by Sammy Sessions, in 1995 by Eliseo Salazar and in 2009 by Townsend Bell.
His father Derek finished 12th in his third Indianapolis 500 appearance. It was Derek's best Indianapolis 500 finish.
Row 9:
Pippa Mann
This will be Mann's fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 20th (2011).
Car #63 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Only once has the winner started 25th, Johnny Rutherford in 1974.
Mann has one lead lap finish in 13 IndyCar starts. She finished on the lead lap in 13th at Fontana last June.
Graham Rahal
This will be Rahal's ninth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 3rd (2011).
Car #15 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times, most recently Buddy Rice 2004.
The best finish for the 26th-starter is third in 1956 by Don Freeland and in 1960 by Paul Goldsmith.
This is the 30th anniversary of his father Bobby's Indianapolis 500 victory.
Matt Brabham
This will be Brabham's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #61 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Only once has a winner started 27th, Fred Frame in 1932.
The Brabham family joins the Vukovich and Andretti families to have three generations compete in the Indianapolis 500. His grandfather Jack finished ninth as a rookie in 1961 and his father Geoff finished fifth as rookie in 1981.
Row 10:
Bryan Clauson
This will be Clauson's third Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 30th (2012).
Car #88 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Twice has the winner started 28th but not since Louis Meyer in 1936. No winner has started worse than 28th.
Clauson has never made it passed lap 61 in the Indianapolis 500.
Spencer Pigot
This will be Pigot's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #16 has won the Indianapolis 500 four times but not since George Robson in 1946.
The best finish for the 29th-starter is second in 1911 by Ralph Mulford and Paul Tracy in 2002.
Pigot could become the seventh California-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 and first since Jim Rathmann in 1960.
Stefan Wilson
This will be Wilson's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #25 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Al Unser 1987.
The best finish for the 30th-starter is fourth in 1936 by Mauri Rose.
Wilson's only other IndyCar start was September 1, 2013 in the Grand Prix of Baltimore. He finished 16th.
Row 11:
Jack Hawksworth
This will be Hawksworth's third Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 20th (2014).
Car #41 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 31st-starter was fourth in the 1951 race by Andy Linden.
Hawksworth's only lead lap finish this season was the Grand Prix of Indianapolis where he finished 20th.
Buddy Lazier
This will be Lazier's 19th Indianapolis 500 start.
1996 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #4 has won the Indianapolis 500 five times but not since Emerson Fittipaldi in 1993.
The best finish for the 32nd-starter is second by Jim Rathmann in 1957 and Mario Andretti in 1981.
Lazier could become the oldest winner of the Indianapolis 500 at 48 years, six months and 30 days old.
Alex Tagliani
This will be Tagliani's seventh Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 10th (2010).
Car #35 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 33rd-starter is second in 1980 by Tom Sneva and 1992 by Scott Goodyear.
Like Scott Dixon, Tagliani has led a lap in five consecutive Indianapolis 500s.
Road to Indy
Sixteen drivers are entered for Indy Lights' Freedom 100.
Carlin's Ed Jones leads the championship with 160 points. Jones has two victories including a victory on the IMS road course two weeks ago. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports' Santiago Urrutia and Juncos Racing's Kyle Kaiser trail Jones by 21 points. Urrutia holds the tiebreaker over Kaiser with a victory and two second place finishes over Kaiser's victory and a second from the first seven races.
Carlin's Félix Serrallés and Andretti Autosports' Dean Stoneman are tied on 125 points. Both drivers have victories this season but Serrallés hold the tiebreaker over the Brit with a second place finish while Stoneman's next best finish is third. Belardi Auto Racing's Felix Rosenqvist and Zach Veach are the next two drivers in the championship with 109 points and 103 points respectively. Schmidt Peterson's RC Enerson is eighth in the championship with 101 points.
