Indy 500 Lineup 2018: Starting Grid and Viewing Info for IndyCar's Top Race
The Indianapolis 500 has produced first-time winners in four of the last five years.
With so many drivers achieving glory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time in a short span, Sunday's field is chock full of previous winners.
The success of racers such as Alexander Rossi in 2016 and defending champion Takuma Sato is fueling the rest of the competitors hoping to end Sunday afternoon in the winner's circle.
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Among the candidates to win for the first time are pole-sitter Ed Carpenter and teammate Danica Patrick, who is competing in her final auto racing event.
Viewing Info
TV: ABC
Start of Coverage: Noon ET
Green Flag: 12:19 p.m. ET
Starting Grid
Row 1: Ed Carpenter, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power
Row 2: Josef Newgarden, Sebastien Bourdais, Spencer Pigot
Row 3: Danica Patrick, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon
Row 4: Tony Kanaan, Matheus Leist, Marco Andretti
Row 5: Zachary Claman Demelo, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Charlie Kimball
Row 6: Takuma Sato, Kyle Kaiser, Robert Wickens
Row 7: James Davison, Max Chilton, Carlos Munoz
Row 8: Gabby Chaves, Stefan Wilson, Sage Karam
Row 9: Zach Veach, Oriol Servia, JR Hildebrand
Row 10: Jay Howard, Ed Jones, Graham Rahal
Row 11: Jack Harvey, Alexander Rossi, Conor Daly
Six Former Champions In Field
In addition to Rossi and Sato, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon have also won the Indy 500.
Of the group, Castroneves is the only one with multiple championships, as he visited the winner's circle in 2001, 2002 and 2009.
Kanaan, Hunter-Reay, Rossi and Sato all won their titles in the last five years, while Dixon captured his in 2008.
Castroneves and Dixon start in Row 3, while Kanaan is right behind them in 10th spot and Hunter-Reay follows in Row 5.
Sato and Rossi have the most work to do of the former champions, as they begin the race in Row 6 and 11, respectively.
When the race comes down to the wire in the final 10-15 laps, expect the experienced group of winners to take a few more chances since they might have less pressure on them.
Castroneves is the wily veteran of the collection, and he could be the driver who dictates the moves toward the conclusion of the race.
Kanaan is another savvy veteran who could take charge. He enters with 16 previous Indy 500 appearances.
One of the sextet of previous winners isn't guaranteed to win given the talent in the 33-driver field, but some, if not all, of them should be factors in the closing phase of the competition.
Who Has Best Chance To Capture 1st Indy 500?
When you take a glance at the starting grid, your eyes immediately look at the trio starting on Row 1 as the drivers with the best chance to capture their first Indy 500 championship.
Carpenter, Simon Pagenaud and Will Power are all solid contenders, but they aren't the only ones; the field is littered with successful drivers on the IndyCar circuit.
Another driver at the front to keep an eye on is Josef Newgarden, who has a pair of victories this season.
Then of course there's Patrick, who would love nothing more than to finish her racing career with a trip to the winner's circle.
If you're looking for a rookie who could surprise everyone in attendance, Robert Wickens is the competitor to watch. He owns a trio of top-10 finishes in his first full-time season in the IndyCar series.
Although he carries the rookie designation, the 29-year-old holds plenty of experience from other circuits that could help in the crowded pack at the end of the race.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90
Statistics obtained from IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com
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