Indianapolis 500 facts for kids
 |
|
 |
|
| IndyCar Series | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
| Location | Speedway, Indiana, U.S. |
| Corporate sponsor | PennGrade Motor Oil (2016–2018) Gainbridge Insurance Agency (2019–present) |
| First race | 1911 |
| First IndyCar race | 1996 |
| Distance | 500 miles (805 km) |
| Laps | 200 |
| Previous names | 500-Mile International Sweepstakes (1911–1915, 1920–1941, 1946–1980) 300-Mile International Sweepstakes (1916) Liberty Sweepstakes (1919) |
| Most wins (driver) | A. J. Foyt (4) Al Unser (4) Rick Mears (4) Hélio Castroneves (4) |
| Most wins (team) | Penske (20) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) | Chassis: Dallara (27) Engine: Offenhauser (27) Tires: Firestone (77) |
| Circuit information | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.5 mi (4.0 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Lap record | 37.895 sec (237.498 mph; 382.182 km/h) (Arie Luyendyk, Reynard/Ford-Cosworth XB, 1996) |
The Indianapolis 500, often called the Indy 500, is a famous car race. It happens every year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, USA. This exciting event usually takes place on the last weekend of May, around Memorial Day. It's a big part of the IndyCar Series, which is the top level of open-wheel car racing in America. People often call this type of racing "Indy Car Racing." The track itself has a cool nickname, "the Brickyard," because it was first paved with bricks in 1909. You can still see one yard of bricks at the start/finish line! Many call the Indy 500 The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. It's even considered one of the three most important races in the world, alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix.
The very first race was in 1911, and Ray Harroun was the first winner. The event celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011, and the 100th actual race happened in 2016. The race took a break twice, during World War I (1917-1918) and World War II (1942-1945). For a while, from 1950 to 1960, the Indy 500 was even part of the World Drivers' Championship.
Felix Rosenqvist, who won in 2026, is the reigning champion. The drivers with the most wins are A. J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr., Rick Mears, and Hélio Castroneves. Each of them has won the race four times! Hélio Castroneves is the active driver with the most victories. Rick Mears holds the record for the most starting positions from the very front (called "pole positions") with six. Scott Dixon has led the most laps in the race's history. The most successful team owner is Roger Penske, whose team, Team Penske, has won 20 times and earned 19 pole positions.
The Indy 500 is full of special traditions. These include the 33 cars lining up in rows of three, the yearly singing of "Back Home Again in Indiana" before the race, and the winner drinking milk in victory lane. To qualify, drivers must complete four timed laps, not just one, and these qualifying runs happen on a separate weekend. The exact number of people who attend isn't usually shared, but the stadium can seat about 235,000 people. With fans in the infield, the total crowd on race day can be between 350,000 and 400,000!
Contents
Indianapolis 500: The Greatest Spectacle in Racing
History of the Indy 500
Early Days of Racing at the Brickyard
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was first built in 1909. It started as a track made of gravel and tar. It hosted smaller races, even for motorcycles. The first long race, the 100-lap Prest-O-Lite Trophy in 1909, was very challenging. The track surface broke apart, causing two serious accidents in early long-distance events.
Even with these problems, many people came to watch. Up to 40,000 fans showed up! This convinced the main owner, Carl G. Fisher, to spend a lot of money to repave the track. He used 3.2 million bricks and added a concrete wall around the track. In 1910, the first races on the new brick track attracted 60,000 spectators. Ray Harroun won one of these races.
Because crowds became smaller later that year, the track owners decided to focus on one big race. They thought about a 24-hour race or a 1000-mile event. Finally, they chose a 500 miles (800 km) race. This was about how far a race car could go before it got dark. They also offered a huge prize of $25,000, which was a lot of money back then! This made the track very special for car races.
The First "500" and Early Rules
The first "500" race happened on May 30, 1911. Forty cars started the race. Ray Harroun drove a Marmon Wasp racer. His car had a special invention: the rear-view mirror! Harroun was declared the winner. About 80,000 people watched, and a yearly tradition began. Some thought Harroun was risky because he was the only driver without a riding mechanic. These mechanics usually checked oil pressure and warned drivers about other cars.
In 1912, the prize money increased to $50,000. The number of cars was limited to 33, which is still the rule today. A riding mechanic became mandatory. Joe Dawson won this second race. At first, American drivers and cars won. But soon, European car makers from Italy and France started winning from 1912 to 1919.
