The field is set for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 30. The 2.5-mile oval has a full field of 33 of the best racers in the world. That includes plenty of former winners as well as some speedy newcomers. Chip Ganassi Racing looks to be the class of the field with all four of their cars in the top nine spots. Which driver will be able to outlast the others in this 200-lap race and add their name to history?
2021 Indy 500 Lineup
This year’s field has plenty of star power throughout the 33-car grid. Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske, two historic race teams in the history of IndyCar each have four cars in the field. There are also several drivers looking to add to the legacy of their last names, including Marco Andretti, who is back to try to end his family’s drought that stretches back to 1969.
Row One: Scott Dixon #9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (pole), Colton Herta #26 Andretti Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Honda (2nd), Rinus VeeKay #21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevy (3rd)
Row Two: Ed Carpenter #20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevy (4th), Tony Kanaan #48 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (5th), Alex Palou #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (6th)
Row Three: Ryan Hunter-Reay #28 Andretti Autosport Honda (7th), Helio Castroneves #06 Meyer Shank Racing Honda (8th), Marcus Ericsson #8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (9th)
Row Four: Alexander Rossi #27 Andretti Autosport Honda (10th), Ed Jones #18 Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser Sullivan Honda (11th), Pato O’Ward #5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevy (12th)
Row Five: Pietro Fittipaldi #51 Dale Coyne Racing with RWR Honda (13th), Felix Rosenqvist #7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevy (14th), Takuma Sato #30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda (15th)
Row Six: James Hinchcliffe #29 Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport Honda (16th), Scott McLaughlin #3 Team Penske Chevy (17th), Graham Rahal #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda (18th)
Row Seven: Conor Daly #47 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevy (19th), Jack Harvey #60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda (20th), Josef Newgarden #2 Team Penske Chevy (21st)
Row Eight: JR Hildebrand #1 AJ Foyt Racing Chevy (22nd), Santino Ferrucci #45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda (23rd), Juan Pablo Montoya #86 Arrow McLaren SP Chevy (24th)
Row Nine: Marco Andretti #98 Andretti Herta-Haupert with Marco & Curb Agajanian Honda (25th), Simon Pagenaud #22 Team Penske Chevy (26th), Sebastien Bourdais #14 AJ Foyt Racing Chevy (27th)
Row 10: Stefan Wilson #25 Andretti Autosport Honda (28th), Max Chilton #59 Carlin Chevy (29th), Dalton Kellett #4 AJ Foyt Racing Chevy (30th)
Row 11: Sage Karam #24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevy (31st), Will Power #12 Team Penske Chevy (32nd), Simona De Silvestro #16 Paretta Autosport Chevy (33rd)
Welcome to race week.#ThisIsMay | #Indy500 pic.twitter.com/HGZ5AaKLl6
— Indianapolis Motor Speedway (@IMS) May 24, 2021
Previous Indy 500 winners
This year’s field features plenty of former Indianapolis 500 winners. Tony Kanaan, the winner in 2013 returns for another crack at the crown and there are a pair of winners for Andretti Autosport in Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014) and Alexander Rossi (2016). Team Penske leads all teams in wins at Indy overall, including a win with two of its four drivers this year in Will Power (2018) and Simon Pagenaud (2019). Scott Dixon’s lone victory in the 500 came in 2008. Veterans Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002 and 2009) and Juan Pablo Montoya (2000 and 2015) are back for another attempt while Takuma Sato not only fulfilled a dream by winning this event in 2017, but he won the 2020 edition as well. The Japanese ace is back to defend his crown.
Who is the favorite to win the 2021 Indy 500?
The 2021 Indy 500 features plenty of big names. Scott Dixon and Chip Ganassi Racing are off to a strong start this season, leading the standings after five races. The six-time series champion will have a great shot rolling off from the pole position. Team Penske has lacked the speed so far this season and has yet to reach victory lane. Perhaps their best hope this year is Josef Newgarden, third in the standings after two seconds and a fourth in the first five races, while rookie Scott McLaughlin has made an impressive start to his IndyCar career.
Indy 500 Betting odds
Here are the betting odds for the top contenders for the Indy 500, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook:
Scott Dixon +330
Colton Herta +750
Patricio O’Ward +800
Alexander Rossi +1300
Josef Newgarden +1300
Alex Palou +1600
Tony Kanaan +1700
Graham Rahal +1800
Rinus VeeKay +1800
Takuma Sato +2000
Simon Pagenaud +2200
Marcus Ericsson +2500
Ed Carpenter +2800
Ryan Hunter-Reay +2800
Will Power +3000
Juan Pablo Montoya +3200
Scott McLaughlin +3200
Helio Castroneves +4200
Conor Daly +5000
Felix Rosenqvist +5000
Marco Andretti +5000
Santino Ferrucci +5000
It was a good day for the No.48 driver @TonyKanaan in the @AmericanLegion car! The veteran driver was just .2 tenths off the lead time of the day by teammate Scott Dixon. Hear from TK after his qualifying run!#TK48 | #INDY500 pic.twitter.com/4rYklAbCL7
— CGR IndyCar (@CGRindycar) May 22, 2021
How to bet on the Indy 500
Like most racing, there are plenty of options to bet on in the Indianapolis 500. Those options include betting on the winner in a money line bet, on a driver for a top-three or top-ten finish, or other props such as the manufacturer of the winning car.
Indy 500 2021 Predictions – Top Indy 500 picks
The Hondas of Chip Ganassi Racing have been fast, while the Chevrolets will be trying to make something happen. Scott Dixon is the +330 favorite, but he has gone winless in the last 13 runnings of the Indianapolis 500. Dixon showed plenty of speed throughout practice and qualifying, and Ganassi looks to be the class of the field this year. Four cars give them a good chance, but Dixon has the best chance, and starting on the pole makes him a solid choice for a win on Sunday.
Colton Herta has been on a roll to start the 2021 season. He was the top qualifier for Andretti Autosport and will start second. Herta was able to earn a win at the second race of the season at. St Petersburg. He has not had that great of luck in his prior starts in this great race, but his eighth-place finish in 2020 showed promise. If he can keep his nose clean, Herta is a great bet for a possible podium on Sunday.
Scott McLaughlin, a rookie 27-year-old from New Zealand, has made a strong start with Team Penske, not looking out of place alongside his three teammates, who are all championship-winning drivers, with Simon Pagenaud and Will Power also former Indianapolis 500 winners. Roger Penske is the winningest owner when it comes to Indianapolis and McLaughlin is a great longshot bet at +3200.
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