The Complete History of Indianapolis 500 Winners

Starting Position: 28
Race Time: 6:42:08.000
Chassis/engine: Marmon/Marmon
School kids memorize that Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. Gearheads know that Ray Harroun drove the Marmon Wasp to victory in the first Indy 500. In a race that took close to 7 hours to complete on a track paved with bricks, Harroun made headlines by ditching the standard practice of carrying a ride along mechanic and replacing him with the world's first rear view mirror.

Starting Position: 7
Race Time: 6:21:06.000
Chassis/engine: National/National
Dawson's victory was a sidenote to the way Ralph DePalma lost this race. After leading 196 of the 200 laps, DePalma's Mercedes suffered an engine failure just 2 circuits from the finish. Dawson inherited the lead and the victory, winning by more than 10 minutes ahead of the second place finisher.

Starting Position: 7
Race Time: 6:35:05.000
Chassis/engine: Peugeot/Peugeot
Vive la France! Frenchman Jules Goux piloted his Peugot to victory lane in the third Indianapolis 500, becoming the first European to win the soon-to-be classic American race. In true European form, Goux and his riding Mechanic Emile Begin sipped champagne during pit stops en route to the victory. The victor later said, “Without the good wine, I could not have won.”

Starting Position: 15
Race Time: 6:03:45.000
Chassis/engine: Delage/Delage
The French flexed their muscle again sweeping the top four positions. Thomas completed the 500 miles in his Delage in the fastest time up to that point, 6 hours and 3 minutes. The record average speed of 82.47 mph would hold for just one year.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 5:33:55.510
Chassis/engine: Mercedes/Mercedes
After the disappointment of 1912, DePalma struck back to claim victory in his Mercedes. This win was the centerpiece of a career that included an estimated 2,000 wins over 27 years of racing. A grandstand is named after him at the Daytona International Speedway commemorating his land speed record of 149 mph set in 1919.

Starting Position: 4
Race Time: 3:34:17.000
Chassis/engine: Peugeot/Peugeot
Resta, an Italian-born and English-raised racer, won an abbreviated Indianapolis 300 in 1916. With only 21 entries (an all-time low) the race was shortened due to the fighting of World War I.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 5:40:42.870
Chassis/engine: Peugeot/Peugeot
After a two-year absence because of the war, the Indianapolis 500 returned with an Indiana native claiming the win in a Peugot. Wilcox would die four years later in a crash in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Starting Position: 6
Race Time: 5:38:32.000
Chassis/engine: Frontenac/Frontenac
The French-born younger brother of the Chevrolet founder won the Indy 500 just months before his death in a wreck in Beverly Hills, California. He went on to be crowned AAA National Champion posthumously.

Starting Position: 20
Race Time: 5:34:44.650
Chassis/engine: Frontenac/Frontenac
Milton piloted the Louis Chevrolet-owned Frontenac to victory with an average speed of 89.621 mph in a race full of attrition. Only nine of the 23 starters were running at the finish.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 5:17:30.790
Chassis/engine: Duesenberg/Miller
A former riding mechanic, Murphy transitioned to the cockpit after serving in the Army in World War I. After winning the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, Murphy took the same car to Indianapolis to claim victory en route to the 1922 national championship.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 5:29:50.170
Chassis/engine: Miller/Miller
Milton became the first two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, not bad for a driver with only one working eye.

Starting Position: 21
Race Time: 5:05:23.510
Chassis/engine: Duesenberg/Duesenberg
Corum has to give credit to Joe Boyer for his Indy 500 win. Boyer was scored with an 18th place finish, but he relieved Corum on lap 111 of 200 and steered the Duesenberg to the win by a minute and a half, the closest finish in a 500-mile race to that date.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 4:56:39.460
Chassis/engine: Duesenberg/Duesenberg
DePaolo suffered from badly blistered hands during the race and stepped out of the car for 21 laps. After being treated in the infield care center he returned to the seat in 5th place, but guided his Deusenberg to victory in a gutsy performance. The nephew of 1915 winner Ralph DePalma, DePaolo was the first race winner to average over 100 mph.

Starting Position: 20
Race Time: 4:10:14.950
Chassis/engine: Miller/Miller
Lockhart won a rain-shortened race to 160 laps out of the 200 scheduled due to rain. Miller-built cars took seven of the top 10 spots, as Lockhart won by two full laps over 2nd place.

