4 more cars are qualified

The traditional field of 33 may not be reached.
THE ORLANDO SENTINEL
INDIANAPOLIS -- Only four more cars qualified Sunday for the Indianapolis 500, bringing the total to 26 and leaving open the possibility of a shortfall from the traditional 33-car field for the first time since 1947.
But Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Tony George said there were more than enough spare cars and hopeful drivers around storied Gasoline Alley to fill out the field for the May 30 race.
"All the pieces exist to have a full field of 33 cars," George said as qualifying closed Sunday, not to reopen until May 23. "Whether or not all the pieces will come together, I don't know.
"My hope is that the entrants will decide for themselves whether they want to do the behind-the-garage-door deals to fill the field."
Wheeling and dealing
By that, George meant the traditional wheeling and dealing where teams rent their spare cars to drivers who can come up with enough sponsorship money.
For example, powerful Team Penske, winner of the past three Indy 500s, put one of its extra Dallara-Toyotas effectively in the showroom late Sunday afternoon, sending the car through technical inspection without a designated driver.
Penske drivers Helio Castroneves and Sam Hornish Jr. made the field on Saturday.
Three drivers who qualified Sunday had crashed during the first round: Alex Barron, Bryan Herta and Felipe Giaffone. The fourth, Tora Takagi, was making his first attempt.
Two more drivers are virtually certain to qualify on deals already made. Greg Ray simply hasn't put together a complete four-lap qualifying run yet.
And P.J. Jones, son of 1963 Indy winner Parnelli Jones, announced an agreement Sunday to drive for Beck Racing but didn't get in any practice laps in the car.
Soaring costs
Even with 45 drivers cleared in physicals to participate and more than 60 cars in the garages, a full field is far from guaranteed, mainly because of soaring costs.
The going price of a rent-a-ride is a minimum $250,000 -- $150,000 to lease an engine from a prime supplier like Honda or Toyota and another $100,000 to rent the car, in addition to signing a "crash clause," or promise to pay more for any damage.
But considering that Giaffone made $242,815 for 33rd place after completing only six laps last year, prospects for returns on the investments are good.
"That's why in the second week deals happen," said Speedway executive vice president Fred Nation. "They always have."
It's also why George indicated he won't subsidize any drivers just to fill the field.
"I'm not interested in writing checks to make things happen, just so I can write more checks on Monday, May 31," he said, meaning payday from the race.