SPM's André Negrão and Andretti driver Shelby Blackstock round out the top ten in the championship with 87 points and 84 points respectively. Canadian's Scott Hargrove of Team Pelfrey and Juncos Racing's Zachary Claman De Melo are the next two in the championship. Hargrove is on 76 points with De Melo four behind him.
Juan Piedrahita of Team Pelfrey has 69 points, three ahead of Andretti driver Dalton Kellett. Carlin's Neil Alberico has 61 points and Heamin Choi returns driving for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. Choi's only start in 2016 was at Phoenix where he retired after a spin and finished 16th.
The Freedom 100 will take place at 12:15 p.m. ET on Friday May 27th and NBCSN will have live coverage of the race following IndyCar practice.
Eight cars are entered for Pro Mazda's Freedom 90 from Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday night. Pato O'Ward leads the championship with 188 points from five victories and a second in six races. His Team Pelfrey teammate Aaron Telitz trails O'Ward by 39 points and is the only other race winner this season. Will Owen trails O'Ward by 78 points while Owen's Juncos Racing teammate Garret Grist is two points behind him. Nico Jamin has 106 points, 13 points ahead of his Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing teammate Jake Eidson. Jake Parsons has 90 points and Nicolas Dapero has 76 points.
Pro Mazda's Freedom 90 will be at 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday May 27th.
U.S. F2000 will join Pro Mazda at IRP on Friday night. Eighteen drivers are entered for the lone oval race of U.S. F2000's season. Parker Thompson has won three of the last four races and leads the championship with 150 points. His Cape Motorsports w/ WTR teammate Anthony Martin trails by 28 points in second. Pabst Racing's Jordan Lloyd has 114 points and ArmsUp Motorsports' Victor Franzoni is fourth with 108 points. Pabst Racing's Yufeng Luo rounds out the top five in the championship with 105 points.
JAY Motorsports' Luke Gabin has 103 points and is 13 points clear of Team Pelfrey's Robert Megennis. Megennis is the top American in the championship. Ayla Årgen of John Cummiskey Racing trails Megennis by 20 points in the championship. Cape Motorsports w/ WTR's Nikita Lastochkin has 68 points and Pabst Racing's Garth Rickards rounds out the top ten in the championship with 62 points.
Six other Americans are on the entry list. Austin McCusker, Dakota Dickerson, Tazio Ottis, TJ Fischer and Cameron Das are all rookies while Max Hanratty will make his second appearance in the Freedom 75. Brazilian Lucas Kohl and Briton Jordan Cane are also rookies and round out the entry list.
U.S. F2000's Freedom 75 will be at 6:10 p.m. ET on Friday May 27th.
Fun Facts
This will be the eighth Indianapolis 500 to take place on May 29th (1971, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1994, 2005, 2011). The winners in those respective years were Al Unser, Gordon Johncock, Tom Sneva, Rick Mears, Al Unser, Jr. and Dan Wheldon won the last two Indianapolis 500s run on May 29th.
The only other IndyCar race run on May 29th was at Gateway in 1999. Michael Andretti was the winner.
The last five Indianapolis 500s have had the winning pass occur on lap 197 or later.
The last four Indianapolis 500s have had the four most lead changes in the event's history.
This year's grid features:
14.5 Americans (Matthew Brabham is the half).
Four Brits.
Three Colombians.
Two Canadians.
Two Brazilians.
Two Frenchman.
1.5 Australians (Matthew Brabham again).
One New Zealander.
One Russian.
One Japanese and...
One Spaniard.
The pole-sitter has failed to win the last six Indianapolis 500s, matching the longest streak in Indianapolis 500 history. The pole-sitter did not win from 1998-2003.
Will Power, Simon Pagenaud, Marco Andretti, Sébastien Bourdais and Matthew Brabham look to join Alex Lloyd, Jack Harvey and Dean Stoneman as the only drivers to win both on the oval and road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The average starting position for an Indianapolis 500 winner is 7.585 with a median of five.
