INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Brazil’s Ana Beatriz has been hired by Dreyer and Reinbold Racing for this year’s Indianapolis 500.
The announcement means the race could have a record five women on the 33-car starting grid for the May 30 race. The others trying to qualify are Danica Patrick, Sarah Fisher, Milka Duno and Simona de Silvestro.
Beatriz has raced on Indy’s historic 2.5-mile oval previously, as part of IndyCar’s developmental series.
She was the highest finishing rookie and the highest finishing woman in her IndyCar debut at this year’s season-opener in Brazil. Beatriz also drove for Dreyer and Reinbold in that race.
Beatriz became the first woman to win an Indy Lights race when she won at Nashville, Tenn., in July.
