IndyCar: Two likely additions to the 2024 Indy 500 entry list

The start of the 2024 IndyCar season is less than two months away, and the entry list for the 108th running of the Indy 500, which is scheduled for roughly two and a half months later, is already coming together quite nicely.

All signs point toward bumping being required to determine who gets into the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, as there will likely be more than 33 cars trying to get into the race for the third time in the last four years.

There are 27 full-time entries for the 2024 season. Thus far, 24 full-time drivers have been confirmed, most recently Santino Ferrucci at A.J. Foyt Enterprises.

One entry at Ed Carpenter Racing is set to be shared by two drivers -- rookie Christian Rasmussen and team owner Ed Carpenter -- throughout the season. But the team have added a third Indy 500 entry so that both drivers can compete in the Indy 500.

Then there is Dale Coyne Racing, which have not yet announced drivers for either one of their two cars for 2024.

So that alone brings the entry total to 28, and there have been several other confirmations. Helio Castroneves is set to drive for Meyer Shank Racing, Kyle Larson is set to drive for Arrow McLaren (McLaren-Hendrick), and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing are set to field their usual two Indy 500 entries.

Abel Motorsports also plan to return to the Indy 500 for a second straight year, and all signs point toward Andretti Global once again adding an extra entry for Marco Andretti; the only thing that remains is a formal announcement. That brings the entry total to 34.

Beyond those, there are two likely additions to the Indy 500 entry list.

According to RACER.com, A.J. Foyt Enterprises plan to field an "extra" car for the Indy 500. They did not do so last year, but they have done so in the past, most recently in 2022.

At the time of the report, the team still hadn't confirmed Ferrucci as their second full-time driver. But now that he has been confirmed, it does indeed appear that that "extra" car would be a third car.

Then there is Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, which expanded to four cars for last year's Indy 500 -- and ended up having one of their full-time cars fail to qualify because of it. With the team eyeing to take a major step forward in 2024, all signs point to them bringing back the fourth car for two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato, who won the race for the team in 2020.

Should these two likely additions to the entry list be confirmed, that would bring the total to 36, which would be the highest since 2019 and match the highest since 2011.

The Indy 500 starting lineup is set to be determined by qualifying on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19. The 108th running of the race is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 26. NBC is set to provide live coverage beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. Begin a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss it!