Indianapolis 500 facts for kids
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| 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 (24) Engine: Offenhauser (27) Tires: Firestone (75) |
| 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, also known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race or Indy 500, is a famous car race. It happens every year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, USA. This town is a small area inside Indianapolis. The race usually takes place on Memorial Day weekend, which is the last weekend of May.
It's a key event in the IndyCar Series, the top level of open-wheel car racing in America. The track is nicknamed the "Brickyard" because it was first paved with bricks in 1909. A small part of the original brick track is still visible at the start/finish line. Many call the Indy 500 "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." It's also part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, along with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix.
The first race was held in 1911 and was won by Ray Harroun. The event celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011. The 100th race happened in 2016. The race was paused twice: from 1917 to 1918 due to World War I and from 1942 to 1945 because of World War II. For a while, the race was even part of the FIA World Championships.
Álex Palou, who won in 2025, is the current champion. The most successful drivers are A. J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr., Rick Mears, and Hélio Castroneves. Each of them has won the race four times. Rick Mears holds the record for the most pole positions with six. The most successful team owner is Roger Penske, whose team has won 20 times.
The Indy 500 has many special traditions. These include the 33 cars lining up in rows of three. Before the race, someone sings "Back Home Again in Indiana." After winning, drivers drink a bottle of milk. To qualify, drivers must complete four timed laps, not just one. This happens on a separate weekend. The exact number of fans is not shared, but the track can seat about 235,000 people. With fans in the infield, attendance can reach up to 400,000.
Contents
History of the Indy 500
Early Years of Racing
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built in 1909. It started as a track made of gravel and tar. It hosted smaller events, including motorcycle races. The first long race, the 100-lap Prest-O-Lite Trophy, was in 1909. Bob Burman won it in a Buick. The track surface broke apart, causing serious accidents in the first two long races.
Even with these problems, 15,000 people paid to watch. Sometimes, crowds reached 40,000. This convinced the owner, Carl G. Fisher, to spend $155,000 to repave the track. He used 3.2 million bricks. He also added a concrete wall around the track. In 1910, the first races on the new brick track drew 60,000 fans. Ray Harroun won the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy.
Later that season, fewer people came to the races. So, the owners decided to focus on one big race. They thought about a 24-hour race or a 1000-mile event. They chose 500 miles, as that was how far a car could race before dark. They also offered a huge prize of $25,000. This made the track very important for car races.
The first "500" race was held on May 30, 1911, which was Decoration Day. Cars had a maximum engine size. Forty cars started the race. Harroun drove a Marmon Wasp car. It had his invention, the rear-view mirror. Harroun was declared the winner. Eighty thousand fans watched, and a yearly tradition began. Harroun was the only driver without a riding mechanic. These mechanics 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 required. Joe Dawson won this second race. At first, American drivers and cars won. But soon, European car makers like Fiat from Italy and Peugeot from France started winning.
After World War I, American drivers and car makers became dominant again. Engineer Harry Miller became very successful. His new ideas helped cars win races until the mid-1970s.
Before the race, the Purdue All-American Marching Band plays music. Since 1946, it's been a tradition to sing "Back Home Again in Indiana." American singer James Melton started this. Later, actor and singer Jim Nabors sang it from 1972 to 2014. Now, Jim Cornelison has been singing it since 2017.
Miller and Offenhauser Engines
Following European trends, engine sizes were limited in the 1920s. In 1920, Gaston Chevrolet won with the first eight-cylinder engine. By 1923, riding mechanics were no longer required. A supercharged car won for the first time in 1924. In 1925, Pete DePaolo was the first to win at over 100 mph (160 km/h).
In the early 1920s, Miller built his 3.0-liter engine. It was inspired by a Peugeot engine. He put it in Jimmy Murphy's Duesenberg, which won in 1922. Miller then made his own cars, called 'Miller' cars. These cars used supercharged versions of his engines. These engines won four more races until 1929. They powered seven more winners until 1938.
After buying the Speedway in 1927, Eddie Rickenbacker made some changes. He banned supercharging and brought back the riding mechanic.
In 1935, Miller's former employees, Fred Offenhauser and Leo Goossen, had their first win. They used the famous 4-cylinder Offenhauser or "Offy" engine. This engine became a huge part of the Brickyard's history. It won a record 27 times. It also won for 18 years in a row, from 1947 to 1964.
European Cars and Formula One
European car makers returned to the Indy 500 before World War II. The Maserati 8CTF helped Wilbur Shaw win in 1939 and 1940. These are the only Indy 500 wins for fully Italian cars. The Indy 500 was part of the World Drivers' Championship from 1950 to 1960. But few European drivers raced there. Ferrari made a rare appearance in 1952 with Alberto Ascari.
European cars returned more often after the Indy 500 left the World Championship. In 1963, Colin Chapman brought his Team Lotus to Indianapolis. He was attracted by the big prize money. Jim Clark finished second in 1963. He dominated in 1965 and won. This win also ended the Offy engine's long success. It was the first win for the 4.2-liter Ford V8 engine. The next year, 1966, Graham Hill won in a Lola-Ford.
The Offenhauser engine also won with a European car maker, McLaren. They won three times. One win was with the Penske team in 1972 with Mark Donohue. McLaren's own team won in 1974 and 1976 with Johnny Rutherford. This was the last time the Offy engine won. American drivers still made up most of the entries. But European technology became very important.
As of 2025, Fernando Alonso is the most recent active Formula One driver to race in the Indy 500. He drove in the 2017 race.
Modern Era of Racing
After foreign cars became common, foreign drivers also started racing regularly. They chose the United States as their main racing base. Drivers like Emerson Fittipaldi from Brazil and Arie Luyendyk from the Netherlands did well in the 1980s. In 1993, Nigel Mansell, a Formula One World Champion, surprised everyone. He left Formula One to race in CART. He finished third in the 500 and won the 1993 CART championship. Foreign-born drivers became a regular part of the Indianapolis race after this.
Centennial Celebrations
In 2009, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway started a "Centennial Era." This celebrated 100 years since the track opened in 1909. It also marked 100 years since the first Indy 500 in 1911. Tickets for the 2009 race even used the old name, "93rd 500 Mile International Sweepstakes." This was the first time since 1980 that the "Sweepstakes" title was used.
In 2014, the road course at the Speedway was used for races for the first time. The GMR Grand Prix road course event happened during the first week of activities.
Six years later, in 2016, the race celebrated its 100th running. About 350,000 people attended.
In 2020, the race was delayed from May to August because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were no fans in attendance to follow health rules.
In 2024, the race was delayed for over four hours. This was due to heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Race Name Changes
The race was first called the "International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race." This was from 1911 to 1916. But people quickly started calling it the Indianapolis 500 or "the 500." For many years, it was the only big car race of that distance. In 1919, it was called the "Liberty Sweepstakes" after World War I. From 1920 to 1980, it went back to "International Sweepstakes."
After World War II, people commonly called it "The 500" or "Indy 500." By the late 1900s, "Indy 500" became the most popular name. So, since 2016, the official race logo uses "Indy 500."
For the 1981 race, the name "65th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race" became official. The "International Sweepstakes" name was dropped. Since 1981, the race has been advertised this way. It usually includes the race number, like "65th."
For almost 100 years, the race did not have a main sponsor. This was unusual for a big sports event. But fans liked it. This tradition ended in 2016 when PennGrade became the first presenting sponsor.
The Borg-Warner Trophy, given to winners since 1936, calls the event the "Indianapolis 500-Mile Race." It does not mention "International Sweepstakes."
Race Details
The Indianapolis 500 happens every year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is a 2.5-mile (4 km) oval circuit. The track is shaped like a rounded rectangle. It has four turns and 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 counter-clockwise, covering 500 miles (800 km).
The race has always been held around Memorial Day since 1911. Since 1974, it's been on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. This Sunday is a big day for motorsports. It also features the Coca-Cola 600 and usually the Monaco Grand Prix. Practice and qualifying happen in the two weeks before the race.
The Indy 500 is the most important event on the IndyCar calendar. It's one of the oldest and most important car races. It's said to be the largest single-day sports event in the world. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is also considered the world's largest sports facility by how many people it can hold. In 2011, the total prize money was over $13 million. The winner received over $2.5 million.
Unlike most sports, major events like the Indy 500 happen early in the season. It is currently the sixth event of the 17-race IndyCar schedule. Because the Indy 500 is so important, some teams focus heavily on it. They might not fully focus on the championship until after this race.
The race is not held in wet conditions due to safety. If it rains, the race will be stopped until the track is dry. If rain falls during the race, officials will pause it. They can declare the race official if more than half the distance (101 laps) is completed. If less than half is done, the race must continue later. A main problem is daylight, as the track has no lights. If the race cannot finish before sunset, it will continue the next day.
The Indy 500 does not use a "green–white–checker finish" if there's a late caution. The race can end under caution. However, officials might stop the race with a red flag. This gives a chance for a green-flag finish. This option was used in 2014, 2019, 2022, and 2023.