The average number of lead changes in the Indianapolis 500 is 12.59 with a median of ten.
The average number of cautions in the Indianapolis 500 since 1975 is 7.78 with a median of eight. The average number of cautions is 44.24 laps with a median of 43 laps.
This will be the 67th Indianapolis 500 victory for Firestone.
This will be the 16th Indianapolis 500 victory for Dallara. Dallara is the all-time leader in Indianapolis 500 victories for chassis manufactures.
Should Honda win, it will be Honda's 11th Indianapolis 500 victory, moving Honda into sole possession of third all-time in Indianapolis 500 victories for engine manufactures. Offenhauser has the most with 27. Miller is second with 12. Honda is currently tied with Cosworth for third.
Should Chevrolet win, it will be its tenth Indianapolis 500 victory, putting Chevrolet level with Honda and Cosworth for third all-time.
Possible Milestones:
Scott Dixon needs to lead 12 laps to reach the 4,800 laps led milestone and he needs to 76 laps to pass Bobby Unser for sixth all-time in laps led.
Will Power needs to lead 70 laps to reach the 3,000 laps led milestone.
Sébastien Bourdais needs to lead 67 laps to reach the 2,500 laps led milestone.
Marco Andretti needs to lead 10 laps to reach the 1,000 laps led milestone.
Alex Tagliani needs to lead 10 laps to reach the 700 laps led milestone.
Takuma Sato needs to lead 64 laps to reach the 500 laps led milestone.
James Hinchcliffe needs to lead 76 laps to reach the 500 laps led milestone.
Will Power needs one podiums to reach 50 career IndyCar podiums.
Juan Pablo Montoya needs one podium to reach 25 career IndyCar podiums.
Predictions
History could occur but its the Indianapolis 500, history is a given. At least 30 lead changes will occur. At least drivers will lead a lap and at least two drivers lead the Indianapolis 500 for the first time. There will be at least one caution for an engine failure. There will be no accidents between teammates. Four drivers starting outside the top ten finish in the top ten.
Indianapolis 500 Weekend Schedule
Carb Day:
Practice- 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. ET (1 hour). NBCSN will have live coverage.
Pit Stop Competition- 1:30-3:30 p.m. ET (2 hours). NBCSN will have live coverage.
Sunday:
Race- 12:19 p.m. ET (200 laps).
The Starting Grid
Row 1:
James Hinchcliffe
This will be Hinchcliffe's fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 6th (2012)
Car #5 has won the Indianapolis 500 six times but not since Arie Luyendyk in 1997.
Eighteen times has the pole-sitter won the race, most recently Hélio Castroneves in 2009.
This is the first pole position of Hinchcliffe's IndyCar career.
Josef Newgarden
This will be Newgarden's fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 9th (2015).
Car #21 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Eleven times has the winner started second, most recently Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000.
Last year was Newgarden's first lead-lap finish in the Indianapolis 500.
Ryan Hunter-Reay
This will be Hunter-Reay's ninth Indianapolis 500 start.
2014 Indianapolis 500 winner.
His 2014 victory is the only Indianapolis 500 victory for car #28.
Eleven times has the winner started third, most recently Dario Franchitti in 2010.
After leading 56 laps on his way to victory in 2014, Hunter-Reay did not lead a lap in last year's Indianapolis 500.
Row 2:
Townsend Bell
This will be Bell's tenth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 4th (2009).
Car #29 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Six times has the winner started fourth but not since Bobby Rahal in 1986.
This will be Bell's 39th IndyCar start.
Carlos Muñoz
This will be Muñoz's fourth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 2nd (2013).
Car #26 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Dan Wheldon 2006.
Seven times has the winner started fifth but not since Buddy Lazier in 1996.
Muñoz was one of three Honda drivers to lead in last year's race and he led three laps, the most of the Honda drivers.
Will Power
This will be Power's ninth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 2nd (2015)
Car #12 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Peter DePaolo 1925.
