There are ten* Indy 500 veterans (CLICK HERE to see the rookies and veterans who participated in the Rookie Orientation Program) who have a great chance to win the 2012 Indy 500. Let's count them down and find out who will kiss the bricks and drink the milk!
10. J.R. Hildebrand (Chevrolet - Panther Racing)
There's no better way to start the list of potential winners in the field this year than by starting with the guy who led the race with just a couple hundred yards left. Yes, the rookie Hildebrand ended up on the wrong side of what many call the greatest finish in the history of the Indy 500. But I remember something from nine years ago, when Dan Wheldon (who won at the expense of Hildebrand last year) was just a rookie. Wheldon ran a great race, but got loose late in the race, hit the wall hard, and flipped. I said right there that we'd see Wheldon win the Indy 500. He did, twice. Last year, after Hildebrand drove his wounded car over the start/finish line still in second place, I said the same thing: Hildebrand will have his chance. He'll find his way to Victory Lane someday, possibly in 2012.9. Takuma Sato (Honda - Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing)
Sato is coming off of his first career podium in Sao Paulo. He's shown great promise so far this year, but that's on the road/street circuits, which comes back from his success in F1 many years ago. However, his oval experience has skyrocketed this last year. He qualified 10th in the 500 last year and on the front row on two ovals later in the year (New Hampshire and Iowa). He's on a roll, he's got a good shot!8. Mike Conway (Honda - A.J. Foyt Racing)
With Andretti Autosport having problems last year, Conway ended up not making the field for the 100th Anniversary Running of the Indy 500. The year before that, he ended the race in a disintegrated car after launching into the catch fence. He's got a good ride again heading into the Month of May with A.J. Foyt Racing. Good enough to win? We'll find out! 7. Ryan Hunter-Reay (Chevrolet - Andretti Autosport)
RHR is currently fourth in the points, a consistent driver, race in and race out. His Indy 500 history hasn't been great since his 6th place finish in his rookie year, including wrecking with Conway in 2010 and getting bumped with Conway in 2011 (though he did get to ride in Bruno Junqueira's car after getting bumped). He's too consistent and too strong of a driver this year not to be taken as a threat at Indy.6. Marco Andretti (Chevrolet - Andretti Autosport)
0.0635 seconds. That's all you need to say about Marco Andretti and his chances at Indy. That 2nd place finish in his rookie 2006 (in the second closest finish in 500 history), combined with 3rd place finishes in 2008 and 2010, shows the strength of the young man from Nazareth. He's yet to have a top ten finish in the 2012 season, but he's still an Andretti at Indianapolis. Can the Andretti curse end?5. Ryan Briscoe (Chevrolet - Team Penske)
Such a great racer, especially on ovals. He's qualified 7th or better in four Indy 500s in his career. However, in the last four years while with Team Penske, his best finish was 15th. He hasn't won a race in nearly two years, so he's more than due. He's on the strongest team (four poles - including one of his own, four wins) with the strongest engine. We'll see how the Team Penske success so far this year translates to the ovals.4. James Hinchcliffe (Chevrolet - Andretti Autosport)
Not like the young Canadian had big shoes to fill or anything when he jumped into the GoDaddy.com Andretti Autosport car. He's done insanely well filling those shoes, with a 3rd place, 4th place, and two 6th place finishes. He finished 29th last year at Indianapolis with Newman/Haas, but has shown improvement with each and every time he's taken the track in the IndyCar Series. Chevy power again with a great chance to reach victory lane, Hinch is a fan favorite and an odds-on favorite as well.3. Graham Rahal (Honda - Chip Ganassi Racing)
Started 4th and 7th in 2009 and 2010. Finished 12th in 2010 and 3rd in 2011 (after starting 30th that year). He knows what to do at Indianapolis. It's tough, though, as he's the top car in the secondary team for Chip Ganassi Racing. After the last couple of years watching him race, though, I think it's very likely to see another Rahal drinking the milk. He could easily make a pole run as well, even with Honda power.2. Will Power (Chevrolet - Team Penske)
Two poles and three victories this year. Nothing new Will Power. He's always a dominating presence on the road and street courses. However, he's not nearly as dominant on the ovals. He does have three top ten starts and two top ten finishes at the Brickyard, though. So he does have experience and does know how to go fast at Indianapolis. He's had some bad luck here as well. If he wants to make a legit run at the series championship, he needs to have a big Month of May. That's not out of the question at all.1. Tony Kanaan (Chevrolet - KV Racing Technologies)
The fan favorite. He's had a rough year so far, but is beginning to bounce back. TK has always been a force at Indy, but has had rough luck each year. I mean, just look year by year: - 2002 - Leads 23 laps but spins in unseen oil and is knocked out. 2003 - Starts 2nd, finishes 3rd, unable to keep up with Team Penske.
- 2004 - Rain shortened race holds him back from making a run at the lead down the stretch.
- 2005 - Sits on pole for the first time ever, leads 54 laps, but falls back with strategy problems and is a non-factor.
- 2006 - Leading on lap 183, still needing a splash-and-go, gets to make the stop under yellow with 9 laps left. He loses the lead, gets blocked by a teammate, and drops to 5th.
- 2007 - Leading the race on lap 113 when the rain comes. After a three hour delay, the race resumes. Late in the race on a restart, he runs into the back of a slower car and spins into pit lane, and finishes 12th.
- 2008 - Leads a lap for his seventh straight race, but then as he's being passed by his teammate Marco Andretti, he gets pushed into the marbles and crashes.
- 2009 - Drive shaft failure while running third on lap 98.
- 2010 - Qualifying issues, he ends up starting 33rd, but climbs through the field. He's in second and catching leader Dario Franchitti with four laps left, but needs to make a quick splash-and-go, finishes 11th.
- 2011 - Pit stop issues dropped him back to 24th, but he charges up to 2nd before pitting with 20 laps left, finishing 4th.
* Oriol Servia (Honda - Dryer & Reinbold / Panther)
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| This was Servia's paint scheme so far this year, but will likely be different with his new team. |
NOTE: All images courtesy of IndyCar.com
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