Nothing puts the spotlight on the IndyCar Series quite like the Indy 500. “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” is by far the biggest race at the track all year and is part of the biggest weekend in racing every year.
Winning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is not easy – drivers must be fast and precise in a crowded field, and one small mistake can be the difference between finishing the race as a winner or crashing completely and being taken out of the race.
Despite this, many IndyCar drivers have won races multiple times, and the best have found winning strategies that they can use repeatedly to emerge as contenders year after year.
But for the second year in a row, a first-time driver has won the Indy 500. Will that trend continue in 2024, or will one of the past champions repeat as winner on the difficult track?
Here’s a look at the history of past Indy 500 winners, including the all-time record holder for most wins.
Read more: Who will win the 2024 Indy 500? IndyCar racing experts predict
Who has won the most Indy 500 races?
Helio Castroneves, AJ Foyt, Rick Mears and Al Unser are the four drivers who have won the Indy 500 four times. Castroneves is the latest driver to achieve the feat, winning the 2021 Indy 500 for the fourth time.
In total, 21 drivers have won the Indy 500 multiple times. Below is a list of the drivers with the most wins and when they achieved each victory.
Driver Win Year A. J. Foyt 4 1961, 1964, 1967, 1977 Al Unser 4 1970, 1971, 1978, 1987 Rick Mears 4 1979, 1984, 1988, 1991 Helio Castroneves 4 2001, 2002, 2009, 2021 Louis Meyer 3 1928, 1933, 1936 Wilbur Shaw 3 1937, 1939, 1940 Mauri Rose 3 1941, 1947, 1948 Johnny Rutherford 3 1974, 1976, 1980 Bobby Unser 3 1968, 1975, 1981 Dario Franchi 2007, 2010, 2012 Tommy Milton 21921, 1923 Bill Vukovich 21953, 1954 Roger Ward 21959, 1962 Gordon Johncock 21973, 1982 Emerson Fittipaldi 21989, 1993 Al Unser Jr. 21992, 1994 Arie Luyendyk 21990, 1997 Dan Wheldon 22005, 2011 Juan Pablo Montoya 22000, 2015 Takuma Sato 2017, 2020 Josef Newgarden 2023, 2024
Read more: Everything Kyle Larson needs to know about qualifying for the Indy 500 in 2024
Who will win the 2024 Indy 500?
Josef Newgarden won his second consecutive Indy 500 in 2024. He held off a challenge from Pat O’Ward on the final lap of the race, becoming the first driver since Hélio Castroneves to win the race back-to-back.
Newgarden eventually took the lead midway through the 200th lap of the race, and his victory came after the start of the race was delayed by four hours because of rain and lightning.
Who will win the 2023 Indy 500?
Josef Newgarden won the Indy 500 in 2023. He overtook Marcus Ericsson in the closing stages of the race to end the Swede’s winning streak at the track, marking Newgarden’s first win in the race.
Newgarden will enter the race in 2024 and start from the front row, giving him a chance to become the first Formula 1 driver to win back-to-back championships since Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002.
Who is the oldest Indy 500 winner?
Al Unser is the oldest driver to win the Indy 500. He won his last race at the Brickyard in 1987, just five days before his 48th birthday. Officially, he was 47 years and 360 days old when he won his fourth and final Indianapolis 500 victory.
Who is the youngest Indy 500 winner?
Troy Ruttman is the youngest winner in the history of the Indy 500. He was 22 years and 80 days old when he defeated Jim Rathman to win his first Indy 500 title. It was the first of his two IndyCar Series victories.
More: Full 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule
List of all-time Indy 500 winners
Below is a complete list of Indy 500 winners dating back to Ray Harroun’s 1911 victory.
Indy 500 winners of the year 2024 Joseph Newgarden 2023 Joseph Newgarden 2022 Marcus Ericsson 2021 Helio Castroneves 2020 Takuma Sato 2019 Simon Pagenaud 2018 Will Power 2017 Takuma Sato 2016 Alexander Rossi 2015 Juan Pablo Montoya 2014 Ryan Hunter-Reay 2013 Tony Kanaan 2012 Dario F.Nchitti 2011 Dan Wheldon 2010 Dario Franchitti 2009 Hélio Castroneves 2008 Scott Dixon 2007 Dario Franchitti 2006 Sam Hornish Jr. 2005 Dan Wheldon 2004 Buddy Rice 2003 Gil de Ferran 2002 Hélio Castroneves 2001 Hélio Castroneves 2000 Juan Pablo Montoya 1999 Kenny Black1998Eddie Cheever Jr.1997Arie Luyendyk1996Buddy Lazier1995Jacques Villeneuve1994Al Unser Jr.1993Emerson Fittipaldi1992Al Unser Jr.1991Rick Mears1990Arie Luyendyk1989Emerson Fittipaldi1988Rick Mears1987Al Unser1986Bobby Rahall1985Danny Sullivan1984Rick Mears1983Tom Sneva1982Gordon Johncock1981Bobby Unser1980Johnny Rutherford1979Rick Mears1978Al Unser1977A.J. Foyt Jr. 1976 Johnny Rutherford 1975 Bobby Unser 1974 Johnny Rutherford 1973 Gordon Johncock 1972 Mark Donahue 1971 Al Unser 1970 Al Unser 1969 Mario Andretti 1968 Bobby Unser 1967 A.J. Foyt 1966 Graham Hill 1965 Jim Clark 1964 A.J. Foyt Jr. 1963 Parnelli Jones 1962 Roger Ward 1961 A.J.Foyt 1960 Jim Rathman 1959 Roger Ward 1958 Jimmy Bryan 1957 Sam Hanks 1956 Pat Flaherty 1955 Bob Sweickart 1954 Bill Vukovich 1953 Bill Vukovich 1952 Troy Ruttman 1951 Lee Wollard 1950 Johnny Parsons 1949 Bill Holland 1948 Mauri Rose 1947 Mauri Rose 1946 George Robson 1945 No Race (WWII) 1944 No Race (WWII) 1943 No Race (WWII) 1942 No Race(WWII) 1941 Floyd Davis/Mauri Rose 1940 Wilbur Shaw 1939 Wilbur Shaw 1938 Floyd Roberts 1937 Wilbur Shaw 1936 Louis Meyer 1935 Kelly Petillo 1934 Bill Cummings 1933 Louis Meyer 1932 Fred Frame 1931 Louis Schneider 1930 Billy Arnold 1929 Ray Keach 1928 Louis Meyer 1927 George Souders 1926 Frank Lockhart 1925 Peter DePaolo 1924 Joe Boyer/LL Corum 1923 Tommy Milton 1922 Jimmy Murphy 1921 Tommy Milton 1920 Gaston Chevy 1919 Howdy Wilcox 1918 No Race (WWI) 1917 No Race(World War I) 1916 Dario Resta 1915 Ralph De Palma 1914 René Thomas 1913 Jules Goux 1912 Joe Dawson 1911 Ray Haroun
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