There’s a point to this story. Actually there’s a LOT of points to this story.
From May 14 through June 5, the Verizon IndyCar Series has plethora of points on offer in the standings to be earned in the next four races, as well as qualifying for the Indianapolis 500.
There’s this weekend’s Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis, then the Indianapolis 500 qualifying, the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 (double points), and lastly the two-race Detroit doubleheader June 4-5.
Among drivers who could benefit the most in the next five races and really make a climb upward in the Verizon IndyCar Series standings are:
* Will Power: Missed the season-opening race at St. Petersburg with an inner ear infection. Even so, Power has mounted a surge in the next three races, to where he’s already up to seventh place in the standings with 94 points. But, he’s still 94 points behind Team Penske teammate and points leader Simon Pagenaud.
* Ryan Hunter-Reay: The 2012 IndyCar season champ and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner has one top-five and two top-10s, but is still mired back in the standings, currently ranked 10th with 87 points (101 behind Pagenaud). Is unlucky to not be higher because he’s run better than his results have shown.
* James Hinchcliffe: The Mayor of Hinchtown got off to a slow start and is still playing catch-up. Hinchcliffe comes into this weekend’s Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis ranked 12th in the standings with 75 points, 113 points behind Pagenaud.
* Marco Andretti: The grandson of Mario Andretti and son of Michael Andretti is mired in 17th place on the standings grid with just 61 points (127 behind Pagenaud).
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Following is a chart of how many points drivers can earn in each of the four races, as well as qualifying points and double points for the Indianapolis 500:
RACE FINISH POINTS (Indy Grand Prix and both Belle Isle races):
1) 50 2) 40 3) 35 4) 32 5) 30 6) 28 7) 26 8) 24 9) 22 10) 20
11) 19 12) 18 13) 17 14) 16 15) 15 16) 14 17) 13 18) 12 19) 11 20) 10
21) 9 22) 8 23) 7 24) 6 25-33) 5
* Most laps led (2 points); Led at least one lap (1 point)
INDIANAPOLIS 500 QUALIFYING RESULTS POINTS:
1) 42 2) 40 3) 38 4) 36 5) 34 6) 32 7) 30 8) 28 9) 26 10) 24
11) 23 12) 22 13) 21 14) 20 15) 19 16) 18 17) 17 18) 16 19) 15 20) 14
21) 13 22) 12 23) 11 24) 10 25) 9 26) 8 27) 7 28) 6 29) 5 30) 4
31) 3 32) 2 33) 1
INDIANAPOLIS 500 RESULTS DOUBLE POINTS:
1) 100 2) 80 3) 70 4) 64 5) 60 6) 56 7) 52 8) 48 9) 44 10) 40
11) 38 12) 36 13) 34 14) 32 15) 30 16) 28 17) 26 18) 24 19) 22 20) 20
21) 18 22) 16 23) 14 24) 12 25) 10 26) 10 27) 10 28) 10 29) 10 30) 10
31) 10 32) 10 33) 10
* Most laps led (2 points); Led at least one lap (1 point)
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