The 92nd Indy 500 Preview: Start Your Engines

After a dramatic month of practice and qualifying, the first unified Indianapolis 500 for 12 years gets underway at midday local time on Sunday.

All the indications are that Ganassi has a comfortable speed advantage and pole-sitter Scott Dixon starts as a strong favourite - but 'favourite' tags and qualifying results historically have little relevance in this race.

It's sustaining that speed over 500 miles while dodging the bullets from incidents, yellows, changing track conditions and potentially also weather interruptions that counts.

Sometimes - such as when Buddy Rice won in 2004 - the fastest driver is quick enough that he can charge back to the front whatever Indy fate throws at him.

But normally pre-race form goes out of the window when the green flag drops and anything can happen in the race - as Dario Franchitti proved when he crossed the line to win in a downpour last year almost six hours after the initial start.

Here is how the field shapes up for what is sure to be another thrilling chapter in the Indy 500's great history ...

ROW 1

#9 Scott Dixon
Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Avg. Speed: 226.366 mph
Total Time: 2:39.0348
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 5
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 2nd - 2007

Had pit strategies and full course yellows been kinder to him, Dixon would have arrived at Indy having won all three oval races in the IndyCar season so far. He's topped more practice sessions than anyone else and clearly has the fastest package at the Speedway this month. But despite being fast enough to have three Indy victories under his belt by now, Dixon is still seeking his first.

#10 Dan Wheldon
Target Chip Ganassi Racing

Avg. Speed: 226.110mph
Total Time: 2:39.2143
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 5
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 1st - 2005

Last year Wheldon came to Indy in the same position Dixon is in now: having dominated the early ovals and as the hot favourite for the 500. However, he not only failed to win the 500, but failed to win again all season. Got things back on track with victory in Kansas last month, and - along with Dixon - has the car to beat.

#6 Ryan Briscoe
Team Penske

Avg. Speed: 226.080mph
Total Time: 2:39.2358
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 2
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 5th - 2007

Briscoe's first Indy 500 appearance - during his troubled Ganassi season in 2005 - was nothing to write home about, but his strong run to fifth on a one-off return with Luczo Dragon Racing last year earned him a career-reviving full-time Penske drive. After a shaky start to the season, he's been rapid at Indy so far.

ROW 2

#3 Helio Castroneves
Team Penske

Avg. Speed: 225.733mph
Total Time: 2:39.4806
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 7
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 1st - 2001 and 2002

Twice a winner and twice a polesitter at Indy, Castroneves still has more 500 victories in him. Last season was his strongest run at IMS since his 2003 runner-up spot, but the rain prevented win number three. By the time Indy starts he will no longer be reigning Dancing with the Stars champion, but he remains amongst the highest-profile drivers in the field.

#7 Danica Patrick
Andretti Green Racing

Avg. Speed: 225.197mph
Total Time: 2:39.8601
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 3
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 4th - 2005

With her groundbreaking first career win still fresh in the memory, this is Patrick's best chance yet to make up for her near-miss in her Indy 500 rookie appearance in 2005. Leading on that occasion kickstarted 'Danica Mania' - a phenomenum that faded only slightly before her Motegi win revived it. Could be AGR's pacesetter this weekend.

#11 Tony Kanaan
Andretti Green Racing

Avg. Speed: 224.794mph
Total Time: 2:40.1463
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 6
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 2nd - 2004

Kanaan's lack of wins at Indy is as anomalous a statistic as his buddy Castroneves' lack of championship titles. Now the veteran of AGR's line-up, Kanaan has always been fast at the Speedway yet never made it to Victory Lane, so a win here is overdue. However, he hasn't been entirely happy with his car in practice.

ROW 3

#26 Marco Andretti
Andretti Green Racing

Avg. Speed: 224.417mph
Total Time: 2:40.4155
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 2
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 2nd - 2006

The Andretti family's fabled bad luck at Indianapolis seems to have spread to the youngest memeber of the legendary racing dynasty. Marco came within inches of winning on his Indy debut in 2006 only to be denied on the line by Sam Hornish Jr, then ended last year upside down. Fast enough to win, if the family curse lifts.

#4 Vitor Meira
Panther Racing

Avg. Speed: 224.346mph
Total Time: 2:40.4663
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 5
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 2nd - 2005

Twice series champions yet never Indy winners, Panther Racing eschewed their normal practice of adding extra cars for the 500 this year to focus solely on 2005 runner-up Meira - and it paid off when he interrupted the Ganassi/Penske/AGR stranglehold to take eighth on the grid. The team look quicker here than at any point in the pre-Indy rounds.

#27 Hideki Mutoh
Andretti Green Racing

Avg. Speed: 223.887mph
Total Time: 2:40.7952
Indy 500 rookie

Honda's latest rising Japanese star is still settling into IndyCars after a fine run to second in what was then known as the Indy Pro Series last year. A crash in practice last week is his only blip so far at Indy, and it came after he had already put the car safely into the top ten. Should aim for a sensible finish.

ROW 4

#10 Ed Carpenter
Vision Racing

Avg. Speed: 223.835mph
Total Time: 2:40.8324
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 4
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 11th - 2005 and 2006

He may be Tony George's stepson, but the ever-improving Carpenter is proving that he owes his place on the grid to much more than nepotism. After a strong start to the season, a maiden podium is a realistic possibility this year, and it would be an emotional day for the family if he managed it on home ground.

#12 Tomas Scheckter
Luczo Dragon Racing

Avg. Speed: 223.496mph
Total Time: 2:41.0767
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 6
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 4th - 2003

In 2007, Jay (son of Roger) Penske's Luczo Dragon team were the big three's closest challengers, and that could well be the case again this year with Scheckter - who dominated until crashing on his Indy debut in 2002 - now on board. More Indy success would help the team achieve their goal of contesting the full 2009 season.

#99 Townsend Bell
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

Avg. Speed: 222.539mph
Total Time: 2:41.7693
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 1
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 22nd - 2006

His runaway Indy Lights title and promising Champ Car debut in 2001 made Bell the rising star of American racing. But since he was sacked by Patrick Racing after a string of crashes the following year, Bell's career has stuttered. A strong top ten finish for underdogs Dreyer & Reinbold at Indy would really help - and is entirely possible.

ROW 5

#06 Graham Rahal
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing

Avg. Speed: 222.531mph
Total Time: 2:41.7753
Indy 500 rookie

Rahal felt he could have been the sole 'transition' driver to make the top 11 on Pole Day, and lambasted his team for not being ready to send him out for a final run after he missed the cut - although he would later apologise. The St Petersburg winner has been impressive all month and has stayed out of the wall so far.

#14 Darren Manning
AJ Foyt Racing

Avg. Speed: 222.430mph
Total Time: 2:41.8486
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 3
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 20th - 2007

Manning's 14th on the grid was one of the stand-out performances of the second qualifying weekend, as the unlikely partnership between this determined Yorkshireman and Texan legend AJ Foyt continues to succeed despite their lack of resources. Indy hasn't been kind to Manning on race day in the past, though.

#18 Bruno Junqueira
Dale Coyne Racing

Avg. Speed: 222.330mph
Total Time: 2:41.9214
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 4
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 5th - 2004

The last time Junqueira was at Indianapolis, in 2005, he left with a broken back after being taken out by the lapped AJ Foyt IV while racing for victory. So to return and qualify in the top half of the field for one of the series' smallest teams is a praiseworthy and very poignant achievement. Expect more giant-killing on race day.

ROW 6

#02 Justin Wilson
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing

Avg. Speed: 222.267mph
Total Time: 2:41.9676
Indy 500 rookie

The man who probably would have been Champ Car champion this year is realistic about his Indy chances and is aiming for a solid top ten finish. But he's also quietly confident about his race pace, having stayed out of trouble and built up speed all month. A strong run at Kansas last time showed Wilson is getting to grips with the big ovals.

#15 Buddy Rice
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

Avg. Speed: 222.101mph
Total Time: 2:42.0885
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 4
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 1st - 2004

Since winning superbly with Rahal Letterman in 2004, Rice has had a rough time at Indy. A practice crash left him sidelined with back injuries in '05, he tangled with Castroneves in '06, and had Marco Andretti land on him last year. All of which means he's due a change of luck, and D&R have looked strong here so far.

#22 Davey Hamilton
Vision Racing

Avg. Speed: 222.017mph
Total Time: 2:42.1498
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 7
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 4th - 1998

Hamilton's ninth place in 2007 - on his first appearance since shattering his legs at Texas in 2001 - was the event's leading feel-good story. This year he's stepped out of the commentary booth again for another shot and has again qualified very respectably for Vision Racing. Another top ten is possible.

ROW 7

#16 Alex Lloyd
Rahal Letterman/Ganassi Racing

Avg. Speed: 221.788mph
Total Time: 2:42.3171
Indy 500 rookie

Ganassi protege Alex Lloyd knows that his guest appearance with Rahal Letterman Racing at Indy could be his only chance to impress all season, but he's made a great start by out-qualifying teammate Hunter-Reay, despite a vicious practice crash. The reigning Indy Lights champion is an outside bet for rookie honours on race day.

#17 Ryan Hunter-Reay
Rahal Letterman Racing

Avg. Speed: 221.579mph
Total Time: 2:42.4701
Indy 500 rookie

Dropping Jeff Simmons and hiring the under-employed Hunter-Reay last summer proved to be a good move by Bobby Rahal, whose team had been drifting since 2005. Hunter-Reay rapidly proved that Champ Car was wrong to discard him so lightly and has revitalised the team. A practice crash hampered his Indy qualifying effort, though.

#24 John Andretti
Roth Racing

Avg. Speed: 221.550mph
Total Time: 2:42.4913
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 8
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 5th - 1991

Temporarily replacing Jay Howard with returning veteran Andretti gave the struggling Roth team a useful experience and sponsorship boost, and ensured that they comfortably made the field. Last year's comeback - after 13 seasons away from open-wheel racing - ended in the wall, so he is hoping for a better race this time.