Engine Innovations and European Challenges
After World War I, American drivers and car makers became strong again. Engineer Harry Miller became very successful at building competitive cars. In the 1920s, engine sizes were limited. In 1920, Gaston Chevrolet won with the first eight-cylinder engine to take the "500." By 1923, riding mechanics were no longer required.
Miller's engines, especially the "Offy" engine designed by Fred Offenhauser and Leo Goossen, became legendary. The "Offy" engine won a record 27 times. It also won for 18 years in a row between 1947 and 1964!
European car makers returned briefly before World War II. Maserati cars helped Wilbur Shaw win in 1939 and 1940. These are still the only wins for fully Italian cars at the Indy 500 as of 2026. From 1950 to 1960, the Indy 500 was part of the World Drivers' Championship. However, few Formula One drivers from Europe raced at Indy during those years.
Modern Era and International Influence
European teams made a big return in 1963. Colin Chapman brought his Team Lotus to Indianapolis. He was attracted by the large prize money. Jim Clark drove a mid-engined car and finished second in 1963. He then won the race in 1965. This win also ended the long winning streak of the Offy engine. It gave the Ford V8 engine its first victory at the race. The next year, 1966, another British driver, Graham Hill, won.
By the late 1970s, European technology took over. Most car chassis and engines were European. Even American engine brands like Ford and Chevrolet had their engines built in the UK. As of 2026, Fernando Alonso was the most recent active Formula One driver to enter the Indy 500, racing in 2017.
The Racing Split and Centennial Celebrations
In 1996, the owner of the Speedway, Tony George, started his own racing series called the Indy Racing League (IRL). The Indy 500 became its main event. This caused a "split" in open-wheel racing, as many popular teams and drivers stayed with another series called CART. This split hurt open-wheel racing for many years. The Indy 500 did not sell out again until 2016.
However, in 2005, Danica Patrick brought a lot of new attention to the Indy 500. She was not the first woman to race at Indy, but she was very popular. She also became the first woman to lead laps during the race.
From 2009 to 2011, the Speedway celebrated its "Centennial Era." This marked 100 years since the track opened (1909) and the first Indy 500 race (1911). In 2016, the race celebrated its 100th running with about 350,000 people attending. It was a complete sellout!
In 2020, the race was delayed from May to August because of health guidelines. There were no fans in attendance that year. In 2024, heavy rain and thunderstorms delayed the race for over four hours.
Understanding the Race Name
The race was first called the "International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race" from 1911 to 1916. But most people just called it the "Indianapolis 500" or "the 500." In 1919, after World War I, it was briefly called the "Liberty Sweepstakes." From 1920 to 1980, it officially went back to "International Sweepstakes."
After World War II, people commonly knew it as "The 500" or "Indy 500." By the late 20th century, "Indy 500" became the most popular name. Since 2016, the official race logo has used this modern name.
For the 1981 race, the name "65th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race" became official. The word "Sweepstakes" was dropped. The race also became an invitational event, not an "Open" race, which made the "sweepstakes" name less fitting.
For almost 100 years, the race did not have a main sponsor. This was unusual but popular with fans. This tradition ended in 2016 when PennGrade became the first presenting sponsor. Gainbridge Insurance Agency became the title sponsor in 2019. The Borg-Warner Trophy, given to winners since 1936, calls the event the "Indianapolis 500-Mile Race."
Race Specifics and Rules
Track Layout and Laps
The Indianapolis 500 happens every year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It's a 2.5-mile (4 km) oval track. The track looks like a rounded rectangle. It has four turns that are all the same size. These turns are connected by four straight sections.
Traditionally, 33 cars start the race. They line up in eleven rows, with three cars in each row. Drivers race 200 laps around the track, going counter-clockwise. This covers a total distance of 500 miles (800 km). The race has always been scheduled around Memorial Day since 1911. Since 1974, it has been held on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. This Sunday is a huge day for motorsports, with the Indy 500, the Coca-Cola 600, and often the Monaco Grand Prix all happening. Practice and qualifying sessions take place in the two weeks before the race.
The Indy 500 is the most important race on the IndyCar Series calendar. It's one of the oldest and most famous car races in the world. Many people say it's the largest single-day sporting event globally. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway itself is considered the world's largest sports facility by how many people it can hold. In 2011, the total prize money was over $13 million, with the winner getting more than $2.5 million! This makes it one of the richest sports prizes.
