Row 1
1. (2) Greg Ray, 33, Plano, Texas, Dallara-Aurora, 223.471 mph. Defending IRL champion is on front row for third straight year, but on pole for first time. Best Indy finish in three starts was 18th in 1998.
2. (9) r-Juan Montoya, 24, Bogota, Colombia, G Force-Aurora, 223.372. Won CART title as rookie, becoming 23 youngest series champion ever with. Had seven victories, seven poles, 10 top-four finishes. Set series record for most laps led by rookie (942) and most consecutive victories (3).
3. (11) Eliseo Salazar, 44, Santiago, Chile, G Force-Aurora. 223.231. Argentine Formula Four champion in 1978. Drove British Formula Three in 1979, second in British Formula One series in 1980.
Row 2
4. (32) Robby Gordon, 30, Cerritos, Calif., Dallara-Aurora, 222.885. Won off-road series championship in 1988-89 and began racing IMSA GTO series in 1990. Won 24 Hours of Daytona three straight years, starting in 1990. Made Indy-car debut in 1992. Drove on CART circuit in 1998-99, but came to Indy and finished fourth last year. Driving entire NASCAR Winston Cup series this year and also will compete Sunday night in Coca-Cola 600 in Concord, N.C.
5. (8) Scott Sharp, 32, Indianapolis, Dallara-Aurora, 222.810. Son of six-time SCCA national champion Bob Sharp. Co-champion in inaugural IRL season in 1996. Posted fourth IRL victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway last year.
6. (14) Jeff Ward, 38, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., G Force-Aurora, 222.639. Finished third and was Indy 500 rookie of year in 1997. Made IRL debut on Orlando, Fla., in 1997. Finished second in third Indy start last year.
Row 3
7. (10) Jimmy Vasser, 34, Las Vegas, G Force-Aurora. 221.976. Finished 21st as rookie at Indy in 1992 and fourth in 1993. Back in race for first time since 1995. Won CART championship in 1996. Qualified for fifth Indy 500.
8. (92) Stan Wattles, 38, Sewall’s Point, Fla., Dallara-Aurora, 221.508. Began racing sports cars in 1986, including three straight SCCA regional wins. Made IRL debut with 13th at Orlando, Fla., in 1996. Finished 28th and 17th in previous Indy starts.
9. (24) Robbie Buhl, 36, Indianapolis, G Force-Aurora, 221.357. Passed Indy 500 rookie test in 1993 but crashed twice and did not qualify. Best finish in four Indy races came last year when he started 32nd and finished sixth. Won IRL season-opener this year. Leads IRL point standings.
Row 4
10. (51) w-Eddie Cheever, 42, Orlando, Fla., Dallara-Infiniti, 221.270. Won Indy 500 in 1998. Indy 500 and CART rookie of the year in 1990, now a car owner and driver. Only American driver to compete in Formula One in 1989. Won third IRL race in Orlando, Fla., last year.
11. (28) Mark Dismore, 43, Greenfield, Ind., Dallara-Aurora, 220.970. Making fifth Indy 500 start. Broke neck, both feet, right wrist and right knee in a crash during practice in 1991. Recorded only IRL victory last year in 30th start.
12. (5) Robby McGehee, 26, St. Louis, G Force-Aurora, 220.661. Finished fifth at Indy when he won rookie of year honors in first IRL race last year.
Row 5
13. (4) Scott Goodyear, 40, Toronto, Dallara-Aurora, 220.629. Drove first Indy car race in 1987. Started 33rd and finished second to Al Unser Jr. by .043 seconds in closest Indy 500 ever in 1992. Was second in 1997 in third-closest Indy race. Recorded CART wins in Michigan in 1992 and 1995, and won his first IRL race last year in Phoenix.
14. (18) r-Sam Hornish Jr., 20, Defiance, Ohio, Dallara-Aurora, 220.496. Finished third in third IRL race in Las Vegas last month. Finished seventh as rookie in Toyota Atlantic series last year and was top rookie in points. 15. (98) Donnie Beechler, 39, Springfield, Ill., Dallara-Aurora, 220.482. Best IRL finish was third at Phoenix this year. Eliminated early by engine trouble in previous Indy starts, finishing 32nd and 29th.
Row 6
16. (91) w-Buddy Lazier, 31, Vail, Colo., Dallara-Aurora, 220.482. Has finished first, fourth, second and seventh in last four Indy 500s. Won in 1996 despite suffering multiple back fractures in crash in Phoenix two months earlier. Father, Bob Lazier, was 19th at Indy in 1981. Brother Jacques is making rookie start in race. Charged from last to first in Phoenix this year and finished second at Disney World. Qualified for eighth Indianapolis start.
17. (50) r-Jason Leffler, 24, Charlotte, N.C., G Force-Aurora, 220.417. Competing with Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR’s Busch Series. Driving car sponsored by Penske Racing. Qualified for second IRL start.
18. (3) w-Al Unser Jr., 38, Albuquerque, N.M., G Force-Aurora, 220.293. Back in race for first time since recording second Indy victory in 1994. Failed to qualify in 1995, then was unable to compete due to CART-IRL split. Starting 13th Indianapolis 500, an event his father won four times and uncle, Bobby, three times. Posted first IRL victory at Las Vegas last month, first win in open-wheel race car since 1995.
