May 24, 2008 - 6:29 AM
0 shoutsMay 25, 2008 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Race 5 of 17 in the 2007 IndyCar Series season
TV: ABC, 12 p.m. EDT
Laps: 200 Track length: 2 1/2 miles Race length: 500 miles
Qualifying record: Arie Luyendyk, 236.986 mph, 1996 Race record: Arie Luyendyk, 185.981 mph, 1990
DRIVERS TO WATCH ----------------
Marco Andretti Team: Andretti Green Racing 2008 Points: 95 (7th)
Started ninth and finished second in 90th Indianapolis 500 in 2006 and earned Chase Rookie of the Year honors; was involved in an accident in last year's race and finished 24th; last season, finished 11th in IndyCar Series standings; recorded career-best six top-five finishes, with best finish of second at Iowa and Michigan; currently sits seventh in the standings; opened the season by running second at Homestead; was 25th at St. Petersburg and 18th at Japan before bouncing back with a fifth at Kansas; starts seventh Sunday.
Ryan Briscoe Team: Team Penske 2008 Points: 72 (16th)
The Australian started seventh and finished fifth in last year's Indianapolis 500 for Luczo Dragon Racing; took over at Penske this season for Sam Hornish Jr., who left the IRL for NASCAR; finished 21st in 2006 IndyCar standings while driving a limited schedule with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing; made four starts that season, finishing career-best third at Watkins Glen in debut with team; also recorded a ninth-place finish at Nashville; finished 19th in 2005 IndyCar standings for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, with a best finish of eighth at Nashville; ran 10th at the 2005 Indy 500; was fifth here last year and starts third on Sunday.
Helio Castroneves Team: Team Penske 2008 Points: 144 (1st)
Opened the year by finishing fourth at Homestead and second in St. Petersburg and Japan; took fourth at Kansas; sits atop the standings, six points ahead of Scott Dixon; finished sixth in the standings last year, 191 points behind champion Dario Franchitti; captured a series-record seven poles last season, but managed to win just once - at St. Petersburg; recorded six top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes last season; in 98 career IRL starts, has 12 wins, 75 top-10s and 24 poles; became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 two years in a row (2001-02) since Al Unser won in 1970 and 1971; is only the fifth driver in Indianapolis 500 history to win in consecutive appearances; finished third in this race last year; starts fourth on Sunday.
Scott Dixon Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing 2008 Points: 138 (2nd)
Opened the season with with a solid win at Homestead, but had mechanical issues at St. Petersburg and finished 22nd; bounced back with thirds in Japan and Kansas; finished as an unlucky runner-up in the 2007 season, 13 points behind Dario Franchitti, after running out of fuel on the final lap of the final race; failed to win an unprecedented fourth straight race at Michigan when he was involved in a spectacular six-car accident that sent Franchitti's car airborne; had four wins last season and was a runner-up five times; bounced back from the DNF at Michigan by finishing second to Tony Kanaan at Kentucky; enjoyed a stretch of three straight wins early in the season; took the checkered flag at Mid-Ohio for his ninth career IndyCar series victory; also won at at Nashville after starting on the pole to became the first repeat winner there; started his winning streak on July 8 at Watkins Glen; finished second to Franchitti at this race last year; start from the pole on Sunday.
Tony Kanaan Team: Andretti Green Racing 2008 Points: 129 (4th)
Ran eighth at Homestead to open the season, but bounced back to claim third place at St. Petersburg, fifth at Japan and second at Kansas; finished 2007 season strong and wound up third in the standings, 61 points behind Franchitti; had a series-best five wins last year - at Motegi, Milwaukee, Michigan, Kentucky and Belle Isle; started second at the Indianapolis 500, but finished a disappointing 12th; finished fourth three times - at Watkins Glen, Richmond and Mid-Ohio; captured pole at Kansas, yet finished 15th last season; won the 2004 IndyCar Series championship; finished second in the 2004 Indy 500 to Buddy Rice; starts sixth on Sunday.
Vitor Meira Team: Panther Racing 2008 Points: 58 (21st)
Finished 12th in IndyCar standings for Delphi Panther Racing, with best finish of fourth at Homestead; recorded three top-five and 10 top-10 finishes last season; led 71 laps at Iowa before retiring from the race because of mechanical failure while leading; still seeking first IndyCar win; had his best season in 2005, when he finished fifth in final standings for Panther with a best finish of second at Watkins Glen and Richmond; opened the season with a 10th at Homestead but has struggled since with an average finish of 19th over last three races; ran 10th at the Indy 500 last year; starts eighth on Sunday.
Danica Patrick Team: Andretti Green Racing 2008 Points: 98 (3rd)
Has become one of the most recognizable female athletes in the United States - especially after winning her first race at Japan in her 50th start; became the first women to win a race in a major auto racing series; followed by finishing 19th at Kansas with mechanical problems; started the season by running sixth at Homestead and 10th at St. Petersburg; posted a second-place finish at Detroit last year; finished seventh in the final standings with four top-fives and 11 top-10s; started second at Sonoma but finished sixth; was involved in an accident and finished 16th at Kentucky; struggled to a disappointing seventh-place finish at Michigan; posted her second consecutive top-five finish with a fifth place showing at Mid-Ohio; took third at Nashville prior to that; ran eighth here last year; starts fifth on Sunday.
