It’s Not Exactly a Bumper Crop

Bumping? How about filling?

Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials are hoping the 33-car field can be filled today for the May 29 Indianapolis 500, but they should be crossing their fingers that they find enough car-driver combinations.

Eleven spots remain open, and 11 nonqualified drivers were testing Friday, but one has yet to pass his rookie orientation.

Two are subbing for drivers injured in crashes earlier in the month, 1999 winner Kenny Brack for 2004 winner Buddy Rice, and Jimmy Kite for rookie Paul Dana. Tony George owns both the speedway and the Indy Racing League, which sanctions the 500, but as a team owner is finding out how tough it is to get in his race.

George purchased the assets of Kelley Racing from Tom Kelley this year and formed Vision Racing with his wife, Laura, to field a car for his stepson, Ed Carpenter. For the 500, they added the veteran Jeff Ward, who has been out of Indy-car racing since 2002 to concentrate on a new motorcycle racing career in supermoto.

Carpenter took a shot at qualifying Sunday but was waved off when his speed was too slow. Ward did not make an attempt.

Arie Luyendyk Jr., 23-year-old son of the two-time 500 winner, made his first appearance in the Curb-Agajanian-Beck Chevrolet with a top lap speed of 198.604 mph, but he was going through rookie orientation. Luyendyk had planned on passing his rookie test Thursday but it rained all day. He has driven the last three years in the Infiniti Pro Series, finishing second in 2002 and third last year, but he has yet to win a race.

Two drivers who were bumped last week in the speedway’s new daily bumping procedure, Patrick Carpentier and Jaques Lazier, are expected to be early qualifiers. Carpentier is a veteran of eight years in the CART/Champ Car series, and Lazier has driven in four 500s.

Others expected to be among the qualifiers are rookie Ryan Briscoe, who crashed during his first qualifying run; Marty Roth and the Foyt pair, A.J. IV, a two-race veteran here, and former NASCAR driver Larry.

Bump Day is Sunday, if there is anyone around to do the bumping.