50-Word Previews for the 2022 Indianapolis 500

Because the 106th Indianapolis 500 approaches, 33 of the most effective racers on the planet put together to tackle the problem of 200 laps across the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Let’s check out every of the 33 rivals by their beginning place, however preview them with not more than 50 phrases.

Scott Dixon: Dixon’s automobile has been quick all through follow, resulting in his fifth pole at Indianapolis. Dixon solely has one victory within the huge race, however with all the Chip Ganassi Racing automobiles close to the entrance, the New Zealander has a variety of automobiles round him he can belief.

Alex Palou: After ending second final 12 months within the Best Spectacle in Racing, Palou went on to grow to be the primary Spanish racer to win the IndyCar championship. No Spanish racer has ever received the Indianapolis 500, however Palou might grow to be the primary with the correct circumstances.

Rinus VeeKay: The subsequent era’s flying Dutchman, VeeKay is driving in his third 500 for Ed Carpenter Racing. The 2018 Indy Professional 2000 champion turned the quickest lap of the month at 234.702 mph throughout his Saturday (Could 21) qualifying run, so he is aware of the way to go quick across the Brickyard.

Ed Carpenter: The Hometown Hero has a brand new position in his eponymously-named crew as a part-time driver in a 3rd automobile for the crew. Carpenter has wowed the gang with quick qualifying runs however hasn’t completed higher than second in 2018. This might be Carpenter’s nineteenth Indianapolis 500.

Marcus Ericsson: The Swedish racer has a brand new outlook on ovals after a mentality shift with race engineer Brad Goldberg. Ericsson completed third at Texas Motor Speedway in March and is wanting towards the ovals to enhance his championship probabilities after ending sixth in final 12 months’s IndyCar factors with common oval outcomes.

Tony Kanaan: The 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner has partnered with Chip Ganassi Racing once more, serving to the crew get 4 of the primary six beginning positions. The 2004 IndyCar champion has a fantastic automobile, however numerology is towards him. Kanaan has began sixth on two events, crashing each occasions (2008 and 2009).

Pato O’Ward: Successful at Barber Motorsports Park gave O’Ward momentum for a championship cost when he arrived in Indianapolis, however the 2020 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the 12 months completed nineteenth on the GMR Grand Prix. O’Ward’s automobile was quick on the primary day of qualifying, so be careful for him late.

Felix Rosenqvist: The Swedish racer certified third on the primary day of qualifying, however the center of the third row isn’t unhealthy for the previous Chip Ganassi Racing driver. Rosenqvist completed sixth on the GMR Grand Prix, so let’s see if his highway course efficiency will carry over to the oval.

Romain Grosjean: After operating Gateway final season, Grosjean is operating each IndyCar race this season and certified ninth for his first Indianapolis 500. The Swiss-born Frenchman 

Takuma Sato: The 2-time Indianapolis 500 winner has had one of many quicker automobiles throughout Indianapolis 500 follow. After his first qualifying run was disallowed for interference, Sato certified once more, brushing the wall on one lap however nonetheless retaining the automobile going. Sato could be fiercely aggressive late within the race.

Will Energy: The 2018 Indianapolis 500 was the ending of a magical month for the 2014 IndyCar Collection champion. Energy begins eleventh and enters the race as the present factors chief with finishes of third and fourth throughout all 5 races this season. With some changes, Energy might be up entrance.

Jimmie Johnson: The seven-time NASAR Cup Collection champion has a variety of consideration after his brush with the wall throughout follow and his save throughout qualifying. Johnson completed sixth at Texas in March, so expectations are excessive for the California native. A prime 10 end might be superb for Johnson.

David Malukas: Malukas has had a really quick automobile and is a contender for Rookie of the 12 months. The Chicago native has an excellent quantity of Highway to Indy expertise and completed second in factors final season in Indy Lights. Persistence might be key for Malukas who crashed on Carb Day.

Josef Newgarden: The 2017 and 2019 IndyCar Collection champion had his qualifying time reinstated by INDYCAR after it rained throughout his second try on the primary day of qualifying. Newgarden’s finest end at Indianapolis is third in 2016 after beginning second. He joined Group Penske the next 12 months.

Santino Ferrucci: The 2019 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the 12 months is in Dreyer and Reinbold Racing’s second entry and qualifying fifteenth has paid dividends to the part-time crew. Ferrucci has three top-seven finishes at Indianapolis and may have a neater time shifting up based mostly on his beginning place.

Simon Pagenaud: In his first Indianapolis 500 with Meyer Shank Racing, Pagenaud might be beginning sixteenth within the two-car effort. The 2019 Indianapolis 500 winner completed second on the GMR Grand Prix and eighth at Texas in March, so the Frenchman can actually end nicely on race day.

