39 entries for 2008 Indy 500
The three winners on this year's list are Helio Castroneves (2001-02), Buddy Rice (2004) and Dan Wheldon (2005).
Thirty-two drivers have been named to the 39 entries filed this year for the 33 starting spots in the world's most prestigious auto race, an increase of seven drivers over last year's initial entry list.
The 92nd Indianapolis 500 is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday, May 25 and will be broadcast live by ABC Sports, the IMS Radio Network and XM Channel 144.
Castroneves will attempt to join an elite club by earning his third Indianapolis 500 victory in the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Just eight drivers have won the race three times or more since the inaugural event in 1911.
The famed 2.5-mile oval will open with a flurry of activity Sunday, May 4 on Indianapolis Star Opening Day/Rookie Orientation, as 12 rookies will participate due to the influx of drivers into the IndyCar Series created by the unification of North American open-wheel racing in February. The last time at least 12 rookies started the Indianapolis 500 was in 1997, when 13 first-timers took the green flag.
This year's rookie crop is one of the most impressive in years at Indianapolis. Leading the group is IndyCar Series sensation Graham Rahal, 19, who won April 6 in St. Petersburg, Fla., to become the youngest winner of a major North American open-wheel race. Rahal, the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, will drive the No. 06 Hole in the Wall Camps Dallara/Honda/Firestone for longtime open-wheel stalwart Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing.
Talented champions from Firestone Indy Lights, the premier ladder series for the IndyCar Series, continue to climb to the Indianapolis 500. 2007 series champion Alex Lloyd and 2006 series champion Jay Howard will make their Indianapolis debuts.
Lloyd and Howard join 2002 champion A.J. Foyt IV as past Firestone Indy Lights series champions competing for a starting spot at Indianapolis. Other former Firestone Indy Lights graduates competing at Indy include Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, Hideki Mutoh, Rahal and Marty Roth.
Three women will attempt to race in the Indianapolis 500 for the second consecutive year, as 2005 Chase Rookie of the Year Danica Patrick and popular veterans Sarah Fisher and Milka Duno were named to entries. Fisher will compete as the driver-owner for Sarah Fisher Racing.
Andretti Green Racing filed four entries, more than any other team. Teams filing three entries included 14-time Indy winners Team Penske, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and Vision Racing.
DRIVERS (32)
Former race winners (3): Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002), Buddy Rice (2004), Dan Wheldon (2005).
Former pole winners (4): Helio Castroneves (2003, 2007), Bruno Junqueira (2002), Tony Kanaan (2005), Buddy Rice (2004).
Rookies (12): Enrique Bernoldi, Jay Howard, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alex Lloyd, Mario Moraes, Hideki Mutoh, Franck Perera, Will Power, Graham Rahal, Oriol Servia, E.J. Viso, Justin Wilson.
U.S. born (10): Marco Andretti, Townsend Bell, Ed Carpenter, Sarah Fisher, A.J. Foyt IV, Larry Foyt, Graham Rahal, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Danica Patrick, Buddy Rice.
Foreign born (22): Enrique Bernoldi, Brazil; Ryan Briscoe, Australia; Helio Castroneves, Brazil; Scott Dixon, New Zealand; Milka Duno, Venezuela; Jay Howard, England; Bruno Junqueira, Brazil; Tony Kanaan, Brazil; Alex Lloyd, England; Darren Manning, England; Vitor Meira, Brazil; Mario Moraes, Brazil; Hideki Mutoh, Japan; Max Papis, Italy; Franck Perera, France; Will Power, Australia; Marty Roth, Canada; Tomas Scheckter, South Africa; Oriol Servia, Spain; E.J. Viso, Venezuela; Dan Wheldon, England, Justin Wilson, England.
Youngest: Graham Rahal, 19.
Oldest: Marty Roth, 49.
Most previous starts: Helio Castroneves, 7.
| Car | Driver | Entrant |
| 2 | A.J. Foyt IV | Vision Racing |
| 3 | Helio Castroneves | Team Penske |
| 4 | Vitor Meira | Panther Racing |
| 5 | Oriol Servia | KV Racing Technology |
| 6 | Ryan Briscoe | Team Penske |
| 7 | Danica Patrick | Andretti Green Racing |
| 8 | Will Power | KV Racing Technology |
| 9 | Scott Dixon | Target Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 10 | Dan Wheldon | Target Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 11 | Tony Kanaan | Andretti Green Racing |
| 12 | Tomas Scheckter | Luczo Dragon Racing |
| 14 | Darren Manning | A.J. Foyt Enterprises |
| 15 | Buddy Rice | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing |
| 16 | Alex Lloyd | Rahal Letterman Racing |
| 17 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Rahal Letterman Racing |
| 18 | Bruno Junqueira | Dale Coyne Racing |
| 19 | Mario Moraes | Dale Coyne Racing |
| 20 | Ed Carpenter | Vision Racing |
| 21 | TBA | Playa Del Racing |
| 22 | TBA | Vision Racing |
| 23 | Milka Duno | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing |
| 24 | Jay Howard | Roth Racing |
| 25 | Marty Roth | Roth Racing |
| 26 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Green Racing |
| 27 | Hideki Mutoh | Andretti Green Racing |
| 33 | E.J. Viso | HVM Racing |
| 34 | Franck Perera | Conquest Racing |
| 36 | Enrique Bernoldi | Conquest Racing |
| 41 | Larry Foyt | A.J. Foyt Enterprises |
| 44 | Max Papis | Sam Schmidt Motorsports |
| 67 | Sarah Fisher | Sarah Fisher Racing |
| 77 | TBA | Team Penske |
| 83 | TBA | Panther Racing |
| 91 | TBA | Hemelgarn Johnson |
| 98 | TBA | CURB/Agajanian/Beck Motorsports |
| 99 | Townsend Bell | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing |
| 02 | Justin Wilson | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing |
| 06 | Graham Rahal | Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing |
| TBA | TBA | PDM Racing |