With all of the centennial celebrations now over, there was significantly less hype heading into this year's Indy 500 than there has been in a little while. It even extended to qualifying. Only 33 cars entered, so qualifying amounted to little more than setting the starting positions. Although, it did feature that scary accident where Sebastian Bourdais broke his hip and pelvis.
But there's still something about Indy that just gives you that rush. They call it the "Greatest Spectacle In Racing" for a reason. And it really is the highlight of what always is the greatest DAY in racing. It starts in Monaco with one of the biggest Formula 1 races and ends at Charlotte with the Coca-Cola 600. All three are staples of Memorial Day Weekend (even though Memorial Day has absolutely no significance in Monaco), but Indy's the one that I always make a point to watch every year.
Speaking of the race at Monaco, there's a full-time F1 driver skipping that race so he can race at the Brickyard instead. And Fernando Alonso ended up qualifying fifth. He's not a "rookie" in the same sense Alexander Rossi was last year, but Alonso making it back-to-back rookie winners doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility.
Although, you can't count out Rossi turning the same trick as Helio Castroneves and going 2-for-2 in his first two trips to Indy, either. His win last year was a surprise. To see him defend wouldn't be. He's starting third on the outside of a front row that includes pole-sitter Scott Dixon, who looked really good in qualifying, and Ed Carpenter, who somehow always ends up with a front-row starting position. You'd have to think one of these years he'll turn his great solo runs in qualifying/practice into a great Indy 500. That would be really cool. He's an Indianapolis native.
Rossi and Dixon are two of the seven former winners in the race, and they seem to be in the best position to put their face on the Borg-Warner Trophy for a second time. Tony Kanaan did make it into the "Fast Nine," though, and we all know how much success he's had at Indy throughout his career. Ryan Hunter-Reay will be right behind him, but I think Juan Pablo Montoya is starting too far back to be a factor. Likewise, I'm not sure this is the year Helio becomes the fourth four-time winner. Buddy Lazier is the seventh former winner, but he's simply just another driver in the race at this point in his career.
For some reason, I don't think we're going to see a former winner make his way to Victory Lane again. There are so many good drivers that have come close recently, and I think one of them is poised for a breakthrough. Sorry, Andretti faithful, I don't think Marco's going to be that guy. They say about Indy that "the track decides who wins," and she's made it perfectly clear time and again that she doesn't want an Andretti to win.
J.R Hildebrand knows all about that whole "the track decides who wins" thing. He had the lead around the final turn at his 2011 debut, only to hit the wall and finish second behind the late Dan Wheldon. Carlos Munoz probably feels the same way. He's finished second twice, including last year, when Rossi had just enough gas left to cross the line first.
The driver I'm picking, though, is Will Power. He's the best driver in the field that's yet to win Indy, although he did take second behind Montoya two years ago. Power's remarkably consistent. He's starting ninth, which is actually his worst position since 2009, when he also started ninth. Oh, and Power's placed in the top 10 in each of the last three years (and five times in his career). The smart money's on Dixon, the pole-sitter and IndyCar Series points leader. But I like Power, who already has a win at Indianapolis this month to his credit (on the road course inside the oval).
A total of 70 different drivers took the checkered flag over the first 100 runnings of the Indianapolis 500. Will we see the 71st as Indy begins it second century? If we do, will Power be that guy? Or will it be someone else? Or will one of the seven former winners in the race make it two? Or three (Montoya)? Or four (Helio)?
One thing we do know for certain. The track is going to decide. And she's not going to make it easy. The Bourdais injury was a reminder of that. Hopefully Race Day won't be as eventful. We'll take competitive, though. Somebody's gonna earn it. Which is the way it should be.
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