No problem filling Indy 500 field

UPDATE The first practice for the 91st Indianapolis 500 is little more than a month away, but the field is beginning to take shape. There were 18 participants in Sunday's race, and two more at the Indy Racing League's season-opening race March 24 at Homestead, Fla. Michael Andretti makes 21. The plans of several other teams were revealed over the weekend. Playa del Racing, which has a Pro Series program, will have at least one car (likely Jaques Lazier) and probably two. A third isn't out of the question, team manager David Morgan said. Sam Schmidt Motorsports, which usually participates at Indy, already owns a G-Force chassis but is working to acquire a Dallara. IRL officials expect Kent Baker to again field a car for P.J. Jones.

A.J. Foyt announced plans for a second car at Indy and might run a third. Jon Herb (Racing Professionals) and rookie Milka Duno (SAMAX) also confirmed plans in recent days. Eddie Cheever said he will field at least one car, perhaps for Max Papis. Michael Crawford, who owns a small Pro Series team, had hoped to field a car for rookie driver Shane Lewis, but he said a decision on funding must be made by Friday. IRL president Brian Barnhart has said he could see as many as 36 car-driver combinations. Indy Star

03/26/07 Despite only twenty cars running at Homestead, Brian Barnhart said at Homestead that he's confident there will be a full field of thirty-three cars for May's Indy 500. Barnhart believes there will be more cars at Indy than in recent years and expects as many as thirty-six or thirty-seven different car/driver combinations making a qualifying attempt meaning bumping may be back again at Indy. If so Milka Duno will struggle to make the grid.