JR Hildebrand: The 2011 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the 12 months completed second that 12 months and leads A. J. Foyt Racing’s three-car effort on race day. Hildebrand is operating the ovals for the No. 11 entry whereas Tatiana Calderon runs the highway and avenue programs and completed 14th at Texas.

Conor Daly: Daly is the lowest-qualified automobile at Ed Carpenter Racing, however the Noblesville, IN native led essentially the most laps in final 12 months’s 500 and completed fifth on the GMR Grand Prix. Daly has been the goal of a number of pranks this month, however is wanting ahead to race day.

Callum Ilott: The 2020 Method 2 Champion drives for Juncos Hollinger Racing, a single automobile crew that’s making their first full season of IndyCar racing this 12 months. Ricardo Juncos’s crew has impressed, advancing to the second spherical of qualifying on the two most up-to-date highway course races.

Alexander Rossi: The 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner is in a contract 12 months with Andretti Autosport and has not had an excellent string of luck since his final win at Highway America in 2019. Rossi has a variety of automobiles to go, however he began thirty second in 2018, ending 4th that 12 months.

Graham Rahal: The son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal is in his fifteenth try to win the Best Spectacle in Racing. Bobby was 33 at his win, Graham is 33 now. The Rahal Letterman Lanigan crew had a few of the quickest automobiles final 12 months, so be careful for his or her technique.

Sage Karam: Karam was the very best gainer final 12 months, beginning thirty first and ending seventh. This 12 months the 2013 Indy Lights champion begins twenty second after making a second qualifying run on the primary qualifying day. Karam was affected person final 12 months, let’s see how that carries over to this 12 months.

Marco Andretti: Andretti’s first qualifying run had points with Takuma Sato’s on observe mishap and the engine’s plenum exploding, inflicting a lack of energy. Andretti’s hoping for no weirder happenings and that the Andretti Curse is lastly damaged 30 years after his father Michael misplaced the race after dominating.

Devlin DeFrancesco: After a lower than perfect begin of the season, DeFrancesco has made it by means of Could with out incident, which is just about good for a rookie. DeFrancesco has an oval win within the Highway to Indy at Gateway, however IndyCar is a really totally different beast than Indy Professional 2000.

Colton Herta: The GMR Grand Prix winner had an engine failure on his warmup lap earlier than his qualifying run. After an engine change, the Andretti Autosport crew acquired Herta on observe to qualify twenty fifth in a stout ninth row. Herta is in a backup automobile after a terrifying Carb Day accident.

Scott McLaughlin: McLaughlin received the opening race of the 2022 season at St. Petersburg and practically received at Texas earlier than teammate Newgarden acquired round him within the closing nook. McLaughlin misplaced out on of venture to extend his beginning place, however the three time Supercars champion is hoping his Texas kind returns.

Helio Castroneves: Castroneves received his fourth Indianapolis 500 final 12 months, however this 12 months there are extra automobiles in entrance of the Brazilian as the sphere goes to the inexperienced flag. Castroneves is in the identical automobile he received with in 2021 that was broken on the IMS Open Check in April.

Kyle Kirkwood: The Florida native has received championships on three ranges of the Highway to Indy and already has one prime 10 end this season at Lengthy Seashore. Kirkwood has two skilled teammates to assist him, however given his kind at Texas earlier than crashing, Kirkwood needs to be high-quality.

Dalton Kellett: Kellett’s finest end in IndyCar competitors is twelfth at Gateway in 2021. The Canadian was fairly stable on ovals within the Highway to Indy however hasn’t completed higher than twenty third within the 500 in 2021.

Juan Pablo Montoya: Two 500 victories didn’t assist Montoya qualify higher, however the Colombian was very bullish at media day about having an excellent automobile for race day. Montoya ran the GMR Grand Prix and was within the prime 10 earlier than falling out with a late crash.

Christian Lundgaard: The primary Danish driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 will begin thirty first after a ninth place end on the GMR Grand Prix earlier on Could. Lundgaard certified fourth in his IndyCar debut final August on the IMS highway course and is wanting ahead to his second oval race.

Jack Harvey: Harvey practically received the 2018 Indianapolis 500 however pitted for gasoline with a handful of laps remaining. Harvey has switched groups this 12 months to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and his finest end this 12 months is thirteenth on two events. Harvey received the 2015 Freedom 100 for Indy Lights at IMS.

Stefan Wilson: The youthful brother of the late Justin Wilson led late in 2018 earlier than pitting the identical lap as Jack Harvey for gasoline. A number of groups banded collectively to assist the DragonSpeed/Cusick Motorsports operation get their entry on observe regardless of not turning a lap in qualifying due to a mechanical failure.

The 106th Indianapolis 500 is Sunday, Could 29 airing dwell on NBC beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET.

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