Indianapolis 500 News and Notes

Scott Dixon wins pole for Indianapolis 500

Wheldon qualifies second as Ganassi Racing Team's strategy works.

Strategy was almost as important as speed Saturday as Scott Dixon won the pole for the Indianapolis 500 with a big gamble by his Target Chip Ganassi Racing team.

Dixon and teammate Dan Wheldon, who took the second spot, both took advantage of Indy's distinctive qualifying format, which allows each entry up to three tries on each of the four days of time trials.

Dixon, who has three pole positions in five tries in the IRL IndyCar Series this season, got the biggest benefit of the team strategy, canceling out a four-lap average of 225.178 mph earlier in the day and making it pay off with four laps at 226.366 that held up for Ganassi's third Indy pole.

"I was part of that decision, so it wasn't really a surprise," Dixon said. "We had been out testing, so we were confident we could go much faster. The tough part came later in the day, knowing whether or not we should do a third attempt [if we got knocked off the pole].

"One thing that was great out there, even on an average lap for us, we still had the field covered as a team. That just goes to show how strong we are this year."

Dixon's pole run came with just over two hours left in the session and only moments after Ryan Briscoe, the first driver to qualify Saturday, made his own gamble in an effort to give team owner Roger Penske a record 15th Indy pole. The team withdrew his earlier speed of 224.833 and Briscoe, who wound up third, put his Team Penske entry on top briefly with a run of 226.080.

Wheldon's earlier speed of 225.840, which had held the pole briefly, was then withdrawn by his team with about 20 minutes left. Wheldon, the 2005 Indy winner, responded with a run that came up just short of Dixon at 226.110.

LATIMES.COM

Indy 500 Drivers
by T.O. Whenham

The 92nd Indianapolis 500 is on Sunday, May 25. For the Indy 500 drivers, and those who want to be, the month leading up to the race is the ultimate endurance test. The three weeks before the big race involves practice, times trials, qualification, and the most scrutinized open wheel racing gets all year. This year, as always, there are more potential Indy 500 drivers than there are spots in the race. There are 33 spots in the starting grid, and there are 37 entered drivers and four more cars without designated drivers that are all vying to be there when the race finally gets underway. Those potential Indy 500 drivers and their teams are:

Previous Indy 500 winners

Helio Castroneves, Team Penske
Dan Wheldon, Chip Ganassi Racing
Buddy Rice, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
Buddy Lazier, Hemelgarn Johnson Racing

Indy 500 Rookies

Justin Wilson, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Oriol Servia, KV Racing Technology
Graham Rahal, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Will Power, KV Racing Technology
Alex Lloyd, Rahal Letterman Racing/Chip Ganassi Racing
Mario Moraes, Dale Coyne Racing
Hideki Mutoh, Andretti Green Racing
E.J. Viso, HVM Racing
Jaime Camara, Conquest Racing
Enrique Bernoldi, Conquest Racing
Mario Dominguez, Pacific Coast Motorsports

Returning Drivers

A.J. Foyt IV, Vision Racing
Vitor Meira, Panther Racing
Ryan Briscoe, Team Penske
Danica Patrick, Andretti Green Racing
Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing
Tony Kanaan, Andretti Green Racing
Tomas Scheckter, Luczo Dragon Racing
Darren Manning, A.J. Foyt Enterprises
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Rahal Letterman Racing
Bruno Junqueira, Dale Coyne Racing
Ed Carpenter, Vision Racing
Phil Giebler, American Dream Motorsports
Davey Hamilton, Vision Racing
Miika Duno, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
John Andretti, Roth Racing
Marty Roth, Roth Racing
Marco Andretti, Andretti Green Racing
Jeff Simmons, A.J. Foyt Enterprises
Max Papis, Rubicon Race Team
Sarah Fisher, Sarah Fisher Racing
Roger Yasukawa, CURB/Agajanian/Beck Motorsports
Townsend Bell, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

Team Penske, Panther Racing, American Dream Motorsports, and PDM Racing have entered cars without drivers.

Docsports.com

Roth hangs on to final Indy spot

Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - The 33-car field is now set for next Sunday's 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500. The final day of the long overdrawn out affair known as Indianapolis 500 qualifying ended at 6 p.m. when Mario Dominguez slammed the wall on the final qualifying attempt giving the last position on the grid to Marty Roth.

Two weekends ago, Target Chip Ganassi driver Scott Dixon captured the pole for the 2008 Indianapolis 500 with teammate Dan Wheldon taking second. Dixon's No.9 Dallara Honda circled the 2.5-mile speedway four times at an average speed of 226.366 m.p.h.

The pole victory was Dixon's first at Indianapolis. It was Dixon's third pole win of the season and 11th of his IndyCar career.

"This is unbelievable, what a day," said Dixon. "We had a pretty good plan all morning and as a team, Target, we dominated. "I have to give a lot of thanks to the guys at the work shop."

Only the first 11 positions were locked in on that Saturday. Sunday's session was rained out, setting up a rush for positions when the green flag dropped yesterday.

Townsend Bell led yesterday's session with a four-lap average of 222.539 m.p.h. He completed row four and will start 12th overall. Twenty-one other drivers had qualified before the 6 p.m. deadline.

A.J. Foyt IV took to the track with 12 minutes remaining in the session, made his out lap and was in his warmup lap when he pulled back down into the pits with a mechanical problem.

That gave the opportunity to Roth and he put himself into the field, at least temporarily, with a four-lap speed 215.506 m.p.h.

Roth didn't stay on the bubble for long as Foyt IV knocked him out of the race with a four-lap average of 219.184 m.p.h. at the start of Sunday's Bump Day. But Roth got right back into his Dallara Honda and regained a spot in the big race with an effort of 218.965 m.p.h. which was enough to send Buddy Lazier to the sidelines.

Next on the bubble was Roger Yasukawa, who was still there with two hours to go. Mario Dominguez took a shot at Yasukawa, but came up well short.

Sixty minutes to go and no one had stepped up to even attempt a qualifying run. Thirty minutes remained when Lazier hit the speedway for a qualifying attempt. He barely broke 217 m.p.h.

Next up was Dominguez with 24 minutes to go. Dominguez put up a solid 218.620 m.p.h. to knock out Yasukawa. But Yasukawa was sitting in the inspection line and ready to make another qualifying run.

Yasukawa was exactly tied with Dominguez beginning his fourth lap, but he couldn't get it done on his final lap and his chance to race was over.

