However who ought to followers root for when the inexperienced flag drops on Sunday at midday ET?
Nicely, there are 27 full-time drivers within the sequence, so there are fairly a number of to select from.
Under, we provide you with some useful nuggets about every, together with their explanations of why followers ought to cheer for them.
Who’s he? Greater than every other INDYCAR driver, Pato O’Ward has the strongest following — at the least on social. It’s no surprise the Mexican driver has his nation wanting an INDYCAR race. The McLaren driver has seven wins within the final 4 years.
Enjoyable truth: He considers himself a foodie.
O’Ward says: “I promise to be nice leisure all yr.”
Who’s he? The 34-year-old Newgarden has gained 31 races during the last 10 INDYCAR seasons, together with back-to-back Indy 500 triumphs. The Penske driver appears to be one of many extra emotional INDYCAR drivers when issues go fallacious and one of the vital cold-blooded when he sees an opportunity to pounce.
Enjoyable truth: Has appeared on “American Ninja Warrior” and took part within the NFL Mix. Sure, really.
Newgarden says: “If you wish to cheer on somebody that’s the final competitor that wishes to do something to basically combat for a victory, that’s me. That’s what I get up on daily basis attempting to determine do higher.”
Who’s he? Energy, who turns 44 Saturday, is thought to have emotional outbursts when somebody angers him with a transfer or a call. Nonetheless, the Penske driver appears to recover from it considerably shortly — or at the least a lot faster than the spotlight stays viral.
Enjoyable truth: Enjoys drumming and bought his first drum set on the age of 15.
Energy says: “I’m very, very obsessed with what I do. I like what I do. I like racing. I like the sequence. I like competing in opposition to the perfect on the earth.”
Who’s he? There are a number of drivers who’ve gained titles, however Scott Dixon leads all lively drivers with six championships and 58 victories. The 44-year-old New Zealander seems like he might race one other 10 years for Ganassi, though we determine his profession will finish earlier than later.
Enjoyable truth: Appointed Companion of the New Zealand Order of Benefit by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019.
Dixon says: “The query might be why shouldn’t they [root for me]? … And attempt to have a good time a seventh championship.”
Who’s he? Alex Palou hardly ever appears to have a nasty day. The 27-year-old Spaniard has been operating on the end in 42 of the final 43 races. In these 43 races, he completed within the high three 19 occasions (that is good for 44 p.c). No surprise he has gained the championship the final two years and three of the final 4.
Enjoyable truth: Is a passionate pickleball player.
Palou says: “They need to root for me as a result of I’m going to present all of them consideration on the monitor in the event that they see me and I’m all the time going to attempt my finest on monitor.”
Who’s he? Colton Herta simply appears to draw a following, whether or not it’s due to his wavy hair or the Method 1 rumors that include him. The Andretti driver has 9 wins and enters his seventh season in INDYCAR.
Enjoyable truth: Performs drums within the rock band The Zibs.
Herta says: “I am extraordinarily quick. I win races and I’ve acquired an incredible crew behind me.”
Who’s he? Kyle Kirkwood lives in Florida. He likes his browsing. And fishing. And diving. Oh, and he can race, too. The Andretti driver gained twice in 2023.
Enjoyable truth: Enjoys deep-sea fishing.
Kirkwood says: “They need to root for me as a result of I am the perfect. Plain and easy. Simply kidding. I am the man that got here up from karting with no racing background [in my family].”
Who’s he? Marcus Ericsson races arduous and appears to simply go about his enterprise racing. The 34-year-old Swede has 4 profession wins, but it surely’s been two years since his final victory within the 2023 season opener. He’s modified groups since then, going from Ganassi to Andretti earlier than the beginning of final yr.
Enjoyable truth: Was as soon as a youth hockey goalie earlier than pursuing a racing profession.
Ericsson says: “I’m only a regular man from Sweden coming over to America and residing my dream.”
Who’s he? Scott McLaughlin introduced his New Zealand spirit to the US after profitable three consecutive Supercar championships. His transition to INDYCAR wasn’t simple, but it surely’s nonetheless unknown whether or not the Penske driver will attain celebrity outcomes.
Enjoyable truth: Enjoys golf and performs weekly rounds with Penske teammate and NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney.
McLaughlin says: “I really feel like I’m a enjoyable man. … Ever since I’ve come from Australia and New Zealand, I’ve had a ton of American followers soar on board the “Thirsty 3s” [his number] and I believe everybody appreciates that we have now enjoyable however are severe about our enterprise as properly.”
Who’s he? Santino Ferrucci will get beneath the pores and skin of different drivers with what some would say are outlandish strikes on the monitor. He solely appears to care slightly bit about that, although. The 26-year-old driver from Connecticut likes to race, so driving for A.J. Foyt appears applicable.
Enjoyable truth: Was featured in GQ magazine as an 11-year-old karting prodigy.
Ferrucci says: “I’m a breath of contemporary air for the sequence … and general a really arduous racer.”
Who’s he? Conor Daly loves to speak racing, so it’s not a shock that he has a podcast the place he … talks racing. That love of the game, in addition to expertise, has stored him out and in of rides and substitute roles during the last 10 years. He begins the season hoping that will probably be a full-time yr (pending sponsorship, as all the time) with Juncos Hollinger Racing.
Enjoyable truth: Hosts “Velocity Road” podcast for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Soiled Mo Media.
Daly says: “Followers ought to root for me as a result of we wish to have a good time and have a good time if we’re profitable. … I wish to be a fan myself. I like racing.”
Who’s he? Rahal enters his nineteenth yr of full-time INDYCAR racing. The son of driver and crew co-owner Bobby Rahal, Graham Rahal has six profession wins.
