Indy drivers trying to fill the field

INDIANAPOLIS -- One race has already begun at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With less than 48 hours until qualifying, drivers were still looking for rides and teams were still debating which cars to use in the Indianapolis 500.\nThe official entry sheet lists just 30 driver-car combinations. That includes Japan's Shigeaki Hattori, who might not race May 25 after crashing Tuesday, and countryman Shinji Nakano, who signed a deal Thursday with Beck Motorsports.\nThere is no shortage of drivers or cars for the field of 33, but putting together combinations has proven elusive.\n"I'm not here on vacation," said Italian Max Papis, one of those in search of a ride.\nRookie Dan Wheldon has one, and he went 232.202 mph in practice Thursday, posting the fastest lap of the week.\nEnglishman Wheldon had the fastest speed for the second time in three days and is on a team that has no room for additional drivers. Andretti Green Racing already has four.\nBut the clock already has started for many of those in waiting, including Papis.\nHe finished 18th last year in his first Indy 500, driving as a teammate to 1998 winner Eddie Cheever Jr.\nWhen Thursday's practice began, though, Papis sat on the back of a golf cart. He had plenty of company.\nOthers scouring the garage area for employment included Alex Barron, Memo Gidley, Eliseo Salazar, Jeret Schroeder and Richie Hearn. All but Gidley are Indy veterans.\nDecisions could be coming as soon as this weekend.\n"I think once teams have their (regular) drivers safely in the field, you'll see them start to work on it," team owner Tom Kelley said. "You could see it Sunday because you don't want to wait till the last minute."\nMost of the 24 remaining unemployed drivers who have passed physicals are veterans, but new drivers will have less time to test and qualify.\nThere are plenty of cars, however.\nRoger Penske has won a record 12 Indy 500s as an owner and has eight cars at the track but just two drivers. No decision has been made on whether to add anyone after two-time defending champion Helio Castroneves and Gil de Ferran are safely in the field.\nChip Ganassi's team has four cars at the track and put four in the field in 2001. He also is waiting to see what happens this weekend.\nA.J. Foyt also has been known to add cars after the first weekend of qualifying, but will wait until after Saturday to make any decisions.\nPapis can only hope he finds the right combination.\n"If someone wants someone with some experience in IRL cars, I feel I'll be ready to jump in and do a good job," he said. "If you look at the history of the Indy 500 with 33 cars, I'd say there's at least three opportunities, right?"\nOn a cool, calm, overcast day with just a hint of sunshine, Wheldon was one of two rookies topping 232 Thursday. Japanese driver Tora Takagi posted the second-fastest speed of the week at 232.007.\nCastroneves, de Ferran and Tony Kanaan topped 231. Castroneves went 231.595, and de Ferran hit 231.567.\nKanaan, driving less than a month after breaking his left arm in a crash in Japan, went 231.061. Eleven others also were faster than 230.\n"It was definitely a tow from Scott Sharp," said Wheldon, who will replace team co-owner Michael Andretti when he retires later this month. "The car's fast, but it's definitely not that fast."\nPractice was marred by an accident, only the second of the week. A.J. Foyt IV spun and brushed the wall leaving the fourth turn. The car skidded down the track and hit the outside wall a second time, damaging the rear of the Toyota-powered Dallara.\nFoyt, the 19-year-old grandson of the four-time Indy winner, climbed out without assistance and was cleared to get back on track.