In case you weren't aware, 4 women will start the 97th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race today.

[A HERETIC I AM]

Simona De Silvestro, Ana Beatriz, Pippa Mann and Katherine Legge. (In bold type below)

And it's no big deal

Here's the grid for today's race;

Row 1

1. #20 Ed Carpenter (C) Four-lap average: 228.762mph
W/U 227.039, L1 229.347, L2 228.976, L3 228.774, L4 227.955

2. #26 Carlos Munoz * (C) Four-lap average: 228.342mph
W/U 224.537, L1 228.988, L2 228.382, L3 228.211, L4 227.792

3. #25 Marco Andretti (C) Four-lap average: 228.261mph
W/U 224.263, L1 229.049, L2 228.393, L3 228.012, L4 227.596

Row 2

4. #5 EJ Viso (C) Four-lap average: 228.150mph
W/U 225.185, L1 228.611, L2 228.372, L3 227.938, L4 227.682

5. #2 AJ Allmendinger * (C) Four-lap average: 228.099mph
W/U 224.950, L1 228.722, L2 228.262, L3 227.786, L4 227.629

6. #12 Will Power (C) Four-lap average: 228.087mph
W/U 220.830, L1 229.119, L2 228.375, L3 227.619, L4 227.246

Row 3

7. #1 Ryan Hunter-Reay (C) Four-lap average: 227.904mph
W/U 226.208, L1 228.778, L2 228.106, L3 227.394, L4 227.343

8. #3 Helio Castroneves (C) Four-lap average: 227.762mph
W/U 226.276, L1 228.770, L2 228.118, L3 227.435, L4 226.736

9. #27 James Hinchcliffe (C) Four-lap average: 227.070mph
W/U 221.159, L1 225.760, L2 227.871, L3 227.550, L4 227.113

Row 4

10. #4 JR Hildebrand (C) Four-lap average: 227.441mph
W/U 226.559, L1 227.704, L2 227.532, L3 227.511, L4 227.016

11. #98 Alex Tagliani (H) Four-lap average: 227.386mph
W/U 225.649, L1 227.907, L2 227.629, L3 227.075, L4 226.937

12. #11 Tony Kanaan (C) Four-lap average: 226.949mph
W/U 225.928, L1 227.256, L2 227.028, L3 226.803, L4 226.710

Row 5

13. #22 Oriol Servia (C) Four-lap average: 226.814mph
W/U 220.983, L1 227.142, L2 226.892, L3 226.633, L4 226.588

14. #19 Justin Wilson (H) Four-lap average: 226.370mph
W/U 224.595, L1 226.804, L2 226.437, L3 226.192, L4 226.048

15. #7 Sebastien Bourdais (C) Four-lap average: 226.196mph
W/U 222.897, L1 226.161, L2 226.192, L3 226.241, L4 226.189

Row 6

16. #9 Scott Dixon (H) Four-lap average: 226.158mph
W/U 224.459, L1 226.405, L2 226.245, L3 226.098, L4 225.884

17. #10 Dario Franchitti (H) Four-lap average: 226.069mph
W/U 223.882, L1 226.680, L2 226.325, L3 225.680, L4 225.596

18. #14 Takuma Sato (H) Four-lap average: 225.892mph
W/U 220.507, L1 226.071, L2 226.061, L3 225.780, L4 225.596

Row 7

19. #83 Charlie Kimball (H) Four-lap average: 225.880mph
W/U 224.483, L1 226.226, L2 225.986, L3 225.794, L4 225.515

20. #16 James Jakes (H) Four-lap average: 225.809mph
W/U 225.145, L1 226.066, L2 225.754, L3 225.838, L4 225.578

21. #77 Simon Pagenaud (H) Four-lap average: 225.674mph
W/U 225.048, L1 225.437, L2 225.581, L3 225.841, L4 225.839

Row 8

22. #60 Townsend Bell (C) Four-lap average: 225.643mph
W/U 220.996, L1 226.146, L2 225.797, L3 225.520, L4 225.113

23. #8 Ryan Briscoe (H) Four-lap average: 225.265mph
W/U 222.841, L1 225.060, L2 225.350, L3 225.346, L4 225.305

