Totally essential facts about the 101st Indianapolis 500 drivers
Scott Horner- 101st Indy 500: noon Sunday, ABC (tape delayed at 7 p.m. in Indianapolis area)
Here's a row-by-row look at the field for the 101st Indianapolis 500, how the drivers have fared in the race and something you might not know about them.
With car number, driver name, team, engine make and qualifying speed:
ROW 1
9. Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda, 232.164 mph
Why he has a chance: He won the 2008 race and has 40 career wins in the series, the most among active drivers.
Indy record: He also has two runner-up finishes and has 10 top 10s in 14 starts.
Where's the top step?: Dixon has been on the podium a lot this year, but he doesn't have a win: 3rd, 4th, 2nd, 5th and 2nd (35th career runner-up finish). (And, of course, there's this little tidbit from Sunday night.)
20. Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet, 231.664
Why he has a chance: He knows how to drive fast here with pole positions in 2013 and '14.
Indy history: In 13 starts, he has three top-10 finishes.
Of course he's a Hoosier, but ...: He's a member of the Hulman-George family, he grew up around the Speedway, he loves the Butler Bulldogs. There's just one little thing: He was born in Paris, Ill., just across the state line from Terre Haute.
98. Alexander Rossi, Andretti Herta Autosport w/ Curb-Agajanian, Honda, 231.487
Why he has a chance: Remember last year?
Indy history: He was the first rookie to win the race since Helio Castroneves in 2001. Rossi played the fuel game just right in the 100th Indy 500.
Comfort and practicality: Rossi was asked for his website whether he prefers current or classic cars. "New! History isn't my favorite subject and air conditioning comes in handy."
ROW 2
26. Takuma Sato, Andretti Autosport, Honda, 231.365
Why he has a chance: He has the best racing package of his career and by far his best starting spot here (10th was his previous best).
Indy history: In seven starts, his best finish is 13th (in 2013 and '15).
Multisport athlete: Sato was a champion cyclist when he was young. As an adult, he has become an avid golfer.
29. Fernando Alonso, McLaren-Honda-Andretti, Honda, 231.300
Why he has a chance: Never say a two-time Formula One champion can't win.
Indy history: None. He took his first test at the Speedway on May 3. He has been steady throughout the month.
International interest: Local fans might not get a thrill out of Alonso's drive here, but they're definitely paying attention around the world. His initial test was viewed by millions.
21. JR Hildebrand, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet, 230.889
Why he has a chance: He has led the race with half the front straight to go.
Indy history: He crashed on the final of 800 turns as a rookie in 2011 and finished second. In five other starts, has finishes of 6th, 8th and 10th.
He knows what he's talking about: He has been an adjunct lecturer in Stanford University’s vehicular dynamics program. That role came after he participated in an Audi man-vs.-autonomous car test.
ROW 3
10. Tony Kanaan, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda, 230.828
Why he has a chance: He won the 2013 race. He finished 4th the past two years, moving up from starting positions of 26th and 18th.
Indy record: He also has a runner-up finish and two thirds. If he leads a lap this year, he will tie A.J. Foyt's record of leading a lap in 13 races. He's making his 16th start.
Iron man: The key to his record of 270 consecutive starts? It can't hurt that he's an avid triathlete. And this may not be connected, but he was once an inline skating instructor.
27. Marco Andretti, Andretti Autosport w/ Yarrow, Honda, 230.474
Why he has a chance: He's rarely off pace here, and he has been consistently near the top in practice.
Indy history: He narrowly missed winning as a rookie in 2006, finishing second. He also has three third-place finishes. This is his 12th start.
Come on over: Remember when Kurt Busch drove the Indy 500 as Andretti's teammate? Busch recently said he'd love to see Andretti in a stock car. "Marco is a talented kid," Busch said.
12. Will Power, Tam Penske, Chevrolet, 230.200
Why he has a chance: With 30 IndyCar wins, including in this year's IndyCar Grand Prix, he knows the territory.
Indy record: He was the runner-up in 2015 and is making his 10th start.
Family matters: He has three brothers. One is a comedian, another a choreographer/break dancer and the third an accountant.
ROW 4
28. Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport, Honda, 231.442
Why he has a chance: He's an Indy 500 and IndyCar champion, and he has run well in practice.
Indy history: He won the 2014 race after finishing third the year before. This is his 10th start.
