With 100 plus years of the Indianapolis 500, there are too many records, traditions, and facts to remember, unless your name is Donald Davidson. I didn’t include the obvious ones in this list, such as the four-time winners, female drivers, track records, etc. If you have any you would like to add, feel free to do so.
- The first person to win from Pole position was Jimmy Murphy in 1922.
- The first two-time winner was Tommy Milton in 1923 (won 1921 race).
- The first rain-shortened race winner was Frank Lockhart in 1926.
- The first winner to have only led the final lap was Dan Wheldon in 2011.
- Howdy Wilcox is the first driver to finish in first and last place (1919, 1921).
- Local station WTTV provided the first television coverage of the race in 1949.
- In 1958, front row drivers Dick Rathmann, Ed Elisian, and Jimmy Reece failed to lead a lap, the only time this has occurred in the history of the 500.
- In 1974 the Speedway rescinds their “never on a Sunday” policy. The race has been held on the Sunday before Memorial Day ever since.
- Six races have failed to run the full 500 miles due to rain.
- Churchill Downs, Yankee Stadium, the Rose Bowl, the Roman Colosseum and Vatican City all can fit inside the Speedway.
- Rick Mears holds the record with the most Pole positions with six.
- Rick Mears, Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon all won their first Indy 500 at the age of 27.
- Since the first race in 1911, no driver with the last name Smith has ever qualified for the Indianapolis 500. Smith is the most common surname in the United States.
- From 1911 to 1997 the Indianapolis 500 mile race took place on May 24 just three times. The Unser family won all three (1981, 1987, and 1992).
Christopher Leone
Chad Smith
