Indy 500: 3 drivers most likely to be bumped

With a 34th entry having officially materialized, there is set to be bumping to set the Indy 500 starting grid for the first time since 2021 this May.

This year’s Indy 500 entry list was not finished at 33 entries, with R.C. Enerson, his father Neil, and the Abel Motorsports Indy NXT (Indy Lights) team putting together a Chevrolet entry for the biggest race on the IndyCar schedule.

With this car being the 34th on this year’s entry list, bumping is ensured for the first time since 2021, when two of 35 entries were left on the outside looking in.

Last year, there were doubts about the Indy 500 even getting a 33rd entry, putting the race’s 106th running at risk of becoming the first without 33 cars since 1947, but the final entry did ultimately materialize.

With this year’s Indy 500 qualifying session set to feature 34 cars, who won’t get to be a part of the field of 33 the following Sunday afternoon?

Indy 500 drivers most likely to be bumped: No. 1 – R.C. Enerson

The last time there was bumping, R.C. Enerson was unfortunately one of the two drivers left on the outside looking in.

He attempted to qualify for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” for the first time in 2021 with Top Gun Racing behind the wheel of the No. 75 Chevrolet, but the car really never showed any signs of being able to challenge for a top 33 spot. It ultimately placed 35th of 35 cars in qualifying.

Competing again for a small team, on paper, makes Enerson the most likely candidate to be 34th of 34 this year.

Of course, we’ve seen major upsets in Indy 500 qualifying before (none bigger than Kyle Kaiser ousting McLaren, Fernando Alonso, and their multi-million-dollar hospitality chalet) from the field in epic fashion four years ago. Maybe Enerson can pull off something similar this year.