Starting Position: 22
Race Time: 5:07:25.080
Chassis/engine: Duesenberg/Duesenberg
Defending race winner Frank Lockhart had the dominant car, leading 110 laps before retiring with an engine problem. Souders, an Indiana native, pounced and won the Indianapolis 500 in his first try.

Starting Position: 13
Race Time: 5:01:33.750
Chassis/engine: Miller/Miller
The closest Indy 500 to date saw the top 2 spots separated by only 43 seconds as Louis Meyer defeated Lou Moore. The victory netted Meyer a cool $28,250 in earnings.

Starting Position: 6
Race Time: 5:07:25.420
Chassis/engine: Miller/Miller
Keech's victory celebration would be short lived as he became the 2nd Indy 500 winner to lose his life on the Altoona Speedway in Pennsylvania. Keech, a former land speed record holder of 207 mph in 1928, suffered fatal injuries just 17 days after his big victory in Indianapolis.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 4:58:39.720
Chassis/engine: Summers/Miller
Arnold fell back at the start but retook the lead on the 3rd lap and led the remaining 198 circuits in a dominant performance.

Starting Position: 13
Race Time: 5:10:27.930
Chassis/engine: Stevens/Miller
Billy Arnold looked poised to become the first back-to-back winner of the Indy 500, but tragedy struck. After leading 155 laps, he broke an axle, causing his wheel to careen into a spectator area and kill a young boy. Indianapolis native Louis Schneider inherited the top spot and led the final 39 circuits on the way to the win.

Starting Position: 27
Race Time: 4:48:03.790
Chassis/engine: Wetteroth/Miller
New Hampshire native Fred Frame made his way from the 28th spot on the grid to win, equaling the mark for the farthest back an Indy 500 winner has started, set by Ray Harroun in the inaugural race in 1911.

Starting Position: 6
Race Time: 4:48:00.750
Chassis/engine: Miller/Miller
Meyer finished on top of the largest Indy field yet, claiming his 2nd win at Indianapolis. Forty-two cars took the green flag, but the next year, a limit of 33 was imposed on the grid (only to be exceeded in 1979 and 1997 with fields of 35).

Starting Position: 10
Race Time: 4:46:05.200
Chassis/engine: Miller/Miller
Cummings took his Miller across the line with a mere 27 second advantage over second place, making the 1934 contest the closest finish in the 23 races thus far at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Runner-up Mauri Rose was only 100 yards behind in the closing stages of the race.

Starting Position: 22
Race Time: 4:42:22.710
Chassis/engine: Wetteroth/Offy
Helmets were made mandatory in 1935, but despite the added safety feature, two drivers and a mechanic were killed in the practice sessions leading up to the event. In addition, driver Clay Weatherly lost his life during the race. Philadelphia native Kelly Petillo steered clear of trouble and won the 1935 Indianapolis 500.

Starting Position: 28
Race Time: 4:35:03.390
Chassis/engine: Stevens/Miller
1936 was a year for starting traditions that have lasted into the modern day. The now famous Borg-Warner trophy made its first appearance, and Meyer drank from a bottle of milk in victory lane to cool off after becoming the first three-time winner.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 4:24:07.800
Chassis/engine: Shaw/Offy
A massively exciting finish saw Shaw hold off Ralph Hepburn as Shaw's car lost oil pressure at the finish. The final margin of victory of 2.16 seconds stood as the closest finish until 1982.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 4:15:58.400
Chassis/engine: Wetteroth/Miller
Polesitter Floyd Roberts claimed the win on a day marred by the death of a 33-year-old spectator. Everett Spence was killed after being struck by a wheel jettisoned by the crashing car of Emil Andres in turn 2.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 4:20:47.390
Chassis/engine: Maserati/Maserati
Defending race winner Floyd Roberts intended to retire after the 1939 race, but his career and his life were cut short after getting collected in a wreck on the 109th lap. Shaw claimed his 2nd Indy 500 win in a Maserati averaging 115 mph.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 4:22:31.170
Chassis/engine: Maserati/Maserati
Wilbur Shaw finally became the first back-to-back winner of the Indy 500 after leading 136 of the 200 laps. He used the same Maserati that carried him to victory the previous year, claiming over $30,000 in earnings that included a new car and a refrigerator.

