2014 Indianapolis 500 Odds and Predictions: Favorites and Top Contenders for Indy 500

2014 Indianapolis 500 Odds and Predictions: Favorites and Top Contenders: Arguably the most famous event in auto racing will soon add another chapter to its storied history when the 98th running of the Indianapolis 500 goes green on Sunday, May 25. Not only is the Indianapolis 500 the most well-known race around the world, but the track itself is one of the most famous both in the United State and abroad. Drivers from all over the world and from various racing disciplines head to the 2.5-mile, rectangle-shaped oval every year for a chance to drink the celebratory gallon of milk, kiss the yard of bricks at the start-finish line and have their face forever immortalized alongside the other winners on the Borg-Warner Trophy. In short, the Indianapolis 500 is one of the few races that can to turn a great driver into a legend and an unknown driver into a celebrity. With that in mind, here is a first look at the frontrunners and other top contenders for the 2014 Indianapolis 500.

The Favorites

He finally broke through and won his first Indianapolis 500 last season, but Tony Kanaas’s first win in the event may not be his last. After all, the defending champ has six top-five finishes and nine top-12s in 12 starts at Indianapolis, including four podium finishes. Meanwhile, Kanaan has reeled off three straight finishes of fourth or better in the Indy 500, making back-to-back wins a real possibility this weekend.

His 7.5 average finish at Indianapolis is tied for the best among active drivers, and Scott Dixon flat out knows how to contend at the track. He has finished sixth or better in seven of his last eight starts at the track, winning the event in 2008. In addition, Dixon’s 347 laps led in the Indy 500 are more than any other driver in the field this weekend, and he has led more than 50 laps three times in the last five races at Indianapolis.

Although he hasn’t been a serious factor in the Indianapolis 500 the last few seasons, Helio Castroneves remains one of the most consistent performers in the historic event. In 13 starts, he has compiled a 7.5 average finish and has 11 top-10s, including five podium finishes. More importantly, Castroneves is a three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, giving him more wins in the event than any other driver in the field.

The Contenders

Although the “Andretti Curse” looms large, Marco Andretti is good enough at Indianapolis to exorcise his family’s demons. In eight starts at the track, he has five top-10 finishes, including four finishes of fourth or better. Perhaps more importantly, Andretti has had his two most impressive performances at Indy in the past two seasons, leading 59 laps in 2012 and 31 laps en route to a fourth-place finish last season. Andretti has come within inches of winning at Indianapolis, and he should be a threat again this weekend.

After taking a hiatus from open-wheel racing to try his hand at NASCAR, Juan Pablo Montoya is back in the Indianapolis 500 for the second time in his career. If his second start is anything like his first, the rest of the competition is in serious trouble. After all, Montoya started second in the 2000 Indy 500, leading 167 of the 200 laps en route to the victory. Montoya has also been close to winning NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis on multiple occasions so it is clear that the track just suits his style no matter what he is driving.

While Indianapolis hasn’t been overly kind to Ryan Hunter-Reay, he did have the best run of his career at the track last season. He started seventh in the 2013 Indy 500 and led 26 laps on his way to a career-best third-place finish. This year, Hunter-Reay heads to Indianapolis with three top-five finishes in four starts in 2014 to go along with a series-best 109 laps led. Granted, the series has mainly been visiting road courses early in the year, but after his great run at Indy last year, Hunter-Reay could parlay the early momentum into an Indianapolis 500 win.

Check the latest NASCAR Odds and Betting Lines and updated 2014 Indy 500 Odds from BOVADA below: