Trivia about the field for the 98th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race:
* There are seven rookies in the field: Mikhail Aleshin, Kurt Busch, James Davison, Jack Hawksworth, Carlos Huertos, Sage Karam and Martin Plowman. Last year there were four rookies.
* In addition to the seven rookies, there are two drivers (Juan Pablo Montoya and Jacques Villeneuve) who did not start in last year’s race. Villeneuve’s last start in the Indianapolis 500 was 19 years ago in 1995. Montoya’s last start was in 2000.
* There are six former Indianapolis 500 winners: Tony Kanaan (2013), Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009), Scott Dixon (2008), Juan Pablo Montoya (2000), Buddy Lazier (1996) and Jacques Villeneuve (1995). The record for most former winners in the field is 10, in 1992. The fewest, other than the inaugural race in 1911, is zero in 1912.
* Buddy Lazier is the most experienced driver in the field with 17 previous Indianapolis 500 starts. The record is 35, set in consecutive years from 1958-1992 by A.J. Foyt.
* Scott Dixon has led 347 career laps in the Indianapolis 500, more than any other driver in this year’s field. Other drivers in the field who have led more than 200 laps are Tony Kanaan (255) and Helio Castroneves (232).
* Twenty-one different drivers have led a total of 1,459 laps in previous Indianapolis 500 Mile races.
* There is a combined 149 previous Indianapolis 500 starts among the 33 drivers. The record is 260 years of experience, set in 1987 and 1992. There were 144 years of combined experience in last year’s field.
* The oldest driver in the starting field is Buddy Lazier, 46. The youngest qualifier is Sage Karam, 19. A.J. Foyt IV is the youngest driver to start the Indianapolis 500. His 19th birthday was on Race Day, 2003.
* There are 14 veterans of Indy Lights in the field: Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, James Davison, Jack Hawksworth, JR Hildebrand, James Hinchcliffe, Sage Karam, Charlie Kimball, Pippa Mann, Carlos Munoz, Josef Newgarden, Martin Plowman, Graham Rahal and Sebastian Saavedra.