Greatest 33 Indianapolis 500 Winners

In this year’s “Month of May” series, on each day leading up to the Indianapolis 500 on May 26, a different topic about the race or about Indianapolis will be discussed. Each of these topics will be ranked to create special “fields of 33” regarding the Indy 500. I hope you enjoy, and I hope you learn something about Indianapolis and the Indy 500, the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Today we will focus on the best of the best: the greatest 33 drivers to win the Indianapolis 500. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway created a similar list of the top 33 drivers of all time. However, some members of that “Field of 33” never won a race. So here is an updated version of the best to ever make Victory Lane at Indianapolis: The “Field of 33 Greatest Race Winners”

Row 11

33. Bill Holland made five career Indy 500 starts. He finished in the top TWO in four of those five races. He led 143 laps in his rookie race in 1947, finishing second to his teammate Mauri Rose. Both racers had been given the “EZY” sign, and Holland let Rose pass thinking he was unlapping himself. Instead, Rose advanced for a win that Holland likely should have won. He finished behind his teammate again in 1948. In 1949 he leads Rose and is given “EZY” again. Rose ignores again, but breaks his car allowing Holland finally to get his well-deserved win. He finished second again the following year in 1950. The only other racer to come close to that good of a four year stretch? Helio Castroneves (2001-2004: 1, 1, 2, 9)

32. Scott Dixon is the epitome of consistency. He has finished in the top six in each of his last seven Indy 500 starts (2006-2013) including winning from the pole position in 2008. Each and every year, Dixon is a threat to win the pole. Each year, he is a threat to go to victory lane. He’s always been fast in that Target #9 Chip Ganassi car, and of course will be a favorite to win the 500 this year as well.

31. Jim Rathmann led in six of his 14 career Indy 500 starts, including 100 of the 200 laps in his 1960 trip to Victory Lane. He also finished second in three races (’52, ’57, ’59).

Row 10

30. Buddy Lazier is always a threat to win if he’s in the field of 33. In 1996, Lazier showed his strength  when he broke his back in a race at Phoenix but then drove to victory at Indianapolis just two months later! He finished in the top seven each of the next four Indy 500s, including two runner-up finishes (1998, 2000). He and his father have bought a chassis in attempt to make the field for his 17th Indanapolis 500 in 2013!

29. Danny Sullivan will forever be famous for his 1985 “Spin and Win” race, where he spun trying to pass Mario Andretti, but avoided hitting the wall and came back to win the race. He finished in the top ten a total of five times in his 12 career Indy 500 starts, but it’s the 1985 race that will forever remain in everybody’s mind and heart.

28. Ray Harroun gets the number 28 spot in honor of winning the inaugural Indianapolis 500 from the 28th starting spot. He had won numerous races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but only one career Indy 500 start, which he won in 1911. Don’t forget about his great contribution to innovation either, as he “invented” the rear-view mirror for use in the 1911 race when he opted not to use an on-board riding mechanic.

Row 9

27. Ralph DePalma qualified in the top four in seven of his ten career Indy 500 starts. He led 196 laps in the 1912 race, but engine failure on the next-to-last lap cost him a victory in the second “International Sweepstakes.” He would get his victory in 1915, however. His 612 laps led was a record until Al Unser broke it in 1987. To this day, DePalma still ranks second on the all-time lap leaders list.

26. Mark Donohue gave Team Penske its first of 15 Indy 500 wins in 1972. He started on the front row in three of his five career starts at the Brickyard. He would be much higher in this qualifying field if he would have competed in more races over his career.

25. Juan Montoya made only one career Indy 500 start, but he made the most of it as he dominated it. He led 167 laps en route to an easy trip to Victory Lane. His dominating performance combined with his great achievements in CART, Formula1, and NASCAR put him securely into our field of 33.

Row 8

24. Bobby Rahal is the only driver to set the fastest lap of the Indianapolis 500 on the FINAL lap, which he did when he won his 1986 Indy 500 after making the pass for the lead on the penultimate lap. He finished in the top seven in seven of his 13 career starts at the Brickyard, and his success has continued as a team owner.

23. Graham Hill is the only driver in history to win the Triple Crown of Motorsports – the Indy 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the F1 World Championship. In three career starts, he led only ten laps. But he was always a threat to win, no matter the track, while a part of the powerful Lotus team.

22. Rodger Ward was always at the front between 1959 and 1964. During the six year span, he started in the top four and finished fourth or better in each race. He reached Victory Lane in 1959 and 1962, runner-up in 1960 and 1964. He also set the record for leading the race ten times in the 1960 race before falling short to Jim Rathmann.

Row 7

21. Tommy Milton was the first two-time winner of the Indy 500 when he reached Victory Lane in 1923 from the pole. He also won in 1921. He finished in the top six in half of his eight career starts at Indianapolis.

20. Dan Wheldon was always a fan favorite at Indianapolis. The two-time champion (2005, 2011) finished in the top four in six of his nine career starts between 2003 and 2011. He finished second in the 2009 and 2010 races before passing J.R. Hildebrand on the final straight to win the 2011 race. Who knows how high he could end up in the field if it weren’t for his fatal crash in the 2011 IndyCar Series finale.

19. Tom Sneva always seemed to be a “Mr. Runner Up” over his 18 career Indy 500 starts, but he always was near the top! He started on pole three times, finished second three times (’77, ’78, ’80), before finally crossing the bricks first in 1983. A fan favorite and a guy who always seemed to end up finishing just short, we’re glad to see Sneva make our Field of 33.

Row 6

18. Jim Clark focused on his Formula One career, but made five career Indy 500 starts. He led in four of those five starts (1963-1967), starting on pole in 1964 and leading 190 laps in his 1965 victory.  He also finished second in his rookie 1963 race and in 1966 as well with his Lotus team.

17. Gordon Johncock was seen around the Brickyard for nearly a quarter century. He made 24 career Indy 500 starts, including victories in the 1973 tragedy-marred race and the exciting 1982 duel with Rick Mears (then the closest finish in Indy 500 history, 0.16 seconds). He started on the front row three times and finished in the top six a total of ten times!

16. Parnelli Jones never started lower than fifth in his seven career starts at Indy. He led 492 laps in five of those races (99 laps per race)and took the checkered flag in 1963. His STP Turbine car gave out with just four laps left in the 1967 race or else he would have had a second victory and possibly be a front row contender for this Field of 33.

Row 5

15. Arie Luyendyk is certainly the flying Dutchman. He is officially the fastest driver in Indianapolis history (practice lap, single qualifying lap, four lap qualifying average, race average). He won in 1990 and 1997, making him the only racer in Indy  500 history to win both under CART and IndyCar regulations. He started on pole three times (and that doesn’t count his record setting performance in 1996 which was a second day qualifier). He serves today as the rookie orientation guide to newcomers to Indy. Not much better of a choice there.

14. Al Unser, Jr. sure had big shoes to fill as the son of a four-time winner and nephew of a three-time winner at Indianapolis. But he seemed to do just fine, winning both in 1992 and 1994. He won by 0.043 seconds over Scott Goodyear in 1992 in the closest finish in Indy 500 history). He finished second in 1989 as well, battling with Emerson Fittipaldi down the stretch. His “thumbs up” salute after the two made contact on lap 199 for the win will be memorable forever, as are his words “You just don’t know what Indy means.”

13. Mauri Rose is one of six drivers to win three Indianapolis 500s. His third was quite controversial as he shared victory honors with Floyd Davis in 1941. He started on the front row five times, led in seven times, and finished in the top three a total of six times in 15 career starts.

Row 4

12. Louis Meyer became the first three-time winner when he won in 1936. However, a more important moment happened in that ’36 race. Upon entering Victory Lane, Meyer enjoyed a nice sip of buttermilk to refresh him on the hot day. The tradition has held ever since. He finished in the top four a total of six times (winning in ’28, ’33, ’36).

11. Wilbur Shaw became the first driver to win in consecutive years (1939-40) at Indianapolis. He also won in 1937. He finished seventh or better in eight of his 13 career starts in the Indy 500. He also is famous in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history for assisting in the sale of the Brickyard to Tony Hulman after WWII.

10. Dario Franchitti must truly love the number 3. He started third in the Indy 500 four times, won the race three times. He just finds a way to win, no matter what. In 2007, he survived a three-hour rain delay on lap 112 and took the lead down before rain halted the race on lap 166. He was running out of fuel in 2010 but won under yellow due to an accident on the last lap in turn three. He got his third win by surviving contact with Takuma Sato on the last lap - Sato ended in the wall, Dario in Victory Lane.

