Indy 500 2018: Latest Race Odds and Sleeper Contenders
When the Indianapolis 500 is brought up in casual conversation, the focus normally shifts to open-wheel racing's biggest names.
While Helio Castroneves, Danica Patrick, Will Power and a few others should feature prominently during Sunday's race, there are a few sleeper contenders worth keeping an eye on.
Given the frenetic nature of the 500-mile race, where an untimely accident can knock out a few contenders in a heartbeat, there's always a chance an unlikely winner emerges from the 33-driver field.
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The sleeper contenders to win the 102nd edition of the storied race begin the competition in various parts of the 11-row starting grid, but they all have a victory in mind.
Indy 500 Odds (via OddsShark)
Alexander Rossi (+800; Bet $100 to win $800)
Helio Castroneves (+1000)
Josef Newgarden (+1000)
Will Power (+1000)
Ed Carpenter (+1200)
Ryan Hunter-Reay (+1200)
Scott Dixon (+1200)
Sebastian Bourdais (+1200)
Simon Pagenaud (+1200)
Marco Andretti (+1500)
Tony Kanaan (+1500)
Sage Karam (+2000)
Carlos Munoz (+2500)
Danica Patrick (+2500)
Graham Rahal (+3000)
Robert Wickens (+3000)
Takuma Sato (+3000)
Charlie Kimball (+3000)
Ed Jones (+4000)
Gabby Chaves (+4000)
JR Hildebrand (+4000)
Spencer Pigot (+4000)
Stefan Wilson (+4000)
Zach Veach (+4000)
Jay Howard (+8000)
Matheus Leist (+8000)
Zachary Claman DeMelo (+8000)
Jack Harvey (+10000)
Oriol Servia (+10000)
Conor Daly (+15000)
James Davison (+20000)
Kyle Kaiser (+20000)
Max Chilton (+25000)
Sleeper Contenders
Spencer Pigot
Spencer Pigot is the least known driver starting on the first three rows for Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The member of Ed Carpenter Racing hasn't led a lap in five IndyCar Series starts in 2018, and he only possesses five finishes in the top 10 during his three years on the circuit.
If he was starting further back in the field, Pigot might have been cast aside by some observers as a driver with no chance to cross the finish line in first place.
Although his track record isn't great, Pigot produced the sixth-fastest qualifying speed of the "Fast Nine" to earn a spot in Row 2 alongside Josef Newgarden and Sebastian Bourdais.
At +4000, Pigot is the perfect driver to take a risk on since he'll produce a larger payout and could spend the bulk of the race in the top 10.
All three of the Ed Carpenter Racing drivers who qualified for the race sit in the first three rows, which could help Pigot's progression up the field.
With Patrick and Ed Carpenter helping him through the first 100 laps, Pigot should gain confidence to challenge for the checkered flag as long as he stays out of wrecks.
Robert Wickens
Twenty-nine-year-old IndyCar rookie Robert Wickens could become the story of the race if things go in his favor.
The Canadian, who joined Schmidt Peterson Motorsports as a full-time driver at the start of 2018, sits eighth in the IndyCar driver rankings.
Wickens announced his presence by winning pole at the season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida, a race in which he led the most laps but failed to win.
In the four other races building up to the Indy 500, Wickens put together a string of results, which could help him during the biggest race of his career to date.
The Canadian is going to face a challenge to get up to the front of the field, as he starts 18th after posting a four-lap qualifying average speed that was three miles per hour fewer than the one that earned Carpenter the pole.
Another factor going against Wickens Sunday will be the type of engine he's working with, as Honda's been dominated by Chevrolet so far in the buildup to the race.
It might be hard for Wickens to keep up at first, but if he sustains solid lap times during the duration of the race, he could sneak into the top 10 with an opportunity to pounce for the victory in the final few laps.
Charlie Kimball
If you're looking for an experienced driver who could make noise from the middle of the pack, Charlie Kimball is your guy.
The 33-year-old isn't the flashiest name on the IndyCar circuit, but he's put together some nice results in the past at the Indy 500.
Kimball's most impressive run in Indianapolis came in 2015, when he took third behind Juan Pablo Montoya and Power.
He followed that up with a fifth-place finish in 2016, when Alexander Rossi led the field to the checkered flag.
Although he's achieved success at the Indy 500, Kimball's 2018 results don't exactly drum up confidence in placing money on him, which is why he sits at +3000.
Kimball placed in the top 10 in one of the five IndyCar Series races, while he's languished beneath 15th place in the other four.
With recent results suggesting he won't make a challenge Sunday, Kimball should fly under the radar and be able to take his time by running his own race.
If he uses the same strategy as other sleeper contenders and stays clean of the wrecks, Kimball could put himself in position to once again make a late charge at a high finish.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from IndyCar.com and IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com.
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