The grid is set for the 2015 Indy 500. Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon claimed poll for the 99th edition of the historic race to be held on May 24. The last time he held pole in the race was in 2008, which he went on to win. Will history repeat itself? Or will a sleeper break through from the pack and drink the milk?
We’ve compiled three such sleeper candidates – a list that includes a potentially underestimated defending champion – who just might be able to do just that. Read on below for a full breakdown of their sleeper credentials.
Get ready for the big race by checking out what the experts think. Click here for our experts’ Indy 500 picks and predictions.
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Indy 500 Sleepers Picks, Predictions and Preview
Ryan Hunter-Reay
Defending Indy 500 champion Ryan Hunter-Reay may just feel a little bit disrespected when he sees his substantial +2,500 odds to defend his crown. Granted, it’s tough to defend at Indianapolis; only Helio Castroneves in 2001-2002 has achieved the feat of going back-to-back in the last 40-plus years.
[sc:Other240banner ]But if anyone can do it again, it might just be Hunter-Reay. Although he hasn’t exactly gotten off to the greatest of starts this season – he has only one top-five finish in five races – he sure knows his way around the Indy Motor Speedway. Before winning it all last year, he also finished third in 2013. Who knows, maybe returning to the site of his greatest triumph can inspire Hunter-Reay back to winning ways.
Hunter-Reay will start this year’s race in 16th, which shouldn’t be too much of an impediment to his chances of taking the checkered flag. He came all the way back from 19th to win last year.
Graham Rahal doesn’t have the most impressive track record at Indy. In seven career starts, he’s cracked the top 10 just once with a third-place finish in 2011. In his six other starts, his average finishing position is 24.5.
But don’t sleep on Rahal, who is a juicy +4,000 to win his first ever Indy 500 in this year’s race. He’s been one of the most consistent drivers in the field this season, and is the only one to have finished in the top 11 or better in all five races thus far. He’ll also be one of the most in-form drivers heading into the race, with back-to-back second-place finishes at the Grand Prix of Alabama and Indianapolis.
Sebastien Bourdais
Outside of the top three drivers in the IndyCar championship standings – Juan Pablo Montoya, Will Power and Helio Castroneves – and No. 6 Tony Kanaan, only Sebastien Bourdais has placed eighth or better in four of the five races this season. And in his last race at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Bourdais finally broke through to the top five with a fourth-place finish.
The French driver has continued to make strides in his seventh IndyCar season (but just his fourth as a regular starter). He has improved his performance from this time last year, where he finished seventh at the Indy 500. He qualified seventh for this year’s race, and will be a cheeky bet at +5,000 to take the checkered flag.
