Indy 500 fields strongest lineup in years

INDIANAPOLIS -- Slowly but surely the big boys have returned to Indy.

Today's race will feature the strongest field since 1995, the year before many of the top teams and drivers in the established CART series began a boycott of the Brickyard because of the newly formed Indy Racing League.

"There are at least 15 guys, maybe more, that can win this race," said surprise pole winner Buddy Rice. "It's going to take a near perfect race -- and it's pretty rare when you can run perfect for 500 miles."

It may take perfection with this talented lineup.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing's return to Indy led the way, with Juan Montoya's victory in 2000. Next came the elite Team Penske in 2001, quickly regaining the domination that has given them a record 13 victories here. This year, Fernandez, Rahal Letterman, Patrick and Newman/Haas teams joined their former CART rivals.

"Nobody ever gives you anything at Indianapolis," Penske said, shrugging. "This year, though, it's going to be as difficult as it's ever been because we've got so many good cars and good teams."

Since returning, Penske's team has won three in a row -- two by Helio Castroneves and one by Gil de Ferran. But the team stumbled out of the blocks a bit this year. Castroneves, the 2003 pole-winner, qualified a respectable but disappointing eighth and team newcomer Sam Hornish Jr. 11th.

In the storied history of the 500, the only other car owner to win three in a row was Lou Moore in 1947-49.

Penske's success was a key part of the decision by Hornish to accept the ride left vacant when de Ferran retired last season. The 24-year-old Hornish has two IRL championships and leads the IndyCar Series with 12 race victories. But in four tries at Indy, his best finish has been 14th.

"If I can't win the 500 driving for Roger, I probably can't win it," Hornish said.

Starting behind the leaders should be no handicap for Hornish or Castroneves, who has won from 11th and 13th. De Ferran's victory last year came from 10th.

For a while, there was concern that there wouldn't be enough car-driver combinations to fill the traditional 33-car field. It took all three days of qualifying and some last-minute deals for backup cars and sponsors, but the record of starting at least 33 cars every year since 1948 remained intact.

Former Indy winner Bobby Rahal's team has three entries led by Rice, while Patrick Racing is making its return with two-time Indy winner Al Unser Jr., the most experienced driver in the field with 16 previous starts.

Newman/Haas, still racing full-time in the rival series now known as Champ Car, is back at Indy for the first time since 1995 with Bruno Junqueira starting fourth in the 33-car lineup.

NASCAR regular Robby Gordon will attempt "The Double" again today, racing at Indy then flying to Concord, N.C., to drive 600 more miles in the Coca-Cola 600. It's the third straight year he has tried the feat, but he has yet to complete the entire 1,100 miles.

"We've done it enough now that we've got the travel part down," Gordon said. "I know what I've got to do to be ready physically."