Weather Delays and Race Endings
The race is not held in wet conditions because of safety concerns like cars sliding on water. If it rains, the race will be delayed until the track is dry. If rain starts during the race, officials will stop it and wait for safe conditions. The race can be declared official if more than half the distance (101 laps) has been completed. If less than 101 laps are done, the race must restart to reach that distance. Since the track has no lights, daylight is a factor. If the race cannot restart before sunset, it will end if 101 or more laps are complete. Otherwise, it will be rescheduled for the next day.
The Indy 500 can finish under a yellow caution flag. However, officials can also use a late-race red flag to stop the race temporarily. This allows for a green-flag finish, which happened in 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2026.
Indy Car Technology
The Indy 500 uses "Indy cars." These are professional, single-seat, open-cockpit, open-wheel race cars built for speed. As of 2020, all cars use 2.2-liter V6 engines with twin-turbochargers. These engines produce between 550 and 750 horsepower. Most of the car parts are standard for all teams, with limited chances for special changes. Chevrolet and Honda provide the competing engines. Dallara is currently the only company that supplies the car chassis. Firestone, which has a long history with the race, is the only tire provider. A hybrid power system was added to the cars starting with the 2025 race.
The Starting Field
The traditional 33-car starting field at Indianapolis is larger than other IndyCar races. It usually includes all the full-time IndyCar Series teams (about 25-27 cars). There are also 8-10 part-time or "Indy-only" teams. These "Indy-only" teams might be extra cars from existing teams or special teams that only race at Indy. Their drivers are often experienced racers who don't have a full-time spot or are famous drivers from other types of racing. It's common for former Indy 500 winners to race only at Indy for several years before fully retiring.
How the Race is Organized
The track and the racing series are owned by Penske Entertainment, a company led by long-time racing team owner Roger Penske. Besides the regular staff, about 12,500 people work during the Indy 500 weekend. They help with broadcasting, safety, medical services, crowd control, sales, weather checks, and other important tasks.
After the Indy 500, ticket holders have 500 hours to renew or upgrade their seats for the next year. About 60-65% of grandstand seats are usually reserved during this time.
Technical Rules and Car Inspections
IndyCar sets the technical rules for the Indianapolis 500. These rules are generally the same as for other IndyCar races. In the past, rules at Indy sometimes differed slightly. For example, a certain engine might be allowed at Indy but not at other races. A famous example was the Ilmor-built Mercedes-Benz 500I engine used by Roger Penske in 1994.
In the past, teams could enter two cars with the same number: a "primary" car and a "backup" car (called a "T" car). Both could practice, but they had to share the same engine. Sometimes teams preferred their backup car if it was faster. Today, teams can have backup cars, but they can only use them if their primary car is too damaged to race.
All cars must pass a strict technical inspection before they can practice. This check looks at things like weight, size, and approved safety parts. Cars are inspected again before and after qualifying. The post-qualifying inspection is very thorough. It makes sure cars follow all performance rules. Cars can be fined or disqualified if they fail this inspection.
During the race, teams can work on the car. This usually means quick pit stops for changing tires and refueling. Crews practice these stops to complete them in under ten seconds. They can also quickly replace damaged parts like wings. More serious repairs are allowed, and since 1998, teams can return to the garage for major fixes. However, there are limits to what can be repaired. Teams cannot change engines. Since 1933, a rule has been in place that teams cannot add oil once the race has started.
Qualifying for the Indy 500
The Indy 500 has used different qualifying rules over the years. The current four-lap (ten-mile) qualifying distance was first used in 1920 and has been in place since 1939.
Today, qualifying happens over two days. On Day 1, positions 13–30 (or 13–33 if there are only 33 entries) are set. All other positions are decided on Day 2. After a practice session called "Fast Friday," cars are randomly drawn for their qualifying order.
- Saturday: All cars get at least one chance to qualify. They can make more attempts if there's time. The fastest twelve drivers move on to a special "shootout" session on Sunday. This session decides who gets pole position and the first four rows. Drivers who qualify 10th–30th have their spots secured. Drivers who qualify 31st or lower go to another "shootout" session on Sunday to fight for the last three spots. For re-attempts, there are two lanes. Lane 2 is "no risk," meaning drivers keep their previous time if their new run is slower. Lane 1 is the "priority lane." Drivers in this lane must give up their previous time, even if their new run is slower.
- Sunday: First, the top twelve drivers from Saturday qualify again in reverse order of their Saturday finish. Each car gets one attempt. The fastest six move to the final round. While they prepare, cars that finished 31st or worse on Saturday have a 75-minute "last chance" qualifying session. Each car gets one guaranteed attempt. After that, teams can try again, but must give up their previous time. The fastest three cars make the race, starting on the last row. All others fail to qualify. Finally, in the Firestone Fast Six session, the fastest six cars from the earlier session each make one attempt. The fastest of these wins the pole position.
