Final push underway for 33 Indy 500 entries

The rush is on to complete the Indianapolis 500’s field of 33 cars.

With Andretti Global’s decision to park its fourth entry, the IndyCar Series continues to sit one car short of filling its minimum number of starting positions. To date, 31 cars have been confirmed.

The list is comprised of IndyCar’s 25 full-time entries, two from Indy-only participant Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for Conor Daly and Jack Harvey (27), plus extra cars from Arrow McLaren for Ryan Hunter-Reay (28), one from ECR for Ed Carpenter (29), one from Meyer Shank Racing for Helio Castroneves (30), and one from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for Takuma Sato (31).

Indy NXT entrant Abel Motorsports, which made its Indy 500 debut in 2023 with RC Enerson, is known to have filed an entry for Jacob Abel, which awaits formal confirmation, and would bring the series to 32 cars.

AJ Foyt Racing, which is aligned with Team Penske through the technical support it receives, is understood to be the most likely solution to complete the field of 33.

Team president Larry Foyt has been steadfast in his desire to focus on their two full-time cars for Santino Ferrucci and rookie Caio Collet, but has also been prepared to receive the call from Penske to activate a third entry that would complete the grid if the series fell short of its minimum at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After the change of direction by Andretti, it’s believed that call was made to Foyt. Attempts to reach Foyt for comment have been unsuccessful.

Although the absence of the fourth Andretti car means a Honda engine lease is going unused and could reside in a 34th entry, RACER understands the motor is not being made available for use by other Honda-powered teams. Dale Coyne Racing was rumored to be an option for the engine, but team manager Mitch Davis confirmed in a call on Friday morning that the team is sticking with its two full-time entries.

Multiple sources have told RACER that IndyCar and its official engine suppliers at Chevy and Honda are set with fielding 33 cars, with the two Chevys earmarked for 2025 Indy 500 polesitter PREMA Racing being re-allocated to Abel and Foyt in order to reach 33.

As fans await confirmation of the Abel and Foyt entries, the drivers with budgets who hope to land the Foyt seat, which include Katherine Legge, Stefan Wilson and a few others, also wait patiently to learn if they’ll be taking part in the 110th running of The Greatest Spectacle In Racing.

RACER also understands PREMA will not participate in the Indy 500 and has pivoted its efforts to make a return to June and beyond.