INDYCARNATION

Competitive field: 40 entries for the '500'

By Dave Lewandowski

20 Apr 2010

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Helio Castroneves has been asked since the morning after winning his third Indianapolis 500 in ’09 if there’s pressure for a record-tying fourth. In an Alfred E. Newman tribute, he replies “What, me worry?”

“I’m asked if I feel more pressure because I could match the all-time record of wins. But it’s not pressure; it’s positive anticipation,” says Castroneves, whose won all three in the No. 3 Team Penske car.
He’ll have 39 other competitors vying for the 33 starting spots May 22-23. The entry list includes four past winners, four IZOD IndyCar Series champions and five Firestone Indy Lights champions for the May 30 race.
Seventy-eight cars comprise the 40 entries. It’s the second consecutive year with 40 entries -- the most since 2002. It’s also the seventh consecutive year in which the number of entries has climbed or held steady.
Castroneves (2001-02, 2009) leads the list of past winners, which also includes Scott Dixon (2008), Dario Franchitti (2007) and Dan Wheldon (2005). Castroneves will attempt to join A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears as four-time winners.
“It’s an amazing and challenging place. It’s magical,” said Castroneves, who is testing April 21-22 along with teammate Ryan Briscoe at Kansas Speedway for the May 1 Road Runner Turbo Indy 300.
IZOD IndyCar Series champions include Dixon (2003, 2008), Franchitti (2007, 2009), Tony Kanaan (2004) and Wheldon (2005). Also entered are Firestone Indy Lights champions Jay Howard (2006), Alex Lloyd (2007), Raphael Matos (2008) and A.J. Foyt IV (2002). Other recent Firestone Indy Lights graduates on the entry list include Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, Hideki Mutoh, Mario Romancini and Sebastian Saavedra.
Fifteen of the 34 drivers named to entries have won at least one race in either IZOD IndyCar Series or Champ Car World Series competition. Four women could start in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time -- Danica Patrick, Milka Duno, Sarah Fisher and Simona De Silvestro.
Pole Day on May 22 will feature 24 of the 33 spots being filled, with the fastest nine cars from the 11 a.m.-4 p.m. session returning a half-hour later for a 90-minute shootout for the PEAK Performance Pole Award presented by AutoZone and the other eight positions on the grid. The remainder of the field will be filled on Bump Day (May 23). Opening Day is May 15.
“We’ll probably work four times harder to accomplish our goal, but we know how to do it,” Castroneves said.” The biggest race in the world is being made even more exciting – I can’t to go for win number four.”
Former race winners (4): Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009), Dan Wheldon (2005), Dario Franchitti (2007), Scott Dixon (2008).
Former pole winners (4): Bruno Junqueira (2002), Helio Castroneves (2003, 2007, 2009), Tony Kanaan (2005), Scott Dixon (2008).
Rookies (6): Bertrand Baguette, Simona De Silvestro, Jay Howard, Mario Romancini, Sebastian Saavedra, Takuma Sato.
Youngest: Sebastian Saavedra, 19.
Oldest: Davey Hamilton, 47.
Most previous starts: John Andretti, 10.
 

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