Max Papis, who had yet to break the 217 m.p.h. mark, was next out. It seemed an impossible task and indeed it was because when they started up the engine, it misfired so the team pulled the car from the qualifying line to try and make repairs.

Lazier had 12 minutes left to make it into the race with Yasukawa waiting to try one last try.

Lazier and his team did the job because the No.91 posted a speed of 219.015 m.p.h. knocking Dominguez out. Yasukawa took the green flag with five minutes remaining in the session. But he was half a mile-per-hour too slow.

Two minutes remained when Dominguez got the final qualifying attempt. His first lap was 219.780 m.p.h., enough to make the race. But on the second lap he spun and hit the outside wall to end Dominguez's effort and the qualifying session.

"I feel terrible, for me, the sponsors and the team," said Dominguez.

Roth held on for the 33rd position and will be the final starter for next Sunday's race.

Indianapolis 500 Lineup

1. (9) Scott Dixon, Dallara, 226.366 mph.

2. (10) Dan Wheldon, Dallara, 226.110.

3. (6) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara, 226.080.

4. (3) Helio Castroneves, Dallara, 225.733.

5. (7) Danica Patrick, Dallara, 225.197.

6. (11) Tony Kanaan, Dallara, 224.794.

7. (26) Marco Andretti, Dallara, 224.417.

8. (4) Vitor Meira, Dallara, 224.346.

9. (27) r-Hideki Mutoh, Dallara, 223.887.

10. (20) Ed Carpenter, Dallara, 223.835.

11. (12) Tomas Scheckter, Dallara, 223.496.

12. (99) Townsend Bell, Dallara, 222.539.

13. (06) r-Graham Rahal, Dallara, 222.531.

14. (14) Darren Manning, Dallara, 222.430.

15. (18) Bruno Junqueira, Dallara, 222.330.

16. (02) r-Justin Wilson, Dallara, 222.267.

17. (15) Buddy Rice, Dallara, 222.101.

18. (22) Davey Hamilton, Dallara, 222.017.

19. (16) r-Alex Lloyd, Dallara, 221.788.

20. (17) r-Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara, 221.579.

21. (24) John Andretti, Dallara, 221.550.

22. (67) Sarah Fisher, Dallara, 221.246.

23. (8) r-Will Power, Dallara, 221.136.

24. (41) Jeff Simmons, Dallara, 221.103.

25. (5) r-Oriol Servia, Dallara, 220.767.

26. (33) r-E.J. Viso, Dallara, 220.356.

27. (23) Milka Duno, Dallara, 220.305.

28. (19) r-Mario Moraes, Dallara, 219.716.

29. (36) r-Enrique Bernoldi, Dallara, 219.422.

30. (34) r-Jaime Camara, Dallara, 219.345.

31. (2) A.J. Foyt IV, Dallara, 219.184.

32. (91) Buddy Lazier, Dallara, 219.015.

33. (25) Marty Roth, Dallara, 218.965.

Indy/Coca-Cola previews
By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com

Memorial Day weekend has to be one of my favorite weekends of the year. It’s filled with pleasant memories of my family and friends that I’ll always cherish. It was one of the few times a year that we did get together. It’s amazing that most of those memories always feature a perfect backdrop of sunshine on what is usually considered the first day of summer. For some reason, good memories in retrospect never have gray clouds or rain. I remember good food, being taught how to respect and honor our soldiers who died in service, and then of course there is the Indianapolis 500.

The race is a must see event on the day and always compliments the days festivities. It’s the 92nd running of the Indy 500 and it is about as American as any event we have in this great county. However, the importance of the race has waned considerably. What used to be a highly anticipated event because it featured the best drivers in the world is now an event that uses its tradition as its selling point. I’d prefer it the way it used to be, but I’m still buying what they’re selling however diluted the product is.

Without getting too deep into the root of the Indy 500 demise, let’s just say it all begins with Tony George, owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He was so bad for his series that he helped another thrive. The myriad of poor decisions he has made in hind sight almost make you believe that his initial intent was to sabotage open-wheel racing as if he had a monetary interest in NASCAR’s stock rising.

When George took over the track, his first major decision in 1994 was to bring stock car racing to his track. Everyone who loved and respected the track were shocked. Many became angry citing that the Bricks will forever be tainted if those cars with fenders were allowed and that the prestige of the track would be diminished severely. The drivers, owners, and fans didn’t approve. They treated the track with reverence, while Tony George treated the track like a business.

Can you blame him? It’s his track, he can do what he wants with it! It doesn’t make good business sense to use a facility only once a year and to continually shut NASCAR out. Let’s bring them in, we’ll all make some money, and sooner or later the Indy fans will get over it.

What George could have never imagined is that those Indy fans didn’t just get over it, they also got something else, NASCAR fever. George opened the doors to the entire country and opened their eyes to the great racing of NASCAR. Lots of regular folks who only watched the Indy 500 because of tradition tuned in to watch the Stock car race at the fabled Brickyard. In the Mid-west, some folks started watching because they figured if the race was in their back yard, they might as well go, and if they were going they might as well start following the drivers so they know what their watching.

Something else also happened during that race that captured an audience. A young driver named Jeff Gordon won the inaugural race and began what would be a great career. The way he drove to victory, it was apparent to many people that he was going to great from that moment.

So those are just a couple of things George did to get NASCAR going and expand their audience. The final nail in the coffin for Open-Wheel racing was in 1996 when he formed his own league, the Indy Racing League, and used America’s race, the Indy 500, as his bargaining chip. His league consisted of cast-offs and drivers who would have never started a Champ car race. Meanwhile, the other series, CART, took all the good drivers, but slowly faded away and attendance dipped everywhere. And guess whose attendance and TV ratings increased?

Things aren’t likely to get better for open-wheel racing anytime soon. What used to be considered the highest level of skill driving is now a mere training ground for future NASCAR drivers. The most talented drivers in the world obviously want to get paid the most they can and they all know they can’t make the most of the driving career in open-wheel racing. Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, and Ryan Newman all made the choice early as to what series gave them the best opportunity to maximize their profits. Juan Pablo Montoya, Robby Gordon, Sam Hornish Jr, Patrick Carpentier, Dario Franchitti, and A.J. Allmendinger all followed suit and saw the light.

So for all you NASCAR fans, you owe Tony George a Big thanks for bringing the NASCAR closer to you. For all you Indy fans, you owe Tony George a big sarcastic thanks.