Each attempt is a single car run. Cars get two warm-up laps. A team member signals the start of the attempt with a green flag. The team, driver, or race officials can wave off an attempt during any of the four laps. If an attempt is waved off after it starts, it still counts, and any previous time is lost (unless officials waved it off due to weather). At the end of Saturday and the last row qualifying on Sunday, a ceremonial gun signals that time is up. Attempts already in progress can finish, but no new attempts are allowed. Weather often affects qualifying and can lead to last-minute changes.
Race Management and Rules
Governing Bodies: AAA, USAC, and IndyCar
From 1911 to 1955, the AAA oversaw the race. After a serious accident at another race in 1955, the AAA stopped its racing activities. Speedway owner Tony Hulman then created USAC in 1956. USAC took over managing the Indy 500 and Championship racing.
From 1950 to 1960, the Indianapolis 500 was also part of the FIA's World Championship of Drivers (now Formula One). However, few Formula One drivers from Europe raced at Indy during those years. Alberto Ascari was the only European-based driver to race in the 500 during its World Championship years, appearing in a Ferrari in 1952. Juan Manuel Fangio practiced in 1958 but chose not to race.
The Indy 500 remained under USAC's control. USAC eventually focused only on the Indy 500, dropping other Indy car races. From 1983 to 1995, the race ran smoothly, even with disagreements between USAC and CART (another racing series). CART teams and drivers made up most of the Indy 500 field.
The IndyCar Series Era
In 1994, Speedway owner Tony George announced plans for a new series, the Indy Racing League. The Indy 500 was its main event. George wanted to lower costs and bring more oval races back. He also wanted to give more opportunities to drivers from USAC sprint-car racing. Some people thought George was trying to take full control of open-wheel racing in the US.
In 1996, George announced that 25 of the 33 starting spots for the 1996 Indy 500 would be reserved for top drivers in the IRL points. This was the first time not all spots were open for qualification. CART refused to change its schedule and boycotted the race. They held their own race, the U.S. 500, on the same day. Buddy Lazier won the 1996 Indy 500.
.jpg)
In 1997, new rules made cars and engines different for the IRL and CART. This meant CART teams could not enter the Indy 500 for three years. In 2000, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, a CART team, decided to race at Indy. Juan Pablo Montoya dominated the event and won. In 2001, Penske Racing returned and won with driver Hélio Castroneves. Penske and Castroneves won again in 2002.
By 2003, many top teams moved to the IRL permanently. CART went bankrupt. In early 2008, the two series finally joined together. This created a single open-wheel championship, now known as the IndyCar Series, after a 12-year split.
Indy 500 and NASCAR
The "Double Duty" Challenge
In the 1960s and early 1970s, the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 (a NASCAR race) were held on different days. Some NASCAR drivers raced in both events. From 1974 to 1992, the races were on the same day at the same time, making it impossible to do both.
Since 1993, the Coca-Cola 600 has been scheduled for the evening of the same day as the Indy 500. This allows some NASCAR drivers to try to race in both events. This challenge is known as "Double Duty."
After the Indy 500, drivers take a helicopter to Indianapolis International Airport. From there, they fly to Concord Regional Airport and take another helicopter to the NASCAR race. John Andretti, Tony Stewart, and Robby Gordon have tried this. Kyle Larson was the latest to attempt it in 2024 and 2025. In 2001, Tony Stewart became the first and only driver to complete all 1,100 miles in both races on the same day.
In 2005, the Indy 500 start time was moved to 1 p.m. EDT. This made it harder to do "Double Duty." The race used to start earlier, around 11 a.m. EST, because in 1911, organizers thought it would take six hours. They didn't want the race to finish too close to dinner. Today, the race usually finishes in under three and a half hours.
Two drivers, Mario Andretti and A. J. Foyt, have won both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. Foyt also won other major endurance races like the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He won Le Mans in 1967, about a month after his third Indy 500 win. Andretti won the 1978 Formula One World Championship.
In 2010, Bruton Smith offered $20 million to any driver who could win both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. This has never been done. In 2011, the Indy 500 start time was moved back to 12:15 PM EDT, making "Double Duty" possible again. Kurt Busch attempted it in 2014. He finished sixth at Indy but had engine trouble in the 600.
