The Greatest Indy 500 Drivers of All Time

AJ Foyt

The driver most synonymous with the Indy 500, AJ Foyt made a record 35 consecutive starts between 1958 and 1992 and was the races first four time winner , taking the checkered flag in 1961, 1964, 1967 and 1977 races. Foyt also earned four pole positions between 1965 and 1975, led a record thirteenth races for a total of 555 laps, and is the only driver to have won the race in both a front and rear engine car.

Rick Mears

Rick Mears is the 3rd and most recent 4 time race winner. He accomplished the feat in just 14 starts. The California native started a long association with Penske racing in 1978 winning rookie of the year honers. The following year he would win the race from the pole. Rick would add wins in 1984, 1988 and 1991 he also holds the record for poles with 6

Al Unser

Al Unser is one of three driver to have won the 500 4 times. His 4 wins came in a span of 217 years 1970, 1971 , 1978 and 1987, the most of the 4 time winners. Unser is the all time lap leader with 644 in eleven races and ranks 2nd in miles completed.

Jim Clark

Any conversation about the greatest drivers has to include the Flying Scott Jim Clark. The consummate gentlemen racer concentrated on Formula One, where he was a two time world champion in 1963 and 1965, but he also made five starts at the famed Brickyard from 1963 to 1967, winning rookie of the year honers and finishing 2nd in 1963 and won the pole in 1964. Clark and his ford powered Lotus ran away with the race in 1965 leading 190 of the 200 laps.

Bobby Unser

Bobby Unser's 1st 500 win came in 1968, and he added wins in 1975 and 1981. He led the most laps in both his 1968 and 1981 wins he also won the pole in 1972 and 1981.

His 1972 pole speed was a record 17 MPH faster than the 1971 pole and it made him the 1st driver to crack both the 180 and 190 MPH barrier at the speedway.

Bobby is also in the top 10 in Races led, Laps led and miles completed.

Mario Andretti

Considered by many to be the most versatile drive in the history of Motorsports, Mario was just as famous for his bad luck at the speedway. He finished 3rd in his 1st 500 in 1965 and won the rookie of the year honers and won the race 4 years later, memorably being kissed by car owner Andy Grantatelli in victory lane. But his 1969 win was the only one for Mario in 29 starts, the 2nd most in the history of the race. He finished 2nd in both 1981 and 1985. He won the pole 3 times, and led the most laps in four of the eleven years he led the race

Louis Meyer

Louis was the 1st three time winner of the 500, with his victories coming in his debut at the speedway in 1928, and in 1933 and 1936. He led the most laps on four occasions, totaling 332 laps led at the speedway. His finishing record at the speed way includes a 2nd in 1929 and a pair of fourth place finishes

Wilbur Shaw

Aside from being a 3 time 500 winner, taking victories in 1937, 1939 and 1940, Shaw is a key figure in the history of the Brickyard. Wilbur was the 1st driver to win the race back to back and ranks in the top ten in laps led. He led the most laps three times and finished seventh or better in 8 of his 13 starts between 1927 and 1941. Shaw retired from driving during World War II but facilitated the sale of the speedway to Tony Hulman in 1945.

Gordon Johncock

A fixture in Indycar racing for over two decades, Johncock's career peaked with a pair of 500 wins. Gordon was the winner of the rain shorted race in 1973, and the greatest finish in 500 history in 1982.

Dario Franchitti

Dario is a four time series champion, and a 3 time winner of the 500 with wins in 2007, 2010 and 2012.

Bill Vukovich

Bill dominated the 500 in the early 50's, leading a amazing 485 of 647 laps he completed from 1952 to 1955. Her is the only driver to led the most laps in 3 straight years, he won the race in 1953 and 1954. Bill set one and four lap records in 1953 and won the pole for the 1954 race.

Bill was leading the 1955 race when he was killed in accident

Helio Castroneves

Castroneves has 3 500 wins to his credit scoring wins in 2001,2002 and 2009.

He is the only driver to have won in his 1st 2 starts

Arie Luyendyk

The Flying Dutchmen can hold the distinction of being the only driver to have won the 500 with cars build to both CART and IRL specifications.

Arie on his 1st 500 in 1990 setting a speed record that lasted for almost 25 years. Arie won the pole 3 times 1993, 1997 and 1999 he would also win the 1997 500.

In 1996 he set one and four lap speed records that will most likely stand forever

Pete DePaolo

DePaolo earned 3 top 6 finishes in 7 500 starts, including a win from the pole in 1925. That victory was notable because DePaolo became the 1st driver to avarage 100 MPH for the entire race.

Rodger Ward

Ward compiled 6 consecutive finishes of fourth or better in the 500 between 1959 and 1964, including wins in 1959 and 1962. He started 6th or better in all of those years. He led 130 laps on his way to victory in 1959 and finished 2nd in both 1960 and 1964.

Emmerson Fittipaldi

Emmerson was a 2 time Formula One champion before moving on to Indycars in the mid 80's. Fittipaldi won the 500 in 1989 and 193 and was leading in 1994 before losing a rear win late in the race.

Al Unser JR

The son of 4 time winner Al Unser and the nephew of 3 time winner Bobby Unser, Al JR added to the Unser family Indy record with wins in 1992 and 1994.

Johnny Rutherford

Lone Star JR made his 1st 500 start in 1963 and won the pole for the race in 1973 setting 1 and 4 lap records. One year later JR won the race and led the most laps a feat he would achieve 2 more times in 1976 and 1980

Parnelli Jones

Revered as one of the toughest men ever to race at the speedway, Jones made 7 starts in the 500 leading 5 of them, despite dominating both the 1963 and 1967 races Jones would only win in 1963. A barring failure in 1967 would cost him the win with only 4 laps left. He was also the rookie of the year in 1961

Dan Wheldon

Dan Wheldon was one of the most dormant drivers in Indy history with wins in 2005 and 2011. He scored 5 top 3 or better finishes in 5 of his 9 500 starts.