The rant on George is more a matter of me just being disappointed at what happened to my race. There is no drama and nothing to debate. Only 8 drivers have a shot at winning that are part of three teams. End of story!

As for the Coca-Cola 600 which will be run later on Sunday night, that race is wide open. There are so many questions and variables because of the distance, the recent Charlotte testing, and how the All-Star race unfolded Saturday Night. Kasey Kahne wins? Are you kidding me? This guy couldn’t even beat the slugs in the qualifying race, he had to be voted in by the fans and then he holds off all the best cars in the series for the win? That blew me away. I’ve seen some out of the ordinary stuff before, but that win was a definite shocker because there was no way to see it coming from every piece of data accumulated which is why I am very apprehensive about the Coca-Cola 600.

All the data says it should be Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and one of the Gibbs Toyota’s, but that All-Star race definitely threw a monkey wrench in the formula. Good Luck this week, have a great holiday, and a special thank you to all the veterans around the country who put their lives on the line for us.

INDY 500 Top 5 Finish Prediction:
1-#26 Marco Andretti (8/1)
2-#9 Scott Dixon 9/2
3-#10 Dan Wheldon (9/2)
4-#7 Danica Patrick (12/1)
5-#3 Helio CastroNeves (7/1)

Coca-Cola 600 Top 5 Finish prediction:
1-#48 Jimmie Johnson (7/1)
2-#99 Carl Edwards (6/1)
3-#20 Tony Stewart (10/1)
4-#18 Kyle Busch (8/1)
5-#88 Dale Earnhardt Jr (7/1)

Roth in familiar spot as slowest qualifier for Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -At least he's in the race.

When Scott Dixon takes the green flag from the pole position on the inside of the front row, Marty Roth will be far, far back in an all-too-familiar spot at the tail end of the Indianapolis 500 lineup on Sunday.

It's the second year in a row the Canadian driver has been the slowest qualifier and the fourth time in as many races he'll start 29th or worse in the 33-car grid. He's used to it.

``The car has been consistent,'' said Roth, a former motorcycle racer who owns his own IndyCar team. ``Right now our focus is trying to get out in traffic, put some downforce on it and make it a race car. Hopefully we can get away from the qualifying side of this month.''

Dixon, who won the pole at 226.366 mph, and front-row mates Dan Wheldon and Ryan Briscoe were among the 11 first-day qualifiers, along with Helio Castroneves, Danica Patrick and Tony Kanaan on the second row. Marco Andretti, Vitor Meira and Hideki Mutoh, the fastest of 11 rookie qualifiers, qualified on the third row; and Ed Carpenter and Tomas Scheckter earned spots on the fourth row, along with Townsend Bell, the fastest of the second-day qualifiers.

Roth, who qualified at 218.965 mph, will be joined on the 11th and final row by A.J. Foyt IV, grandson of four-time winner A.J. Foyt, and former winner Buddy Lazier.

Now, with qualifying over, most of the work before the race will be in the garages. The last chance for on-track testing of race setups will be in a one-hour practice on Friday, Carburetion Day.

``I'm relaxed,'' said Roth, one of only 10 drivers to be the slowest qualifier more than once and the first since Billy Boat in 2001 and '02. ``I was definitely pumping away at it after rolling off the scales (to qualify). You realize the gravity of it, if you don't make the show. It's huge.''

If it's any consolation, the last-place qualifier gets a $50,000 bonus from Firestone.

Roth first qualified Saturday at 215.506 mph, more than 2 mph slower than the next-slowest qualifier. He was quickly bumped from the lineup Sunday by Foyt, but he bumped his way back into the field about 90 minutes later.

After some late jockeying for the final few spots, Roth found himself on the bubble as rookie Mario Dominguez took the track for one last attempt before the 6 p.m. end of qualifying. Dominguez had one lap at 219.780 mph, more than enough to knock Roth out of the lineup again, but coming off turn one on his second lap, Dominguez lost control and slid hard into the wall.

A qualification attempt consists of four laps, with the average speed of those laps counting as the official time.

``I was in the car, had everybody around me getting our car together and getting ready to run,'' Roth said of a possible last-minute attempt to re-qualify had Dominguez not crashed. ``I really wasn't privy to his times or anything like that. ... We had our own game plan going, you know. And it's too bad that Mario lost it there at the end. I'd much prefer a time game. But, you know, this is Indy and anything can happen.''

Roth's best finish at Indianapolis was 24th as a rookie in 2004, and his best finish in nine career IRL starts was 14th at Chicagoland last fall. In three races so far this season, his best finish was 17th at Japan last month. At 49, Roth is also the oldest driver in the Indy lineup for the fourth time in the past five years, and with 45-year-old John Andretti driving a second Roth entry, he has the oldest team, too.

Indianapolis 500

The milk will be on ice in Indianapolis this weekend as racing returns to the Brickyard for the 92nd Indianapolis 500.

Dario Franchitti won last year’s rain-soaked Indy 500, but he won’t repeat as champion this weekend because he won’t be there. Franchitti moved on to NASCAR after last season so there will be new winner at the brickyard this weekend.

However, just because Franchitti is busy racing stock cars, that doesn’t mean a former Indy 500 champion won’t be drinking from the milk jug again on Sunday. There are four former Indy 500 champions scheduled to take part in this weekend’s race, including 2005 winner Dan Wheldon, 2004 winner Buddy Rice, two-time winner Helio Castroneves and 1996 winner Buddy Lazier.

The Andretti name will also once again try to makes its mark at Indianapolis, as two Andrettis will line up on the starting grid. This year’s field includes John and Marco. John Andretti took part in the Indy 500 for the first time since 1994 last year and placed 30th. His best career finish at Indy in eight starts was fifth place back in 1991.

Marco Andretti raced in his second career Indy last year and did not finish after crashing near what turned out to be the end of the race due to rain. The crash caused him to fail to repeat his successful second-place finish from a year earlier.

The driver everyone will have their eyes on Sunday will be Danica Patrick. Patrick recorded her first career Indy car win in the Indy Japan 300 earlier this year and will try to become the first woman to win the Indy 500 this weekend. In her previous three runs at Indy, Patrick finished eighth in both 2007 and 2006 and posted her best finish, fourth, in 2005.

Patrick won’t be the only woman in this weekend’s Indy field. Also scheduled to race this weekend are Sarah Fisher and Milka Duno. Fisher has raced in the Indy six times, with her best finish an 18th in 2007, while Duno made her Indy debut last year and finished 31st.

