30. Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
The "does Indy road course success matter heading into the Indy 500?" debate always amuses me, because it shouldn't even be a debate. Everybody knows there is no translation whatsoever. For that reason, I'm not buying the idea that Louis Foster's career-best run on the road course will suddenly turn Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing into an Indy 500 contender. They still have lots of work to do after their 2023 and 2024 struggles.
29. Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing with Cusick Motorsports
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing's focus on the Indy 500 makes them a lot stronger than most fans expect, and that is consistently the case, year after year. But Jack Harvey hasn't been the same since leaving Meyer Shank Racing after 2021. He didn't compete in the race last year after making back-to-back last row starts in 2022 and 2023.
28. Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing
Ed Carpenter was once the man to beat on Indy 500 qualifying weekend, highlighted by three pole positions and two other front row starts in a seven-year stretch. But he has not finished higher than 13th place in any of his 15 most recent IndyCar starts, and his window of Indy 500 contention seems to have closed.