COUNTING TO 33.(Competition)

By all early-season accounting, the 2005 Indianapolis 500 grid is going to be hard-pressed to have 33 competitors this May, but the field is beginning to grow.

In addition to the 22 starters at the IRL's Homestead season opener, the Indy Racing League now has a commitment from Dreyer & Reinbold Racing to field a second car for two races (Japan and Indy), and there are serious deals in the works for at least two other cars.

First things first: The D&R team, co-owned by Dennis Reinbold and Robbie Buhl, will employ 38-year-old Jeff Bucknum in a Honda-powered car. That is interesting on a couple of levels, not the least of which is Bucknum's family heritage with Honda. Bucknum's father Ronnie was Honda's first Formula One driver, and he raced at Indy from 1968 to '70. This will be the first Speedway try for Bucknum, whose path has mostly been through the American Le Mans Series.

Panther Racing is close to a deal to have 1996 Indy winner Buddy Lazier drive its third car in the 500. Lazier described the situation as "97 percent there,'' though he wouldn't elaborate. He said there are options with other teams as well, but word is they all hinge on using a Chevrolet powerplant.

Adrian Fernandez, who missed the IRL race to compete in NASCAR's Busch race in Mexico City, doesn't have the funding to drive for his own team. But he is working on a deal to drive for Morris Nunn, and that would include Nunn's switch to Honda engines from Toyota last year. Without full-season funding, Nunn ...