Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Teammates Castroneves, de Ferran Indy 500 favorites

Wednesday, May 22, 2002 | 9:15 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

Helio Castroneves is the favorite to win Sunday's Indianapolis 500, according to odds posted by Station Casinos.

Castroneves, the defending Indy 500 winner, is listed as a 9-2 favorite to win the 86th running of the race, followed by Marlboro Team Penske Racing teammate Gil de Ferran at 5-1. Castroneves will start the race from the inside of the fifth row, next to de Ferran.

Reigning Indy Racing League champion Sam Hornish Jr., who will start the race on the inside of the third row, and polesitter Bruno Junqueira are listed at 7-1 by Station Casinos.

Robbie Buhl, who will start alongside Junqueira in the middle of the front row, is 15-1 to win the race and Raul Boesel, who will start on the outside of the front row, is 14-1.

Las Vegas resident Jimmy Vasser is listed at 15-1, part-time Henderson resident Al Unser Jr. -- a two-time Indy 500 winner -- is 18-1 and Las Vegas' Paul Tracy is 20-1. Vasser will start the race on the inside of row 7, Unser from the outside of row 4 and Tracy from the middle of row 10.

Richie Hearn of Henderson, who will start on the inside of row 8 in a Sam Schmidt Motorsports entry, is listed in the "field" at 100-1 odds to win the race.

Station Casinos also is offering a variety of prop bets on the race, including several head-to-head matchups (de Ferran minus 110 vs. Castroneves minus 120), from what starting position the race winner will come (1st to 9th is plus 160) and from what country will the winner hail (Brazil is a minus 200 favorite).

Letterman, an Indiana native, teamed with CART owner Bobby Rahal to form Rahal/ Letterman Racing, which is fielding the Miller Lite Dallara/Chevrolet driven by Vasser. Letterman has been a minority-interest owner in Rahal's CART team since 1996.

"The first time I came to the Speedway I was about seven or eight and I came with my uncle," Letterman said. "I used to listen to the race on the radio and it was just great. The Speedway is one of the great sports buildings of the world. When I was kid in Indianapolis, this is what brought the world to our neighborhood.

"I was so happy when this (Indy 500 effort) came together because now my Memorial Days seem like I always had them as a kid. And to be in the company of Bobby and Jimmy, I can't ask anything better than that."

Letterman said he would watch Sunday's Indianapolis 500 from the Rahal/ Letterman pits.

"Im not thrilled about starting last, but I'm thrilled about starting."