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Scheduled Event

(IRL) Indianapolis 500

May 25, 2008 12:00 PM EDT
Indianapolis Motor Speedway

[Open Thread] Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis Motor Speedway)

Sharks_tiny by Diecast Dude on

First, the starting lineup:

IndyCar Series
92nd Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 25, 2008
STARTING LINEUP

SP CAR YR DRIVER CAR NAME C/E/T TIME SPEED
Row 1
1 9 5 Scott Dixon Target Chip Ganassi Racing D/H/F 2:39.0348 226.366
2 10 5W Dan Wheldon Target Chip Ganassi Racing D/H/F 2:39.2143 226.110
3 6 2 Ryan Briscoe Team Penske D/H/F 2:39.2358 226.080
Row 2
4 3 7W Helio Castroneves Team Penske D/H/F 2:39.4806 225.733
5 7 3 Danica Patrick Motorola D/H/F 2:39.8601 225.197
6 11 6 Tony Kanaan Team 7-Eleven D/H/F 2:40.1463 224.794
Row 3
7 26 2 Marco Andretti Team Indiana Jones presented by Blockbuster D/H/F 2:40.4155 224.417
8 4 5 Vitor Meira Delphi National Guard D/H/F 2:40.4663 224.346
9 27 R Hideki Mutoh Formula Dream D/H/F 2:40.7952 223.887
Row 4
10 20 4 Ed Carpenter Menards/Vision Racing D/H/F 2:40.8324 223.835
11 12 6 Tomas Scheckter Symantec Luczo Dragon Racing D/H/F 2:41.0767 223.496
12 99 1 Townsend Bell Dreyer & Reinbold William Rast Racing D/H/F 2:41.7693 222.539
Row 5
13 06 R Graham Rahal Hole in the Wall Camps D/H/F 2:41.7753 222.531
14 14 3 Darren Manning ABC Supply Co./AJ Foyt Racing D/H/F 2:41.8486 222.430
15 18 4 Bruno Junqueira Z-Line Designs D/H/F 2:41.9214 222.330
Row 6
16 02 R Justin Wilson McDonald's Racing Team D/H/F 2:41.9676 222.267
17 15 4W Buddy Rice Dreyer & Reinbold Racing D/H/F 2:42.0885 222.101
18 22 7 Davey Hamilton Hewlett-Packard/KR Vision Racing D/H/F 2:42.1498 222.017
Row 7
19 16 R Alex Lloyd Rahal Letterman with Chip Ganassi D/H/F 2:42.3171 221.788
20 17 R Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman Racing Team Ethanol D/H/F 2:42.4701 221.579
21 24 8 John Andretti Roth Racing D/H/F 2:42.4913 221.550
Row 8
22 67 6 Sarah Fisher Sarah Fisher Racing D/H/F 2:42.7146 221.246
23 8 R Will Power Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia D/H/F 2:42.7956 221.136
24 41 3 Jeff Simmons ABC Supply/Foyt Racing D/H/F 2:42.8204 221.103
Row 9
25 5 R Oriol Servia Angie's List Special D/H/F 2:43.0682 220.767
26 33 R E.J. Viso PDVSA HVM Racing D/H/F 2:43.3720 220.356
27 23 1 Milka Duno CITGO/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing D/H/F 2:43.4095 220.305
Row 10
28 19 R Mario Moraes Sonny's Bar-B-Q D/H/F 2:43.8482 219.716
29 36 R Enrique Bernoldi Sangari Conquest Racing D/H/F 2:44.0676 219.422
30 34 R Jaime Camara Sangari D/H/F 2:44.1248 219.345
Row 11
31 2 4 A.J. Foyt IV Lilly Diabetes/Vision Racing D/H/F 2:44.2458 219.184
32 91 15W Buddy Lazier Hemelgarn Johnson D/H/F 2:44.3720 219.015
33 25 3 Marty Roth Roth Racing D/H/F 2:44.4096 218.965


2008 33-Car Field Average: 222.302 mph
2007 33-Car Field Average: 222.505 mph  (Difference: -0.203 mph)
Legend: R=Indianapolis 500 Rookie (11). W=Past Indianapolis 500 Winner (4).
Chassis Legend: D=Dallara.
Engine Legend: H=Honda.
Tire Legend: F=Firestone.

Setting aside the personal side of this race for me, a semi-logical look a things states the Target boys (Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon) are clear favorites.  They've had the fastest cars throughout the month in both qualifying and practice, and they both have the skill set needed to persevere for the race's duration.  Certainly there are several others more than capable of winning, but the calm Kiwi and the brash Brit have the target on them in more way than one.