Perennial favorite Kanaan still seeks 1st Indy win
May 21, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -For some drivers, winning the Indianapolis 500 would make their career. Tony Kanaan isn't looking for any such validation.

Good thing, too.

The good-natured Brazilian has done everything except win the biggest event in American open-wheel racing.

Kanaan's sixth-place start in Sunday's 92nd edition of the Indy 500 will be his worst in seven races, while his finishes have included a second (in 2004), a third, a fifth and an eighth. He is the only driver who has led in each of the last six 500s.

That record has made Kanaan a perennial favorite to win at Indy. And he easily could have two or three victories if not for circumstances and mistakes.

Last year, he had the strongest car in the race, leading half the rain-shortened 166-lap event. But Kanaan spun out to avoid a crashed car in front of him and wound up 12th when rain cut short any hope of a comeback just 10 laps later.

That was just the latest disappointment for Kanaan, who seems able to win anywhere but Indianapolis.

Though he may not get the attention like two-time Indy winner and childhood friend Helio Castroneves or fan favorite Danica Patrick, Kanaan has proven time and again he is one of the best drivers in the IRL IndyCar Series. He won the championship in 2005 and has won at least one race each of the past five seasons.

But don't expect Kanaan to complain about anything as minor as having bad luck at Indy.

After losing his father at a young age and spending much of his youth in poverty, Kanaan now lives in a mansion in Key Biscayne, Fla., with wife Daniele and 8-month-old son Leonardo, his pride and joy.

``The way I got brought up, with all my difficulties, I learned how to accept facts and understand what you can and what you cannot do,'' Kanaan said. ``I'm not saying I'm satisfied with what I have all the time, but I think I came a long ways.

``I achieved, I conquered; I won a championship, which I believe is far more difficult than winning one race.''

And, while Kanaan acknowledges that Indy is ``THE race,'' he is prepared to walk away eventually without a win here, if it comes to that.

``As long as I understand the situation I was in and understand, inside myself, that I did everything I could - I didn't let myself down - I'm at peace with myself,'' Kanaan said. ``Do I want to win the 500? As bad as anybody else.

``If I retire one day without winning the 500, I'm not going to be frustrated. It's going to be something that was a goal that maybe, for some reason, I did not achieve. But I think we all, as human beings, have many goals that we don't achieve. That's why you make a priority list.

``If you have 10 goals and you achieve five of them, you should be happy,'' he added. ``You should be unhappy if you did not achieve anything.''

The 33-year-old Kanaan still has time on his side, and insists he has more desire to win than he did as a youngster.

``When you're a kid, you have a bunch of priorities,'' he explained. ``You want to be in the race, but you want to go party, you want to go spend time with your friends in Brazil, you want to go to dinner.

``When you're getting older, you kind of slow down and say, `I don't want to party any more. I'm married. I have a kid.' So you come from 10 different options down to three: Racing, your personal life and whatever jobs you have on the side. But I enjoy every minute I have on the racetrack. I think I show that on my face and every time I talk about it.

Dan Wheldon, who now drives for rival Target Chip Ganassi Racing, won the 2005 Indy 500 while he was one of the Kanaan's Andretti Green Racing teammates.

``I believe that TK will win this race some year,'' the Englishman said. ``He's so good here, eventually things have to go his way. But, even if he never wins it - which would be a shame - Tony is a great race driver, one of the best.

``I just don't think he's appreciated as much as he could be because he does everything so quietly and professionally.''

Of course, everything could all change Sunday with a Kanaan victory. And it wouldn't surprise him.

``It's a place that definitely suits me,'' Kanaan said. ``I just need to get the job done.

``You can't be that selfish to say, `This place owes me,' because how many other drivers does this place owe? I take it as an auto race and I've got to do the best job I can. And, if I do that and I lead the right lap, I'll win.''

Indianapolis 500 driver profiles

Profiles of the 33 drivers in Sunday's Indianapolis 500, in starting order with car number in parentheses, age, hometown, chassis, race team, four-lap qualification average and biographical information (w-former winner; r-rookie; all engines Honda):

1. (9) Scott Dixon, 27, Auckland, New Zealand; Dallara, Ganassi Racing; 226.366 mph. Won New Zealand Formula Vee championship at 13. CART rookie of the year in 2001, when victory at Nazareth, Pa., made him at 20 the youngest winner in major open-wheel racing. Moved to IRL with Ganassi and was series champion with three wins in 2003. Won four races last year and was series runner-up to Dario Franchitti by just 13 points after running out of fuel on the last turn of the last lap of the last race at Chicagoland. Won season opener this year, his 11th career win, and after four races is second in points to Helio Castroneves

2. (10) w-Dan Wheldon, 29, Emberton, England; Dallara, Ganassi Racing; 226.110 mph. Former Indy winner is third in points after winning last race at Kansas. Won 2005 Indy 500 after passing Danica Patrick with six laps to go and went on to IRL series championship. Won two races in 2006 and tied Sam Hornish Jr. in points, but Hornish earned series title because he had four race wins. Disappointing 22nd at Indy last year after crashing. Former rookie of the year in the U.S. F2000, Toyota Atlantic, Indy Lights and IndyCar series. Fourteen career wins in IndyCar.

3. (6) Ryan Briscoe, 26, Sydney, Australia; Dallara, Team Penske, 226.080 mph. Fifth at Indianapolis for Luczo Dragon Racing in 2007, his only IndyCar start of the season. Also finished second in American Le Mans Series LMP2 class for Penske Racing last year and joined Penske's IndyCar team this year in place of Sam Hornish Jr., who moved to NASCAR. Sixteenth in season points, still looking for first career win. Tenth in only previous start at Indy in 2005. Won Formula Three Euroseries championship with eight wins in 2003 and was a test driver in Formula One in 2004.

4. (3) w-Helio Castroneves, 33, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Dallara, Team Penske; 225.733 mph. Has won 12 IndyCar races, at least one each season since 2001 when he came to IRL with Penske. Series leader this year despite no wins yet. Won Indy 500 in debut race in 2001 and again in 2002, the first to repeat since Al Unser Sr. in 1970-71. Second at Indy to former teammate Gil de Ferran in 2003. Started from pole and finished third in 2007. Known for outgoing personality and for nickname ``Spiderman'' with victory fence-climbs. Won TV's ``Dancing with the Stars'' during offseason last year.