ROW 8

#67 Sarah Fisher
Sarah Fisher Racing

Avg. Speed: 221.246mph
Total Time: 2:42.7146
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 6
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 18th - 2007

Fisher hoped that her self-run team's Indy debut would lead to more races later in the season, but a major sponsor's non-payment jeopardised the whole programme. Enough associate sponsors stepped up her to keep her on track for the 500, and the fans coming to her garage offering the contents of their wallets showed how popular Fisher remains.

#8 Will Power
KV Racing Technology

Avg. Speed: 221.136mph
Total Time: 2:42.7956
Indy 500 rookie

KV boss Kevin Kalkhoven reckoned Power might even pull off a victory given his initial practice performances, but the Australian found the wall later in the month and did not qualify as well as he had hoped. He expects to stride forward in the race, however, and could challenge Newman/Haas/Lanigan for unofficial 'transition class' honours.

#41 Jeff Simmons
AJ Foyt Racing

Avg. Speed: 221.103mph
Total Time: 2:42.8204
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 3
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 11th - 2007

This one-off outing for AJ Foyt is a chance for Simmons to prove himself again after losing his Rahal drive last summer. The American had a respectable run to 11th at Indy in 2007, but will probably need to achieve more than that if he is to earn another full-time place on the IndyCar Series grid.

ROW 9

#5 Oriol Servia
KV Racing Technology

Avg. Speed: 220.767mph
Total Time: 2:43.0682
Indy 500 rookie

Servia has plugged away under the radar so far this month - not having the accidents and dramas that befell many of his fellow Champ Car converts, but not showing the pace of Junqueira or the N/H/L duo either. He is thrilled to be back at Indy after failing to qualify in 2002, and is a dark horse for a good race result.

#33 EJ Viso
HVM Racing

Avg. Speed: 220.356mph
Total Time: 2:43.3720
Indy 500 rookie

Wheldon reckons Viso is the craziest of this year's horde of newcomers, and his oval initiation has certainly been eventful. The GP2 graduate spun into leader Kanaan in the closing moments at Homestead, and crashed again in practice at Indy before comfortably making the field in his repaired car next day.

#23 Milka Duno
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

Avg. Speed: 220.305mph
Total Time: 2:43.4095
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 1
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 31st - 2007

Duno believes she can take great strides forward as part of Dreyer & Reinbold's multi-car programme this year, having looked out of her depth when representing SAMAX alone in 2007. She's certainly improving this year, but with a massive experience deficit to make up, she still has a long way to go to prove she belongs in IndyCar.

ROW 10

#19 Mario Moraes
Dale Coyne Racing

Avg. Speed: 219.716mph
Total Time: 2:43.8482
Indy 500 rookie

It's not surprising that Moraes has had a few scrapes this year as he tries to make the giant leap from Formula 3 to IndyCars and acclimatise to oval racing all in one go - while driving the second car for one of the series' smallest teams. He did well to qualify at all, and will continue learning in the race.

#36 Enrique Bernoldi
Conquest Racing

Avg. Speed: 219.422mph
Total Time: 2:44.0676
Indy 500 rookie

Good results on the road courses suggest that Bernoldi could have a highly successful second career in America, but oval racing remains very new to him, and his Conquest team have struggled. Staying out of trouble and getting to the finish will be his priorities in the race.

#34 Jaime Camara
Conquest Racing

Avg. Speed: 219.345mph
Total Time: 2:44.1248
Indy 500 rookie

Camara had the unhappy distinction of delivering the first shunt of the month on the second day of rookie practice. He has been unsettled since, and the team briefly pondered handing the car to a more experienced driver for qualifying before he made it onto the penultimate row.

ROW 11

#2 AJ Foyt IV
Vision Racing

Avg. Speed: 219.184mph
Total Time: 2:44.2458
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 4
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 14th - 2007

It's been a fraught month for Vision, beginning with the dismissal of team manager Larry Curry due to rule infractions, and continuing with the catalogue of problems that led to Foyt IV only scraping into the field on Bump Day and then crashing in a non-injurious fireball shortly afterwards. Things can only get better.

#91 Buddy Lazier
Hemelgarn Racing

Avg. Speed: 219.015mph
Total Time: 2:44.3720
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 4
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 14th - 2007

Lazier was the hero of the final moments of Bump Day as he hustled his Hemelgarn entry into the field with a bold late, low downforce, run. It is entirely appropriate that the winner of the first split 500 in 1996 will participate in reunification year, although another win would be the shock of the century.

#25 Marty Roth
Roth Racing

Avg. Speed: 218.965mph
Total Time: 2:44.4096
Career Indianapolis 500 starts: 3
Best career Indianapolis 500 finish: 24th - 2004

If Mario Dominguez hadn't crashed on the final qualifying run of Bump Day, Roth would have been nudged out of the field. Instead he hung on and has a chance to try and reach the finish of an Indy 500 for the first time, having crashed out or withdrawn with handling problems in all his previous appearances.

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