Enjoyable truth: Is a diehard fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Rahal says: “I believe I’m a pleasant man. I’ve been by way of the products, the bads. I’ve fought the battles, and we maintain pushing on.”
Who’s he? Rossi enters his tenth season in INDYCAR and with a brand new firesuit as he joins Ed Carpenter Racing. That is his fourth group. The 33-year-old Rossi has had loads of highs and lows with eight victories and finishes as excessive as second within the standings and as little as eleventh. He does a podcast every week, the place he particulars the ups and downs of a driver who had simply two podium finishes within the final two years.
Enjoyable truth: Enjoys flying and has his personal pilot’s license.
Who’s he? Discuss to folks round INDYCAR and lots of say Rosenqvist is without doubt one of the nicest folks within the paddock. The Meyer Shank Racing driver seemed to be on the point of a breakout season a few years in the past however remains to be trying to find it.
Enjoyable truth: Hobbies embrace snowboarding, skateboarding, mountaineering and video video games.
Rosenqvist says: “Why is the sky blue? I don’t know [why fans should root for me]. That’s a query for you.”
Who’s he? VeeKay spent the final 5 years at Ed Carpenter Racing. The 24-year-old has completed Twelfth to 14th within the standings every year however didn’t earn a podium end in 2023 or in 2024. So the break up from ECR is considerably comprehensible but in addition was slightly little bit of a shock. He’ll drive for Dale Coyne Racing this season.
Enjoyable truth: Enjoys biking.
Who’re they? These three drivers are all younger and all have proven the power to wheel a race automotive quick. The expectations from themselves and from their followers are that they’ll have the perfect seasons of their careers. The 24-year-old Armstrong had 4 top-five finishes in 29 begins during the last two years at Ganassi and strikes to Meyer Shank this yr. The 20-year-old Siegel ran 12 races final yr (one high 10) and enters his first full season at McLaren. The 23-year-old Malukas had two podiums in 2022 and 2023 driving for Dale Coyne after which missed his breakout yr final yr after being sidelined early with a damaged hand. Now, he’s prepared for his first season with Foyt.
Enjoyable truth: Siegal was admitted to Stanford College however deferred his enrollment to give attention to his racing profession.
Armstrong says: “They need to root for me for efficiency causes … and since I’m, like, kinda cool.”
Siegel says: “I drive a handsome race automotive, I’ve a very good time and I’m going to win some races.”
Malukas says: “We’re going to have some actually good outcomes … and a number of memes to return out of it for positive.”
Who’re they? Christian Lundgaard strikes from Rahal to McLaren, and there might be greater expectations — from followers and from Lundgaard himself. The 33-year-old from Denmark had one win in his three seasons at Rahal. He steps right into a stable alternative after exhibiting promise the final three years. Rasmussen can be from Denmark, and after doing 13 races for Ed Carpenter Racing final yr (he didn’t do 4 of the oval races), he ran properly sufficient that he will get all of the occasions this yr. In the meantime, Ilott joined the brand new Prema Racing crew, and whereas he did not have a journey in 2024, he completed eleventh in a pair of respectable substitute roles for McLaren final yr.
Enjoyable truth: Rasmussen has a ardour for outdated automobiles.
Lundgaard says: “Hopefully I’m going to beat all of them. That’s the plan.”
Ilott says: “I’m enjoyable, nonetheless nearly younger. I like racing.”
Rasmussen says: “Good issues are taking place for Ed Carpenter Racing … that may enhance our competitiveness.”
Who’re they? These three drivers are nonetheless comparatively younger of their INDYCAR careers and might want to present that they are often within the combine. Simpson enters his second season at Ganassi, and his finest end in his rookie season was a Twelfth-place end. Robb enters his third season within the sequence and first with Juncos Hollinger Racing with one high 10 during the last two years. DeFrancesco was full-time in 2022 and 2023 (his finest was Twelfth) and is again this yr with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Enjoyable truth: Robb’s distinctive title is from a mixture of his ancestral roots in Stirlingshire, Scotland, and his grandfathers’ names.
Robb says: “I’m enjoyable, I’m an American patriot, I like racing and my religion is a giant a part of who I’m.”
DeFrancesco: “I’m a enjoyable, outgoing Canadian. How about that?”
The New Youngsters: Louis Foster and Jacob Abel
Who’re they? The drivers who completed first and second within the INDY NXT standings final yr each make the transfer to INDYCAR’s high sequence — Foster at Rahal Letterman Lanigan and Abel at Dale Coyne. They gained’t discover success as shortly as they did within the developmental sequence however nobody expects them to take action, both. Abel went to Butler College, not too removed from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Enjoyable truth: Abel attended Butler College in Indianapolis.
Foster says: “I’m a rookie and I’m new. … It’s going to be fairly a enjoyable yr of studying and hopefully not too many errors.”
Abel says: “At my coronary heart, I’m only a regular, Midwest, American child. … I’m one of the vital relatable drivers to all of the followers within the paddock.”
Who’s he? The 25-year-old Shwartzman was born in Israel and raised in Russia. He’s well-known to those that observe Method racing in Europe. He was a take a look at driver for Ferrari, however questions stay on whether or not he’ll adapt to INDYCAR and achieve success. He has an enormous following of 1.6 million on Instagram.
Enjoyable truth: Is a large Star Wars fan nad has a big assortment of lightsabers.
Shwartzman says: “I’d wish to consider that they like me. I’m humorous and as an athlete, I wish to consider I can ship outcomes the place they’ll cheer for me.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent many years protecting motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seaside) Information-Journal. Comply with him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
Get extra from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Comply with your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra
