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List of Indianapolis 500 winners facts for kids

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The Indianapolis 500 is a super exciting car race that happens every year in Speedway, Indiana, usually around Memorial Day. It's a big event where special open-wheel cars race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). The first race was way back in 1911! It wasn't held during World War I (1917-1918) and World War II (1942-1945).

The race is usually 200 laps long, which is about 500 miles (800 kilometers)! The winner gets awesome prizes like a small copy of the fancy silver Borg-Warner Trophy, a mini version of the pace car, a lot of money, and a special championship ring. As of the 2025 race, 76 different drivers have won this famous event.

Some drivers are super champions! A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, Rick Mears, and Hélio Castroneves are tied for the most wins, each winning four times. The youngest winner ever was Troy Ruttman, who won in 1952 when he was just 22 years old. The oldest winner was Al Unser, who won in 1987 at almost 48 years old! Juan Pablo Montoya holds the record for the longest time between his wins, with 15 years separating his victories in 2000 and 2015. Hélio Castroneves has the longest span of wins, winning his first in 2001 and his fourth in 2021, a 20-year difference!

Drivers from 12 different countries have won the Indy 500. Most winners have been American, with 55 American drivers winning 78 races. The very first winner was an American named Ray Harroun in 1911. The most recent winner, in 2025, is Álex Palou from Spain. In a few early races (1924 and 1941), two drivers shared the winning car. Team Penske is the most successful team, winning 20 races since 1972.

Borg-Warner Trophy at the Track - Sarah Stierch
The winner of the Indianapolis 500 is awarded a small replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy.

Top Winners by Driver

Some drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 multiple times, making them legends of the race!

Hélio Castroneves in red and white racing overalls celebrating at the 2009 Indianapolis 500
Rick Mears, Al Unser, and A. J. Foyt standing beside the Borg-Warner Trophy in 2021
Hélio Castroneves (left), Rick Mears, Al Unser, and A. J. Foyt (right) are each four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500.
Dario Franchitti 2009 Indy 500 Carb Day
Dario Franchitti is the most recent driver to achieve three victories at the race.
  • Four-Time Winners:
    • A. J. Foyt: 1961, 1964, 1967, 1977
    • Al Unser: 1970, 1971, 1978, 1987
    • Rick Mears: 1979, 1984, 1988, 1991
    • Hélio Castroneves: 2001, 2002, 2009, 2021
  • Three-Time Winners:
    • Louis Meyer: 1928, 1933, 1936
    • Wilbur Shaw: 1937, 1939, 1940
    • Mauri Rose: 1941, 1947, 1948
    • Johnny Rutherford: 1974, 1976, 1980
    • Bobby Unser: 1968, 1975, 1981
    • Dario Franchitti: 2007, 2010, 2012

Winners by Nationality

Drivers from all over the world have competed and won the Indianapolis 500. Here's a look at which countries have produced the most winners:

  • United States: 78 wins by 55 drivers
  • United Kingdom: 8 wins by 5 drivers
  • Brazil: 8 wins by 4 drivers
  • France: 3 wins by 3 drivers
  • Sweden: 2 wins by 2 drivers
  • Colombia: 2 wins by 1 driver
  • Japan: 2 wins by 1 driver
  • Netherlands: 2 wins by 1 driver
  • Australia: 1 win by 1 driver
  • Canada: 1 win by 1 driver
  • New Zealand: 1 win by 1 driver
  • Spain: 1 win by 1 driver

Winning Teams

Behind every great driver is a great team! Here are the teams with the most Indianapolis 500 victories:

  • Team Penske: 20 wins (1972, 1979, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024)
  • Andretti Autosport: 6 wins (1995, 2005, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017)
  • Chip Ganassi Racing: 6 wins (2000, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2022, 2025)
  • Lou Moore: 5 wins (1938, 1941, 1947, 1948, 1949)
  • Leader Card Racing: 3 wins (1959, 1962, 1968)
  • Patrick Racing: 3 wins (1973, 1982, 1989)
  • A. J. Foyt Enterprises: 3 wins (1967, 1977, 1999)

Winning Car Makes (Chassis)

The chassis is the main frame of the race car. Here are the car makes that have won the most Indy 500 races:

  • Dallara: 26 wins (1998-2002, 2005-2025)
  • Penske: 7 wins (1979, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994)
  • Miller: 6 wins (1923, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1933, 1934)
  • A. J. Watson: 6 wins (1956, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964)
  • Kurtis Kraft: 5 wins (1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955)
  • March: 5 wins (1983-1987)
  • Duesenberg: 4 wins (1922, 1924, 1925, 1927)
  • Wetteroth: 4 wins (1932, 1935, 1938, 1941)
  • Panoz: 4 wins (1997, 2000, 2003, 2004)

Winning Engine Makes

The engine is the heart of the race car. These are the engine manufacturers that have powered the most Indy 500 winners:

  • Offenhauser: 27 wins (1935, 1937, 1941, 1947-1964, 1968, 1972-1976)
  • Honda: 16 wins (2004-2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020-2022, 2025)
  • Chevrolet: 13 wins (1988-1993, 2002, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024)
  • Miller: 12 wins (1922, 1923, 1926, 1928-1934, 1936, 1938)
  • Cosworth: 10 wins (1978-1987)
  • Ford: 8 wins (1965-1967, 1969-1971, 1995, 1996)
  • Oldsmobile: 5 wins (1997-2001)

Winning Tire Makes

Tires are super important for grip and speed! Here are the tire companies that have been on the winning cars:

  • Firestone: 76 wins (1911, 1913, 1920-1941, 1946-1966, 1969-1971, 1996, 1997, 2000-2025)
  • Goodyear: 29 wins (1919, 1967, 1968, 1972-1995, 1998, 1999)
  • BFGoodrich: 2 wins (1915, 1916)
  • Michelin: 1 win (1912)
  • Palmer Cord: 1 win (1914)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Ganadores de las 500 Millas de Indianápolis para niños

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