Parity Rears Its Ugly Head!
The rustling sound you hear in the background is a whole lot of heads in dollar racing teams being scratched. This year has been strange for Messrs. Penske and Ganassi and downright scary for Andretti Autosport. Who would have predicted that the first three rows would be populated by names like Oriol Servia, Townsend Bell, Alex Tagliani and Ed Carpenter. Sure, Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti are nearby. Dixon starts second and Franchitti goes 9th, but how they got there is something of a mystery. How do two of the top cars in the series BOTH run out of fuel during a qualifying attempt?
And only one Penske car in the top 9? What's up with that? Will Power will start fifth, but his teammates Helio Castroneves (16th) and Ryan Briscoe (27th) are deep in a field that is seoarated (slowest to fastest) by about 4 mph.
The real stunner was Andretti Autosport and their struggles to get their entire team in the race. Only one-off John Andretti made the field on the first day, and at the end of qualifying boith Mike Conway and Ryan Hunter Reay were on the outside looking in. Of course, Michael Andretti wielded his checkbook and bought the ride qualified by Bruno Junquiera for RHR, much to the dismay of some.
So where do you put a nickel or two to take home some cake for Memorial Day?
Well, Roger Penske may have issues with qualifying, but you can't argue with his success in the Race, and his three drivers are all value odds plays with Castroneves at 11 - 1, Briscoe at 14 - 1, and Power, starting in the center of row 2, is 8 1/2 - 1 (17-2). Any of the three, particualrly Castroneves, would be a solid play for a unit.
Both Ganassi "A" cars are 4 - 1, Dixon starting second and Franchitti going off 9th. The only way you can wager anything on these two is by playing 2 units. If you follow trends (and what gambler doesn't,) you almost HAVE to put cash on the dominant two teams. Only twice in the last two years has any other team won a race of any kind in the series.
That being said here are a few other players that might be worthy of your interest.
Dan Wheldon:
Wheldon who starts 6th goes off at 13-1. Almost any time you can get a former winner at 10 or better, you have to take it. Not only that, but Wheldon has had a history of coming second a couple of times to go with his previous win.
Vitor Meira:
The more A. J. Foyt turns his team over to son Larry, the better these guys do. After the sale of the 41 car to Andretti Autosport, Ol' Tex is playing with "house money." So, you know where the icon is going to be. Vitor has had a good year so far, and his times have been good hanging around the top 10 almost all month on the speed chart. At 20 - 1, he's not quite the buy that Kenny Brack was in 1999, but if you're a hunch player, this might not be a bad flyer.
Ryan Hunter Reay:
Speaking of the sale, Hunter Reay may have gotten into a better car than he was driving before. Bruno Junquiera had the car safely in the field before getting booted for Hunter Reay to have a shot. At 35 - 1, he's going off last, but he HAS won before in this series.
John Andretti:
Andretti is a one-off driving for his cousin Michael and NASCAR's "King," Richard Petty and was the only Andretti car to make the field on day one of qualifying. Does he have a chance to win? Nope, and Vegas doesn't think so either with odds of 100 - 1.
Danica Patrick:
Whether or not this is Ms. Patrick's swan song at the 500, (and it almost certainly is,) she has been known for keeping a car running and getting to the finish here. She wasn't particularly fast on Carb Day, but weather conditions tomorrow should be almost exactly the opposite of what there was Friday. If this crew stumbles on the right setup, and they have before, 20 - 1 is not a bad price for someone who's had her success here.
Townsend Bell/Ed Carpenter:
OK, you want a sentimental pair of picks? Try these two. Bell, a road racing expert, put Sam Schmidt's car on the inside of row 2, but you'll have to call your own "man" to get odds on him, since most sportsbooks aren't even listing him as an option. Carpenter, driving for Sarah Fisher Racing is at 45 - 1. If either of these guys come home first, it will be the "feel-good" story of the year. Fisher, long a driver of lesser equipment is in her third year as a car owner, but this year she retired as a driver to start a family and is expecting her first kid in the fall. Sarah was ne of the nost popular drivers in recent years at IMS and a win for her would be joyous for almost everyone around. Ditto for Schmidt, whose paralizing injuries ended his racing carer as a driver, but who has been a BIG winner in the IndyLights series. Townsend Bell is a very capable race driver who could make that dream come true for Schmidt.
Oriol Servia:
Remember back in the 90's when Newman Haas Racing meant Michael and Mario Andretti? Guess what: They're back with Servia putting up a front row start for the first time since then.
At 14 - 1, he's a quiet pick for a front row car and if he's around at the finish, who knows? This is one play I'm already on. Sometimes at Indy the "quiet" guy is the one who takes the bills at the end. This one would be no surprise.
Wherever you spend the race tomorrow, be well, be safe, and be reminded of the sacrifices of brave men and women to preserve the freedom we celebrate this Memorial Day.
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