Starting Position: 17
Race Time: 4:20:36.240
Chassis/engine: Wetteroth/Offy
Davis is actually credited as a co-winner of this race, after yielding his car to relief driver Mauri Rose on lap 72. Only 31 cars started this race after one was eliminated by damage from a practice crash and another was destroyed by a race-morning garage fire.

Starting Position: 15
Race Time: 4:21:16.700
Chassis/engine: Adams/Sparks
After a four-year WWII hiatus the Indy 500 was back, and a new tradition was started. This race featured the first pre-race rendition of “Back Home Again in Indiana” sung by James Melton. Jim Nabors has performed the tune since 1972. On the track Canadian driver George Robson dominated, leading 138 laps en route to the win.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 4:17:52.170
Chassis/engine: Deidt/Offy
Rose finally got full credit for a victory after his relief role in 1941 but not without controversy. Rose went by his teammate Bill Holland with eight laps to go, with Holland believing he still had a full lap in hand on second place. Rose also ignored orders from the team to slow down to conserve his equipment, a warning that Holland heeded.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 2:10:23.330
Chassis/engine: Deidt/Offy
In a carbon copy of the previous year's results sheet, Mauri Rose finished ahead of his teammate Bill Holland, but this time, without the dramatics. Rose crossed the finish line nearly 90 seconds ahead of second place after leading 81 laps.

Starting Position: 4
Race Time: 4:07:15.970
Chassis/engine: Deidt/Offy
Runner-up the two previous years, Bill Holland finally got to toss the bouquet, giving owner Lou Moore his 3rd straight Indy win. Mauri Rose was again sacked by the team after the race ignoring team orders to slow down to preserve the car.

Starting Position: 5
Race Time: 2:46:55.970
Chassis/engine: Kurtis/Offy
The newly formed Formula 1 World Championship makes the Indy 500 a points-paying event for the first time. California native Johnnie Parsons defeated an all-American grid in a rain-shortened race that only completed 138 of 200 laps before officials called it.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 3:57:38.050
Chassis/engine: Kurtis/Offy
The New York native's victory celebration did not last long. A week later Wallard was burned badly in a crash in Reading, Pennsylvania after which he received 27 skin grafts.

Starting Position: 7
Race Time: 3:522:41.880
Chassis/engine: Kuzma/Offy
Bill Vukovich dominated the 1952 Indy 500, but his race ended up against the wall with 9 laps to go with a broken steering linkage. Ruttman picked up the lead and delivered the victory for car owner J.C. Agajanian.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:53:01.690
Chassis/engine: KK500A/Offy
Fresno California's Bill Vukovich was able to turn around the disappointment of the 1952 race and ran over the competition, leading all but five laps on the way to the win.

Starting Position: 19
Race Time: 3:49:17.270
Chassis/engine: KK500A/Offy
Vukovich, nicknamed the Silent Serb for his Yugoslavian heritage, cruised to his second straight Indy 500 win driving for Howard Keck's Offy powered machine.

Starting Position: 14
Race Time: 3:53:59.130
Chassis/engine: KK500C/Offy
Vukovich looked like he was well on his way to his 3rd straight 500 win before he was caught up in a violent crash that claimed his life. Sweikert went on to win the original American motorsports triple crown in 1955 by claiming the AAA National Championship as well as the Midwest sprint car championship before he suffered fatal injuries in a crash in 1956.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:53:28.840
Chassis/engine: Watson/Offy
The first race on a newly resurfaced track saw Pat Flaherty take the win on a speedway mostly devoid of the aging brick surface. Only a section of the frontstretch remained, as Flaherty won in his Offenhauser-powered Watson by 20 seconds.

Starting Position: 13
Race Time: 3:41:14.250
Chassis/engine: Salih/Offy
After 12 years of trying, Sam Hanks finally won the big one and immediately retired from racing during the victory lane celebration.

Starting Position: 7
Race Time: 3:44:13.800
Chassis/engine: Salih/Offy
Phoenix, Arizona native Jimmy Bryan scored the win in a race where popular driver Pat O'Conner was killed in a violent first-lap crash and fire. Also of note, Texan A.J. Foyt made his first start in the Indy 500, a month of May tradition he continued every year until 1992.

Starting Position: 6
Race Time: 3:40:49.200
Chassis/engine: Watson/Offy
Ward's 1959 victory started a hot streak that has never been matched on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In a six race span the Kansas born driver finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 1st, 4th and 2nd and led a total of 261 laps.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 3:36:11.360
Chassis/engine: Watson/Offy
Rathmann and Roger Ward engaged in an epic duel in the 2nd half of the 1960 Indianapolis 500. The two drivers traded the lead 14 times over the final 80 laps before Ward was forced to pit lane after wearing out his tires. This was the final Indy 500 that counted towards the Formula 1 World Championship, and the 30 total lead changes stands today as the most in track history.

Starting Position: 7
Race Time: 3:35:37.490
Chassis/engine: Trevis/Offy
The 50th anniversary of the first Indianapolis 500 served as a coming out party for the biggest star the race would ever see as A.J. Foyt wins his first of four Indy 500s. This was also the last race before the fronstretch of bricks were paved over save for the start finish line.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 3:33:50.330
Chassis/engine: Watson/Offy
For the first time in race history the pole speed exceeds 150 mph courtesy of Parnelli Jones. Jones led 120 laps but faded late with brake failure clearing the way for Ward to win his second Indy 500.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:29:35.400
Chassis/engine: Watson/Offy
Jones made amends for coming up short in the previous year's race by holding off a challenge from a Lotus, piloted by Scottish Formula 1 star Jimmy Clark. Lotus boss Colin Chapman cried foul on the race officials for allowing the American team of Jones to continue circulating despite a noticeable oil leak.

Starting Position: 5
Race Time: 3:23:35.830
Chassis/engine: Watson/Offy
A.J. Foyt's 2nd Indianapolis victory was the final win by a front-engined roadster, but the day was marred by a fiery accident on lap two. Dave MacDonald was driving a notoriously ill-handling car built by Mickey Thompson, a ride that was turned down by several top drivers as being too dangerous to race. MacDonald lost control and collected seven other machines in a massive fireball as the cars were carrying a full load of fuel. MacDonald lost his life along with the popular Eddie Sachs, who was given a moving impromptu eulogy by radio announcer Sid Collins before the race was restarted. An estimated 30,000 requests for transcripts of Collins announcement were received from fans around the country.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 3:19:05.340
Chassis/engine: Lotus/Ford
The rear-engine era arrived in style, as F1 ace Jimmy Clark steered the achingly beautiful Ford-powered Lotus to victory. The Lotus team was quickest on the track and in the pits thanks to the addition of the famously fast NASCAR pit crew of the Wood Brothers.

Starting Position: 15
Race Time: 3:27:52.530
Chassis/engine: Lola/Ford
The British invasion continued with two Formula 1 champions duking it out at the end. Jackie Stewart led by a full lap just 10 circuits from the finish but an engine failure handed the lead and the win to the affable playboy Graham Hill.

Starting Position: 4
Race Time: 3:18:24.220
Chassis/engine: Coyote/Ford
A star studded field came to Indiana in 1967, including Formula 1 heros Jimmy Clark, Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt and Denny Hulme, as well as future NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough. Parnelli Jones looked to be well on his way to his second Indianapolis 500 win when a $6.00 part failed in his transmission just 4 laps from the finish. A.J. Foyt inherited the lead and picked his way through a multicar crash on the final lap to win his third Borg-Warner trophy.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 3:16:13.760
Chassis/engine: Eagle/Offy
Early on it looked like Bobby Unser would cruise to his first Indy 500 win, but it turned out to be a tough task. The lower gears on his Eagle began to fail, causing him to lose spots after every pit stop. Willfully determined, Unser battled back repeatedly to earn a hard fought victory.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 3:11:14.710
Chassis/engine: Hawk/Ford
The month of May did not start well for Mario when he suffered minor facial burns after crashing his primary car. Lucky for Andretti, the backup was just as quick. He qualified in the second spot and got his twin brother Aldo to stand in for him in the front row photograph. Mario didn't need any stunt doubles on race day, as he cruised to the win in the Hawk prepared by Andy Granatelli. The Italian-born naturalized American citizen had won the Daytona 500 two years prior, but this victory combined with a Formula 1 world title in 1978 made the name Andretti into global racing royalty.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:12:37.040
Chassis/engine: P.J. Colt/Ford
Unser led 190 of the 200 laps, joining his brother Bobby as the first siblings to capture the Indianapolis 500. It's a fitting tribute to the oldest Unser brother, Jerry, who was killed practicing for the 1959 race.