Five times has the winner started sixth, most recently Dan Wheldon in 2011.
Power could become the 15th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 after finishing second the year before.
Row 3:
Mikhail Aleshin
This will be Aleshin's second Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 21st (2014)
Car #7 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice but not since Bill Holland in 1949.
Five times has the winner started seventh but not since A.J. Foyt in 1961.
Aleshin has not finished in the top ten in his last four starts. He has never gone more than four starts between top ten finishes.
Simon Pagenaud
This will be Pagenaud's fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 8th (2013).
Car #22 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Twice has the winner started eighth but not since Kenny Bräck in 1999.
Pagenaud led 35 laps in last year's race, more than the other three Penske drivers combined. Will Power led 23 laps, Juan Pablo Montoya led nine laps and Hélio Castroneves led two laps; 34 laps total.
Hélio Castroneves
This will be Castroneves' 16th Indianapolis 500 start.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner (2001, 2002, 2009).
Car #3 has won the Indianapolis 500 eleven times, the most victories for a car number. Castroneves' 2009 victory is the most recent victory for car #3.
Only once has a winner start ninth, Emerson Fittipaldi in 1993.
Row 4:
Oriol Servià
This will be Servià's eighth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 4th (2012).
Car #77 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Twice has the winner start tenth, most recently Gil de Ferran in 2003.
This is Servià's first top ten start in an IndyCar race since Iowa 2013 where he started and finished seventh.
Alexander Rossi
This will be Rossi's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #98 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times, most recently Dan Wheldon 2011.
Rossi is the top rookie qualifier.
Twice has the winner started 11th, most recently Hélio Castroneves in 2001.
Takuma Sato
This will be Sato's seventh Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 13th (2013, 2015).
Car #14 has won the Indianapolis 500 six times, most recently Kenny Bräck 1999.
Twice has the winner started 12th, most recently Tony Kanaan in 2013.
Sato has completed all 200 laps the last three years. He is one of eight drivers to do that.
Row 5:
Scott Dixon
This will be Dixon's 14th Indianapolis 500 start.
2008 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #9 has won't he Indianapolis 500 four times with Dixon's 2008 victory being the most recent.
Four times has the winner started 13th, most recently Hélio Castroneves in 2002.
Dixon could lead a lap in his sixth consecutive Indianapolis 500. That would tie him with Rick Mears for second most consecutive Indianapolis 500s led. Tony Kanaan led seven consecutive Indianapolis 500s from 2002-2008.
Marco Andretti
This will be Andretti's 11th Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 2nd (2006).
Car #27 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times, most recently Dario Franchitti 2007.
Only once has a winner started 14th, Bob Sweikert in 1955.
Jim Rathmann and Johnny Rutherford both won their first Indianapolis 500 in their 11th start.
J.R. Hildebrand
This will be Hildebrand's sixth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 2nd (2011)
Car #6 has won the Indianapolis 500 five times, most recently Sam Hornish, Jr. 2006.
Juan Pablo Montoya became the fourth driver to win from 15th with his victory last year.
Hildebrand has completed 200 laps in four of his five previous Indianapolis 500 starts.
Row 6:
Charlie Kimball
This will be Kimball's sixth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 3rd (2015).
Car #42 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Twice has the winner started 16th, most recently Dario Franchitti in 2012.
This is Kimball's second best starting position in the Indianapolis 500. He started 14th in 2012 and 2015.
Juan Pablo Montoya
This will be Montoya's fourth Indianapolis 500 start.
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (2000, 2015).
Car #2 has won the Indianapolis 500 nine times, including Montoya's victory in last year's race.
Twice has the winner started 17th but not since Eddie Cheever in 1998.
Montoya could become the sixth driver to win consecutive Indianapolis 500s.
Tony Kanaan
This will be Kanaan's 15th Indianapolis 500 start.
2013 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #10 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Dario Franchitti 2010.
