Check out a short list of favorites for Sunday's Indianapolis 500:

Helio Castroneves
Attempts to become the first back-to-back winner of the Indianapolis 500 since Al Unser in 1970-71; the Brazilian earned his second career series win at Phoenix in the second race of the IRL season on March 17; his first was last year at Indy while competing in the CART series; Helio Castroneves is third in the standings with 145 points after four races, only nine behind leader and defending IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr. and four back of Team Penske teammate Gil de Ferran.

Eddie Cheever
Took the checkered flag at the Indianapolis 500 in 1998 -- the highlight of a hard-luck career; was a respectable seventh at Nazareth Speedway in the last race; young teammate Tomas Scheckter took him out in an accident at Miami, another accident was the cause in Phoenix and an engine failed at California Speedway with 10 laps to go.

Gil de Ferran
Expected to be among the contenders in the Indy 500 as he finished no lower than fourth in the first four events this year; the 149 points accumulated puts him second in the championship run, just five points behind series champion Sam Hornish Jr.; was runner-up in Miami and Phoenix, fourth at California Speedway and third at Nazareth Speedway on April 21; also was second to fellow Brazilian Helio Castroneves in last year's Indianapolis 500.

Sarah Fisher
In 2000 became just the third woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 behind Janet Guthrie and Lyn St. James; return to league as fill-in driver for injured Robbie Buhl at Team Dreyer & Reinbold Racing was more than impressive with the fourth-place finish at Nazareth Speedway

Felipe Giaffone
Steady runs except for the ATV Copper 200 in Phoenix places him an impressive fourth in the series championship with 105 points; the 2002 Rookie fo the Year comes off a runner-up result in the Firestone 225 at Nazareth Speedway; he maintains a good trend developed last year en route to earning the award.

Sam Hornish Jr.
His victory March 24 at California Speedway was the fifth of his Indy Racing League career; reached five wins faster than any driver inleague history; took Hornish 24 starts to achieve the feat, Scott Sharp was the previous fastest to five wins in 34 starts; extended league record of consecutive races running at the finish in the Firestone 225 despite completing only 179 of 225 laps due to a mid-race accident with Buddy Lazier that put him 46 laps down; has been running at the finish in 17 straight races; the win at California by .0281 seconds over Jaques Lazier was the second closest-finish in league history; the closest was Hornish over Scott Sharp by .0188 of a second in October 2001 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Buddy Lazier
The 2000 Indy Racing Northern Light series champion has finished in the top-10 at the Indianapolis 500 in all races since the inception of the IRL in 1996, except last year (18th); won the race in 1996, was fourth in 1997, second in 1998, seventh 1999 and again second in 2000; posted mixed results in the four races to date this season; a pair of seventh places and two non-finishes in Miami and Nazareth gives him 67 points.

Scott Sharp
The pole-sitter last year but was knocked out on the opening lap; his victory in the Firestone 225 on April 21 at Nazareth Speedway was the seventh of his career; that moved him to second place on the all-time IRL win list, one behind Buddy Lazier; Sharp won at least one race in six consecutive Indy Racing League seasons.

Tomas Scheckter
The 21-year-old South African rookie takes inspiration from IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr. and looks towards his first Indianapolis 500; led five times for 28 laps in the Yamaha 400 at California Speedway in his third career Indy Racing start; his youthful aggressiveness nearly cost him his ride with Team Cheever after his first race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 2; Scheckter charged up on his employer's car early in the race, bumped Cheever's wheel in passing and sent the veteran into the wall; after the race there was a heated confrontation between the two; is son of 1979 Formula One champion Jody Scheckter; had a private test session at the world's famous speedway and hopes to keep the rookie victory of the past two years going; rookies Helio Castroneves and Juan Montoya won the Indy 500 the past two seasons.

Al Unser Jr.
A two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, has the opportunity to become one of nine drivers to win the esteemed race three times (Arie Luyendyk is the other current driver with a chance); best finish in four races this year was fifth in Phoenix; has 78 points in all, puts him eighth in the series standings; in 1992 he won race by .043 of a second ahead of Scott Goodyear for the closest margin in Indy history; won again in 1994; a former two-time CART champion in 1990 and 1994; also won the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona twice in 1986 and 1987; also a two-time IROC winner in 1986-1988.

Jeff Ward
1997 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year; had good showings at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with third in 1997 after starting 27th, runner-up in 1999, fourth in 2000; last year placed just 24th; finished a career-best sixth in the IRL series standings in 1998; seven-time AMA national motorcross champion.