Starting Position: 5
Race Time: 3:10:11.560
Chassis/engine: P.J. Colt/Ford
An unusual day at the speedway began with the opening of Gasoline Alley to female spectators for the first time ever. Then it got stranger when the Dodge Challenger pace car wiped out into a crowd of photographers and injured 29 people. Once the race was finally underway, Al Unser had the car to beat, leading the final 83 laps for his 2nd straight Indy 500 win.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 3:04:05.540
Chassis/engine: McLaren/Offy
Two major traditions started at Indianapolis in 1972. Jim Nabors took over the reigns in singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” and Roger Penske got his first of 15 Indianapolis 500 victories to date. Gary Bettenhausen was strong in Penske's #7 McLaren all race but he overheated with 28 laps remaining. Donohue was able to capitalize in the other #66 Penske car for the biggest win of his short but brilliant career. He would be killed in a practice crash for a Formula 1 race in Austria in 1975.

Starting Position: 11
Race Time: 2:05:26.590
Chassis/engine: Eagle/Offy
Michigan native Gordon Johncock claimed the win in a race that many would like to forget. The event was halted after only 133 of the 200 laps as rain interfered over three days, but the mood was dampened by more than just the weather. Drivers Art Pollard and Swede Savage were killed and Salt Walther was seriously injured along with several bystanders in a violent series of accidents.

Starting Position: 25
Race Time: 3:09:10.060
Chassis/engine: Mclaren/Offy
For the first time the race is run on a Sunday as Johnny Rutherford gets the win for McLaren. The race was thankfully uneventful after the tragedies that beset the 1973 running of the Indianapolis 500.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 2:54:55.080
Chassis/engine: Racers Eagle/Offy
Bobby Unser joined his brother Al in the two-time winners club at Indianapolis, but many of the headlines belong to future champion Tom Sneva. Sneva escaped unscathed after crashing heavily into the turn two catch fence and flipping back into the racing groove in a fiery mess.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 1:42:52.000
Chassis/engine: Mclaren/Offy
Rutherford got his second win at Indianapolis in a rain-drenched event that was stopped shortly after crossing the halfway point. Rutherford would deliver the 27th and final victory for the powerful Offy engine.

Starting Position: 4
Race Time: 3:05:57.160
Chassis/engine: Coyote/Foyt
A banner year at the speedway was headlined by A.J. Foyt streaking into the history books as the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. In qualifying Tom Sneva became the first driver to top the 200 mph mark, but the 26th place starter made just as much noise. Only seven years prior, women were not allowed in the garage area, but in 1977, Janet Guthrie shattered the gender barrier becoming the first woman to race at Indianapolis. She finished 29th after a bad timing gear ended her day after 27 laps.

Starting Position: 5
Race Time: 3:05:54.990
Chassis/engine: Lola/Cosworth
Unser looked like a shoe-in to win his third Indy 500, but he had to work hard in the final 20 laps after damaging his front wing during his final pit stop. Janet Guthrie turned in a sterling performance with a ninth place finish, the best result for a female driver at Indianapolis until 2005.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:08:47.970
Chassis/engine: Penske/Cosworth
Mears earned his first Indy 500 win and brought Roger Penske back to victory lane. The lead up to the race was filled with turmoil as the traditional sanctioning body, USAC, was dealing with the upstart CART series that had filed a number of entries. As a result, the 1979 running ended up with an expanded field of 35 cars, two more than the standard 33.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:29:59.560
Chassis/engine: Chaparral/Cosworth
Rutherford's third Indy 500 win came behind the wheel of a crafty new design from Chaparral. Tom Sneva started dead last on the grid but charged all the way to the lead by lap 74. Sneva ended up 2nd, his 3rd runner-up finish in four years.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:35:41.780
Chassis/engine: Penske/Cosworth
Bobby Unser became a three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, but this race would best be remembered for the soap opera drama that followed. The Monday after the race officials ruled that Unser had gained an illegal advantage by passing cars while exiting the pits and demoted him one spot, making Mario Andretti the winner. After a litany of protests and appeals, Unser's win was reinstated on October 9th.

