Indy 500

The Indianapolis 500 is celebrating 100 years of competition Sunday. The first winnerRay Harroun in the American so-called Marmon "Wasp", later, English Dario Franchitti,the Indy 500 has become the most famous race in the world.

This year, observers sayit boasts the strongest 33-car field it has seen since the CART-Indy split in 1996. It’s a regular stop for the Izod IndyCar Series drivers, but the race also includes former champions and non-IndyCar regulars who are in a ride for one shot at glory at The Brickyard.


Here is an overview of some scenarios, drivers and issues that could determine the shape of the race:


Five drivers to watch:
Dario Franchitti: The defending champion, going for a third Indy 500 victory.
Scott Dixon: The 2008 winner
Oriol Servia: he’s got a good ride with the stability of Newman/Haas.
Dan Wheldon: A former Indy winner with a small team, Panther Racing.
Marco Andretti: The 24-year-old believes he is on the verge of maturing into a strong driver.