Four teams combine to file 10 entries as Indy 500 deadline nears
Panther Racing, Andretti Green Racing, Vision Racing and Beck Motorsports filed a combined 10 entries April 3 for the 91st Indianapolis 500.
The 91st Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Entries must be postmarked by midnight Wednesday, April 4.
Panther named Vitor Meira and Kosuke Matsuura as its drivers, while AGR named Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti, Dario Franchitti and Michael Andretti to drive.
No driver was assigned to the fourth Vision entry, as the team filed entries March 15 for drivers Tomas Scheckter, Ed Carpenter and Anthony Foyt IV. No drivers were assigned to the two Beck entries.
Meira, a native of Brazil, will drive the No. 4 Delphi Panther Dallara/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Dan Miller is the chief mechanic.
IndyCar Series standout Meira will attempt to make his fifth Indianapolis 500 start. His best start was sixth in 2006, and his best finish was second in 2005. He has completed all but one
possible lap in his four previous Indy 500 starts.
Matsuura, a native of Japan, will drive the No. 55 Panasonic Dallara/Honda/Firestone, with a backup car entered. Jason Weatherford is the chief mechanic.
2004 Indy 500 Chase Rookie of the Year Matsuura will attempt to make his fourth career Indy start. His best start of seventh came last year, while his best finish of 11th came as a rookie in 2004.
Ron Catt is the team manager for Panther Racing, two-time IndyCar Series champions.
AGR’s five entries are the most by one team to date for the 91st Indianapolis 500.
Patrick, from Roscoe, Ill., will drive the No. 7 Motorola Dallara/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Dave Popielarz is the chief mechanic.
It will be Patrick’s first Indy start for AGR, her new team, and her third Indianapolis 500 start overall. She electrified the sports world in 2005 by qualifying and finishing fourth and becoming the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 en route to Chase Rookie of the Year honors. Patrick finished eighth last year, again completing all 200 laps.
Kanaan, a native of Brazil, will drive the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Jeff Simon is the chief mechanic.
2005 Indianapolis 500 pole winner Kanaan will attempt to make his sixth Indy start. He has finished in the top eight each of the last four years, including a career-best second in 2004. Kanaan also has finished every possible lap during that span.
Marco Andretti, from Nazareth, Pa., will drive the No. 26 NYSE Group
Dallara/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Mike Horvath is the chief mechanic.
Andretti returns to Indy for his second start after one of the most stirring rookie performances in the history of the race. He qualified ninth and finished second, losing the lead to Sam Hornish Jr. just yards before the start-finish line on the last lap and falling .0635 of a second short of victory for his famous family at Indy.
Franchitti, a native of Scotland, will drive the No. 27 Canadian Club Dallara/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Jeff Grahn is the chief mechanic.
IndyCar Series standout Franchitti will attempt to make his fifth Indy start. His best start was third in 2004, with a best finish of sixth in 2005. He has completed all but three possible laps in his four career Indy starts.
Michael Andretti, from Nazareth, Pa., will drive the No. 39 Motorola/Jim Beam Dallara/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Keith Badger is the chief mechanic.
The legendary Andretti will attempt to make his 16th career Indy 500 start and his second consecutive start in the same field with his son Marco. Michael Andretti’s best start was third in 1986, and his best finish was second in 1991 after a thrilling late-race duel with four-time Indy winner Rick Mears.
Andretti finished third last year at Indy, leading four laps. That bumped his career total to 430 laps led, 10th all time and first among drivers who have not won the race.
Kyle Moyer is the team manager for two-time IndyCar Series champion AGR, which won the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and series title with Dan Wheldon.
Vision Racing filed an entry for a primary and backup Dallara/Honda/Firestone. No driver or car name was assigned. Vision’s four entries trail only AGR among teams in this year’s race.
The veteran Beck Motorsports team filed entries for the No. 43 Dallara/Honda/Firestone and the No. 98 CURB Records Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Greg Robb is the team manager for Beck.
2007 INDIANAPOLIS 500 ENTRIES (as of April 3)
Driver
Entrant
Car
C/E/T
Entry Date
Buddy Rice (W)
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
15, 15T Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
D/H/F
March 7
Sarah Fisher
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
5, 5T Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
D/H/F
March 7
Marty Roth
Roth Racing
25 Roth Racing
D/H/F
March 12
Tomas Scheckter
Vision Racing
2, 2T Vision Racing
D/H/F
March 15
Ed Carpenter
Vision Racing
20, 20T Vision Racing
D/H/F
March 15
Anthony Foyt IV
Vision Racing
22, 22T Vision Racing
D/H/F
March 15
Scott Sharp
Rahal Letterman Racing
8, 8T Patron Sharp Rahal Letterman
Racing
D/H/F
March 27
Jeff Simmons
Rahal Letterman Racing
17, 17T Rahal Letterman Racing Team
Ethanol
D/H/F
March 27
Jon Herb
Racing Professionals
19, 19T TBA
D/H/F
March 29
Milka Duno (R)
SAMAX Motorsport
23, 23T CITGO Racing
D/H/F
March 29
Vitor Meira
Panther Racing
4, 4T Delphi Panther Dallara
D/H/F
April 3
Kosuke Matsuura
Panther Racing
55, 55T Panasonic Dallara
D/H/F
April 3
Danica Patrick
Andretti Green Racing
7, 7T Motorola
D/H/F
April 3
Tony Kanaan
Andretti Green Racing
11, 11T Team 7-Eleven
D/H/F
April 3
Marco Andretti
Andretti Green Racing
26, 26T NYSE Group
D/H/F
April 3
Dario Franchitti
Andretti Green Racing
27, 27T Canadian Club
D/H/F
April 3
Michael Andretti
Andretti Green Racing
39, 39T Motorola/Jim Beam
D/H/F
April 3
TBA
Vision Racing
TBA, TBA (T)
D/H/F
April 3
TBA
Beck Motorsports
43 TBA
D/H/F
April 3
TBA
Beck Motorsports
98 CURB Records
D/H/F
April 3
Key: C/E/T-Chassis/engine/tire; D-Dallara; P-Panoz; H-Honda; F-Firestone; (W)-Indianapolis 500 winner; (R)-Indianapolis 500 rookie; TBA-to be announced.
ENTRY SUMMARY
DRIVERS (17)
Former race winners (1): Buddy Rice (2004).
Former pole winners (3): Tony Kanaan (2005), Buddy Rice (2004), Scott Sharp (2001).
Rookies (1): Milka Duno.
U.S. born (10): Marco Andretti, Michael Andretti, Ed Carpenter, Sarah Fisher, Anthony Foyt IV, Jon Herb, Danica Patrick, Buddy Rice, Scott Sharp, Jeff Simmons.
Foreign born (7): Milka Duno, Venezuela; Dario Franchitti, Scotland; Tony Kanaan, Brazil; Kosuke Matsuura, Japan; Vitor Meira, Brazil; Marty Roth, Canada; Tomas Scheckter, South Africa.
Youngest: Marco Andretti, 20.
Oldest: Marty Roth, 48.
Most previous starts: Michael Andretti, 15.
CARS (37)
Chassis: Dallara 37.
***
2007 Indianapolis 500 tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 91st Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday, May 27.
Tickets can be purchased at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Web site, indianapolismotorspeedway.com, by phone or at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office. The IMS Ticket Office can be contacted at (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or (317) 492-6700 locally. Ticket Office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Parking and camping permits for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” also can be purchased online, by phone or at the Ticket Office.
