Photos: The Faces of IndyCar

May Madness contributor Kate Shoup has the kind of on-track access at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that most racing fans can only dream of: Her fiance, Olivier Boisson, is an engineer for KV Racing Technology, the team behind 2014 Indy 500 hopefuls Sebastien Bourdais, Sebastian Saavedra, Townsend Bell, and James Davison (and 2013 champion Tony Kanaan).

The photographer and author is back at the track this month. Check out her photos for up-close looks at some of IndyCar’s biggest stars—Helio Castroneves, Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe, Simon Pagenaud, and more—as well as notable (and beautiful) figures from the series’s extended family, including Bronte Tagliani, Dario Franchitti, Kirsten Dee, and others. 

See the full gallery of Kate Shoup’s pre–Indy 500 photos (and check back for updates!).