The 1992 Indianapolis 500 noticed 10 former winners begin the race – however none of them received it. The very best-placed former winner that day was four-time Indy victor Al Unser Sr of Crew Menard, who managed to coax the notoriously fast-but-fickle Buick engine previous the chequered flag. He was 10 seconds behind the winner, his son Al Unser Jr, who received for Crew Galles by holding off Scott Goodyear’s Walker Racing entry by simply zero.043 seconds – the race’s closest ever end.
Current information that Ryan Hunter-Reay and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will unite for this yr’s 500 brings the tally of former winners entered for the Memorial Day Weekend basic to 9. And maybe extra so than in 1992, all earlier victors taking part in 2023 have the potential to star. However of those that have already sipped, slurped and splashed the milk on the Speedway, who’s more than likely to repeat on 28 Could this yr? Let’s take them in reverse order.
Ryan Hunter-Reay
Crew: Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
Engine: Chevrolet
2014 winner
2021 was Ryan Hunter-Reay’s 12th and ultimate season with Andretti Autosport. Now he is making his IndyCar return.
Picture by: Barry Cantrell / Motorsport Images
It’s virtually a self-generated cliché by this author to explain Dennis Reinbold’s workforce as the perfect of the Indy 500 one-off squads, and it’s turn out to be more and more meaningless as so many have dropped away over the previous few years. However DRR additionally usually outperforms the ‘Indy-only’ entrants run by full-time IndyCar groups… and even the full-time drivers within the full-time groups!
For instance, in 2021, Sage Karam struggled for pace in his DRR automobile throughout qualifying, but rose from the again row to complete the race in seventh after a flawless efficiency from workforce and driver. Final yr, Santino Ferrucci certified 15th and completed 10th, which means he began forward of the whole Andretti Autosport workforce, each Meyer Shank automobiles, and a Penske. He then completed forward of all of the Penske automobiles and all however one of many Andretti automobiles.
Over the previous few years, the thought has occurred to many – perhaps to Reinbold himself – that DRR is just a confirmed winner away from scoring a high three. And that driver may properly be Hunter-Reay.
“I used to be extremely interested in the truth that DRR is a streamlined program that places all of its vitality into the month of Could,” stated Hunter-Reay, placing a constructive spin on the truth that the workforce will all the time face an uphill battle in opposition to those that are within the IndyCar Sequence race in, race out. However his logic isn’t flawed, and neither is Reinbold’s in hiring the 2014 500 winner. If the automobile is sweet sufficient, a few acclimatisation runs ought to see him again on tempo, and it could be no shock to see the #23 DRR machine qualify within the first 4 rows. Thereafter? Each workforce and driver have confirmed over time that they’ll make robust progress on race day.
Crew: Meyer Shank Racing
Engine: Honda
2019 winner
The Pagenaud-Meyer Shank face a tall order to battle for Indy 500 glory this yr
Picture by: IndyCar Sequence
Simon Pagenaud has turn out to be famend for benefiting from what he’s received on the Speedway, and whereas there should be instances when he misses the nurturing of former race engineer Ben Bretzman at Team Penske, Pagenaud can really feel assured in Garrett Mothersead, one other engineer who has conquered the 500.
Pagenaud is meticulous in observe. He is aware of precisely how his automobile ought to really feel for it to work in soiled air or working by itself, on quite a lot of traces, and in numerous climate and observe circumstances. That’s what allowed him to climb by way of the pack from 26th to 3rd in 2021, and had the race been the Indy 505 on that event, he may properly have claimed his second Indy win in three years.
Alternatives to tug off these back-to-front performances are uncommon today, so it’s turn out to be more and more vital for a driver to qualify properly – and Pagenaud has confirmed he can try this, too, when the automobile is correct: other than his pole in 2019, he has certified within the first three rows on 4 different events.
The query marks over his means to win in 2023 encompass whether or not the Meyer Shank crew can beat the likes of Ganassi, Penske and Arrow McLaren below the duress of a yellow-flag pitstop, and whether or not the MSR workforce and its technical associate Andretti Autosport have caught up with Ganassi when it comes to generic set-up.
