Indianapolis to offer unique storylines in '08

by CHRIS ESTRADA, Special to FOXSports.com

Updated: May 4, 2008, 5:40 PM EST 5 comments

Forty cars will attempt to break the 33-car field in a race that has taken on added meaning in 2008 with the onset of open-wheel unification. Combined with the positive publicity that Graham Rahal and Danica Patrick have brought to the IndyCar Series in recent weeks, this is easily the biggest Indy 500 in over a decade.

The IndyCars head into their ancestral home in the midst of a tight points battle between championship leader Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Dan Wheldon, Tony Kanaan and Patrick. However, that's not the only thing to watch out for as we embark on the Month of May.

Rahal leads a group of 13 rookie drivers — the biggest since 1997 — into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time, starting with Sunday's Rookie Orientation Program. This begins a month of valuable track experience for them, particularly the nine former Champ Car drivers still learning the IRL ropes — for whom the extended practice sessions can't come at a better time.

As if there wasn't enough flavor for the 500, there will also be a 'second coming' of sorts for many of the great open-wheel families: Rahal, Marco Andretti and A.J. Foyt IV are all with solid teams and have the potential to nail down solid runs on race day. This year's 500 also has Sarah Fisher returning to the Speedway as a driver/owner and Buddy Lazier, the 1996 winner, reuniting with the man that helped him win 12 years ago, car owner Ron Hemelgarn.

Here's how the Month of May stacks up.

The favorites

There aren't many surprises here; expect the "Big 3" — Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Andretti Green Racing and Team Penske — to duke it out all month long for supremacy in order to set the tone for race day. Penske pilot Helio Castroneves may hold just a thin lead in the points, but the two-time Indy 500 champion has been putting in solid work all season: a fourth, a second, a second and a fourth. With his past history at Indianapolis, he looks set to continue that trend and possibly grab his third Borg-Warner Trophy.

As for Andretti Green Racing, they're three possible winners in their ranks with Tony Kanaan, Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti. Kanaan has finished third, fifth and second in the last three events, so he's riding a wave of momentum. Patrick has shown that she is always a contender at Indy with three top-10s in three starts there. Finally, Andretti's season has shown signs of life following a strong fifth-place effort at Kansas. Remember, Andretti had similar early season struggles two years ago, but then he used a decent run in Japan as a springboard to his near-miss at the 500. Two years older and wiser, he might have the ability to go one spot better this time around.

Both Ganassi drivers, Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon, have always been strong at Indianapolis. Wheldon, the 2005 winner, will be out to erase a dismal showing in last year's event, while Dixon is hoping to put two missed opportunities for victory at Motegi and Kansas out of his mind with a victory in the world's greatest race.

Is there anyone that can crack this bunch? At first glance, it doesn't appear so, but Vision Racing has shown to be plenty fast during the season. Ed Carpenter and A.J. Foyt IV have shown the ability to run up front and stay there, which is amazing considering how humble the team's debut campaign was in 2005 (one top-10 with Carpenter in 17 races). However, they might have a problem with fuel mileage as shown by Carpenter's problems in the final 10 laps in Japan. While that could be attributed to Carpenter clicking off fast laps after he pitted for the last time in that race, getting good mileage may also be the last obstacle between them and their first win.

Also, keep an eye on the other Penske driver Ryan Briscoe. He's still trying to get back into his oval rhythm in the IndyCar Series, but he boasts equipment good enough to win the race.

The rookies

Another major story are the 13 rookies taking part in their first Indianapolis 500. Leading their ranks is the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing drivers Graham Rahal and Justin Wilson, whose ninth-place run at Kansas showed that N/H/L is progressing quickly as a new IRL operation — as they were expected to.

Next on the pecking order appears to be KV Racing Technology drivers Oriol Servia and Long Beach winner Will Power. Out of all the new IRL drivers, Servia brings the most oval experience as he racked up plenty of speedway races before Champ Car eliminated them in favor of road and street events. With the amount of practice that's coming up this May, Servia could surprise as KV hashes out a decent set-up on the 2.5-mile oval. Power, a road/street course master, might have it tougher, but it's clear that he carries a ton of talent. With more track experience, he could climb up the charts during May.

Hideki Mutoh of Andretti Green Racing probably won't be a contender for the win, but there's no reason he can't come away with a top-10 result if he plays his cards right and maximizes what AGR gives him. After his homecoming in Japan went awry thanks to a self-induced wreck, Mutoh showed he can bounce back by finishing sixth in Kansas. He appears to be talented, but like most rookies at Indy, chances are he'll have at least one tough time during the month. But if he can keep his head down and stay focused, he'll be fine.

As for the rest, veteran pilot Ryan Hunter-Reay and reigning Firestone Indy Lights champion Alex Lloyd will go for Rahal-Letterman Racing, which also has been improving as of late alongside Vision. Jaime Camara has experience on the Indy oval in an Indy Lights car and while that machine may be 35 mph slower, he could still give his Conquest teammate and former F1 driver Enrique Bernoldi some tips.

Graham Rahal prefers to concentrate on winning at the Brickyard rather than besting fellow next generation racers A.J. Foyt IV and Marco Andretti. (Marc Serota / Getty Images)

Same goes for 2006 Indy Lights champ Jay Howard, who now drives for Roth Racing. Mario Dominguez will begin his IRL life this month with Pacific Coast Motorsports and E.J. Viso will attempt to not ruffle any more feathers like he did at Kansas, running afoul of both Carpenter and Tomas Scheckter. Finally, Mario Moraes will continue his maturation to oval racing for Dale Coyne's bunch.

The families

For many long-time fans of the Indianapolis 500, this year will be special. Three of the open-wheel dynasties will see their next generations go at it in the 92nd running.

Marco Andretti, A.J. Foyt IV and Graham Rahal give the IndyCar Series plenty of hope for growing the sport. If any one of these drivers pulls off a victory on May 25, it will be another boon in a succession of good news that has flooded the series in recent weeks.

However, don't expect these three to fret about what the others are done. Earlier this season, Rahal said that he's focusing on the task at hand: beating everybody that's on the grid.

"Obviously for the fans, it's exciting you have the Foyts and Andrettis and Rahals racing against each other once again," Rahal said. "To be completely fair, do I expect to run with them initially? No. Obviously, I'd love to be able to say yes, I can go out there and do that. But with my lack of experience on these ovals, it's certainly going to be a tough thing.

"At this point we need to focus on our job as a team at Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing and look at, certainly, put aside things like beating Marco and A.J. (Foyt IV). As much excitement as that may offer for us, at the end of the day we want to go out there and beat everybody. That does include beating them as well."