Row 3

9. Mario Andretti raced in 29 Indianapolis 500 Mile Races, the second most of all time. It is terribly bad luck that Mario only ever made Victory Lane once (1969) in his career. He finished second twice, started on pole three times, started on the front row eight times, and was knocked out of the race late (usually while in the lead) countless times.  A legend.

8. Emerson Fittipaldi was a two-time F1 World Champion before coming to the States to compete in the Indy 500. He won in 1989 and 1993 and led in seven of his 11 starts. He crashed Al Unser, Jr., while the two battled for the lead on lap 199. And in 1993 he drank orange juice instead of milk while in Victory Lane. Controversy shadows both of Emo’s wins, but his talent is no controversy.

7. Bill Vukovich dominated Indianapolis from 1952 to 1955, leading485 of the 647 laps he completed during that four-year stretch. He won in both 1953 and 1954 in convincing fashion. He was going for the first ever three-peat in Indy 500 history in 1955 (his fifth career start) and was leading the race when he was killed in an accident. Who knows how many wins Vukovich could have had.

Row 2

6. Helio Castroneves is Spider-Man. He loves climbing fences. He also loves going fast, qualifying on pole in four Indianapolis 500s. He won in his first two career races in 2001 and 2002, and finished second in 2003 in the closest 1-2-3 finish ever. The fan favorite has been a threat to win at Indianapolis since his first day in 2001, and his 2009 “Perfect May” is proof of that.

5. Bobby Unser , known as “Uncle Bobby” around the Brickyard, ranks in the top ten in races led, laps led, and laps completed. He won three times (1968, 1972, 1981) in his 19 career starts, and started from the front row nine times. He is usually the “forgotten” Unser, but was the most consistent of the clan from Albuquerque.

4. Johnny Rutherford had a rough start at Indianapolis, never finishing higher than 18th in his first 10 starts from 1963 to 1972. He then set qualification records the next year, and then the following in 1974 he won his first Indy 500. He led the most laps in each of his three wins (’74, ’76, ’80). Lone Star J.R. ranks seventh in laps completed and fourth all-time with 24 career starts.

Row 1 – Four-time Winners

3. Al Unser sits on the outside of Row 1. His first win in 1970 came in dominating fashion, leading 190 laps. He holds many records, including most laps led (644) and most races running at finish (18)…not to mention his record four wins (’70, ’71, ’78, ’87) came over a record 17 year span. He finished in the top three 11 times in his 27 career starts.

2. A.J. Foyt started a record 35 times in the Indy 500, winning four times (’61, ’64, ’67, ’77). He led in 13 of those 35 races, starting from the pole position four times as well. He is the only driver to win in both a front-engine and rear-engine machine. His days as a driver are over, but Foyt still is seen around the Speedway as a team owner (of Takuma Sato and Conor Daly this year). Foyt is synonymous with the Indy 500.

1. Rick Mears won his four Indy 500s in just 14 career races (compared to Foyt’s 20 and Unser’s 22). Of his 15 career starts, 11 came from the front row (six from pole position).  With victories in 1978, 1984, 1988, and 1991, Mears showed dominance over his career. He finished in the top three an additional three times beyond his four victories, including finishing second in 1982 in then the closest finish in 500 history. Based on his quick success and domination (not to mention his record pole positions), he’s the perfect man to sit on pole for this Field of 33.

The Field of 33 – Greatest Race Winners

Row 1	1. Rick Mears	2. A.J. Foyt	3. Al Unser
Row 2	4. Johnny Rutherford	5. Bobby Unser	6. Helio Castroneves
Row 3	7. Bill Vukovich	8. Emerson Fittipaldi	9. Mario Andretti
Row 4	10. Dario Franchitti	11. Wilbur Shaw	12. Louis Meyer
Row 5	13. Mauri Rose	14. Al Unser, Jr.	15. Arie Luyendyk
Row 6	16. Parnelli Jones	17. Gordon Johncock	18. Jim Clark
Row 7	19. Tom Sneva	20. Dan Wheldon	21. Tommy Milton
Row 8	22. Rodger Ward	23. Graham Hill	24. Bobby Rahal
Row 9	25. Juan Montoya	26. Mark Donohue	27. Ralph Depalma
Row 10	28. Ray Harroun	29. Danny Sullivan	30. Buddy Lazier
Row 11	31. Jim Rathmann	32. Scott Dixon	33. Bill Holland