The other names (besides The Name) to look for are the usual suspects in open wheel oval racing: Helio Castroneves, Tony Kaanan, Marco Andretti.  Don't discount Vitor Meira finally notching his first IRL win at the Grand Kahuna of them all.  As to The Name, yes Danica has a solid shot at winning.  That said, if I see one more interview with her parents, who have made a cottage industry out of being good examples of prime examples of obnoxious overbearing sidelines parents... ah well.  Enough of sounding like Pope John Daly I, the least important individual with the most grotesquely over-inflated self of importance in all of sports, let along racing, blogging.  Besides, if I'm going to discuss the broadcast and broadcasters as being important -- which they're not; their job when done well is being informative and staying out of the race's way -- I'd rather focus on the all-important debate: who's cuter: Brienne Pedigo or Shannon Spake?  And are there equivalents thereof among the male reporters?

Comments will be in the Comments section.

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Starting Lineup: 2008 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis Motor Speedway)

Sharks_tiny by Diecast Dude on

IndyCar Series
92nd Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 25, 2008
STARTING LINEUP

SP    CAR    YR    DRIVER    CAR NAME    C/E/T    TIME    SPEED
Row 1
1    9    5    Scott Dixon    Target Chip Ganassi Racing    D/H/F    2:39.0348    226.366
2    10    5W    Dan Wheldon    Target Chip Ganassi Racing    D/H/F    2:39.2143    226.110
3    6    2    Ryan Briscoe    Team Penske    D/H/F    2:39.2358    226.080
Row 2
4    3    7W    Helio Castroneves    Team Penske    D/H/F    2:39.4806    225.733
5    7    3    Danica Patrick    Motorola    D/H/F    2:39.8601    225.197
6    11    6    Tony Kanaan    Team 7-Eleven    D/H/F    2:40.1463    224.794
Row 3
7    26    2    Marco Andretti    Team Indiana Jones presented by Blockbuster    D/H/F    2:40.4155    224.417
8    4    5    Vitor Meira    Delphi National Guard    D/H/F    2:40.4663    224.346
9    27    R    Hideki Mutoh    Formula Dream    D/H/F    2:40.7952    223.887
Row 4
10    20    4    Ed Carpenter    Menards/Vision Racing    D/H/F    2:40.8324    223.835
11    12    6    Tomas Scheckter    Symantec Luczo Dragon Racing    D/H/F    2:41.0767    223.496
12    99    1    Townsend Bell    Dreyer & Reinbold William Rast Racing    D/H/F    2:41.7693    222.539
Row 5
13    06    R    Graham Rahal    Hole in the Wall Camps    D/H/F    2:41.7753    222.531
14    14    3    Darren Manning    ABC Supply Co./AJ Foyt Racing    D/H/F    2:41.8486    222.430
15    18    4    Bruno Junqueira    Z-Line Designs    D/H/F    2:41.9214    222.330
Row 6
16    02    R    Justin Wilson    McDonald's Racing Team    D/H/F    2:41.9676    222.267
17    15    4W    Buddy Rice    Dreyer & Reinbold Racing    D/H/F    2:42.0885    222.101
18    22    7    Davey Hamilton    Hewlett-Packard/KR Vision Racing    D/H/F    2:42.1498    222.017
Row 7
19    16    R    Alex Lloyd    Rahal Letterman with Chip Ganassi    D/H/F    2:42.3171    221.788
20    17    R    Ryan Hunter-Reay    Rahal Letterman Racing Team Ethanol    D/H/F    2:42.4701    221.579
21    24    8    John Andretti    Roth Racing    D/H/F    2:42.4913    221.550
Row 8
22    67    6    Sarah Fisher    Sarah Fisher Racing    D/H/F    2:42.7146    221.246
23    8    R    Will Power    Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia    D/H/F    2:42.7956    221.136
24    41    3    Jeff Simmons    ABC Supply/Foyt Racing    D/H/F    2:42.8204    221.103
Row 9
25    5    R    Oriol Servia    Angie's List Special    D/H/F    2:43.0682    220.767
26    33    R    E.J. Viso    PDVSA HVM Racing    D/H/F    2:43.3720    220.356
27    23    1    Milka Duno    CITGO/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing    D/H/F    2:43.4095    220.305
Row 10
28    19    R    Mario Moraes    Sonny's Bar-B-Q    D/H/F    2:43.8482    219.716
29    36    R    Enrique Bernoldi    Sangari Conquest Racing    D/H/F    2:44.0676    219.422
30    34    R    Jaime Camara    Sangari    D/H/F    2:44.1248    219.345
Row 11
31    2    4    A.J. Foyt IV    Lilly Diabetes/Vision Racing    D/H/F    2:44.2458    219.184
32    91    15W    Buddy Lazier    Hemelgarn Johnson    D/H/F    2:44.3720    219.015
33    25    3    Marty Roth    Roth Racing    D/H/F    2:44.4096    218.965


2008 33-Car Field Average: 222.302 mph
2007 33-Car Field Average: 222.505 mph  (Difference: -0.203 mph)
Legend: R=Indianapolis 500 Rookie (11). W=Past Indianapolis 500 Winner (4).
Chassis Legend: D=Dallara.
Engine Legend: H=Honda.
Tire Legend: F=Firestone.

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