Please forgive him, Colts and Pacers fans: A native Floridian, he lists his favorite teams as the Miami Dolphins (especially Dan Marino) and Miami Heat.
19. Ed Jones, Dale Coyne Racing, Honda, 230.578
Why he has a chance: Hey, a rookie won from the 11th starting spot last year.
Indy history: None in the IndyCar Series, but he raced on the oval the past two years in Indy Lights.
Your first guess would be wrong: Where is Jones from? He lives in Miami and his parents are British, but he was born in United Arab Emirates.
16. Oriol Servia, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda, 230.309
Indy history: He has a best finish of fourth in 2012. This is his ninth start.
IndyCar history: He has one win as part of 51 top-five finishes. This is his 200th career start.
Shocker: Servia was stunned by fellow Spaniard Fernando Alonso entering the race. "I thought it was the most shocking news in motor sports in 30 years," he said.
ROW 5
7. Mikhail Aleshin, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Honda, 230.271
Indy record: Two starts, with a best finish of 21st as a rookie in 2014.
IndyCar record: Two second-place finishes, including at Pocono last year. His 2014 season ended with a serious crash at Fontana.
Tough season: His best finish this year in five starts is 10th.
15. Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda, 230.253
Indy history: He has finishes of third (2011) and fifth ('15). He's making his 10th start.
IndyCar history: He has four race wins, including one at Texas last year in which he led only the last lap. He moved up from a start of 20th to finish 6th in the IndyCar Grand Prix.
O-H-I-O: Don't get him started on Ohio State sports. He's a superfan.
8. Max Chilton, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda, 230.068
Indy record: 15th as a rookie last year.
IndyCar record: He's in his second full season at Ganassi. His best finish this year was 7th in the IndyCar Grand Prix.
Just a bit outside: The left-handed Brit threw a ceremonial first pitch at a recent Indianapolis Indians game. He tweeted he didn't "know throwing a ball was so hard."
ROW 6
83. Charlie Kimball, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda, 229.956
Why he has a chance: He has been a strong performer at Indy, on the oval and road course.
Indy history: He finished fifth last year and third in 2015. He also had two other top-10 finishes, and all of these are on starts from the fifth row or deeper.
What can your steering wheel do?: Kimball's steering wheel includes the bells and whistles that all drivers have, plus a glucose monitor that's wirelessly connected to his body. He's a Type 1 diabetic.
5. James Hinchcliffe, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Honda, 229.860
Why he has a chance: He knows about running up front. He won at Long Beach, Calif., this season, his fifth career IndyCar checkered flag.
Indy record: He has two top-10 finishes and three front-row starts, including from the pole last year.
Nimble feet: Hinchcliffe was runner-up on a recent season of "Dancing with the Stars." He considers it a "pretty impressive feat for someone who sits for a living."
22. Juan Pablo Montoya, Team Penske, Chevrolet, 229.565
Why he has a chance: He can adapt to any car setup on any track in a hurry.
Indy history: He has two wins in four starts, as a rookie in 2000, and in '15.
Now he's a coach: The 41-year-old doesn't drive much anymore, but he's busy guiding his not-quite-teenage son Sebastian in karting.
ROW 7
3. Helio Castroneves, Tam Penske, Chevrolet, 229.515
Why he has a chance: He won the race in 2001, '02 and '09. He is trying to become the fourth four-time race winner.
Indy record: Other than those wins, he has two runner-up finishes (2003, '14). He's making his 17th 500 start. He's the only driver with more than $10 million in career earnings.
What a coincidence it would be: He is seeking his fourth win at age 42. A.J. Foyt, the first four-time race winner, earned that distinction at age 42.
77. Jay Howard, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, Honda, 229.414
Indy history: He finished 30th in 2011.
IndyCar history: A dozen races, but none since 2011.
Next generation: Howard is heavily involved with driver development, starting at the karting level. He helps prospects with brand development as well as driving skill.
24. Sage Karam, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, Chevrolet, 229.380
Indy history: He made quite an impression as a 19-year-old rookie, finishing ninth. He was involved in early crashes the past two years.
IndyCar history: He drove in 12 races in 2015. This is the third year in which the Indy 500 is his only scheduled series race.
Wearing it on his 'sleeve': So 'obsessed' with winning the race, Karam got the wing-and-wheel Speedway tattoo on his right arm over the winter. His father initially didn't approve, but he got over it.
