IndyCar: Indianapolis 500 will feature bumping as 34 entries confirmed

By Asher Fair | Feb 20, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 29: James Hinchcliffe of Canada driver of the #5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda leads at the start of the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 29, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /

A total of 33 cars will race in the 2018 Indianapolis 500. But 34 entries have been confirmed, meaning there will be bumping for the first time since 2015.

For the first time since the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 three years ago in May of 2015, there is set to be bumping in qualifying for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”. A total of 33 cars race in the event each year, but 34 entries have already been confirmed or close to confirmed for the event in the 2018 IndyCar season.

Of those 34 entries, 29 have confirmed drivers already. Of those 29 drivers, 20 are full-time drivers and nine are either part-time drivers or drivers only set to drive at Indianapolis in the Indianapolis 500, and in one case, both the Indianapolis 500 and the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

Matheus Leist and Tony Kanaan are full-time drivers for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. Zach Veach, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti are full-time drivers for Andretti Autosport. Charlie Kimball and Max Chilton are full-time drivers for Carlin Motorsport and Scott Dixon and Ed Jones are full-time drivers for Chip Ganassi Racing.

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This brings the total to 10 confirmed drivers for the race.

Sebastien Bourdais is the full-time driver for Dale Coyne Racing, Spencer Pigot is the full-time driver for Ed Carpenter Racing and Gabby Chaves is the full-time driver for Harding Racing. Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato are the full-time drivers for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, James Hinchcliffe and Robert Wickens are the full-time drivers for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Simon Pagenaud are the full-time drivers for Team Penske.

This brings the total to 20 confirmed drivers for the race.

Stefan Wilson and Carlos Munoz are set to drive for Andretti Autosport in the race, while Pietro Fittipaldi and Pippa Mann set to do so for Dale Coyne Racing and Ed Carpenter and Danica Patrick are set to do so for Ed Carpenter Racing. Kyle Kaiser is set to do so for Juncos Racing, Jack Harvey is set to do so for Michael Shank Racing and Helio Castroneves is set to do so for Team Penske.

This brings the total to 29 confirmed drivers for the race.

The five other entries that have either been confirmed or almost confirmed include two Dreyer & Reinbold Racing cars. Their drivers will likely be Sage Karam and J.R. Hildebrand, but this has not yet been confirmed. Also included in these additional entries are a third car for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, a third car for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and a car for Buddy Lazier at Lazier Partners Racing.

This brings the total to 34 entries for the race.

Beyond these 34 entries, there could also be a few more additional entries as well. Part-time Dale Coyne Racing driver Zachary Claman DeMelo could potentially drive a fourth car for the team, and Harding Racing could potentially field a second car in the race. There are some other possibilities that exist as well; these two are just the most notable and most likely ones.

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Which drivers will arrive at Indianapolis Motor Speedway the week before qualifying for the Indianapolis 500, turn several practice laps throughout the week, and then ultimately fail to qualify for the 102nd running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”? Once the Grand Prix of Indianapolis comes to an end on Saturday, May 12th, the pressure will be on.