24. #78 Simona De Silvestro (C) Four-lap average: 225.226mph
W/U 221.906, L1 225.027, L2 225.395, L3 225.312, L4 225.168

Row 9

25. #21 Josef Newgarden (H) Four-lap average: 225.731mph
W/U 225.235, L1 225.819, L2 225.816, L3 225.690, L4 225.601

26. #15 Graham Rahal (H) Four-lap average: 225.007mph
W/U 222.493, L1 225.169, L2 225.106, L3 224.948, L4 224.806

27. #6 Sebastian Saavedra (C) Four-lap average: 224.929mph
W/U 223.924, L1 224.965, L2 225.240, L3 224.918, L4 224.595

Row 10

28. #55 Tristan Vautier * (H) Four-lap average: 224.873mph
W/U 223.996, L1 226.060, L2 224.901, L3 225.511, L4 223.041

29. #18 Ana Beatriz (H) Four-lap average: 224.184mph
W/U 223.665, L1 223.987, L2 224.030, L3 224.463, L4 224.257

30. #63 Pippa Mann (H) Four-lap average: 224.005mph
W/U 222.812, L1 224.649, L2 224.126, L3 224.174, L4 223.075

Row 11

31. #41 Conor Daly * (H) Four-lap average: 223.582mph
W/U 215.995, L1 223.699, L2 223.730, L3 223.465, L4 223.436

32. #91 Buddy Lazier (C) Four-lap average: 223.442mph
W/U 220.805, L1 223.760, L2 223.473, L3 223.356, L4 223.179

33. #81 Katherine Legge (H) Four-lap average: 223.176mph
W/U 220.919, L1 223.349, L2 222.894, L3 223.238, L4 223.222

Failed to qualify

#17 Michel Jourdain Jr. (H)

* denotes rookie

Edited to bold the women drivers names

[niyad]

1. thank you for posting this

[madokie]

2. Years ago I wouldn't miss this race for love nor money

today not so much. I might turn it on now that I've been reminded its on though.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. glad there is more diversity in auto racing

[BootinUp]

4. And a woman team owner - Sarah Fisher

http://sfhracing.com/newgarden-to-start-25th-at-the-2013-indianapolis-500/

[Cirque du So-What]

5. Good for them

Although I'm glad that women are making inroads (get it?) in a formerly male-dominated sport, I'm still not a fan of racing, seeing it instead as a wasteful distraction. I'd prefer to see more women breaking barriers in more beneficial endeavors, although I congratulate these racers today.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. I did not know, and thank you for posting this .

[jimlup]

7. I'm wondering if we will ever see a woman driver in F-1

And also I'm curious if any of these women have long term contracts?

[A HERETIC I AM]

8. I don't think there are too many drivers at this level....

be they man or woman that have contracts longer than 1 year at a time.

Also, the Indy 500 is kind of unique, in that there always seemed to be a team or two that compete in this race only or at most, one or two others.

[jimlup]

14. Right...

I was wondering if any of the women have a 1 year contract. I'm guessing that probably they do. I am going to en tan autograph signing event in Detroit next Friday so I guess maybe I'll be so lucky as to actually meet them.

[A HERETIC I AM]

15. It looks like the two that drive for Dale Coyne Racing do.....

http://www.dalecoyneracing.com/drivers.php/


Check the Indycar website for the other drivers, then you can go to the individual team website to find out if they will be at upcoming races.

[jimlup]

16. thanks

[bigwillq]

9. K and R

[salin]

10. Once again, we meet again on race day!

Peace!

Am an hour south (in the blackout zone) - with the radio on and the leaderboard on line.

I love race day!

salin

[A HERETIC I AM]

11. Hey!

Enjoy the day!

You may be able to watch it on ESPN online;


http://espn.go.com/

[salin]

12. I could... but there is something about the color commentary

This has always been a great way to experience the race.

And when it is broadcast I know when to come watch and what times I can leave the TV and get something to eat.

I barely recall - but I do - my first memory of listening (or listening to my Dad listen to the race) when Mario Andretti won his first race.

Since then just sentimentally root for Andretti's. (Marco is starting off strong today.)

[A HERETIC I AM]

13. I remember the '69 race too!

I also remember that Hot Wheels came out with a Mario Andretti edition of one of their race tracks and I wanted one REAL bad!