Five former polesitters from previous MIS events, including multiple winners Bobby Rahal and Emerson Fittipaldi, are among the 29-driver U.S. 500 field for qualifying weekend May 11-12 at the world's fastest speedway. Pole qualifying will be held Saturday from 2-4 p.m. EST and second-day qualifying will run Sunday from 4-5 p.m. EST. ESPN will broadcast live coverage of pole qualifying, beginning at 2:30 p.m. EST, and the entire hour of second-day qualifying. The inaugural running of the U.S. 500 on Sunday, May 26 will be televised live by ESPN.

The U.S. 500 qualifying field will be vying for the Marlboro Pole Award, which has upped its ante substantially for THE winner of the event's top qualifying position. The program, which traditionally awards $10,000 for the accomplishment, will give the U.S. 500 polesitter a cash prize of $100,000. The U.S. 500 race winner will earn $1 million of the $3.6 million total purse.

Rahal (Miller Reynard Mercedes) would surely have like to have seen that bonus in the past. He is one of four drivers who has captured the pole three or more times in IndyCar's 26-race history at MIS, having won it in 1983 and at both events in the 1985 season. The others in the select group are Rick Mears (6 poles), Mario Andretti (5) and Bobby Unser (3).

Fittipaldi (Marlboro Hogan Penske Mercedes) is the only other active PPG Indy Car World Series driver who has won a pole at MIS more than once. He won the back-to-back poles in the 1989 and '90 seasons. But neither Rahal or Fittipaldi can claim the honor of being the first among the current series members to win a pole at the speedway. That achievement goes to Teo Fabi (PacWest Reynard Ford), who won edged Rahal in '83 by winning the pole for the first of two races that season.

Michael Andretti (Kmart Texaco Havoline Lola Ford), who ranks fifth in Indy Car history in poles, gained one of his 30 in 1987 at MIS. He has started third or better in his last three appearances, including on the outside pole in 1992.

The reigning MIS pole winner is Parker Johnstone (Motorola Reynard Honda), who won it with a speed of 230.458 miles per hour at last season's Marlboro 500. His qualifying run marked the fourth consecutive season that the pole winner topped 230 mph. The U.S. 500 pole, however, should be a wide-open pursuit considering that Johnstone is the only active driver in the last five seasons to win the pole at this venue.

Paul Tracy (Marlboro Penske Mercedes) will be among the favorites after capturing his series-high second pole in record-setting fashion at the recent Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix in Nazareth, Pa. Tracy, who won his other pole at the season-opening Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami, became the first driver in Indy Car history to turn a lap better than 190 mph (190.737) on a 1-mile oval.

The other oval pole winner this season is rookie Alex Zanardi (Target Reynard Honda). Zanardi, in only his second PPG Indy Car World Series start, won the pole at the inaugural Rio 400 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The most consistent qualifiers this season who could be looming around that pole position are PPG Cup points leader Jimmy Vasser (Target Reynard Honda) and Scott Pruett (Firestone Patrick Racing Lola Ford).

Vasser, winner of three of the first four races, has qualified third or better all five events this season, including his first career pole at the IndyCar Australia. His best oval start was the outside pole at Brazil.

Pruett, who won last season's Marlboro 500 at MIS, has qualified fifth or better in all but one event, the Rio 400. He started fourth in the oval races at Miami and Nazareth and claimed the outside pole at Australia.

Gil de Ferran (Pennzoil Special Reynard Honda), who qualified 15th here a year ago, also has been an impressive qualifier with a pair of front-row starts to his credit. De Ferran sat on the outside pole at Miami and earned his second career pole at Long Beach. Rookie Greg Moore (Player's/Indeck Reynard Mercedes) has been a strong as he prepares for his first look at MIS. He has started eighth or better in four of five races, including a season-best fourth at Rio.

Al Unser Jr. (Marlboro Penske Mercedes), who is second in the PPG Cup points race, is coming a season-best qualifying performance of sixth at Nazareth. His best qualifying position in 16 career MIS appearance is fifth, which he has accomplished three times (1983, '84, '90).

Robby Gordon (Valvoline/Cummins/Craftsman Special Reynard Ford) has a pair of top-nine qualifying efforts in his two MIS events, including a best of fourth in 1994. He will be his first appearance since '94 because he sustained a concussion during practice for last season's Marlboro 500.

Mauricio Gugelmin (Hollywood/PacWest Reynard Ford), in only his second appearance at the track, qualified sixth last season. Stefan Johansson (Alumax Aluminum Reynard Mercedes) also has a personal-best MIS qualifying run of sixth, with his coming in 1994.

Raul Boesel (Brahma Sports Team Reynard Ford) has two top-eight qualifying efforts in the past four MIS races, including a personal-best of fourth in 1993. Hiro Matsushita (Panasonic/Duskin Lola Ford) has two top-12 starts, including a best of ninth in 1991, in four outings at the track. Adrian Fernandez (Tecate Beer/Quaker State Lola Honda) has qualified 13th or better in his two outings, including a best of 11th last year.

Roberto Moreno (Data Control Lola Ford) is making his third appearance at MIS, but first since 1986 when he ran a full PPG Indy Car World Series season. He qualified 19th and 17th for the two '86 races, but went on to career-best-tying sixth-place finishes.

Bryan Herta (Shell Reynard Mercedes), although not a rookie last season, made his debut at MIS in 1995 and responded by qualifying seventh in the field. Out of last year's rookie crop who is returning for the U.S. 500, Andre Ribeiro (LCI International Lola Honda) was the best qualifier at 10th. Christian Fittipaldi (Kmart Budweiser Lola Ford), who qualified 25th at MIS as a rookie last season, enters this time having qualified 10th or better in the past three races, His season-best was sixth at Australia.

Rookie Mark Blundell (VISA/PacWest Reynard Ford) returns to the PPG Indy Car World Series after missing three races because of a broken right foot he sustained during the Rio 400 in March. Joining Blundell in challenging the world's fastest speedway for the first time are rookies Eddie Lawson (Delco Electronics High Tech Team Galles Lola Mercedes), Jeff Krosnoff (Arciero-Wells Racing Reynard Toyota), Juan Manuel Fangio II (All American Racers Eagle Toyota) and PJ Jones (All American Racers Eagle Toyota). For Jones, it would be his PPG Indy Car World Series debut.

Walker Racing and Bettenhausen Motorsports also have second entries for the U.S. 500, but have yet to announce the drivers.

Source: IndyCar Website

Used by permission