2008 Indy 500

[Don]

With the unification of the IRL and Champ cars, should be a good Indy 500. Especially the last day to fill the 33 car starting field now that there are 39 entries.

From MotorSports.com

Indy 500: 39 entries filed for 2008 event
Racing series
INDYCAR
Date
2008-04-11
THREE WINNERS, IMPRESSIVE ROOKIES NAMED TO INDY FIELD
Thirty-nine entries set for 92nd Indianapolis 500

INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, April 11, 2008 -- Three past winners and a talented group of rookies are among the highlights of the 39 entries received for the 92nd Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday, May 25 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The three winners on this year's list are Helio Castroneves (2001-02), Buddy Rice (2004) and Dan Wheldon (2005).

Thirty-two drivers have been named to the 39 entries filed this year for the 33 starting spots in the world's most prestigious auto race, an increase of seven drivers over last year's initial entry list.

The 92nd Indianapolis 500 is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday, May 25 and will be broadcast live by ABC Sports, the IMS Radio Network and XM Channel 144.

Castroneves will attempt to join an elite club by earning his third Indianapolis 500 victory in the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Just eight drivers have won the race three times or more since the inaugural event in 1911.

The famed 2.5-mile oval will open with a flurry of activity Sunday, May 4 on Indianapolis Star Opening Day/Rookie Orientation, as 12 rookies will participate due to the influx of drivers into the IndyCar Series created by the unification of North American open-wheel racing in February. The last time at least 12 rookies started the Indianapolis 500 was in 1997, when 13 first-timers took the green flag.

This year's rookie crop is one of the most impressive in years at Indianapolis. Leading the group is IndyCar Series sensation Graham Rahal, 19, who won April 6 in St. Petersburg, Fla., to become the youngest winner of a major North American open-wheel race. Rahal, the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, will drive the No. 06 Hole in the Wall Camps Dallara/Honda/Firestone for longtime open-wheel stalwart Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing.

Talented champions from Firestone Indy Lights, the premier ladder series for the IndyCar Series, continue to climb to the Indianapolis 500. 2007 series champion Alex Lloyd and 2006 series champion Jay Howard will make their Indianapolis debuts.

Lloyd and Howard join 2002 champion A.J. Foyt IV as past Firestone Indy Lights series champions competing for a starting spot at Indianapolis. Other former Firestone Indy Lights graduates competing at Indy include Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, Hideki Mutoh, Rahal and Marty Roth.

Three women will attempt to race in the Indianapolis 500 for the second consecutive year, as 2005 Chase Rookie of the Year Danica Patrick and popular veterans Sarah Fisher and Milka Duno were named to entries. Fisher will compete as the driver-owner for Sarah Fisher Racing.

Andretti Green Racing filed four entries, more than any other team. Teams filing three entries included 14-time Indy winners Team Penske, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and Vision Racing.

DRIVERS (32)

Former race winners (3): Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002), Buddy Rice (2004), Dan Wheldon (2005).

Former pole winners (4): Helio Castroneves (2003, 2007), Bruno Junqueira (2002), Tony Kanaan (2005), Buddy Rice (2004).

Rookies (12): Enrique Bernoldi, Jay Howard, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alex Lloyd, Mario Moraes, Hideki Mutoh, Franck Perera, Will Power, Graham Rahal, Oriol Servia, E.J. Viso, Justin Wilson.

U.S. born (10): Marco Andretti, Townsend Bell, Ed Carpenter, Sarah Fisher, A.J. Foyt IV, Larry Foyt, Graham Rahal, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Danica Patrick, Buddy Rice.

Foreign born (22): Enrique Bernoldi, Brazil; Ryan Briscoe, Australia; Helio Castroneves, Brazil; Scott Dixon, New Zealand; Milka Duno, Venezuela; Jay Howard, England; Bruno Junqueira, Brazil; Tony Kanaan, Brazil; Alex Lloyd, England; Darren Manning, England; Vitor Meira, Brazil; Mario Moraes, Brazil; Hideki Mutoh, Japan; Max Papis, Italy; Franck Perera, France; Will Power, Australia; Marty Roth, Canada; Tomas Scheckter, South Africa; Oriol Servia, Spain; E.J. Viso, Venezuela; Dan Wheldon, England, Justin Wilson, England.

Youngest: Graham Rahal, 19.

Oldest: Marty Roth, 49.

Most previous starts: Helio Castroneves, 7.