Row 7
19. (15) r-Sarah Fisher, 19, Columbus, Ohio, Dallara-Aurora, 220.237. Finished 13th in IRL debut with Walker Racing this year. Became youngest driver in an IRL race when she finished 25th at Texas Motor Speedway in October. Plans to enroll in college to study mechanical engineering in fall.
20. (7) Stephan Gregoire, 31, Neufchateau, France, G Force-Aurora, 219.970. Fastest rookie qualifier in 1993. Best finish in four Indy starts was 17th last year. French go-kart champion in 1987. Best IRL finish was second at Pikes Peak, Colo., in 1997.
20. (88) r-Airton Dare, 22, Bauru, Brazil, G Force-Aurora, 219.970. Best finish in three IRL starts was 11th at Walt Disney World this year. Raced Indy Lights in 1997-99 with two wins. Began racing career in jet-ski competition in Brazil and still rides as a hobby on non-race weekends.
Row 8
22. (12) Buzz Calkins, 39, Denver, Dallara-Aurora, 219.862. Co-champion in first IRL season. Led 130 laps and won inaugural IRL race, Indy 200 in 1996 in Orlando, Fla. Was second at New Hampshire to open the 1996-97 season. Starting fifth Indy 500 with best finish 10th in 1998.
23. (75) Richie Hearn, 29, Henderson, Nev., Dallara-Aurora, 219.816. Back in race for first time since finishing third as a rookie in 1996. Both parents were racers. Won IRL event in Las Vegas in 1996, then moved to CART.
24. (55) Raul Boesel, 42, Curitiba, Brazil, G Force-Aurora, 222.113. Still seeking first open-wheel victory after more than 185 starts. Has finished second four times. Began racing in 1979, with nine Formula Ford victories next season. Started on front row at Indianapolis in 1993 and 1994. Best Indy finish in 11 starts was third in 1989 and has four top-10 finishes.
Row 9
25. (27) Jimmy Kite, 24, Stockbridge, Ga., G Force-Aurora, 220.718. Raced USAC midgets and made IRL debut in 1997 and best finish in four starts was sixth at Las Vegas. Drove USAC Silver Crown and midgets in 1997, Finished 11th as Indy rookie in 1998 and 24th last year.
26. (33) r-Jaques Lazier, 29, Vail, Colo., G Force-Aurora, 220.675. Brother of former Indy 500 winner Buddy Lazier, who also is in race. Qualified for Indy 500 in 1998, but was bumped from the field on Bubble Day. Drove Indy Lights in 1997 and American IndyCar series in 1996.
27. (23) Steve Knapp, 36, Salem, Wis., G Force-Infiniti, 220.290. Coordinated Newman-Haas test team for Mario and Michael Andretti in 1988-90 and out of racing next five years. Qualified for first IRL start in 1998 and was Indy 500 rookie of year after finishing third. Finished 26th last year and season ended after six races when he fractured vertebrae in neck during crash.
Row 10
28. (16) Davey Hamilton, 37, Las Vegas, G Force-Aurora, 219.878. Finished fourth in third Indy start in 1998. Holds nearly all IRL longevity records. Had a streak of 10 consecutive top-10 IRL finishes in 1998 when he finished second in point standings for second straight year. Only driver to start every IRL race. Best IRL finish in 37 races has been second.
29. (6) Jeret Schroeder, 30, Vineland, N.J., Dallara-Aurora, 219.322. Passed IRL rookie test in 1997. A two-time starter in 24 Hours of Daytona. Qualified for first IRL start last year at Indy and finished 15th.
30. (22) Johnny Unser, 40, Hailey, Idaho, G Force-Aurora, 219.066. Father Jerry Unser was killed at speedway in 1959. Nephew of Indy winners Bobby and Al Unser Sr. and cousin of Indy winner Al Unser Jr. and Robby Unser. Has done movie stunt driving. Made CART debut in 1993. Best finish in four Indy races was 18th in 1997.
Row 11
31. (41) Billy Boat, 34, Glendale, Ariz., G Force-Aurora, 218.872. Only driver bumped from the starting field in 1996, finished seventh as a rookie at Indianapolis in 1997, 23rd in 1998 when he started on pole, and was third last year. Set IRL record by earning six pole starts in 1998, including five in a row to close season. Only IRL victory came in Texas in 1998. From 1980-82 won 14 of 16 races in modified midgets. Was bumped from starting field last Sunday and then qualified another car.
32. (90) Lyn St. James, 53, Daytona Beach, Fla., G Force-Aurora, 218.826. Second woman to race at Indianapolis, was 1992 Indy 500 rookie of year when she finished 11th, her best in six Indy starts. Back in the race after a two-year absence.
33. (48) r-Andy Hillenburg, 37, Brownsburg, Ind., Dallara-Aurora, 218.285. Has driven USAC midgets, sprints and Silver Bullet cars, plus ARCA stock cars and NASCAR’s Winston Cup and Busch Series.
