9. Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Enterprises
Santino Ferrucci has never finished outside of the top 10 in six Indy 500 starts, and given the run of success he has had since taking over behind the wheel of the iconic No. 14 car for A.J. Foyt, it's hard to keep him out of our top 10 this year. He wasn't necessarily a main contender last year after emerging as one with a third place finish in 2023, but Foyt's team still has its Team Penske alliance, and this is set to mark the first time Ferrucci has run the Indy 500 three years in a row with the same program.
8. Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing
Helio Castroneves was as confident after the open test as he's been since reminding everybody in 2021 that he is still here with his record-tying fourth Indy 500 victory. I fully expect Meyer Shank Racing to be competitive again in year one of their new Chip Ganassi Racing alliance, and the "Drive for Five" could also become the "Drive for Five-0", as Castroneves has a shot to become the race's first ever 50-year-old winner.
7. Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
Nobody wants to talk about Kyle Kirkwood being a legitimate threat to win this year's Indy 500 and end Andretti Global's drought, but that needs to change. He was running second before his harrowing crash in 2023 and still placed seventh in 2024 after being dealt a drive-through penalty for contact on pit lane. He is also the series' most recent oval polesitter, going back to Nashville last year.