In 2024, Kyle Larson attempted "Double Duty." He finished 18th in the Indy 500. However, due to a four-hour rain delay at Indianapolis, he arrived late for the Coke 600. The 600 was then stopped by a thunderstorm and not restarted, so Larson could not participate. Larson tried again in 2025 but crashed out of both races. He completed only 595 of the planned 1100 miles. For his 2025 attempt, the 600 was the priority. Due to rain delays at Indianapolis, Larson would have had to leave the Indy 500 early if he hadn't already crashed. Larson won the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship, becoming the first driver to start that year's Indianapolis 500 and win the Cup Series title.
Given the challenges in 2024 and 2025, most experts now think "Double Duty" is too difficult. This is unless the races or series change their schedules to allow more travel time. In 2026, Katherine Legge attempted "Double Duty." She was the first woman and first non-American driver to try this feat. At 45 years old, she was also the oldest to attempt it.
Unique Indy 500 Culture
Indy 500 Memorabilia
Many people love to collect items related to the Indianapolis 500. The National Indy 500 Collectors Club is a group dedicated to this hobby. It started in 1985 in Indianapolis. Its members are very knowledgeable and can offer advice on trading memorabilia and answering questions about the Indy 500.
The Milk Tradition
After winning his second Indy 500 in 1933, Louis Meyer asked for a glass of buttermilk. When he won his third title in 1936, he asked for another glass but received a bottle instead. A photographer captured him drinking from the bottle and holding up three fingers for his third win. A local dairy company saw this as a great marketing chance. Not knowing he drank buttermilk, they offered a bottle of milk to future winners.
Milk has been given to winners every year since, except from 1947 to 1955. Today, drivers can choose between whole, 2%, or skim milk.
At the 1993 Indianapolis 500, winner Emerson Fittipaldi famously drank orange juice instead of milk during his TV interview. He owned an orange grove. He eventually drank milk later, but the public was upset. Fans booed him at the next race in Wisconsin, a state known for its dairy farms. Some fans continued to boo Fittipaldi as late as 2008.
In 2016, for the 100th running, the track gave out 100,000 small bottles of milk. Fans could toast the winner with milk after the race.
Women in Racing
For many decades, women were not encouraged to participate in the Indianapolis 500. Female reporters were not even allowed in the pit area until 1971. Since then, nine female drivers have qualified for the race.
Sarah Fisher has competed nine times, more than any other woman. Danica Patrick has the best finish for a woman (3rd place). She is also the only woman to have led laps during the race. Katherine Legge is the most recent woman to have raced (2024). She holds the fastest one-lap and four-lap qualification speeds for a woman in the race's history.
Watching the Indy 500
Broadcasting History
Radio coverage of the race began in 1922. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network has broadcast the entire race live on radio since 1953.
For many years, the Hulman family, who owned the Speedway, did not allow live television coverage. They wanted to encourage people to attend in person. The race was briefly shown live on TV in 1949 and 1950, then stopped. From 1964 to 1970, it was shown live on closed-circuit television in movie theaters. From 1971 to 1985, an edited version was shown on TV later the same day.
From 1986 to 2018, ABC televised the race live. However, the local Indianapolis TV station was required to delay the broadcast. This was to encourage local attendance. In 2016, the IMS announced a sell-out for the 100th running. This meant the local station could air the race live for the first time since 1950.
In 2019, coverage of the Indianapolis 500 moved to NBC. This was part of a new contract that brought all IndyCar Series TV rights to NBC Sports. The local NBC station in Indianapolis still had to delay the broadcast. However, in 2020, the race aired live locally because there were no fans due to health guidelines. It also aired live locally in 2021 due to limited capacity.
In 2022, the race could be viewed live in central Indiana and Lafayette on the Peacock streaming service. However, it was still shown on tape delay on local TV. In 2024, the local TV blackout was lifted at 2:30 p.m. due to weather delays.
Fox Sports took over the rights to IndyCar, including the Indianapolis 500, starting in 2025. The local Fox station became the new local broadcaster. On May 16, 2025, with a sellout expected, the blackout was lifted for the eighth time. The blackout was lifted for a ninth time in 2026 due to another expected grandstand sellout.
See also
In Spanish: 500 Millas de Indianápolis para niños
- Indianapolis 500 firsts
- Indianapolis 500 records
- Indianapolis 500 traditions
- Indianapolis 500 by year
- Indianapolis 500 pace cars
- Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year
- List of Indianapolis 500 winners
- List of Indianapolis 500 pole-sitters
- List of Indianapolis 500 lap leaders
- List of Indianapolis 500 broadcasters
- List of female Indianapolis 500 drivers
- List of fatalities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
