Two former winners, fan favorite among drivers who could surprise in Indianapolis 500

The excitement and anticipation continues to build as the Indianapolis 500 quickly approaches on Sunday.

Known simply as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the 500-mile race is the Super Bowl for IndyCar drivers. This Sunday's race will be the 109th at the famed speedway and another opportunity for a driver to add their name to the famous Borg-Warner Trophy.

While rookie Robert Schwartzman is the first rookie to win the pole since Teo Fabi in 1983 and 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson starts 19th in his second attempt at the Indianapolis 500, both drivers are in the top nine on the odds board as of Wednesday, leaving better value on the table from others in the field.

Here are three drivers who could surprise in the Indianapolis 500.

Marcus Ericsson, No. 28 Andretti Global Honda (+2000, per DraftKings)

Ericsson is a past Indianapolis 500 winner (2022) and nearly repeated in 2023 before a controversial decision to red-flag the race set the stage for a one-lap sprint ultimately won by Team Penske's Josef Newgarden.

With a four-lap average of 231.014 mph in qualifying, Ericsson will roll off on the outside of the third row in ninth. He is a four-time winner in the NTT IndyCar Series and has two top fives in six Indy 500 starts. 

Ericsson yet to win a race since he joined the Andretti team in 2024, but he appears to have the speed to contend on Sunday if things fall his way.

Helio Castroneves, No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Honda (+3000, per DraftKings)

No one in this year's Indianapolis 500 field has come close to Castroneves' success at the famed speedway. His four wins (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021) are tied for the most in the race's history with legends A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears.

So, why would it be a surprise to see him drinking the celebratory milk in Victory Lane on Sunday? As of Wednesday, his odds to win the race are 19th of the 33 drivers and he is making his only scheduled start of the season. 

As a four-time pole winner with 16 top 10s in 24 Indy 500 starts, Sunday could be a history-making day for the veteran. To get there, he will have to come from a 22nd-place starting spot after a disappointing qualifying effort.

Conor Daly, No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet (+2500 odds, per DraftKings)

As a native of Noblesville, Indiana and a fan favorite in the series, Daly is still searching for his first victory at his home track. He has not won a race in 120 career starts, but has found some success at Indianapolis, leading 40 laps in 2021 and finishing inside the top 10 from 2021-23.

Similar to his 2021 showing, Daly has displayed consistent speed throughout practice, which gives him plenty optimism heading into his 12th Indy 500 and driving for a team that is only competing in its fourth full-time season.

"Gives me a little bit of a feeling that I had in 2021, which was the best car that I've ever had here," Daly said, per IndyCar.com. 

Rolling off in the middle of Row 4 in 11th on Sunday, Daly is in a good position to start the race as he tries to lead the "right laps" in the Indianapolis 500.

Pre-race coverage kicks off Sunday at 10 a.m. ET on Fox with the green flag scheduled to wave around 12:45 p.m. ET.