ROW 8
2. Josef Newgarden, Tam Penske, Chevrolet, 228.501
Why he has a chance: He finished third last year and has since moved to Roger Penske's powerful operation.
Indy record: He has two top-10s after not finishing better than 15th in his first three starts.
He'll try any sport once: He's willing to tackle an "American Ninja Warrior" course, NFL Scouting Combine drills, slam dunk contests and ceremonial first pitches.
1. Simon Pagenaud, Tam Penske, Chevrolet, 228.093
Why he has a chance: He posted his first victory on an oval earlier this year at Phoenix.
Indy record: Best finish of eighth, and has finished every lap but one in five starts.
What a character: Because he is French, he gets the nickname "Jean Gerrard," a character in "Talladega Nights." Not certain how he says, "Ricky Bobby."
14. Carlos Munoz, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet, 227.921
Why he has a chance: Few drivers have adapted to the Speedway as easily as Munoz.
Indy record: He was runner-up as a rookie in 2013 and also last year. Also has a fourth-place finish. Not bad for someone with four starts.
About that 2013 race: It was his IndyCar debut and he became the youngest front-row starter in race history at age 21.
ROW 9
88. Gabby Chaves, Harding Racing, Chevrolet, 226.921
Indy history: Two starts, finishing 16th and 20th.
IndyCar history: This is his first start this year and 24th overall.
By a nose: Chaves lost the 2013 Freedom 100 Indy Lights at the Speedway by inches in a race that finished almost four abreast. He won the next year by making a pass at the start/finish line.
4. Conor Daly, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet, 226.439
Indy record: His best finish in three starts is 22nd as a rookie in 2013.
IndyCar record: He's in his second full-time season with his second team. He finished second at Detroit last year.
What else would he do?: The Noblesville native is the son of international racer Derek Daly, and his stepfather, Doug Boles, is president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
50. Jack Harvey, Michael Shank Racing w/Andretti, Honda, 225.742
Indy history: He's a rookie, but he won the Indy Lights race here in 2015.
IndyCar history: This is his debut.
Quite a project: Harvey is renovating a 1947 International Harvester pickup truck.
ROW 10
63. Pippa Mann, Dale Coyne Racing, Honda, 225.008
Indy history: Her 18th-place finish last year is her best in five starts.
IndyCar history: 15 career starts.
She provides technical assistance: Mann is the primary insider source for author Tammy Kaehler, who writes novels about racer and sleuth Kate Reilly.
11. Spencer Pigot, Juncos Racing, Chevrolet, 224.052
Indy record: He finished 25th as a rookie last year.
Double dipping: He has driven for Ed Carpenter Racing on road/street courses in place of the team owner. He's on board for the fledgling Juncos Racing team here.
It's like rooting for the Yankees: He's a fan of the Manchester United in the English Premier League.
44. Buddy Lazier, Lazier Racing Partners, Chevrolet, 223.417
Indy history: He won the 1996 race and has two runner-up finishes among his 19 starts.
IndyCar history: He started in 1990 and has eight career wins.
Be his guest: He helps manage a hotel in Vail, Colo. His father, Bob, and brother, Jaques, both veteran racers, are essential to the family business.
ROW 11
17. Sebastian Saavedra, Juncos Racing, Chevrolet, 221.142
Indy history: Five starts with a best finish of 15th in 2014.
IndyCar history: He has 61 starts over six seasons. This is his first race in the series since 2015.
Best moment turns sour in a hurry: Saavedra won his only IndyCar pole for the inaugural road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, his engine didn't fire from a standing start, and he got smashed from behind before he got started.
40. Zach Veach, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet, 221.081
Indy history: None in the IndyCar Series, but he has competed here in Indy Lights.
IndyCar history: One race. He finished 19th in Alabama last month.
Author, author: In 2010 at age 15, he wrote the book, “99 Things Teens Wish They Knew Before Turning 16.”
18. James Davison, Dale Coyne Racing, Honda, DNR
Indy history: He has two starts, with finishes of 16th and 27th.
IndyCar history: It's his fifth start.
It's not the way he wanted to get into the race: He's replacing Sebastien Bourdais, who crashed in first-day qualifying. Davison didn't get a chance to drive until qualifying was complete, so his qualifying spot is in the back.