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The Indy 500 is in its 106th running this week and it has long been the most-coveted race to win – not only in America, but worldwide. Sanctioned by AAA, USAC, CART, some awkward years as part of Tony George’s Indy Racing League, and now the IndyCar Series, it has never lost its mystique – not when Bob Burman won the inaugural race in 1909 at 54 m.p.h., or when Rene Thomas first cracked the 100 m.p.h. mark for the 1919 pole, (in what that year was known as the Liberty 500), or when Tom Sneva cracked the 200 m.p.h. mark for 1978’s pole.
This week, the speeds are as high as they’ve eve been. Scott Dixon’s four-lap run of 234.046 m.p.h. is the fastest pole ever earned and it was three-tenths of a second faster than Alex Palou. Last year’s race clocked in at 190 and change and we expect this one to be faster still. The free-to-play IndyCar Pick ‘Em game is simple to play, but with equally matched drivers in each category, it’s not always easy to determine who will lead their group. Each week, players will decide which drivers run the best and how the statistics will play out.
Participants can compete for weekly cash prizes, with a $25,000 jackpot available for any participants who earn a perfect score. There will also be at least $1,000 awarded each week in guaranteed cash and prizes, even if there is no player with a perfect score.
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Team With Most Top-10 Finishers
In wet conditions last week, it seems as though everyone got a chance to score a top-10. Chip Ganassi was the only owner to place two drivers among the leaders with a fourth-place finish for Marcus Ericsson and a 10th for Scott Dixon. Ricardo Juncos and Callum Illott earned their first top-10 last week.
Advantage: Chip Ganassi for the second week. It’s tempting to take Roger Penske on a track he has long owned both figuratively and literally, but the Ganassi guys showed so much speed in practice.
Owner | 2022 | Indy |
Chip Ganassi | 13 | 2 |
Roger Penske | 10 | 1 |
Andretti Autosport | 8 | 1 |
Bobby Rahal | 5 | 1 |
Ed Carpenter | 4 | 1 |
Arrow McLaren | 3 | 1 |
Michael Shank | 3 | 1 |
Dale Coyne | 2 | 1 |
Ricardo Juncos | 1 | 1 |
A J Foyt | 1 |
|
Starting Position of Winning Driver
The rich history of this race makes this a difficult selection. Last year, Helio Castroneves won from Row 3 (eighth-position), the three previous races were won from the front row (top-three positions), and 2017 was won from fourth. From 2012 through 2016, however, all five winners came from outside the top 10.
Advantage: 1st-4th. This simply feels like it’s Dixon’s race to lose.
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Drivers Leading Laps
If the Starting Position of the Winner is difficult to pick, this selection is practically a gimme. In the past five years, the fewest leaders have been 10 in 2020. Everyone wants to lead this race and at least a third of the drivers will get a chance.
Advantage: 9+
Time Lapse 1st – 5th (in seconds)
Expect a late-race caution and aim low. We are hedging our bets a little by saying more than five seconds, but could almost be persuaded to go even lower if the coin flip turns up tails.
Advantage: 5.0001 – 6.5 seconds
Lead Lap Finishers
The most common range over the past five years has been 16 to 18 drivers on the lead lap at the end of an Indy 500. Unfortunately, those numbers force you into making a tough choice, but since there were 22 lead lap finishers last year, we will aim a little high.
Advantage: 18-19
Best Rookie
The rookies have shown speed this weekend with most of them either setting a top-10 speed in one of the first eight practices, or coming very close to doing so. Jimmie Johnson has been a non-factor on most road courses in the past two seasons, but he could seriously challenge on the oval. Johnson finished sixth in his inaugural attempt at Texas Motor Speedway and has had top-five speed in nearly every practice. If you are nervous about his ability to go the distance, David Malukas is the next-best option.
Advantage: Jimmie Johnson
Best Finish, Former Winner
As of Tuesday, Dixon (+540) was the favorite at PointsBet Sportsbook and he was one of just three drivers below the 10/1 mark. It’s hard to argue with that assessment since he has had a top-five speed in every practice run so far.
Advantage: Scott Dixon
Race Winner
Dixon earned his fifth pole with a blistering speed, but he also led the field to green last year and dropped back quickly. Anything short of first doesn’t count in this pick and it’s not an easy one since there have been nine winners in the past 10 races; Takuma Sato is the only driver to repeat. For that reason we are hedging are best and going out on limb to pick “Other”. We think former NASCAR driver Johnson could provide a big upset.
Advantage: Other
2022 Indy 500 Qualification
Indy 500 Prequalification Practice
IndyCar Predictor: Round 5, GMR Grand Prix
2021 Indy 500 Best Bets