Starting Position: 5
Race Time: 3:05:09.140
Chassis/engine: Wildcat/Cosworth
Nine years after his weather-abbreviated win in 1973, Gordon Johncock held off a furious charge by Rick Mears to win the 66th Indianapolis 500. The 0.160 seconds that separated the top two finishers was easily the closest finish in Indy 500 history at that point, but that wasn't the only thing that had fans chirping. The start of the race saw front row qualifier Kevin Cogan swerve into A.J. Foyt's car, triggering a crash that also took out Mario Andretti before the race even started.

Starting Position: 4
Race Time: 3:05:03.066
Chassis/engine: March/Cosworth
Bridesmaid Tom Sneva finally got to throw the bouquet. After three second place finishes and one massive accident, Sneva finally conquered Indianapolis by fighting his way past Al Unser in the closing stages.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 3:03:21.660
Chassis/engine: March/Cosworth
Mears enjoyed a walk in the park for his 2nd Indy 500, finishing a full two laps ahead of runner-up Roberto Guerrero. Mears averaged a race record 163.612 mph over the 500 miles.

Starting Position: 8
Race Time: 3:16:06.069
Chassis/engine: March/Cosworth
Racing buffs have a Pavlovian response to the name Danny Sullivan. Spin and win. Here's how it went down: Sullivan challenged Mario Andretti for the lead on the 120th lap. He took the top spot but lost control as they raced into turn 1. Mario initially avoided the spinning Sullivan, but the two met once again 20 laps later. This time, Sullivan completed the pass without incident and went on to win the race.

Starting Position: 4
Race Time: 2:55:43.480
Chassis/engine: March/Cosworth
Bobby Rahal won the first Indy 500 to be completed in under three hours. The Ohio-born driver of Lebanese descent finished 1.34 seconds ahead of Kevin Cogan, the goat of the 1982 race.

Starting Position: 20
Race Time: 3:04:59.147
Chassis/engine: March/Cosworth
Mario Andretti was well on his way to finally backing up his 1969 victory, but it was not to be. His Newman Haas Lola slowed with 23 laps to go, handing the lead to Big Al for the upset win, making him just the 2nd four-time winner at Indianapolis. Unser was not scheduled to compete in this race, but after Penske driver Danny Ongais was injured in practice, Unser was drafted to replace him. The backup chassis had been previously retired and had to be retrieved from a hotel lobby where it was on display before achieving Indy 500 glory.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:27:10.204
Chassis/engine: Penske/Chevy Indy V8
Danny Sullivan led a race-high 91 laps before crashing out, clearing the way for Rick Mears to claim his 3rd Indianapolis 500. Roger Penske got his 7th Indy win after his three cars swept the front row and combined to lead 192 of the 200 laps.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 2:59:01.049
Chassis/engine: Penske/Chevy Indy V8
A classic duel played out between former F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi and the up and coming Al Unser, Jr. With a six-lap lead on the rest of the field and the white flag in sight, Fittipaldi made his move, clipping Unser, Jr. in the process. Little Al spun and cracked the wall, giving the win to Fittipaldi. The Brazilian driver was the first foreigner to win at Indianapolis since the British invasion of the '60s. If you are a fan of carnage, make sure to check out Kevin Cogan's crash on YouTube where he hits everything but the pace car and manages to walk away.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 2:41:18.404
Chassis/engine: Lola/Chevy Indy V8
Dutch Racer Arie Luyendyk picked the right time to earn his first career CART Indy Car World Series victory. He outlasted former winners Fittipaldi and Rahal to win the fastest Indianapolis 500 of all time, averaging 185.981 mph.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 2:50:00.791
Chassis/engine: Penske Chevy Indy V8
Mears raced into rarified air by joining Foyt and Unser as the only four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500. The starting grid was full of interesting footnotes with Hiro Matsushita becoming the first Japanese racer in the 500 in the same year that Willy T. Ribbs broke the color barrier. The Andretti family made history by having four members in the same race with Mario's sons Michael and Jeff joining their cousin John in the lineup.