Race Cars
The race uses "Indy cars." These are professional, single-seat, open-cockpit, open-wheel race cars. As of 2020, all cars use 2.2-liter V6 engines. These engines have twin-turbochargers. They produce between 550–750 horsepower (410–560 kW). Chevrolet and Honda make the engines. Dallara is the only company that supplies the car chassis. Firestone provides all the tires.
Race Field
The traditional 33-car starting field at Indianapolis is larger than other IndyCar races. It usually includes all full-time IndyCar Series teams. It also has 10–15 part-time or "Indy-only" teams. These "Indy-only" teams might be extra cars from existing teams. Or they might be teams that only race at Indy. The drivers for these teams are often experienced Indy car racers. They might not have a full-time ride. Some former Indy 500 winners race only at Indy for years before retiring.
Qualifying for the Race
Over the years, the race has used different ways to qualify. The current four-lap (ten-mile) qualifying distance started in 1920. It has been used every year since 1939.
Currently, qualifying happens over two days. On Day 1, positions 13–30 (or 13–33) are set. All other positions are set on Day 2. After a practice session, cars are randomly drawn for the qualifying order.
- Saturday: All cars get at least one chance to qualify. They can try again if there's time. The fastest twelve drivers move on to a "shootout" session on Sunday. This session decides pole position and the first four rows. Drivers who qualify 10th–30th have their spots locked in. Drivers who are 31st or lower go to a separate "shootout" on Sunday. This decides the final three spots. For extra attempts, there are two lanes. Lane 2 is "no risk," meaning drivers keep their old time if the new one is slower. Lane 1 is "priority," but drivers must give up their old time, even if the new one is slower.
- Sunday: The times from Saturday are erased for drivers who were 31st or lower. There is one 75-minute session. Each driver gets one guaranteed attempt. They can try again if time allows. Drivers who qualify 31st–33rd have their spots locked. Drivers who are 34th or lower do not qualify. The fastest twelve drivers from Saturday have a second round of qualifying. The top six then go to the Firestone Fast Six. The qualifying order is based on Saturday's times, from slowest to fastest. Saturday's times are erased. Each driver gets one attempt, locking in positions 7–12. After a cool-down, the final six drivers get one last attempt. The fastest driver wins the pole position. The other five drivers' positions are set by their times.
For each attempt, cars get two warm-up laps. A team member waves a green flag to start the attempt. If they don't wave it, the attempt is canceled. The team, driver, or officials can stop the attempt during any of the four laps. If an attempt is stopped after it starts, it still counts. The previous time is lost unless officials stopped it due to weather. Weather often affects qualifying and can change the schedule.
Race Organization
Early Organizers: AAA and USAC
From 1911 to 1955, the AAA organized the race. After a big accident at Le Mans in 1955, AAA stopped organizing races. Speedway owner Tony Hulman then started USAC in 1956. USAC took over organizing the race and other Championship races.
From 1950 to 1960, the Indy 500 was also part of the FIA's World Championship of Drivers (now Formula One). But few drivers from that series raced at Indy. Alberto Ascari was the only European-based driver to race in the 500 during these years. His appearance in 1952 in a Ferrari was the only time a Ferrari has raced there.
In the 1970s, there were disagreements over prize money and rules. After Tony Hulman died in 1977, and some USAC officials died in a plane crash in 1978, team owners formed CART. This group started organizing Indy car racing.
The Indianapolis 500 itself stayed under USAC's control. It became the only top-level race USAC still organized. For three years, the race was not officially part of the CART calendar. But CART teams and drivers still made up the field. By 1983, an agreement was made. The USAC-organized Indy 500 was recognized on the CART calendar. It also awarded points for the CART championship.
From 1983 to 1995, the race ran smoothly despite the CART/USAC split. They sometimes disagreed on small technical rules. But they used the same cars, and CART teams made up most of the Indy 500 entries.
IndyCar Series Era
In 1994, Speedway owner Tony George announced a new series. It would be called the Indy Racing League, with the Indy 500 as its main event. George wanted to lower costs and have more races on oval tracks. He also wanted to give more chances to drivers from USAC sprint-car racing. Some people thought George was trying to control all open-wheel racing in the U.S.
CART's 1996 schedule had races at the same time as the first Indy Racing League events. So, George announced that 25 of the 33 starting spots for the 1996 Indy 500 would be for the top 25 cars in IRL points. This left only eight spots for CART drivers who didn't race in the IRL events. CART refused to change its schedule. They skipped the IRL races and boycotted the Indy 500. Instead, they held their own race, the U.S. 500, on the same day. Buddy Lazier won the 1996 Indy 500.
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For 1997, new rules were made for cheaper cars and "production-based" engines. This meant IRL cars were different from CART cars. No CART teams entered the Indy 500 for the next three years.
