XSL Speed Reporter's Countdown to Indy Day 20: Indy 500 Entry List

With 20 days left before one of 33 qualified open wheel drivers drinks from the milk bottle of triumph, noise is only starting to rush over the 2.5 mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In honour of the upcoming Indianapolis 500 this May 30th, XSL Speed Reporter will devote itself to including at least one new post relating to this major event on the 2010 motorsport landscape.

Below, I have compiled an entry list of the IZOD IndyCar Series teams striding to first make the field for the 500 mile race at the Brickyard. While cable TV channel Speed reported 40 entries, my review of material has so far only turned up 39 entrants. This is still a far improvement from last year where it was a struggle to make it to just 33 cars. A number of factors are playing a part in the larger contention including a 33% drop in the cost of Honda racing engines for the Indy 500 only teams and the sea of talent wanting once again to be part of the open wheel racing which is now under the IZOD IndyCar Series.

With many of the Indy 500 only or limited schedule rides announcements having tickled out through the past month, teams have also entered T cars as usual for the Indy 500 which have in the past allowed otherwise unattached drivers a chance to qualify. Previously listed 'To Be Announced', Ana Beatriz confirmed Saturaday on Twitter that she will be driving the #25 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car. Not a major surprise based on her excellent performance in the season opening race at Sao Paulo, this officially declares that 5 women will be vying for 1 of 33 prized starting spots when qualifying starts May 22nd.


Green denotes Indy 500 only or limited schedule entry

Reported Entry List for Indianapolis 500 as of May 10th

1. 06 Hideki Mutoh/ Japan/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
2. 2 Raphael Matos/Brazil/ Luczo Dragon/de Ferran Motorsports
3. 3 Helio Castroneves/Brazil/ Penske Racing
4. 4 Dan Wheldon/England/ Panther Racing
5. 5 Takuma Sato/Japan/ KV Racing Technology
6. 6 Ryan Briscoe/Australia/ Penske Racing
7. 7 Danica Patrick/United States/ Andretti Autosport
8. 8 EJ Viso/Venezuela/ KV Racing Technology
9. 9 Scott Dixon/New Zealand/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
10. 10 Dario Franchitti/Scotland/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
11. 11 Tony Kanaan/Brazil/ Andretti Autosport
12. 12 Will Power/Australia/ Penske Racing
13. 14 Vitor Meira/Brazil/ AJ Foyt Racing Enterprises
14. 15 Paul Tracy/Canada/KV Racing Technology
15. 18 Milka Duno/Venezuela/ Dale Coyne Racing
16. 19 Alex Lloyd/England/ Dale Coyne Racing
17. 20 Ed Carpenter/United States/ Panther Racing
    
18. 21 Davey Hamilton/United States/ de Ferran Dragon Racing
19. 22 Justin Wilson/England/ Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
20. 23 Tomas Scheckter/South Africa/ Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
21. 24 Mike Conway/England/ Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
22. 25 Ana Beatriz/Brazil/ Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
23. 26 Marco Andretti/United States/ Andretti Autosport
24. 27 TBA/TBA/ AFS Racing
25. 29 Sebastian Saavedra/Columbia/ Bryan Herta Autosport
26. 30 Graham Rahal/United States/ Rahal Letterman Racing
27. 32 Mario Moraes/Brazil/ KV Racing Technology
28. 33 Bruno Junqueira/Brazil/ FAZZT Race Team
29. 34 Mario Romancini/Brazil/ Conquest Racing
30. 36 Bertrand Baguette/Belgium/ Conquest Racing
31. 37 Ryan Hunter-Reay/United States/ Andretti Autosport
32. 41 A.J. Foyt IV/United States/ A.J. Foyt Racing Enterprises
33. 43 John Andretti/United States/ Richard Petty/Andretti Autosport
34. 66 Jay Howard/England/ Sarah Fisher Racing
35. 67 Sarah Fisher/United States/ Sarah Fisher Racing
36. 77 Alex Tagliani/Canada/ FAZZT Race Team
37. 78 Simona De Silvestro/Switzerland HVM Racing
38. 98 TBA/TBA/ Curb/Agajanian/Team 3G
    
39. 99 Townsend Bell/United States/ Chip Ganassi Racing/Sam Schmidt Motorsports