Hornish

INDIANAPOLIS -- Toyota and Honda. Castroneves and Kanaan. Unser and Andretti.

Just some of the popular stories at Indy this month. But at the bottom of that list -- or, more accurately, the bottom of the speed charts -- is Chevy.

The Chevy teams' search for speed has been well-documented this month at Indy, as have the struggles of the manufacturer's top driver -- two-time defending IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr.

Hornish is still looking for his first career Indy 500 top-10 finish, but he'll likely need good strategy and some luck to get it.

How many Chevy drivers are starting in the top 17 at Indy on Sunday? None. Hornish, the highest-qualifying Chevy driver, will start 18th, though Vitor Meira's Bump Day qualifying speed was almost one mph better than Hornish's. Meira will start 26th.

How much has changed since Toyota and Honda entered play this year? Consider this: Hornish won two poles last season and started in the top-five 12 times in 15 races. His starting positions this season have been 17th (Phoenix) and 13th (Japan) after qualifying third for the season-opener in Homestead, Fla.

And heading into Indy, Hornish wasn't optimistic about his chances of securing the top spot.

"We knew that we pretty much didn't have a shot for the pole," said Hornish in the understatement of May.

Still, it hasn't kept Hornish and Co. from trying.

"The Pennzoil Panther crew did more engine changes, more suspension changes, more wing changes, all this stuff (the week before qualifying) than they've done I think in the past two years. They've really put in some long hours and a lot of work."

Extra hours and all of the hard work in the world won't be good enough if the No. 4 car isn't up to speed. And since May 1, it's been a daily May Day for Chevy teams here at Indy this month.

There is, thankfully for Hornish and his Chevy mates, more to racing than plain old speed. And that's what Hornish is banking on come Sunday.

	Hornish and Co. are hoping to hit on the right setup at Indy.

"The race will be a lot different (than qualifying)," said Hornish. "It's one thing to go out and be able to qualify by yourself on the track. It's another thing to go out there and have to run 500 miles at that speed. Hopefully we'll be right where we need to be."

One common belief among drivers -- no matter what is powering their cars -- is that the Chevys might be able to stick with the Toyotas and Hondas on Sunday simply by hanging in the draft and being towed around the track. And Hornish, who is used to running up front after winning five races and leading 654 of 3,100 (21 percent) possible laps -- tops among IRL drivers -- in 2002, might have to adopt such an outlook if he figures to have any chance of winning.

Not to mention an alternate game plan -- including varying pit and fuel mileage strategies.

"Yeah, you always have to do that at Indianapolis because so many strange things happen here," said Hornish. "You can run 10th all day long, pit early, be the last person on the lead lap in 10th. Pit. A yellow flag comes out on the next lap, everybody else pits you don't have to. You win the race based on the fact that nobody else can get around you. Stranger things have happened, so you always shake it up here at Indianapolis and hope you make the right (call)."

Chevy or not, in need of a different approaches or not, this is the reigning IRL champion -- and some of his competitors are treating him as such.

"Sam is a great driver who is being jeopardized a little right now by power," said Tony Kanaan, who starts second in his Honda-powered Dallara. "But he's one of the big names to watch out for. I'm looking out for him, that's for sure.

"Sometimes, on race day, you don't need the engine, you need the chassis. Sam has a good car. I wouldn't be surprised if Sam were there at the end. He's a good driver."

Still, the relative weakness of the Chevy engine might be too much of a crutch for Hornish and his Panther team to overcome.

"I'd be a little surprised (if Hornish won), just because there seem to be so many good teams right now who are running a bit quicker than they are," said Scott Sharp, who is using a Toyota engine and starts on the outside of Row 3. "But you never know. It's a strong team, a good driver. They probably have the best chance of any of the Chevrolets."

Chevy drivers Buddy Rice and Jaques Lazier posted qualifying speeds in the vicinity of Hornish's 226.225 mph. But after that, the Chevy speeds drop off more significantly -- eventually landing at Sarah Fisher's 224.170. And while the slowest Chevy qualifier might not be terribly high on Hornish's chances, she's not ruling him out, either.

"Yes, I would be shocked (if Hornish won). But on the same level, Sam's been running fairly well," said Fisher, who starts 24th after notching the slowest speed on Pole Day. "In my imagination, they have the kind of budget and the kind of ability to have special things for qualifying. But he's been having some really good long runs on a full tank. We'll see.

	“	Sam is a great driver who is being jeopardized a little right now by power But he's one of the big names to watch out for. I'm looking out for him, that's for sure. ”
		— Tony Kanaan

"He's really good at having the attrition factor. They've chased championships, they know what that's all about. So he's definitely going to be among our toughest competition."

An Indy 500 victory is at the top of Hornish's wish list. And after two seasons of dominance, it's about all that's missing from his resume.

Two strong seasons, two disappointing Indy 500 finishes (14th in 2001, 25th in 2002). Could a thus far tough season mean a better 500 result is in store?

"That's the plan. I don't know if it's going to work that way, but that's the way I look at it. We've also had two really good years going into Indianapolis. This year's a little bit different."

And while Hornish says he wouldn't necessarily mind finishing second behind Michael Andretti, the goal is still an Indy 500 victory.

So can he pull it off?

"Anything is possible. What my percent chance of winning is, I don't know. I don't count myself out, so I guess nobody else should, either.

"It'll be tough, but if it was easy it wouldn't be any fun."

Jonathan Baum is an RPM editor at ESPN.com.