Defending Indy champ Rahal Letterman files three entries - Two entries for Fernandez Racing
Defending race champion Rahal Letterman Racing filed three entries March 31 for the 89th Indianapolis 500, including one for 2004 winner Buddy Rice.
Fernandez Racing also filed two entries.
Rahal Letterman, owned by 1986 Indy winner Bobby Rahal and late night television icon Dave Letterman, also named rookie Danica Patrick and Vitor Meira as drivers of its entries.
Fernandez Racing named veteran Scott Sharp as the driver of its Delphi Fernandez Racing entry and 2004 JP Morgan Chase Bank Rookie of the Year Kosuke Matsuura as the driver of its Super Aguri Fernandez Racing entry.
The 89th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 29 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Entries must be postmarked by midnight Wednesday, April 6.
Rice, from Phoenix, will drive the No. 15 Rahal Letterman Argent Pioneer Panoz/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Ricardo Nault is the chief mechanic, continuing a partnership that helped deliver Rice the Borg-Warner Trophy and the MBNA Pole at Indianapolis in 2004.
Patrick, from Roscoe, Ill., will drive the No. 16 Rahal Letterman Argent Pioneer Panoz/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Ed Daood is the chief mechanic.
She will attempt to become just the fourth woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, following Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James and Sarah Fisher.
Meira, from Brasilia, Brazil, will attempt to make his third career Indianapolis start in the No. 17 Rahal Letterman Menards Johns Manville Panoz/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Greg Cates is the chief mechanic.
Meira’s best finish at Indianapolis is sixth in 2004, his first year with Rahal Letterman.
Steve Dickson is the team manager of all three Rahal Letterman entries.
Sharp, from Norwalk, Conn., will attempt to make his 11th Indy start in the No. 8 Delphi Panoz/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Tony Leith is the chief mechanic, and Mike Sales is the team manager.
1996 IndyCar Series co-champion Sharp won the MBNA Pole in 2001 and earned his career-best Indy finish of 10th in 2000.
Matsuura, from Aichi, Japan, will drive the No. 55 Panasonic ARTA
Panoz/Honda/Firestone, with a backup entered. Don Lambert is the chief mechanic, with Simon Hodgson as team manager.
In 2004, Matsuura finished 11th to earn JP Morgan Chase Bank Rookie of the Year honors with Super Aguri Fernandez Racing after starting ninth, the top starting spot among rookies in the 33-car field.
2005 INDIANAPOLIS 500 ENTRIES (as of March 31)
Driver
Entrant
Car
C/E/T
Entry Date
Tomas Enge (R)
Panther Racing
2, 2T Rockstar Panther Racing
Chevrolet
D/C/F
Feb. 28
Tomas Scheckter
Panther Racing
4, 4T Pennzoil Panther Dallara
D/C/F
Feb. 28
Buddy Lazier (W)
Panther Racing
95, 95T Panther Racing
D/C/F
Feb. 28
Paul Dana (R)
Hemelgarn Racing
91, 91T Ethanol/Remy/LifeFitness
D/T/F
March 9
Alex Barron
Red Bull Cheever Racing
51, 51T Red Bull Cheever Racing
Toyota
D/T/F
March 9
Patrick Carpentier (R)
Red Bull Cheever Racing
83, 83T Red Bull Cheever Racing
Toyota
D/T/F
March 9
Richie Hearn
Sam Schmidt Motorsports
70, 70T Meijer/Coca-Cola Racing
Special
P/C/F
March 29
Helio Castroneves (W)
Marlboro Team Penske
3, 3T Marlboro Team Penske
D/T/F
March 30
Sam Hornish Jr.
Marlboro Team Penske
6, 6T Marlboro Team Penske
D/T/F
March 30
TBA
Marlboro Team Penske
TBA, TBA
TBA
March 30
Buddy Rice (W)
Rahal Letterman Racing
15, 15T Rahal Letterman Argent
Pioneer
P/H/F
March 31
Danica Patrick (R)
Rahal Letterman Racing
16, 16T Rahal Letterman Argent
Pioneer
P/H/F
March 31
Vitor Meira
Rahal Letterman Racing
17, 17T Rahal Letterman Menards
Johns Manville
P/H/F
March 31
Scott Sharp
Delphi Fernandez Racing
8, 8T Delphi
P/H/F
March 31
Kosuke Matsuura
Super Aguri Fernandez Racing
55, 55T Panasonic ARTA
P/H/F
March 31
Key: C/E/T-Chassis/engine/tire; D-Dallara; P-Panoz; C-Chevrolet; H-Honda; T-Toyota; F-Firestone; (W)-Indianapolis 500 winner; (R)-Indianapolis 500 rookie; TBA-to be announced.
ENTRY SUMMARY
DRIVERS (14)
Former race winners (3): Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002), Buddy Lazier (1996), Buddy Rice (2004).
Former pole winners (3): Helio Castroneves (2003), Buddy Rice (2004), Scott Sharp (2001).
Rookies (4): Patrick Carpentier, Paul Dana, Tomas Enge, Danica Patrick.
U.S. born (8): Alex Barron, Paul Dana, Richie Hearn, Sam Hornish Jr., Buddy Lazier, Danica Patrick, Buddy Rice, Scott Sharp.
Foreign born (6): Patrick Carpentier, Canada; Helio Castroneves, Brazil; Tomas Enge, Czech Republic; Kosuke Matsuura, Japan; Vitor Meira, Brazil; Tomas Scheckter, South Africa.
Youngest: Danica Patrick, 23.
Oldest: Buddy Lazier, 37.
Most previous starts: Buddy Lazier, 12.
CARS (30)
Chassis: Dallara 16, Panoz 12, TBA 2.
Engines: Honda 10, Toyota 10, Chevrolet 8, TBA 2.
***
Indy 500 tickets: To purchase tickets, camping or parking for the 89th Indianapolis 500,
contact the IMS ticket office at (800) 822-INDY or log on to ndianapolismotorspeedway.com.