Starting Position: 12
Race Time: 3:43:05.148
Chassis/engine: Galmer/Chevy Indy V8A
1992 marked the end of an era with many of the old guard racers making this their last hurrah. Four-time winners A.J. Foyt and Rick Mears, along with Gordon Johncock and Tom Sneva, retired after the 1992 Indy 500, but Michael Andretti proved that the Andretti curse was hereditary and there to stay. After a dominating performance, his fuel pump failed with 11 laps to go, setting up the closest finish in Indy 500 history. Al Unser, Jr. held off a fast closing Scott Goodyear to win by 0.043 seconds. Goodyear had started the race in the 33rd and final position, but he fared much better than the polesitter Roberto Guerrero, who crashed out on the pace laps.

Starting Position: 9
Race Time: 3:10:49.860
Chassis/engine: Penske/Chevy Indy V8C
All eyes were on Nigel Mansell; the myth, the man, the mustache. The defending Formula 1 World Champion had bolted Europe for America and was the favorite to win in his first Indy 500 start. He looked like he would deliver but Mansell faltered on a late race restart and handed the win to Emerson Fittipaldi for his 2nd victory at the brickyard. Fittipaldi enraged fans by eschewing the standard sip from a bottle of milk in victory lane in favor of orange juice provided by the Brazilian citrus industry.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:06:29.006
Chassis/engine: Penske/Mercedes-Benz
Mario Andretti's arrivederci tour was the talk of the town, but he would be upstaged by Roger Penske's secret weapon. Penske's three car team shocked the competition when they arrived with newly designed Mercedes-Benz 3.4 liter pushrod engines that made 1,000 horsepower. Fittipaldi was within sight of back to back victories but he found the wall with 15 laps to go, handing the lead and the win to his Penske teammate Al Unser, Jr. Following the race 10th place finisher John Andretti made history by jumping on a plane and flying to Charlotte to race in the Coca Cola 600.

Starting Position: 5
Race Time: 3:15:17.561
Chassis/engine: Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB
After their dominating victory in 1994, Team Penske was shocked when both of their cars were too slow to make the starting grid just a year later. With Little Al and Fittipaldi on the sidelines, and Michael Andretti crashing out with typical Andretti luck, the race came down to a pair of Canadians. However, both Scott Goodyear and Jacques Villeneuve ran afoul of the pace car, passing it illegally at different times. Villeneuve served his penalty and recovered to win the Race, while Goodyear refused to come to pit road, earning himself the black flag.

Starting Position: 5
Race Time: 3:22:45.753
Chassis/engine: 95 Reynard/Ford Cosworth XB
The year of the split marked a sad moment for open wheel racing fans. A dispute between speedway president Tony George and CART series owners led to a schism that saw all of the top teams and drivers racing in Michigan on Memorial Day weekend instead of on the famed yard of bricks. George's own upstart Indy Racing League filled the grid at Indianapolis, making it a venerable who's who of who the hell is that? To make matters worse, polesitter Scott Brayton was killed practicing the team's backup car. Unknown driver Buddy Lazier won the race, leaving fans wondering when they would wake up from a strange dream of an alternate racing universe.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:25:43.388
Chassis/engine: G Force/Aurora
Strange days prevailed at the speedway for another year. Rain pushed the conclusion of the race to Tuesday, messing up Robby Gordon's bid for an Indy/NASCAR double. When the event finally neared completion, the USAC race officials botched a late caution period leaving the drivers confused and angry. They were not expecting the race to be restarted, but the green and white flags were displayed simultaneously while the tracks caution lights were still illuminated. Luyendyk grabbed his second Indy 500 victory over his teammate Scott Goodyear.

Starting Position: 17
Race Time: 3:26:40.524
Chassis/engine: Dallara/Aurora
Future NASCAR star Tony Stewart looked strong storming to the lead on lap 20, but the engine gave out a lap later. Former American F1 driver Eddie Cheever held off a late challenge from Buddy Lazier to win the 82nd Indianapolis 500.

Starting Position: 8
Race Time: 3:15:51.182
Chassis/engine: Dallara/Aurora
A.J. Foyt went to victory lane for a 5th time, this time as a car owner. Robby Gordon tried to stretch his fuel to the finish, but he came up a lap short as Kenny Bräck flashed by to take the win. NASCAR convert Tony Stewart finished 9th and then competed in the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway that night.

