Indy 500 2015: Schedule, TV Info, Drivers to Watch and More
The month of May brought the NBA playoffs, Stanley Cup playoffs and American Pharoah’s potential run to a Triple Crown, but the sports world’s attention will be focused squarely on the race track Sunday for the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500.
There is a reason it goes by the affectionate nickname the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, and the 2015 field is loaded with elite drivers who are battling for positioning in the standings and their spot in IndyCar history as a champion of the sport’s most famous race.
Here is a look at the schedule and broadcast information for the highly anticipated Indy 500 as well as some drivers to watch and a predicted winner.
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2015 Indy 500 Schedule
Date: Sunday, May 24
Time: 12 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Drivers to Watch
Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon will have nothing but open track ahead of him Sunday after taking home the pole position in qualifying. That is exactly what he did in 2008, and he parlayed that showing into his one Indy 500 victory on race day.
Dixon commented on his qualifying performance and the similarities to his last victory, per Jim Peltz of the Los Angeles Times: "We're starting in the right place but it's a long race. Hopefully, we can replicate what we did in 2008."
Dixon actually finished in the top six the four years after his title, but he came in a disappointing 29th place last year and needs to bounce back to his old Indy 500 form if he wants to make a move in the standings. Dixon sits in fourth place even though he finished outside of the top 10 twice this season, thanks largely to a victory at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Anything short of a top-10 finish would be disheartening for the veteran starting up front. Given his history of top-10 performances, how formidable he appeared while winning the pole and his starting position, expect an impressive showing Sunday from Dixon.
Helio Castroneves
Sports fans don’t always appreciate their opportunities to watch living legends until those players retire or lose some of their special skill set, but Helio Castroneves is still shining at age 40.
He is in third place in the standings and boasts three top-five finishes thus far this season. He is also intimately familiar with what it takes to win on IndyCar’s brightest stage considering he counts three Indy 500 titles on his resume and a second-place finish last year.
In fact, he hasn’t finished outside of the top 10 since 2011 and often saves his signature performances for this race.
Another victory Sunday would give Castroneves his record-tying fourth Indy 500 title, and he would join the likes of legendary Rick Mears, Al Unser and A.J. Foyt. That is not bad company to keep.
Anytime Castroneves takes the wheel at the Indy 500, it is appointment viewing.
Juan Pablo Montoya
Castroneves may have three Indy 500 titles, but Juan Pablo Montoya sits in first place in the 2015 IndyCar point standings and set the early tone for the season with the initial win in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Montoya has four top-five finishes in five starts to go along with that victory and has been the most consistent racer in the field throughout 2015. The 2000 Indy 500 champion would make quite the statement if he created more separation between himself and those chasing him with a win Sunday.
Bruce Martin of Fox Sports believed Montoya already made a statement after that season-opening win in St. Petersburg: “That is why Sunday’s win is not only a strong statement that Montoya is back and is a serious contender for the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series championship, but his return to prominence will do more to help IndyCar regain popularity as a pinnacle racing series.”
Never will he be more prominent this year than with a victory Sunday.
Predicted Winner
This year’s field is loaded, and it goes beyond just those three drivers to watch.
Last year’s champion, Ryan Hunter-Reay, is back and looking for another title, and 2014’s IndyCar season champion, Will Power, will attempt to win his first career Indy 500 championship.
Still, the resume for Castroneves in Indianapolis is too difficult to ignore at this event. He sports a comfort level with the track, thrives in the spotlight and will not be intimidated by the pressure-packed moments of the stretch run at the Indy 500.
He typically saves some of his best performances for this race, and he has already been a model of consistency all season. An historical Indy 500 win will be an early 2015 exclamation mark for one of the all-time greats.
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