In 2000, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, a CART team, decided to race at Indianapolis. Juan Pablo Montoya dominated the event, leading 167 of 200 laps to win. In 2001, Penske Racing returned and won with Hélio Castroneves. Penske and Castroneves won again in 2002.
By 2003, Ganassi, Penske, and Andretti Green moved to the IRL permanently. CART went bankrupt later that year. In 2008, the two series joined to create one open-wheel championship. It was called the IndyCar Series.
The 2012 race saw the return of turbocharged engines. This was the first time since 1996. They used the Dallara DW12 chassis and 2.2 L V-6 engines.
NASCAR and the Indy 500
In the 1960s and early 1970s, the Indy 500 and the World 600 (now Coca-Cola 600) were on different days. Some NASCAR drivers raced in both events. These included Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough. From 1974 to 1992, the two races were on the same day at the same time. This made it impossible to race in both.
"Double Duty" Challenge
- Further information: Double Duty
From 1994 to 2014, some NASCAR drivers tried to race in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Since 1993, the Coca-Cola 600 has been scheduled for the evening after the Indy 500. This effort is called "Double Duty."
After the Indy 500, drivers would take a helicopter to the airport. Then they would fly to Charlotte for the NASCAR race. John Andretti, Tony Stewart, and Robby Gordon tried this. Kyle Larson was the latest to try in 2024. In 2001, Tony Stewart was the first to finish both races completely.
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. Now, 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. In 2010, Chip Ganassi became the first team owner to win both the Daytona and Indianapolis 500s in the same year.
In 2010, Bruton Smith offered $20 million to any driver who could win both races on the same day. For 2011, the Indy 500 start time was moved back to 12:15 PM EDT. This made "Double Duty" possible again. In 2014, Kurt Busch tried it. He finished sixth at Indy but had engine trouble at the 600. In 2024, Kyle Larson attempted it. He finished 18th at Indy. He arrived late to the 600 due to rain delays at Indy. The 600 was then stopped by a storm, and Larson could not race.
Culture and Traditions
Collecting Memorabilia
Many people enjoy collecting items from the Indianapolis 500. The National Indy 500 Collectors Club is a group dedicated to this. It started in 1985. Members share information and advice on trading Indy 500 items.
The longest-running show for Indy racing items is the National Auto Racing Memorabilia Show.
Indy 500 in Entertainment
The Indianapolis 500 has been featured in many films. It's also been mentioned often in TV shows, movies, and other media.
The Milk Tradition
Louis Meyer asked for a glass of buttermilk after winning his second Indy 500 in 1933. When he won his third race in 1936, he asked for more. A photographer took a picture of him drinking from a bottle and holding up three fingers. A local dairy company saw this as a great marketing chance. 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 whole, 2%, or skim milk.
At the 1993 Indianapolis 500, winner Emerson Fittipaldi drank orange juice instead of milk. He owned an orange grove. He eventually drank the milk later, but fans were upset. He was booed at the next race in Wisconsin, a state known for its dairy farms. Some fans continued to boo him years later.
In 2016, the track gave out special milk bottles to 100,000 fans. This was so they could toast the winner with milk.
Female Drivers in the Race
For many years, women were not allowed to participate in the Indy 500. Female reporters couldn't even enter the pit area until 1971. Nine female drivers have qualified for the race. The first was Janet Guthrie in 1977.
Sarah Fisher has raced nine times, more than any other woman. Danica Patrick has the best finish for a woman, coming in 3rd. She is also the only woman to have led laps during the race. Katherine Legge is the most recent woman to race (2024). She holds the fastest qualifying speeds for a woman.
Broadcasting the Race
Radio coverage of the race started in 1922. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network has broadcast the entire race live on radio since 1953.
The Hulman family, who owned the Speedway, did not allow live TV coverage until 1986. They wanted to make sure people still came to watch in person. The race was briefly shown live on TV in 1949 and 1950. From 1964 to 1970, it was shown live in 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 had to black out the live broadcast. They showed it later to encourage local attendance. In 2016, the IMS announced a sell-out of tickets for the 100th running. This meant the local station could show the race live for the first time since 1950.
In 2019, the Indy 500 TV coverage moved to NBC. This was part of a new contract. The local Indianapolis station still had the blackout rule. But in 2020, the race aired live locally because there were no fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also aired live in 2021 due to limited capacity. In 2022, the race could be watched live in central Indiana on the Peacock streaming service. In 2024, the blackout was lifted during the race due to rain delays.
Fox Sports will take over the rights to IndyCar, including the Indianapolis 500, starting in 2025.
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