Starting Position: 2
Race Time: 2:58:59.431
Chassis/engine: G Force/Oldsmobile
During the 1996 open wheel split between CART and the Indy Racing League, there were many hard feelings, but after four long years, some of the big teams started to make their way back to Indy. Chip Ganassi Racing returned with cocksure Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya who whipped the field, easily becoming the first rookie to win since 1966.

Starting Position: 11
Race Time: 3:31:54.180
Chassis/engine: Dallara/Oldsmobile
With Ganassi's one-off win the year before, the rest of the CART gang returned to sweep the top six spots led by Penske's Helio Castroneves. Race fans wished they had put in their ear plugs early as Steven Tyler butchered the national anthem by intentionally changing the words and getting a touch too funky with his harmonica.

Starting Position: 13
Race Time: 3:00:10.8714
Chassis/engine: Dallara/Chevy
The 86th Indy 500 was every race official's worst nightmare. On the penultimate lap, Paul Tracy was pressuring Helio Castroneves for the lead. He made his move in turn three and completed the pass at the exact moment that a crash brought out the yellow flag. His overtake was nullified and Castroneves was declared the winner by race officials, a decision that was upheld after protests were filed by Tracy's team.

Starting Position: 10
Race Time: 3:11:56.9891
Chassis/engine: G Force/Toyota
Jerry Seinfeld once told George Costanza that you have to go out on a high note. That's exactly what Gil de Ferran did in 2003 by winning on the famous track during his retirement tour. He outdueled his Penske teammate Helio Castroneves, who was gunning for an unprecedented third straight Indy 500 win.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:14:55.2395
Chassis/engine: Panoz G Force/Honda
Buddy Rice delivered car owners Bobby Rahal and late night host David Letterman the win in a rain-abbreviated race. The thunderstorm that ultimately ended the race early produced an F2 tornado that nearly struck the speedway that was still packed with a quarter of a million spectators.

Starting Position: 16
Race Time: 3:10:21.0769
Chassis/engine: Dallara/Honda
Danica Patrick burst onto the scene leading 19 laps and challenging for the win before settling for 4th position. The subsequent mania caused Dan Wheldon to wear a custom-made t-shirt that read “I actually won the Indy 500.”

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:10:58.7590
Chassis/engine: Dallara/Honda
Rookie Marco Andretti, grandson of Mario, steered his car off of the fourth corner on lap 200 with the checkered flag in sight, but Sam Hornish, Jr. had other plans. He tucked in behind Marco, used the slipstream perfectly, and powered by to steal the win. It was the second-closest finish ever and the first last-lap pass in the 90 runnings of the race.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 2:44:03.5608
Chassis/engine: Dallara/Honda
Dario Franchitti won a rain-shortened race in a car co-owned by hard luck poster boy Michael Andretti. Most race fans remember this race for the celebration of Dario's wife, Ashley Judd, as her rain-soaked sun dress brought many a ray of sunshine on a dreary day.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:28:57.6792
Chassis/engine: Dallara/Honda
Kiwi Scott Dixon got the win for Chip Ganassi, the 2nd Indianapolis 500 victory for the team. The New Zealand-born driver led 115 laps in the biggest win of his career that helped propel him to the 2008 IndyCar championship.

Starting Position: 1
Race Time: 3:19:34.6427
Chassis/engine: Dallara/Honda
The perpetually happy-go-lucky Helio Castroneves was not having a good year. He missed the opening round of the IndyCar season while being tried for tax evasion and conspiracy, but the popular Brazilian wasted no time getting up to speed after his acquittal in April. Castroneves streaked to an emotional win, his 3rd at Indianapolis. Team Penske lays claim to their 15th Borg-Warner trophy, a tradition started by Mark Donohue in 1972.

Starting Position: 3
Race Time: 3:05:37.0131
Chassis/engine: Dallara/Honda
Franchitti was able to nurse his fuel tank to the finish for his second Indy 500 win, but behind him, chaos ensued. Ryan Hunter-Reay ran out of gas coming to the checkers, causing his car to slow dramatically. Mike Conway had nowhere to go and he launched into the catch fence, breaking his left leg as well as suffering compression fractures in his back and neck. Conway made a full recovery and bounced back to win his first IndyCar series race at Long Beach in April 2011.