Indy 500 2013: Breaking Down Top Contenders Who'll Shine at Indianapolis

The most prestigious racing event of the year will take place this weekend when the world's top drivers battle it out for the 2013 Indianapolis 500 title.

Whether you're a die-hard fan or just another casual-onlooker, there's always plenty of action and interest to be found at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—and this year should be no different, with a talent-filled field and several strong title contenders.

Which big-name drivers are most likely to shine at the Indy 500 this year?

Read on and find out.

Dario Franchitti, Car No. 10

Three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti will come into this year's race as the defending champion, and will certainly fancy his chances of repeating that success.

The seasoned veteran has shown to be very strong in big races, and is looking to establish himself amongst racing's elite with the most victories at the Brickyard—something that he could do here with his fourth Indy 500 title.

It would also be his third title in four years.

The 40-year-old struggled in qualifying and couldn't finish any higher than 17th for the big race, which will no doubt affect his chances at taking the checkered flag. 

However, keep in mind that Franchitti started in 16th last year and still won—so don't rule him out just yet.

James Hinchcliffe, Car No. 27

After qualifying inside the top 10, James Hinchcliffe will definitely be a big threat to watch out for on the track this year. He is arguably the hottest IndyCar racer going around at the moment having won two of the four IndyCar Series races in 2013, and while his season has also seen him chalk up two last-place finishes, he will definitely be a contender worth keeping an eye on.

Hinchcliffe is part of a great team and has a strong qualifying spot to start from, which, if he gets off to a good start, could be all he needs to clinch victory.

Ed Carpenter, Car No. 20

Ed Carpenter certainly wasn't on the radar coming into the Indy 500, but after a blistering qualifying time, he'll start from pole position. 

And given that 20 drivers have previously won the Indy 500 starting from pole position, he must be considered a real chance here.

He won the IndyCar Series race held at Fontana last year, and could well find similar success on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's high-speed track.

The self-owned, single-car team driver won't have the advantages of having teammates on the track, which could cost him a chance at creating history here.

However, he has shown to be more than capable of handling the various threats from Andretti Autosport and Team Penske—beating whatever the two big teams had to offer in qualifying. He'll be looking to do the same again with a wire-to-wire victory here, and has to be considered a huge contender as a result.

Official Starting Order for the 2013 Indy 500

Start Position	Driver	Car No.
1	Ed Carpenter	20
2	Carlos Munoz	26
3	Marco Andretti	25
4	EJ Viso	5
5	AJ Allmendinger	2
6	Will Power	12
7	Ryan Hunter-Reay	1
8	Helio Castroneves	3
9	James Hinchcliffe	27
10	JR Hildebrand	4
11	Alex Tagliani	98
12	Tony Kanaan	11
13	Oriol Servia	22
14	Justin Wilson	19
15	Sebastien Bordais	7
16	Scott Dixon	9
17	Dario Franchitti	10
18	Takuma Sato	14
19	Charlie Kimball	83
20	James Jakes	16
21	Simon Pagenaud	77
22	Townsend Bell	60
23	Ryan Briscoe	8
24	Simona De Silvestro	78
25	Josef Newgarden	21
26	Graham Rahal	15
27	Sebastian Saavedra	6
28	Tristan Vautier	55
29	Ana Beatriz	18
30	Pippa Mann	63
31	Conor Daly	41
32	Buddy Lazier	91
33	Katherine Legge	81

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