The best finish for the 18th-starter is second in 1920 by René Thomas and in 2009 and 2010 by Dan Wheldon.
Kanaan could move into sole possession of second all-time in Indianapolis 500s led. He is tied with Al Unser and Mario Andretti having led 11 Indianapolis 500s. A.J. Foyt led in 13 Indianapolis 500s.
Row 7:
Sébastien Bourdais
This will be Bourdais' sixth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 7th (2014)
Car #11 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Tony Kanaan 2013.
Twice has the winner started 19th, most recently Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2014.
The Frenchman has never led a lap in the Indianapolis 500.
Ed Carpenter
This will be Carpenter's 13th Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 5th (2008).
Car #20 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times but not since Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989.
Three times has the winner start 20th but not since Al Unser in 1987.
Should Carpenter win, he would match Sam Hanks for most Indianapolis 500 starts before winning.
Gabby Chaves
This will be Chaves' second Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 16th (2015).
Car #19 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Only once has a winner started 21st, L.L Corum and Joe Boyer in 1924.
Chaves was last year's Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.
Row 8:
Max Chilton
This will be Chilton's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #8 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times but not since Pat Flaherty in 1956.
Twice has the winner start 22nd but not since Kelly Petillo in 1935.
Chilton could become the fourth British driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year joining Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and Nigel Mansell.
Sage Karam
This will be Karam's third Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 9th (2014).
Car #24 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Graham Hill 1966.
The best finish for the 23rd-starter is second in the 1933 race by Wilbur Shaw.
Karam could become the youngest winner in Indianapolis 500 history at 21 years, two months and 25 days.
Conor Daly
This will be Daly's third Indianapolis 500 appearance and hopefully second start.
Best finish: 22nd (2013).
Car #18 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 24th-starter is fourth in 1967 by Denis Hulme, in 1969 by Mel Kenyon, in 1972 by Sammy Sessions, in 1995 by Eliseo Salazar and in 2009 by Townsend Bell.
His father Derek finished 12th in his third Indianapolis 500 appearance. It was Derek's best Indianapolis 500 finish.
Row 9:
Pippa Mann
This will be Mann's fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 20th (2011).
Car #63 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Only once has the winner started 25th, Johnny Rutherford in 1974.
Mann has one lead lap finish in 13 IndyCar starts. She finished on the lead lap in 13th at Fontana last June.
Graham Rahal
This will be Rahal's ninth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 3rd (2011).
Car #15 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times, most recently Buddy Rice 2004.
The best finish for the 26th-starter is third in 1956 by Don Freeland and in 1960 by Paul Goldsmith.
This is the 30th anniversary of his father Bobby's Indianapolis 500 victory.
Matt Brabham
This will be Brabham's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #61 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Only once has a winner started 27th, Fred Frame in 1932.
The Brabham family joins the Vukovich and Andretti families to have three generations compete in the Indianapolis 500. His grandfather Jack finished ninth as a rookie in 1961 and his father Geoff finished fifth as rookie in 1981.
Row 10:
Bryan Clauson
This will be Clauson's third Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 30th (2012).
Car #88 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Twice has the winner started 28th but not since Louis Meyer in 1936. No winner has started worse than 28th.
Clauson has never made it passed lap 61 in the Indianapolis 500.
Spencer Pigot
This will be Pigot's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #16 has won the Indianapolis 500 four times but not since George Robson in 1946.
The best finish for the 29th-starter is second in 1911 by Ralph Mulford and Paul Tracy in 2002.
Pigot could become the seventh California-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 and first since Jim Rathmann in 1960.
Stefan Wilson
This will be Wilson's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #25 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Al Unser 1987.
The best finish for the 30th-starter is fourth in 1936 by Mauri Rose.
Wilson's only other IndyCar start was September 1, 2013 in the Grand Prix of Baltimore. He finished 16th.
Row 11:
Jack Hawksworth
This will be Hawksworth's third Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 20th (2014).