Will Power Team: KV Racing Technology 2008 Points: 97 (6th)
The 2006 Champ Car World Series Rookie of the Year finished fourth in the Champ Car standings last year for Team Australia; had wins at Las Vegas and Toronto, and captured poles at Las Vegas, Edmonton, Surfers Paradise and Mexico City; recorded eight top-five and nine top-10s; opened IndyCar season with a 25th at Homestead but bounced back with an eighth at St. Petersburg and won the Champ Car finale at Long Beach; was 27th at Kansas; Australian starts 23rd on Sunday.
Tomas Scheckter Team: Luczo Dragon Racing 2008 Points: 12 (31st)
Finished 10th in IndyCar Series standings for Vision Racing the past two seasons; last year, had a best finish of fifth at Kansas and Kentucky; recorded two top-five and nine top-10 finishes; has run just one race this season, placing 23rd at Kansas; ran seventh in last year's Indy 500; best finish in this race is fourth in 2003 while driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing; finished career-best seventh in IndyCar standings for that season, with five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes; starts 11th on Sunday.
Dan Wheldon Team: Target Chip Ganassi Racing 2008 Points: 135 (3rd)
Kicked off the season by running third at Homestead, 12th at St. Petersburg and fourth in Japan; enters Indy 500 having won at Kansas; finished fourth in the final standings last year with two wins and a pole at Homestead-Miami; recorded six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes; won the 2005 championship with a series-record six victories; last year finished out of the top five for a six-race stretch prior to Detroit; in 82 career starts has 14 wins, 63 top-10s and five poles; finished second in the final standings in 2004 and 2006; won the 89th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 from 16th starting position; ran 22nd in this race last season; starts second behind Dixon on Sunday.
2007 Top 10 ----------- 1. Dario Franchitti (27) 2. Scott Dixon (9) 3. Helio Castroneves (3) 4. Sam Hornish Jr. (6) 5. Ryan Briscoe (12) 6. Scott Sharp (8) 7. Tomas Scheckter (2) 8. Danica Patrick (7) 9. Davey Hamilton (02) 10. Vitor Meira (4)
Past Winners ------------ 2007 Dario Franchitti 2006 Sam Hornish Jr. 2005 Dan Wheldon 2004 Buddy Rice 2003 Gil de Ferran 2002 Helio Castroneves 2001 Helio Castroneves 2000 Juan Montoya 1999 Kenny Brack 1998 Eddie Cheever Jr. 1997 Arie Luyendyk 1996 Buddy Lazier 1995 Jacques Villenueve 1994 Al Unser Jr. 1993 Emerson Fittipaldi 1992 Al Unser, Jr. 1991 Rick Mears 1990 Arie Luyendyk 1989 Emerson Fittipaldi 1988 Rick Mears 1987 Al Unser, Sr. 1986 Bobby Rahal 1985 Danny Sullivan 1984 Rick Mears 1983 Tom Sneva 1982 Gordon Johncock 1981 Bobby Unser 1980 Johnny Rutherford 1979 Rick Mears 1978 Al Unser, Sr. 1977 A.J. Foyt 1976 Johnny Rutherford 1975 Bobby Unser 1974 Johnny Rutherford 1973 Gordon Johncock 1972 Mark Donohue 1971 Al Unser, Sr. 1970 Al Unser, Sr. 1969 Mario Andretti 1968 Bobby Unser 1967 A.J. Foyt 1966 Graham Hill 1965 Jimmy Clark 1964 A.J. Foyt 1963 Parnelli Jones 1962 Roger Ward 1961 A.J. Foyt 1960 Jim Rathmann 1959 Roger Ward 1958 Jim Bryan 1957 Sam Hanks 1956 Pat Flaherty 1955 Bob Sweikert 1954 Bill Vukovich 1953 Bill Vukovich 1952 Troy Ruttman 1951 Lee Wallard 1950 Johnnie Parsons 1949 Bill Holland 1948 Mauri Rose 1947 Mauri Rose 1946 George Robson 1945 no race 1944 no race 1943 no race 1942 no race 1941 Floyd Davis/Mauri Rose 1940 Wilbur Shaw 1939 Wilbur Shaw 1938 Floyd Roberts 1937 Wilbur Shaw 1936 Louis Meyer 1935 Kelly Petillo 1934 William Cummings 1933 Louis Meyer 1932 Fred Frame 1931 Louis Schneider 1930 Billy Arnold 1929 Ray Keech 1928 Louis Meyer 1927 George Souders 1926 Frank Lockhart 1925 Peter DePaolo 1924 L.L. Corum/Joe Boyer 1923 Tommy Milton 1922 Jimmy Murphy 1921 Tommy Milton 1920 Gaston Chevrolet 1919 Howard Wilcox 1918 no race 1917 no race 1916 Dario Resta 1915 Ralph DePalma 1914 Rene Thomas 1913 Jules Goux 1912 Joe Dawson 1911 Ray Harroun
