There is also a great list of drivers who have excelled in the NTT IndyCar Series but haven’t won the biggest race in the world.
Two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden tops that list. He drives for Team Penske, the winningest team in Indy 500 history with 18 victories. Newgarden’s best finish in nine Indy 500s is third with Ed Carpenter Racing in 2016.
“Last year our qualifying form was not strong,” Newgarden said. “We were all disappointed with our speed. That was first and foremost. How do we fix the speed of the cars from last season? There’s been a tremendous amount of work that’s been put in. We have the best of the best in my opinion when it comes to talent and personnel. There’s been no shortage of effort and time to make these Penske race cars as fast as possible. That was first and foremost.
“Then, I think the race condition of the car, how does it really work across 30 laps on a set of tires in multiple-car drafts? That’s probably the most important ingredient nowadays is just figuring out if you get buried 10 or 15 cars back, how is your car reacting in that much dirty air? That was something we needed to be stronger at.
“It’s just outright speed and the car’s potential in a big wake,” Newgarden continued. “That’s all different this year, too. We tried to learn where we were deficient last year, but now we also need to figure out where we need to be better in the future with the new aero parts. Quite a bit of difference with not only the front wing but the underside build of the car aerodynamically. There’s going to be some new elements. The car is going to drive different. We need to be better all around.”
Two of Newgarden’s three teammates are former Indy 500 winners — Power and Pagenaud. Power won in his 11th Indy start and it took Pagenaud eight attempts to drink the winner’s milk.
That is a testament to the importance of experience.
“Indy is a really tough track, not only because it’s the most important race but I think because it’s all about very small details. Those little details take a tremendous amount of time and effort to move the needle,” Newgarden explained. “It’s all these little things that add up at the end of the day when you show up in the month of May. It takes a tremendous amount of time to make large progress at Indianapolis, whereas at another track you may find a small difference or small change with something that you found that didn’t take nearly as much energy or money or resources.”
Another proven veteran who has excelled at Indy is Ed Carpenter. He won back-to-back poles in 2013-’14 and scored a third pole at Indy in 2018. In that race, he led 65 laps and finished second to Power.
Carpenter believes experience matters when it comes to having a chance to win the Indy 500.
Other veterans who are contenders to win the Indy 500 for the first time include Sebastien Bourdais, Graham Rahal and James Hinchcliffe.
As for the new crop of drivers chasing Indy glory, Rinus VeeKay became the fastest teenager in Indianapolis 500 history when he qualified fourth last year.
Colton Herta of Andretti Autosport is the youngest winner in IndyCar history (18 when he won at Circuit of The Americas in 2019).
Arrow McLaren SP features two fast young drivers in Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist.
Chip Ganassi Racing counters with Alex Palou and Marcus Ericsson. Jack Harvey has shown tremendous promise at Meyer Shank Racing and Ed Jones is back with Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser and Sullivan this season. He finished third for Dale Coyne Racing in 2017.
International rookies include three-time Australian Supercars Series champion Scott McLaughlin at Team Penske and Pietro Fittipaldi at Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing. Fittipaldi is the grandson of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi.
“The Indy 500 picks its winner,” Castroneves said. “That is the most important thing you have to remember about this race, it chooses the winner.”