If you do not know much about the Indianapolis 500, you do now!
Take a look below at our 10 facts that you should know about the Indy 500 to help you survive any conversation about the race this May!
1. The Indy 500 is the world’s largest single-day sporting event and draws more than 300,000 people every year.
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In 2022 The Indianapolis Motor Speedway had over 325,000 fans attend the Indy 500!
2. Over the course of its 100+ year history, the race has been won by 74 different drivers.
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The first winner in 1911 was American racer Ray Harroun, and the most recent winner is Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson in 2022, who was also the most recent first-time winner. It has been won by drivers from 12 different countries. 52 American drivers have won 74 editions of the race. In the races in 1924 and 1941, two drivers sharing a car were declared joint winners. Troy Ruttman and Unser are the youngest and oldest Indianapolis 500 winners, winning at the ages of 22 years and 80 days in 1952 and 47 years and 360 days in 1987, respectively. Team Penske has won the most races as a car entrant with 18 since their first in 1972.
3. In 1992 Al Unser came really close to winning his third consecutive Indy 500 title.
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Unser’s bid to become the first three-time consecutive Indy 500 champion was thwarted when he finished second to Mark Donohue in the 1972 Indianapolis 500.
4. Ray Harroun won the very first Indy 500 in 1911 with an average speed of 74.59 mph.
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Ray Harroun, at 29, was the winner of the first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race held on May 30, 1911. The time taken to run the race was 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 08 seconds. Helio Castroneves won the race in the fastest time ever in 2021 with a time of 2 hours, 37 ,inutes, and 19 seconds.
5. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway – where the race is held – is one of only two circuits to have been on the Formula One calendar (the other being Monza).
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The Formula One World Championship raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 2000-2007 in the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis. F1 competed on a 13-turn, 2.605-mile road course at IMS that run clockwise – the opposite direction of the oval events – and incorporated the iconic front straightaway, a newly built infield road section, the short chute between Turns 1 and 2 of the oval and Turn 1 of the oval.
In 2005, only six cars competed in the race due to problems with tires supplied by Michelin. The cars using Michelin tires withdrew from the race after the formation lap, leaving only the six cars that competed on Bridgestone tires to run the race.
After the 2007 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis, Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George and Formula One Management Ltd. CEO Bernie Ecclestone mutually agreed to not schedule Formula One racing in 2008 at Indianapolis.
6. During World War II, the speedway was used as a training ground for military aviators who sat in their planes while they circled around its 2.5 mile oval track at high speeds to simulate battle conditions in Europe and Asia.
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7. A ‘Milk Bottle’ trophy is presented to each winner of the Indy 500 – this tradition began in 1936 when Louis Meyer received a bottle of buttermilk after his third victory and has since become iconic within motorsport culture today.
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Why does the Indy 500 winner drink milk?
The tradition started in 1936 when Louis Meyer drank buttermilk in Victory Lane because his mother said it would refresh him on a hot day, according to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the tradition continues.
8. The Borg-Warner Trophy has been awarded to winning drivers since 1936 and stands over five feet tall – it took 15 sculptors from 10 countries and 33 months to create!
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One of the Most Coveted Trophies in the World of Sports
The Borg-Warner Trophy pays tribute to many of the most revered drivers in auto racing history year-round, but during the month of May it becomes the focal point for the drivers attempting to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. It is a reminder of the glory and tradition associated with winning the fabled event.
With victory at the Indianapolis 500 comes the honor of having one’s face sculpted onto the 79-year-old trophy. Separate squares are affixed to its sterling-silver body, on which each winner’s face, name and winning year are permanently etched. A silversmith is commissioned each year to create the new champion’s portrait/sculpture in bas-relief for placement on the trophy.
- Trophy height without base: 52 inches
- Trophy height with base: 64.75 inches (or 5 feet, 4.75 inches)
- Trophy weight with base: Approximately 110 pounds
To learn more on the Borg-Warner trophy visit IMS.com.
9. Scott Dixon holds a record for most laps led in the Indy 500 – He has lead a total of 665 laps in the Indy 500 in the span of his career.
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A list of the top 10 driver to lead the most laps during the Indy 500:
| RANK | DRIVER | STARTS | RACES LED | LAPS LED | RACE WINS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Scott Dixon |
20 |
15 |
665 |
1 |
|
2 |
Al Unser |
27 |
11 |
644 |
4 |
|
3 |
Ralph DePalma |
10 |
6 |
612 |
1 |
|
4 |
Mario Andretti |
29 |
11 |
556 |
1 |
|
5 |
A.J. Foyt |
35 |
13 |
555 |
4 |
|
6 |
Wilbur Shaw |
13 |
7 |
508 |
3 |
|
7 |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
11 |
7 |
505 |
2 |
|
8 |
Parnelli Jones |
7 |
5 |
492 |
1 |
|
9 |
Bill Vukovich |
5 |
4 |
485 |
2 |
|
10 |
Bobby Unser |
19 |
10 |
440 |
3 |
10. Hélio Castroneves, A. J. Foyt, Rick Mears, and Al Unser share the record for the most victories at the Indy 500 with four each.
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A list of the four drivers that have won four Indy 500’s and what year they won:
Hélio Castroneves years won – 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021
A. J. Foyt years won – 1961, 1964, 1967, and 1977
Rick Mears years won – 1979, 1984, 1988, and 1991
Al Unser years won – 1970–71, 1978, and 1987