Crew: Meyer Shank Racing
Engine: Honda
2001, ’02, ’09, ’21 winner
Castroneves proved it’s succesful to take down the large names in IndyCar in 2021
Picture by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
Helio Castroneves’ bubbly and fluorescent persona outdoors the cockpit belies the cool and rational man who analyses his method across the Speedway every Could, taking the excessive line he discovered from former mentor Rick Mears and utilizing it routinely throughout observe, qualifying and the race. Certainly, Castroneves spends a lot time crossing from excessive line to low line and again once more, throughout the wake of the automobiles in entrance, it’s little marvel that by race time, he’s absolutely conscious of how his automobile will react with clear air on the correct facet, clear air on the left facet, or zero clear air on both facet. He made his climb from 27th to seventh final yr look comparatively straightforward.
Famously, Castroneves has received the race 4 instances – and completed an in depth runner-up on three different events. However much less appreciated is the truth that in 22 makes an attempt on the 500, he has crashed out of simply two. If you need your automobile to finish 200 laps, he’s a rattling good guess.
Reservations over his final potential this yr are much like these surrounding his team-mate Pagenaud. However then, Castroneves was not at all favorite to attain his fourth win a dozen years after his third. But when it mattered, there he was, capable of out-drive and out-think an immensely gifted driver, Alex Palou, in a superior automobile.
Crew: Crew Penske
Engine: Chevrolet
2018 winner
Penske made nice positive factors final yr, however can it do the identical to succeed in the frontrunners?
Picture by: IndyCar Sequence
In his first 11 Indianapolis 500s for Penske, between 2009 and 2019, Will Energy by no means began outdoors the primary three rows and had a qualifying common of 5.1. Since then, issues have taken a tumble: in qualifying trim, the Penske automobiles had been mediocre in 2020, dreadful in ’21 and nothing particular final yr. So his qualifying common over these three years has been 21.7.
Regardless of his record-setting tally of 68 pole positions, Energy has but so as to add an Indy 500 P1 to his resume. But when he had been to lastly obtain it this yr, the vast majority of the joy he felt can be based in his reduction that Penske – and Chevrolet – had been again on the tempo at Roger Penske’s holy floor. Then he and the workforce would really feel the stress of needing to maximise the chance.
That has been the #12 workforce’s speciality over the previous yr or so, with strategist Ron Ruzewski, race engineer Dave Faustino and Energy himself all proving to be very shrewd operators throughout the entire IndyCar season. However on the Speedway particularly, is that this 18-time profitable workforce again at a degree the place it could actually beat all-comers for outright tempo? Inconceivable to inform at this stage. Penske made higher positive factors in pace at Indy between 2021 and 2022 than another workforce, however the apparent caveat is that it was coming from a spot it ought to by no means have inhabited – its most woeful nadir because the workforce didn’t qualify for the 1995 version.
Penske’s drivers have acknowledged the workforce’s main focus over the winter was on reaching the entrance of the pack for Indy, however except Chevrolet has a very superior product to Honda at Speedway speeds, it’s onerous to think about Penske making up its deficit to Ganassi over the previous three years.
Crew: Arrow McLaren
Engine: Chevrolet
2013 winner
This yr’s Indy 500 can be Kanaan’s ultimate race in US single-seaters
Picture by: IndyCar Sequence
There can be many pretending to have one thing of their eye when Tony Kanaan is launched to a deafening bellow from the gang on 28 Could. For the Brazilian veteran has determined that that is the tip of the highway for him in US open-wheel racing.
It’s acceptable it ought to come at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In a type of quirks of destiny that we have now come to affiliate with the observe, a driver who grew to become well-known for misfortune whereas in a front-running (Andretti Inexperienced Racing /Andretti Autosport) automobile lastly captured the race of his desires in a KV Racing entry in 2013, after a manic race. Through the years, that end result has come to be considered much less of an oddity – Kanaan is a type of drivers who can rise to the event at Indy, made evident by his third-place end final yr for Ganassi.
