INDIANAPOLIS – In an upside-down year, some of the biggest names in the history of racing are starting in the back of the field for Sunday’s 104th Indianapolis 500.
Consider row eight, where 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner and 2014 NTT IndyCar Series champion Will Power is starting on the inside alongside 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner and 2004 IndyCar Series champion Tony Kanaan starts in the middle.
Row nine features the defending winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the 2016 IndyCar champion Simon Pagenaud. The Team Penske driver, who is second in points, starts on the inside of that row alongside two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso.
Starting on the inside of row 10 is three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who is making his 12th attempt at becoming a four-time Indianapolis 500 winner.
To have so much experience in the back of the field could create an exciting opportunity for those drivers to race their way through the field.
“That’s actually a positive thing we have the experienced guys back there,” Kanaan said. “Usually, when you start in the back here, it’s with a bunch of guys who don’t have the experience or rookies or guys who don’t do this race very often. To me, it’s really comforting because I know nothing silly is going to happen. It’s actually a good thing.
“There are some younger drivers just ahead of us, so we’re going to have to watch it. Hopefully they will behave and we’ll be able to get through the first couple of laps clean and see what will happen.”
Power believes when a driver starts that far back in the field, flawless pit stops are essential. Execution will be the key. The Team Penske driver expects it to be a difficult process to pass so many cars to try to get in contention.
“It will be a slow process throughout the day,” Power told SPEED SPORT. “If you want to try to rush it or force it, you have to have the car to do it. Otherwise, you’ll do it through pit stop sequences or strategy calls.
“You want to be in the top 10 by lap 100. You have to be top-two to have a shot at the win in the last 30 laps if it is anything like it has been.
“There are some pretty good, experienced drivers back there this year, but if you look at the whole field, there are a lot of good drivers in the field. There are really no bad drivers in this year’s race.”
Pagenaud was hoping to be in last week’s Fast Nine Shootout to determine the polesitter, but the popular driver from France is confident in the speed of his race day setup.
“It shows the depth of talent in the field, the seriousness of every team and driver to be at the top level of your game to be on pole position,” Pagenaud told SPEED SPORT. “It’s not like we did a bad job; it just didn’t go our way. It wasn’t our day for qualifying day.
“With Helio, we are both strong. We both have really good cars in traffic. Will Power is really good on restarts. Maybe he is the one we follow on our way to the front.”
Pagenaud, however, believes veteran drivers in the back often push the issue. Plus, “Fernando is not the most patient driver that we know.”
Pagenaud believes it’s vital to sift through the chaff and use the draft.
“I wouldn’t say that’s a comforting feeling,” Pagenaud said. “We are all going to try to get to the front. We need to go forward to be in a better position with the air. The air is very turbulent and disturbed back then.
“We all know we need to go forward to be in a better position. Any chance we have to go forward, you are going to have to take it.”
Pagenaud pointed out that Alexander Rossi has come to the front from the back before because of pit stop issues. Juan Pablo Montoya drove from the last in the 33-car field after a crash before the start of the race to the victory in 2015.
At Iowa Speedway in July, Pagenaud started last in a 23-car field and won the race.
“It’s been done in the past,” Pagenaud said. “We might have to use some strategy because it’s not easy to pass back there. It’s easier to pass when you are third or second. We’re going to have to use a very different strategy from last year.
“We’ll have to be smart and outsmart people like we did at Iowa.”
Alonso is starting his second Indianapolis 500, but with two Formula One championships during his career, he remains one of the world’s most acclaimed drivers.
He starts the No. 66 Ruoff Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet 26th, the middle of row nine.
“It’s going to be important to see what they do,” Alonso told SPEED SPORT. “I have Simon alongside me on the row and Helio behind me. There are some amazing names and champions in those places.
“It will be interesting to see how they approach the race because they have more experience. I will have a good look with them, if they go forward quickly, or if they wait. It will be nice to see what their approach is. It will be constant learning in the race watching these guys.
“We have a good race car but didn’t have a good qualification run. Let’s hope that confirms it in the race.”
Out of this group, Castroneves has the most ground to make up, starting 28th on the inside of row 10. He hopes to hook up to a freight train of experience in the back.
“It will be the best way to pass people,” Castroneves said. “It wasn’t our choice. We didn’t want to be back there, but for sure you have to take the issue as it comes.
“Another saying of Rick Mears, it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish.”