Car #41 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 31st-starter was fourth in the 1951 race by Andy Linden.
Hawksworth's only lead lap finish this season was the Grand Prix of Indianapolis where he finished 20th.
Buddy Lazier
This will be Lazier's 19th Indianapolis 500 start.
1996 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #4 has won the Indianapolis 500 five times but not since Emerson Fittipaldi in 1993.
The best finish for the 32nd-starter is second by Jim Rathmann in 1957 and Mario Andretti in 1981.
Lazier could become the oldest winner of the Indianapolis 500 at 48 years, six months and 30 days old.
Alex Tagliani
This will be Tagliani's seventh Indianapolis 500 start.
Best finish: 10th (2010).
Car #35 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 33rd-starter is second in 1980 by Tom Sneva and 1992 by Scott Goodyear.
Like Scott Dixon, Tagliani has led a lap in five consecutive Indianapolis 500s.
Road to Indy
Sixteen drivers are entered for Indy Lights' Freedom 100.
Carlin's Ed Jones leads the championship with 160 points. Jones has two victories including a victory on the IMS road course two weeks ago. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports' Santiago Urrutia and Juncos Racing's Kyle Kaiser trail Jones by 21 points. Urrutia holds the tiebreaker over Kaiser with a victory and two second place finishes over Kaiser's victory and a second from the first seven races.
Carlin's Félix Serrallés and Andretti Autosports' Dean Stoneman are tied on 125 points. Both drivers have victories this season but Serrallés hold the tiebreaker over the Brit with a second place finish while Stoneman's next best finish is third. Belardi Auto Racing's Felix Rosenqvist and Zach Veach are the next two drivers in the championship with 109 points and 103 points respectively. Schmidt Peterson's RC Enerson is eighth in the championship with 101 points.
SPM's André Negrão and Andretti driver Shelby Blackstock round out the top ten in the championship with 87 points and 84 points respectively. Canadian's Scott Hargrove of Team Pelfrey and Juncos Racing's Zachary Claman De Melo are the next two in the championship. Hargrove is on 76 points with De Melo four behind him.
Juan Piedrahita of Team Pelfrey has 69 points, three ahead of Andretti driver Dalton Kellett. Carlin's Neil Alberico has 61 points and Heamin Choi returns driving for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. Choi's only start in 2016 was at Phoenix where he retired after a spin and finished 16th.
The Freedom 100 will take place at 12:15 p.m. ET on Friday May 27th and NBCSN will have live coverage of the race following IndyCar practice.
Eight cars are entered for Pro Mazda's Freedom 90 from Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday night. Pato O'Ward leads the championship with 188 points from five victories and a second in six races. His Team Pelfrey teammate Aaron Telitz trails O'Ward by 39 points and is the only other race winner this season. Will Owen trails O'Ward by 78 points while Owen's Juncos Racing teammate Garret Grist is two points behind him. Nico Jamin has 106 points, 13 points ahead of his Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing teammate Jake Eidson. Jake Parsons has 90 points and Nicolas Dapero has 76 points.
Pro Mazda's Freedom 90 will be at 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday May 27th.
U.S. F2000 will join Pro Mazda at IRP on Friday night. Eighteen drivers are entered for the lone oval race of U.S. F2000's season. Parker Thompson has won three of the last four races and leads the championship with 150 points. His Cape Motorsports w/ WTR teammate Anthony Martin trails by 28 points in second. Pabst Racing's Jordan Lloyd has 114 points and ArmsUp Motorsports' Victor Franzoni is fourth with 108 points. Pabst Racing's Yufeng Luo rounds out the top five in the championship with 105 points.
JAY Motorsports' Luke Gabin has 103 points and is 13 points clear of Team Pelfrey's Robert Megennis. Megennis is the top American in the championship. Ayla Årgen of John Cummiskey Racing trails Megennis by 20 points in the championship. Cape Motorsports w/ WTR's Nikita Lastochkin has 68 points and Pabst Racing's Garth Rickards rounds out the top ten in the championship with 62 points.
