2013 Indianapolis 500 Odds, Free Picks and Predictions: Favorites, Dark Horses, Sleepers and Drivers to Avoid “The Greatest Spectacle in Auto Racing” will add another chapter to its storied history this weekend with the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500. The race is and the track are famous worldwide, and drivers from the United State and abroad come the 2.5-mile, rectangle-shaped oval for a chance to earn a spot in history. After all, the winner not only gets to drink the celebratory gallon of milk and kiss the yard of bricks at the start-finish line, but their face is forever immortalized alongside the other winner on the Borg-Warner Trophy. In short, the Indianapolis 500 is one of the few races that has the power to turn a great driver into a legend and an unknown driver into a celebrity.
Last year, Dario Franchitti survived an eventful last-lap battle for the lead to win the Indy 500 for the third time in his career. Franchitti’s lead over Takuma Sato was shrinking over the final laps, and Sato made a move to the inside on the last lap. However, Franchitti pinched Sato down to the bottom of the track, and in order to avoid making contact, Sato spun his car out and slammed into the outside wall as Franchitti coasted to the checkered flag.
The Favorites
Since winning the Indianapolis 500 in his first two attempts, Helio Castroneves hasn’t really slowed down much. He is a three-time winner of the race overall, tying him for the most wins of any driver in the field this weekend. Meanwhile, his 7.6 average finish in the race is also tied for the best among active drivers, and he leads all drivers with six top-five finishes and 10 top-10s. Castroneves has only finished outside the top 10 in two of his 12 starts in the Indy 500, making him all but a lock to be in contention for another victory this weekend.
Defending race winner Dario Franchitti has been dominant at Indianapolis recently. He has won the Indy 500 in three of the last five years and has finished seventh or better in six of his last eight starts in the event. His three victories tie him for the most among active drivers, and his 7.6 average finish is also tied for the best. Throw in the fact that Franchitti also leads all drivers in laps led per start in the Indy 500, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him go back to Victory Lane for the fourth time in six years on Sunday.
The Dark Horses
His lone Indianapolis 500 victory to date came in 2008, but Scott Dixon could add to that total at any moment. After all, his 7.6 average finish in the event is tied for the best among active drivers, and in 10 starts, he has eight top-10 finishes. More importantly, Dixon has finished sixth or better in seven straight Indy 500 starts, and in four of the last five races, he has led more than 50 laps. In fact, no driver in the field this weekend has more laps than Dixon’s 349. If anything, it is a bit of a surprise that he hasn’t won this race more than once.
No driver in the field this weekend has accomplished more at Indianapolis without winning than Tony Kanaan. In 11 starts in the event, he has five top-five finishes, six top-10s and has led 221 laps, and all three totals are the most of any driver in the field without a victory. Kanaan’s best finish to date came in 2004 when he ended up second, but he has been inching closer to that elusive win in recent years, finishing fourth in 2011 and third in 2012. History says that Kanaan will be in the mix, and there is a chance that he could finally seal the deal Sunday.
Success has come quickly for Marco Andretti, but like many of his family members, a win has been elusive. Since finishing second by a matter of inches in his Indy 500 debut, he has gone on to log four top-10s in seven starts, including three finishes of third or better. Andretti is starting third Sunday, and as fast as he has been at the track throughout his career, he may just be able to break the “Andretti Curse” that has been haunting his family for decades.
Sleeper Special
Although he has only made four starts in the Indianapolis 500, Oriol Servia has showed signs of a future winner. He has finished 11th or better in three of his four starts, and more importantly, he has been improving. Servia finished sixth in the 2011 Indy 500, and last year, he finished fourth. He may not be the biggest name in the IndyCar Series, but Servia is on the verge of making a name for himself at the sport’s biggest race.
Although he has never made an IndyCar Series start at Indianapolis, A.J. Allmendinger isn’t a newcomer to the track. He made four starts at the track in the Sprint Cup Series, finishing a career-best sixth in the Brickyard 400 just last year. Granted, a stock car and an open-wheel car are very different, but Allmendinger has looked comfortable so far and is starting fifth Sunday. Throw in the fact that his car owner Roger Penske is no stranger to success in the Indy 500, and Allmendinger could surprise in his first IndyCar Series start at Indianapolis.
Big Name to Avoid
He is the defending IndyCar Series champ and has already visited Victory Lane in 2013, but Ryan Hunter-Reay has never had a lot of success at Indianapolis. He has a 21.2 average finish in five career starts and has yet to lead a single lap. Worse yet, he has finished outside the top 15 in his last four starts in the Indy 500, including back-to-back finishes outside the top 20.
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2013 Indianapolis 500 Odds – May 26th at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Driver Odds to Win the 2013 Indy 500
Driver to win the Indy Indianapolis 500
301 Scott Dixon +700
302 Dario Franchitti +800
303 Helio Castroneves +800
304 James Hinchcliffe +900
305 Ryan Briscoe +2000
306 Ryan Hunter Reay +1000
307 Tony Kanaan +1500
308 Marco Andretti +700
309 Will Power +1200
310 Graham Rahal +2000
311 AJ Allmendinger +1200
312 Takuma Sato +3000
313 Oriol Servia +2500
314 Alex Tagliani +5000
315 Justin Wilson +4000
316 Ed Carpenter +900
317 Field +700
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