The Supercars connections at the Indy 500

Three-time Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin will bid for a maiden Indy 500 victory this weekend.

McLaughlin’s IndyCar star continues to rise, with his exploits putting Supercars on the map.

The 2019 Bathurst winner opened the 2022 season with a maiden victory at St. Petersburg.

This weekend’s 106th running of ’The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ features a number of drivers who have tasted Supercars.

Including McLaughlin, there are eight of the field of 33 that have previous Supercars experience.

Some featured as co-drivers in the days of the international Gold Coast 600 format.

Others, meanwhile, have been around Supercars for some time.

Pole-sitter Scott Dixon, who won the 2008 race, is IndyCar royalty, having won six championships. Dixon scored pole with the fastest ever four-lap average of 234.046mph (376.660km/h). Dixon made strides Down Under as a 17-year-old rookie in Formula Holden before he shifted Stateside and won the Indy Lights title at his second attempt in 2000. Dixon made his Supercars debut alongside Todd Kelly at Surfers Paradise in 2010, and finished 20th. He also made a start alongside Todd’s brother Rick at the 2020 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour.

Kiwi Dixon will start from pole

Household Aussie name Will Power will start this weekend’s race in 11th. Power added a 2018 Indy 500 win to his 2014 championship. Power, McLaughlin's Team Penske teammate, has a history in Supercars lining back 20 years. The Queenslander partnered Mark Larkham for the 2002 enduros and finished 11th in the Queensland 500. Eight years later, Power joined Ford Performance Racing alongside Steven Richards for the Gold Coast event. He missed the 2011 Gold Coast round due to injuries sustained at Las Vegas the previous week. However, he returned in 2012 and scored podiums with Mark Winterbottom.

Simon Pagenaud will start 16th this weekend, and is looking to add to his 2019 Indy 500 victory. The Frenchman, who won the 2016 IndyCar title, twice raced a Supercar at Surfers Paradise. In four starts, Pagenaud scored three top 10 finishes. That included a podium with Lee Holdsworth with Garry Rogers Motorsport.

Alexander Rossi infamously raced a Walkinshaw Andretti United wildcard at Mount Panorama in 2019. Three years earlier, he won the 2016 Indy 500, the 100th edition of the event, as a rookie. Rossi will start this weekend’s race from 20th.

Starting one position behind Rossi is Graham Rahal, who finished eighth and 11th alongside Rick Kelly at the 2012 Gold Coast event.

Power won in 2018

Grandson of Indy 500 winner Mario, Marco Andretti will start this weekend’s race from 23rd. Andretti raced alongside Todd Kelly on the Surfers streets in 2012. They failed to finish either race. Andretti scored Indy 500 pole in 2020, and infamously missed out on a rookie victory in 2006. He also finished third in 2008, 2010 and 2014.

Starting alongside McLaughlin is reigning Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who has won the race four times. Castroneves made dual Supercars appearances alongside Tim Slade on the Gold Coast. The Brazilian veteran will start 27th in this weekend’s race. Castroneves teamed up with Slade in the James Rosenberg/Stone Brothers Racing Falcon in 2011 and 2012, and recorded a best finish of 10th.

The Supercars flavour doesn’t end there; Tony Kanaan, who will start sixth this weekend, has previously come close to competing in Supercars. The Brazilian won the 2013 Indy 500 and 2004 series title. Kanaan was announced to race alongside Jason Bargwanna for the 2011 Gold Coast event. However, he was a late withdrawal following the Las Vegas crash which claimed the life of Dan Wheldon.

Last year’s race featured the likes of James Hinchcliffe, Sebastien Bourdais and Simona De Silvestro.

Hinchcliffe will be in the booth alongside former Supercars commentator Leigh Diffey for this weekend’s race.

The 2022 Supercars season will resume in Darwin next month. Purchase your tickets now.