Six other Americans are on the entry list. Austin McCusker, Dakota Dickerson, Tazio Ottis, TJ Fischer and Cameron Das are all rookies while Max Hanratty will make his second appearance in the Freedom 75. Brazilian Lucas Kohl and Briton Jordan Cane are also rookies and round out the entry list.
U.S. F2000's Freedom 75 will be at 6:10 p.m. ET on Friday May 27th.
Fun Facts
This will be the eighth Indianapolis 500 to take place on May 29th (1971, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1994, 2005, 2011). The winners in those respective years were Al Unser, Gordon Johncock, Tom Sneva, Rick Mears, Al Unser, Jr. and Dan Wheldon won the last two Indianapolis 500s run on May 29th.
The only other IndyCar race run on May 29th was at Gateway in 1999. Michael Andretti was the winner.
The last five Indianapolis 500s have had the winning pass occur on lap 197 or later.
The last four Indianapolis 500s have had the four most lead changes in the event's history.
This year's grid features:
14.5 Americans (Matthew Brabham is the half).
Four Brits.
Three Colombians.
Two Canadians.
Two Brazilians.
Two Frenchman.
1.5 Australians (Matthew Brabham again).
One New Zealander.
One Russian.
One Japanese and...
One Spaniard.
The pole-sitter has failed to win the last six Indianapolis 500s, matching the longest streak in Indianapolis 500 history. The pole-sitter did not win from 1998-2003.
Will Power, Simon Pagenaud, Marco Andretti, Sébastien Bourdais and Matthew Brabham look to join Alex Lloyd, Jack Harvey and Dean Stoneman as the only drivers to win both on the oval and road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The average starting position for an Indianapolis 500 winner is 7.585 with a median of five.
The average number of lead changes in the Indianapolis 500 is 12.59 with a median of ten.
The average number of cautions in the Indianapolis 500 since 1975 is 7.78 with a median of eight. The average number of cautions is 44.24 laps with a median of 43 laps.
This will be the 67th Indianapolis 500 victory for Firestone.
This will be the 16th Indianapolis 500 victory for Dallara. Dallara is the all-time leader in Indianapolis 500 victories for chassis manufactures.
Should Honda win, it will be Honda's 11th Indianapolis 500 victory, moving Honda into sole possession of third all-time in Indianapolis 500 victories for engine manufactures. Offenhauser has the most with 27. Miller is second with 12. Honda is currently tied with Cosworth for third.
Should Chevrolet win, it will be its tenth Indianapolis 500 victory, putting Chevrolet level with Honda and Cosworth for third all-time.
Possible Milestones:
Scott Dixon needs to lead 12 laps to reach the 4,800 laps led milestone and he needs to 76 laps to pass Bobby Unser for sixth all-time in laps led.
Tony Kanaan needs to lead 41 laps to reach the 4,000 laps led milestone.
Will Power needs to lead 70 laps to reach the 3,000 laps led milestone.
Sébastien Bourdais needs to lead 67 laps to reach the 2,500 laps led milestone.
Marco Andretti needs to lead 10 laps to reach the 1,000 laps led milestone.
Alex Tagliani needs to lead 10 laps to reach the 700 laps led milestone.
Takuma Sato needs to lead 64 laps to reach the 500 laps led milestone.
James Hinchcliffe needs to lead 76 laps to reach the 500 laps led milestone.
Will Power needs one podiums to reach 50 career IndyCar podiums.
Juan Pablo Montoya needs one podium to reach 25 career IndyCar podiums.
Predictions
History could occur but its the Indianapolis 500, history is a given. At least 30 lead changes will occur. At least drivers will lead a lap and at least two drivers lead the Indianapolis 500 for the first time. There will be at least one caution for an engine failure. There will be no accidents between teammates. Four drivers starting outside the top ten finish in the top ten.
