A remarkable rookie and four Indy 500 contenders

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

The Indianapolis 500 will be run for the 109th time on May 25, and Mark Glover will be attending his 60^th 500. Here's his take on the race to come:

Just when you think you've figured out the Indianapolis 500, a 25-year-old newcomer with no oval racing experience wins the pole position for the 109th running of the race.

Robert Shwartzman's incredible run to the pole -- averaging 232.790 miles per hour over four laps -- was, in my view, the most remarkable pole position storyline in the history of the race. Coming into last weekend, it looked like Spanish IndyCar star Alex Palou would continue his dominance.

Now, all of a sudden, he's surrounded by a crowd of contenders.

No matter, I still like his chances on Sunday.  The three-time IndyCar Series champ has been close previously, finishing second in his rookie Indy 500 run in 2021 and dominating in 2023 before his car was slammed in the pits, a mistake not of Palou's making.

This year, Palou has owned the IndyCar series, winning four of the first five races, and looking invincible doing it.  Yes, Shwartzman is fast, and there could be more chapters to come in his dazzling story, but I'll take Palou's experience in the rough and tumble, turbulent race day traffic.

Keeping in mind that anything can happen in a 500-mile race, I see three others with a good chance to win.

Six-time IndyCar series champ Scott Dixon, starting fourth, knows how to best drive the race more than anyone in the field.  The New Zealand native won the 500 in 2008 and has lost a couple of heartbreakers since then.  He's cool under fire, a master of fuel savings and always fast.  Indy win No. 2 could come Sunday.

Mexico's Pato O'Ward also knows Indy heartbreak, with two second-place finishes.  Last year, eventual winner Josef Newgarden passed O'Ward on the last lap, crushing O'Ward's normally buoyant spirits.  Nobody drives harder.  Fewer take as many chances in the heat of battle.  Will that pay off for O'Ward on Sunday?  Even bet, I'd say.

And finally, there's Newgarden, trying to do what has never been done at the historic racetrack -- win three Indianapolis 500s in a row.  Five times back-to-back race winners have had a chance to pull it off; five times it has not happened, although four of those five came very close.  Newgarden has Roger Penske power and a trophy-laden team going for him, along with his own considerable skills. He has a better than even chance of making history on Sunday.