Now he’s getting the chance to log off in one other probably the most fascinating seats on the market, the additional entry from Arrow McLaren. And if he’s a tad rusty from now not participating in different IndyCar races … properly, it didn’t present final yr and is unlikely to indicate this yr. Kanaan’s sheer dedication and the standard of the Arrow McLaren workforce ought to make the #66 entry probably the most formidable. If Chevy has regained the bottom it has misplaced over the previous three years on the one true superspeedway left on the IndyCar schedule, and offering he makes it to the closing levels, anticipate TK to be within the shootout within the ultimate stint.
Crew: Chip Ganassi Racing
Engine: Honda
2022 winner
The defending Indy 500 winner faces a giant problem from inside Ganassi to maintain his crown
Picture by: IndyCar Sequence
Marcus Ericsson’s zapping of compatriot Felix Rosenqvist and Pato O’Ward within the ultimate stint of final yr’s Indianapolis 500 displayed the expertise of a person completely in tune together with his automobile, who had been saving his greatest for final. When he then additionally saved his composure throughout the purple flag interval and knew precisely the place to put his automobile to fend off O’Ward within the ultimate shootout, we noticed a person in tune with the race, and possessing the self-confidence to observe by way of. The astuteness that makes Ericsson a robust racer on highway and avenue programs was put to full use on the best race of all of them.
His race engineer Brad Goldberg believes that the information he can get the job completed on racing’s greatest stage will make Ericsson nonetheless extra assured in ’23, and it’s onerous to dispute that line of pondering. Goldberg additionally says that Ericsson is a robust contributor to the workforce debriefs, his analytical thoughts loving the truth that the quantity of observe time for the 500 permits him to delve into the actually high quality particulars, weigh up choices, and examine and distinction set-ups together with his team-mates.
Profitable the opening race of this IndyCar season may have bolstered the ex-System 1 driver’s self-belief nonetheless additional, no matter the truth that it got here on a avenue course. With 4 wins for Chip Ganassi, together with one at Indy, Ericsson has earned his place with one of many best IndyCar groups of all time. The one purpose he’s positioned fourth on this rating is a query mark over how aggressive he can be if the 500 got here right down to a three- or four-way scrap together with his team-mates within the closing levels of the race. It’s one factor to make incisive and onerous passes in opposition to drivers from a rival workforce, fairly one other to take those self same dangers if duelling with Scott Dixon, Palou or Takuma Sato. And given Ganassi’s superiority on the Brickyard over the previous three years, an all-CGR scrap for honours within the ultimate stint is just not an outlandish idea.
Crew: Arrow McLaren
Engine: Chevrolet
2016 winner
Rossi, Indy 500 winner as a rookie, will make his first begin on the race with out Andretti
Picture by: IndyCar Sequence
Alexander Rossi has at the least twice delivered extra convincing Indy 500 performances than the one which netted him victory, as a rookie, in 2016. That stated, his shock first win in IndyCar was an amazing instance of a driver accepting he didn’t know all of it and didn’t have all of the information handy, and due to this fact listening to his strategist, Bryan Herta. Rossi saved gas like he was an outdated hand at oval racing, eliminating the necessity for a splash-and-dash within the closing moments. He got here dwelling the victor, rolling throughout the yard of bricks at 137mph on his 200th and ultimate lap.
Nonetheless, whenever you consider Rossi on the 500, keep in mind additionally the courageous restarts on chilly tyres in 2018 when he scorched his method from the again row (attributable to a sluggish puncture on his qualifying run) to complete fourth. Or the resolve to drive wherever and in every single place on the observe to make up for his Honda’s deficit to the Chevy of chief Pagenaud in 2019. And his medical drive to fifth in 2022, outclassing all his Andretti Autosport team-mates.
This can be Rossi’s first 500 outdoors of the Andretti ‘household’, and whereas he’ll miss sure parts of being with a confirmed Indy-winning workforce he referred to as dwelling for seven years, having a race engineer like Craig Hampson and the ever-improving Arrow McLaren outfit in his nook greater than compensates. Certain, a lot of Rossi’s competitiveness will depend upon the Ilmor-developed Chevrolet engines being those to beat when it comes to horsepower and gas consumption. If that’s the case, then whereas we anticipate Ed Carpenter Racing to be the strongest of the Chevrolet groups in qualifying, Arrow McLaren is prone to be main the Bowtie brigade come race day. And sure, that even consists of Penske. That’s how good this workforce has turn out to be, and that’s why Rossi’s transfer there can be justified in the end.
