Less than 33 cars to start Indy 500?

UPDATE #2 Pippa Mann has been confirmed for dale Coyne Racing in this announcement.

04/25/13 Rumor has it that Pippa Mann will land a ride for the Indy 500. So along with the Lazier brothers the Indy 500 might get just to 33 cars.

04/21/13

Will 33 start the 2013 Indy 500?

Sam Schmidt and Dale Coyne still hope to field third cars for next month’s Indianapolis 500, but they don’t have deals done as sponsorship programs haven’t been signed.

Both are needed. Currently, there are 29 confirmed car-and-driver combinations, with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing expected to field the 30th for Michel Jourdain Jr.

For Schmidt, it will be a third car to go with Simon Pagenaud and rookie Tristan Vautier; Coyne’s third car would partner with Justin Wilson and Ana Beatriz. But a lot still has to happen.

“Last week I would have said 100 percent (yes)," Schmidt said. “Now we’re 50-50 (on sponsorship)."

Coyne said he won’t discuss odds of having the extra car.

Strike Gary Peterson’s AFS Racing from the list of those being added. He said his two cars will be used by Andretti Autosport. Bryan Herta said his team, Barracuda Racing, won’t field a second.

Former Indy Lights driver Stefan Wilson said he won’t participate either. He said the sponsorship package he’s working on probably won’t start until Toronto in July. Indy Star