5. (7) Danica Patrick, 26, Roscoe, Ill.; Dallara, Andretti Green Racing; 225.197 mph. First woman to win major open-wheel race with victory in Japan last month, and fifth in season points. Indy and IRL rookie of the year in 2005, when she won three poles and started and finished fourth at Indianapolis, where she was the first woman to lead the race. Eighth at Indianapolis each of the past two years. Drove in developmental Toyota Atlantic series before moving to IndyCar Series with Rahal Letterman Racing in 2005. Joined Andretti Green Racing last year and finished seventh in points with 11 top-10 finishes.

6. (11) Tony Kanaan, 33, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Dallara, Andretti Green Racing; 224.794 mph. The 2004 IndyCar champion has 12 career wins and is fourth in season points, still looking for first win this year. Best finish in six previous starts at Indy was runner-up to Buddy Rice in rain-shortened 2004 race. Started on pole and led 54 laps in 2005 but finished eighth, and fifth and 12th at Indy the past two years. Led 83 laps in 2007, becoming the only driver in history to lead in each of his first six starts at Indianapolis.

7. (26) Marco Andretti, 21, Nazareth, Pa.; Dallara, Andretti Green Racing; 224.417 mph. Indy runner-up and rookie of the year in 2006, when he was passed by Sam Hornish Jr. just before the checkered flag. Crashed and finished 24th at Indy last year. Son of car owner Michael Andretti, grandson of 1969 Indy winner Mario Andretti. Drove in Indy Lights in 2005, with a win on Indy's road course during U.S. Grand Prix. Only IndyCar win was at Infineon Raceway in 2006, when at 19 he became the youngest winner of a major open-wheel race (since broken by Graham Rahal). Seventh in points this year.

8. (4) Vitor Meira, 31, Brasilia, Brazil; Dallara, Panther Racing; 224.346 mph. Indy runner-up in 2005; 10th the past two years. Began racing go-karts when he was 12 and won a Brazilian karting title before moving to Europe in 1995. Won the South American F3 championship with eight wins in 2000, and joined IRL in 2002 after two seasons in European F3000 series. Two IndyCar career poles, holds IRL record with 80 career starts without a win. Twenty-first in points this season, with best finish 10th in opener at Homestead.

9. (27) r-Hideki Mutoh, 25, Tokyo, Japan; Dallara, Andretti Green Racing; 223.887 mph. Runner-up in developmental Indy Lights last year, joined Andretti Green in place of Indy 500 and IRL champion Dario Franchitti, who left for NASCAR. Eleventh in points, with two sixth-place finishes this season. Graduate of Honda's driver development program, raced in multiple series in his native Japan and Europe. Made his IndyCar Series debut at Chicagoland Speedway in the final race of the 2007 season, finishing eighth.

10. (20) Ed Carpenter, 27, Indianapolis; Dallara, Vision Racing; 223.835 mph. Driving for team co-owned by his stepfather, Speedway boss Tony George. Started in midget and sprint cars, finished third in IRL's developmental Indy Lights in 2002 and 2003, including win at Indianapolis in 2003. Was 31st as Indy rookie, then 11th the next two years and 17th last year. Best finishes in 69 career starts were fifth at Chicago in 2006 and Homestead in the opener this season. Ninth in IndyCar standings this year.

11. (12) Tomas Scheckter, 27, Cape Town, South Africa; Dallara, Luczo Dragon Racing; 223.496 mph. Son of 1979 F1 champion Jody Scheckter. Runner-up in the British Formula 3 championship in 2000 and in Formula Nissan series in 2001. Led 85 laps and was co-rookie of the year at Indianapolis in 2002 and fourth in 2003. Crashed at Indy the next two years and finished seventh last year. Only wins in 93 IRL starts were at Michigan in 2002 and Texas in 2005. Started only one race this season, 23rd at Kansas last month, and tied for 30th in series points.

12. (99) Townsend Bell, 33, San Francisco; Dallara, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing; 222.539 mph. Twenty-second in only previous start at Indianapolis in 2006. Indy Lights champion in 2001, drove in 10 CART races in 2001-02 and 14 IRL races since 2004. Best IRL finish fifth at Nashville in 2004. Twenty-fifth in season points this year, with best finish in two starts 10th at Japan last month.

13. (06) r-Graham Rahal, 19, New Albany, Ohio; Dallara, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing; 222.531 mph. Son of Rahal-Letterman Racing co-owner and 1986 Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal. Won his IRL debut at St. Petersburg, Fla., in April, becoming the youngest winner in major open-wheel racing. Tenth in series points after three races. Finished fifth in Champ Car last year with a best finish of second at Houston. In 2006, he finished second in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship, winning five times for Conquest Racing.

14. (14) Darren Manning, 33, North Yorkshire, England; Dallara, A.J. Foyt Racing; 222.430 mph. Former Formula One test driver was ninth in CART series for Walker Racing in 2003 and moved to IRL with Ganassi Racing in 2004 and 2005. Sat out 2006 season and returned to IndyCar Series with Foyt last year, finishing 20th at Indianapolis and 13th in series points. Eighteenth in points after four races this season, with best finish eighth at Japan.

15. (18) Bruno Junqueira, 31, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Dallara, Dale Coyne Racing; 222.330 mph. Won the pole and led 32 laps at Indy in 2002 but finished 31st with a bad gearbox. Best finishes in four starts at Indianapolis were fifth in 2001 and 2004. Had eight Champ Car wins and was series runner-up three times. Finished seventh last year in first season with Dale Coyne Racing. No wins in seven IndyCar starts. Twenty-second in IRL points this year with best finish 15th at Kansas, although was 12th in final Champ Car race at Long Beach.

16. (02) r-Justin Wilson, 29, Sheffield, England; Dallara, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing; 222.267 mph. Champ Car series runner-up the past two years to Sebastien Bourdais, and took spot with Newman/Haas/Lanigan when Bourdais moved to Formula One. Won four times in Champ Car. Best finishes in four IRL starts this season are ninth twice; 17th in series points. At 6-foot-3, he's one of the tallest drivers in open-wheel racing. Won 2001 F3000 championship and had 16 Formula One starts in 2003 with Minardi and Jaguar before moving to Champ Car.

17. (15) w-Buddy Rice, 32, Phoenix; Dallara, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing; 222.101 mph. Won Indy from the pole in 2004 with Rahal Letterman Racing, but unable to compete the next year after injuries in a crash during practice. Was 26th at Indy in 2006 and 25th last year. Moved to Dreyer & Reinbold last year, finishing ninth in the standings with a best finish of fourth at Iowa. Nineteenth in points this season, with best finish 11th in the opener at Homestead.

18. (22) Davey Hamilton, 45, Eagle, Idaho; Dallara, Vision Racing; 222.017 mph. Making second start since 2001, when he was seriously injured in a crash at Texas and underwent 21 operations on feet and legs. At the time, he was the only driver to compete in every IRL race since league began in 1996. Returned to racing last year and was ninth at Indy in only start of the season. Best finish in seven races at Indy was fourth in 1998. IRL series runner-up in 1997 and 1998 and fourth in 1999.

19. (16) r-Alex Lloyd, 23, Manchester, England; Dallara, Rahal Letterman/Ganassi; 221.788 mph. Won a record eight races in Indy Lights last year, taking the IRL developmental series championship by a record margin. Wins included the Liberty Challenge in 2006 and Freedom 100 in 2007, making him the only driver to win on both the oval and road courses at Indy. Came to IRL after racing F3000 series in Europe. Making first IndyCar Series start.

20. (17) r-Ryan Hunter-Reay, 27, Boca Raton, Fla.; Dallara, Rahal Letterman Racing; 221.579 mph. IndyCar rookie of the year in 2007 after joining Rahal Letterman at midseason. Finished 19th in the standings with three top-seven finishes in six starts. Fifteenth in points this season, with best finishes seventh at Homestead and Japan. Won three grand national karting championships in the 1990s. Drove in the Barber Dodge Pro Series and Toyota Atlantic Series and joined Champ Car in 2003, becoming the first U.S. rookie in 20 years to win a race.

21. (24) John Andretti, 45, Indianapolis; Dallara, Roth Racing; 221.550 mph. Nephew of Mario Andretti and cousin of Michael and Marco Andretti. Was 30th at Indianapolis last year in his first start since 1994. Spent most of last decade in NASCAR. Best finish in eight Indy 500s was fifth in 1991. Only IndyCar victory also in 1991 in Australia. Won two Cup races in NASCAR and drove 10 times at Indianapolis in the Brickyard 400. Hired by Roth Racing this month in place of rookie Jay Howard for Indy only.

22. (67) Sarah Fisher, 27, Commercial Point, Ohio; Dallara, Sarah Fisher Racing; 221.246 mph. Became third woman to race at Indianapolis in 2000. Drove in NASCAR West series in 2005 and returned to IRL in two starts late in 2006. Best finish in six Indy 500 starts was 18th last year. At Kentucky in 2002, became first woman to start from pole in a major U.S. open-wheel race. Best finish in 67 career starts was second at Homestead in 2001. Formed her own race team this season and making first start of the year.

23. (8) r-Will Power, 27, Toowoomba, Australia; Dallara, KV Racing Technology; 221.136 mph. Champ Car rookie of the year in 2006, finished fourth in series points last year with two victories and nine top-10 finishes. First season in IRL, sixth in points. Best finish in three IndyCar starts eighth at St. Petersburg, but won the final Champ Car race at Long Beach, which counts in IRL points. Began racing in native Australia, moved to British F3 series in 2003.

24. (41) Jeff Simmons, 31, Hartford, Conn.; Dallara, A.J. Foyt Racing; 221.103 mph. Indy Lights series runner-up in 2003 and 2005, finished second in the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis in 2004 driving for Foyt. He moved up to the IndyCar Series in 2005 and drove the past two years with Rahal Letterman Racing. His best finish in three previous starts at Indianapolis was 11th last year, and best career finish was sixth last year at Texas Motor Speedway. Making first start this season.

25. (5) r-Oriol Servia, 33, Pals, Spain; Dallara, KV Racing Technology; 220.767 mph. Champ Car series runner-up for Newman/Haas in 2005, filling in for injured Bruno Junqueira. Finished sixth in Champ Car standings last year while splitting his season between Forsythe and PKV teams. Only career win came at Montreal in 2005. Tried to make Indy 500 in 2002 but failed on three qualifying attempts. Eighth in series points this year, with best IRL finish seventh at St. Petersburg and fifth at Long Beach in final Champ Car race.

26. (33) r-E.J. Viso, 23, Caracas, Venezuela; Dallara, HVM Racing; 220.356 mph. A test driver in Formula One in 2006, Viso also competed in the European GP 2 Series, winning twice and finishing on the podium six times. Won the 2001 Skip Barber Dodge Series championship in the U.S., then went to Europe to race in the British F3 and Formula Renault Series. Thirteenth in IndyCar points, with best finish fourth on the road course at St. Petersburg, Fla. Also finished ninth at Long Beach in the final Champ Car race.

27. (23) Milka Duno, 36, Caracas, Venezuela; Dallara, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing; 220.305 mph. Fifth woman to qualify at Indy, was 31st in her rookie race last year. Raced sports cars for a decade, winning Panoz GT Series championship in 2000 and the first woman to win a major North American sports car race with 2004 victory at Homestead. An engineer, holds four master's degrees. Best finish in nine IRL starts was 11th last year at Texas. Running part-time schedule this season for Dreyer & Reinbold, and 28th in points after two races with best finish 16th at Kansas.

28. (19) r-Mario Moraes, 19, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Dallara, Dale Coyne Racing; 219.716 mph. Two weeks older than Graham Rahal, and is second-youngest driver in the lineup. Former karting star, finished second in South American F3 series with five wins in 2006 and 14th last year in the British F3 International Series. Joined IRL with former Champ Car team Dale Coyne Racing and made IndyCar debut with 16th at Homestead. Twenty-fourth in series points after three races.

29. (36) r-Enrique Bernoldi, 29, Curitiba, Brazil; Dallara, Conquest Racing; 219.422 mph. Raced in Formula One in 2001 and 2002 for Arrows, with a best finish of eighth at Germany in his rookie season. Won the European Formula Renault championship, then moved to British F3 for two years and F3000 for two seasons. Finished 12th in the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis in 2001. Twelfth in IndyCar points after three IRL races this season, although finished fourth at Long Beach in the final race for Champ Car last month.

30. (34) r-Jaime Camara, 27, Goiania, Brazil; Dallara, Conquest Racing; 219.345 mph. Began racing go-karts in native Brazil. Drove in South American Formula 3 in 2002-04 and in the IRL's developmental Indy Lights the next three years, winning three races. Wins included the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis in 2005, and was third at Indy both in 2006 and '07. Made IndyCar Series debut last month, starting 19th and finishing 21st at Kansas.

31. (2) A.J. Foyt IV, 24, Hockley, Texas; Dallara, Vision Racing; 219.184 mph. Sunday is 24th birthday of grandson of four-time Indy winner A.J. Foyt. Won Indy Lights championship in 2002 and was youngest starter in Indy 500 history in 2003, when on his 19th birthday was 18th as a rookie. Drove in NASCAR Busch Series in 2006, with one IRL start in place of injured Dario Franchitti at Chicago. Best finish in four previous starts at Indy was 14th last year. Also had career-best third place at Kentucky last year. Fourteenth in points this season, with best finish eighth at Kansas.

32. (91) w-Buddy Lazier, 40, Vail, Colo.; Dallara, Hemelgarn Johnson Racing; 219.015 mph. Making 100th IRL career start, third behind Scott Sharp (146) and Sam Hornish Jr. (116). The Indy 500 winner in 1996 and IRL series champion in 2000, when he was runner-up at Indianapolis for the second time. Making 16th start at Indy and first start this season. Was 19th at Indy last year, his only start of the season. Older brother of driver Jaques Lazier; their father, Bob Lazier, was 19th in only start at Indy in 1981.

33. (25) Marty Roth, 49, Toronto, Canada; Dallara, Roth Racing; 218.965 mph. Former motorcycle racer, owns his own team and was the first Indy Lights owner to move up to IndyCar Series after buying the equipment of Panther Racing. Oldest driver in the race for the fourth time. Best previous finish at Indy was 24th as a rookie in 2004. Best finish in nine career starts was 14th at Chicagoland last fall. Twenty-fifth in IRL points this season, with 17th at Japan his best finish in three races.

World-class field fills Indy 500
May 23, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -The Indianapolis 500 has always had a distinct American flavor.

Winners sip the most traditional of American drinks, milk, in Victory Lane after a race defined by great rivalries and dangerously fast speeds.

But thanks to a blend of cultures, fans and languages that has turned the famed Brickyard in middle America into a veritable melting pot, the Indy 500 is the biggest race in the world.

``This is probably the only one that gets them together like this,'' said former series champion Tony Kanaan, a Brazilian and one of 20 foreign-born drivers competing Sunday. ``You have it some in Formula One, but this race is different because when you put all the countries together, it's just unbelievable.''

``The Greatest Spectacle in Racing'' has been a proving ground for the world's best drivers, wherever they come from.

Whether it was former Formula One champions Nigel Mansell of England or Nelson Piquet of Brazil or Englishman Graham Hill pulling into the winner's circle, international contingents have been as much a part of Indianapolis as Jim Nabors singing ``Back Home Again in Indiana'' on race day.

``The Indy 500 has always been an international race,'' said Ed Carpenter, one of 13 Americans in this year's field and the stepson of Indy Racing League founder and Indy boss Tony George. ``It's the greatest track in the world and the greatest race in the world, so it brings out the best (drivers) in the world.''

And the numerous nationalities have given the IRL a significant advantage: It can market its product everywhere.

``I think that makes it bigger than what it could be,'' said Australian Ryan Briscoe, who will start third on the outside of the first row Sunday. ``We're getting different personalities. I think it's good, plus you do have a lot of talented Americans in the field.''

The 33 drivers in this year's race represent 10 different countries. The top five qualifiers come from five different nations - New Zealand, England, Australia, Brazil and the United States.

Since 1995, 10 race winners were born outside the United States. That phenomenon dates back to the race's earliest days when it was billed as the ``International 500-mile Sweepstakes.''

``It's always been this way,'' Kanaan said. ``What you're seeing just proves it more and more.''

Many international drivers grew up dreaming of driving on the Formula One circuit, only to start watching a countryman race IndyCars. Two-time Indy winner Emerson Fittipaldi hooked Kanaan.

While some of the world's best drivers earned fame by winning in America, some of the most talented Americans honed their skills overseas. Danica Patrick, the first woman to win an IndyCar race, and 19-year-old Graham Rahal, the youngest winner in IndyCar history, both drove in Europe before coming home.

And Rahal might mark the start of a new trend - more American IRL drivers.

When George first imagined creating the IRL, he envisioned a training ground for young American drivers. Instead, Kanaan and fellow Brazilian Helio Castroneves, Englishman Dan Wheldon and Patrick have become the league's biggest names.

But Rahal, Marco Andretti, Carpenter and A.J. Foyt IV are looking to raise their profiles. And more talent from an American developmental series - Jonathan Summerton, Robbie Pecorari and J.R. Hildebrand - is on the way.

But even that is unlikely to change Indy's image as a world-class stage.

``I know you read that a lot in America, and we'd love to have more Americans in the field,'' Australian Briscoe said. ``But it is what it is. It's an international sport, and I think that's good for the sport.''

Rain hits Indianapolis again, canceling most of practice

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -The final practice for the Indianapolis 500 was a lot like the rest of the month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: cold, wet and short.

What was supposed to be an hour of final tuneups before Sunday's race was stopped by rain Friday after only 12 minutes, and the annual pit stop competition among top contenders' crews was canceled altogether.

Former winner Buddy Rice had the most laps of any driver, managing 11 trips around the 2.5-mile oval, while Ganassi Racing teammates Dan Wheldon and pole-starter Scott Dixon had six laps each and turned in the top speeds at 223.934 and 223.028 mph, respectively.

Bruno Junqueira and Tomas Scheckter completed just one lap, while Ryan Briscoe was the only one of the 33 starters who did not get a single lap before the rain hit.

Still, the limited practice went well, Rice said.

``I was able to get our car up to speed quickly,'' the 2004 winner said. ``The track was very green, no rubber on it from the rain. The downforce was heavy due to the cooler conditions.''

Rice's top lap was at 221.207 mph.

The latest weather forecast for Sunday called for zero percent chance of rain and a high temperature of 76 degrees.

``That might make it very difficult on the teams and drivers to get the right setup,'' Rice said. ``Luckily, we have an experienced engineering staff, and we'll prepare for that kind of day. Right now, I'm very pleased with our car.''

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FREEDOM 100 POSTPONED: The Freedom 100 in the developmental Indy Lights Series was postponed Friday by rain.

The 40-lap race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway instead will be run Saturday afternoon after the Indy 500 drivers meeting.

``Obviously, this is not where we want to be today,'' Speedway president Joie Chitwood said. ``We did everything we could to get the track to come around, and it was starting to dry when the rain hit again.''

Rookie Dillon Battistini will start the Freedom 100 from the pole. The 26 other Indy Lights drivers include Jeff Simmons, who is also racing in Sunday's 500.

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HONDA RE-SIGNS: Honda will continue supplying race engines to the IndyCar Series through the 2013 season.

The Indy Racing League announced a five-year contract extension with the engine manufacturer Friday.

``It brings stability and continuity to a very competitive racing package,'' IRL president Brian Barnhart said.

Honda joined the series in 2003 and has been its sole engine supplier since 2006. For the past two years, no car dropped out of the Indy 500 due to an engine problem.

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ELDORA INVITATION: Tony Stewart is offering Sunday's Indy winner a car to drive in the June 4 dirt race at his half-mile Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.

Part of the proceeds from the annual late model stock car race will go to the Tony Stewart Foundation.

``We'll have a car waiting for him or her, and we'd love to have whoever puts their name on the Borg-Warner Trophy at Indianapolis come about two hours east,'' said Stewart, who owns the Eldora track.

Stewart drove in the 500 five times, including a start from the pole as a rookie in 1996, before leaving for NASCAR.

He and other NASCAR drivers including Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick are scheduled to drive in the charity race at Eldora, which comes between the next two IndyCar races, June 1 at Milwaukee and June 7 at Texas.

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CHANGE OF PLANS: Olympic skating gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi will replace boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. as honorary starter Sunday and will become the first woman to wave the green flag to start the Indy 500.

Mayweather bowed out because of the death of his uncle.

Other celebrities expected to attend the race include football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen, basketball's Baron Davis, motorcyclist Nicky Hayden and skier Bode Miller.

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OWNERS' DELIGHT: Two of the race teams in the Indy Lights Series are owned by former Indy 500 drivers.

Three-time Indy starter Jim Guthrie owns Guthrie Racing, including cars for his son, Sean Guthrie, and drivers Logan Gomez, Micky Gilbert and Tom Wieringa.

Tyce Carlson, who started the 500 twice, is co-owner of Alliance Motorsports, which fields the car driven by Chris Festa.

``I love it,'' Carlson said of his return to Indianapolis as a team owner. ``It gets me back to the track where I think I belong, and it keeps me out of the race car, where my wife thinks I don't belong.''

He said he eventually would like to move up to the IndyCar Series.

``That's what's in our business plan,'' Carlson said. ``My goal and dream is to win the 500. If I can't do it as a driver, I still want to do it as an owner.''

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LUG NUTS: Sarah Fisher, whose two expected sponsorships fell through, landed a late deal and much-needed money from Text4cars.com, an Internet site that helps sellers advertise cars online. ... Fisher's husband and chief mechanic, Andy O'Gara, was named winner of the annual Clint Brawner Mechanical Excellence Award. ... The Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing crew for rookie driver Justin Wilson received the annual True Grit Award. A team mechanic, Davey Evans, died three weeks ago after a fight while leaving a bar, and the county coroner ruled the death a homicide caused by a stroke brought on by the fight and other health factors. ... Roger Penske's 14 Indy 500 wins as a car owner is almost three times as many won by the second-most successful owner Lou Moore, whose last of five wins came in 1949 with Bill Holland. Besides Penske, active owners with the most wins are A.J. Foyt, Chip Ganassi and Andretti Green with two each.

Danica Patrick is popular but not favorite in Indy 500

One website lists her odds to win at 8-1, which puts her in tie as the fifth choice.

Leave it to Las Vegas oddsmakers to put Danica Patrick's recent victory into perspective heading into today's 92nd Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Patrick, who will start fifth, is listed at 8-1 for today's race, according to Bodoglife.com. Solid odds but not good enough to put Patrick into the role as favorite.

That title goes to Scott Dixon, who heads into the race as the driver to beat with 11-4 odds. He's followed by Dan Wheldon at 4-1, Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves at 5-1 and Marco Andretti at 8-1.

Odds for Patrick, whose best finish at the 500 was fourth in 2005, are better when it comes to finishing in the top three at 3-1. Dixon tops this list at 10-11, followed by Wheldon at 11-10, Kanaan and Castroneves at 5-4, Andretti at 5-2 and Ryan Briscoe at 11-4.

In head-to-head matchup odds, Patrick is listed at +110 against Andretti (-140), while Dixon is listed at -130 against Wheldon (even).

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Kyle Busch has been made the favorite to win NASCAR's longest race of the season when the circuit's top drivers meet in today's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.

Busch is listed as a 7-2 favorite, followed by Carl Edwards at 11-2, according to Bodoglife.com. Edwards opened the week as this week's race favorite but heavy support for Busch, the Sprint Cup points leader, forced the odds change.

Jimmie Johnson has the third-best odds for today's race at 13-2, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 7-1 and Greg Biffle at 8-1.

latimes.com

Indianapolis 500 Preview

Open wheel racing will try to steal some of the thunder from NASCAR on Sunday, as the most important race of the IRL season, the Indianapolis 500, is set to go at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Dario Franchitti won the rain-shortened Indy 500 last year, but the Scotsman won't be back at the Brickyard this weekend after moving to the NASCAR circuit.

The favorite to capture the checkered flag at Indy on Sunday is another former winner, Dan Wheldon, at 3/1. Wheldon won the 2005 Indy 500, and he is coming off a victory in the RoadRunner Turbo Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway last month.

Following Wheldon on the odds list are Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon, both at 4/1. Castroneves is a two-time Indy 500 champion, having won back-to-back in 2001 and 2002. Castroneves hasn't recorded a victory on the IRL circuit this season, but he has been consistently among the race leaders with two second-place and two fourth-place finishes to sit atop the driver standings.

Dixon will start on the pole Sunday as he attempts to record his first Indy 500 win. Dixon's best career finish at Indy came last year when he ended up second behind Franchitti. Sixteen racers have won the Indy 500 after starting from the pole position, with the last driver to accomplish the feat being Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006.

Of course the driver that will likely receive the most attention at Indy this weekend is Danica Patrick. Patrick finally won her first IRL race earlier this season in Japan, and she'll make her fourth attempt at becoming the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. Two other female drivers also join Patrick in the Indy 500 field, Sarah Fisher and Milka Duno.