Takuma Sato
Crew: Chip Ganassi Racing
Engine: Honda
2017 and ’20 winner
2020 Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato is introduced with the Child Borg-Warner Trophy
Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images
He’s adept at making sensible strikes, however Chip Ganassi could have pulled off a masterstroke by hiring Takuma Sato for 2023. The 46-year-old Japanese is reaching the tip of his open-wheel racing profession however he has nonetheless received what it takes to triumph on the Speedway. He has received the race with two totally different groups – Andretti Autosport and Rahal Letterman Lanigan. And in addition two very totally different automobile configurations – producer aerokit, and common aerokit with aeroscreen. In between these two victories, he additionally tore by way of the sphere after a nasty pitstop to clock a third-place end. Whether or not it’s beginning on the entrance and staying there, or clicking off passes from a midfield place, Sato can ship.
His expertise and really feel for ovals can be helpful to Ganassi at April’s open check on the Speedway and through observe in Could, whereas the drivers are attempting the elevated vary of set-ups allowed by IndyCar’s expanded vary of aero changes for 2023. Sato can be as methodical because the workforce in honing the quickest automobile attainable. Put that form of driver within the quickest workforce at IMS in current instances, and provides him entry to the info that helps make these Ganassi automobiles so ‘snug’ in site visitors and adaptable to fluctuations of wind and temperature, and you’ve got a potent mixture.
Then throw within the huge expertise of race engineer Eric Cowdin: he’s somebody recognized for fine-tuning his automobiles based on driver suggestions quite than taking an opportunity on an edgy nightmare of a automobile in pursuit of the ultimate ten-thousandth of a second. With Sato proving remarkably open and versatile (by veteran requirements) to attempting new concepts, it’s onerous to think about this pair received’t provide you with an absolute weapon of a automobile. At which level there could also be just one driver who can cease Taku from incomes a 3rd visage on the Borg-Warner Trophy…
Scott Dixon
Crew: Chip Ganassi Racing
Engine: Honda
2008 winner
Dixon has suffered merciless luck on the Indy 500 since his 2008 triumph
Picture by: IndyCar Sequence
It may be tougher to recollect now that he’s a six-time champion, however Scott Dixon, together with Energy, was once Destiny’s fall man within the IndyCar Sequence championship, his desires typically squashed by a metaphorical boot descending from out of nowhere, as within the opening credit to Monty Python’s Flying Circus. It may very well be mechanical points, fumbled pitstops, methods gone improper based on when the cautions fell, wipe-outs by overambitious rivals – no matter it was, it could occur to Dixon, leaving him on the again foot within the title race. Within the final decade, he’s made up for that, it’s honest to say, which is why he is just one title away from matching AJ Foyt’s document.
However on the subject of the month of Could, the gods have remained resolute of their disregard for Ganassi #9 since its dominant efficiency 15 years in the past. Take simply the final three years for instance. We are going to by no means know if Sato on a ‘full lean’ engine setting to make the requisite gas mileage might have held off Dixon in 2020, had not the full-course warning flown for a late shunt that noticed the race finish below yellow. Nor do we all know if Dixon would have received in ’21, had not a crash on pitlane and subsequent yellow prevented him from making his first cease on schedule. His Honda grew to become starved of gas and proved reluctant to re-fire even as soon as topped up, costing the Kiwi a lap. After which final yr, he was 1mph too quick on pitlane and needed to serve a drive-through penalty, on a day when Ganassi’s 5 automobiles amassed 163 laps on the entrance of the sphere, of which 95 had been led by Dixon.
However on the premise of ‘carry on knocking on the door of alternative and ultimately it can open’, the time has certainly come for Dixon to realize that second Indy 500 winner’s ring. He’s taken 5 Indy pole positions, together with the final two, and there’s no purpose to anticipate the Ganassi workforce to be something lower than devastatingly quick once more this Could.
They are saying the Speedway owes nothing to anybody, however Dixon, like Parnelli Jones within the ’60s, certainly deserves yet one more sip of milk.
Who will come out on high this Could?
Picture by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
