List of Indianapolis 500 pole-sitters
Indianapolis 500 pole-sitters

List of Indianapolis 500 pole-sitters

Section Title: Indianapolis 500 pole-sitters
Table Section Text: None

Year	Country	Driver	Speed (mph)	Speed (km/h)	Finish Order	Notes

1911	United States	Lewis Strang	No full lap	29	The grid was arranged by the order that entries were received via U.S. mail.

1912	Norway	Gil Andersen	80.93	130.24	16	Single lap qualifying; David L. Bruce-Brown (88.45 mph – New track record) was the fastest qualifier.

1913	United States	Caleb Bragg	87.34	140.56	15	Single-lap; Jack Tower (88.23 mph) was the fastest qualifier. The grid was arranged by a pre-race blind draw.

1914	France	Jean Chassagne	88.31	142.12	29	Single-lap; Georges Boillot (99.86 mph – New track record) was the fastest qualifier. The grid was arranged by a pre-race blind draw.

1915	United States	Howdy Wilcox	98.80	159.00	7	Single-lap

1916	United States	Johnny Aitken	96.69	155.61	15	Single-lap

1919	France	René Thomas	104.78	168.63	11	New track record; single-lap

1920	United States	Ralph DePalma†	99.15	159.57	5

1921	United States	Ralph DePalma†	100.75	162.14	12

1922	United States	Jimmy Murphy	100.50	161.74	1

1923	United States	Tommy Milton	108.17	174.08	1	New track record

1924	United States	Jimmy Murphy	108.037	173.869	3

1925	United States	Leon Duray	113.196	182.171	6	New track record

1926	United States	Earl Cooper	111.735	179.820	16

1927	United States	Frank Lockhart	120.100	193.282	18	New track record

1928	United States	Leon Duray	122.391	196.969	19	New track record

1929	United States	Cliff Woodbury	120.599	194.085	33

1930	United States	Billy Arnold	113.268	182.287	1

1931	United States	Russ Snowberger	112.796	181.528	5	Billy Arnold initially sat on the pole, but was disqualified for having his brakes disconnected. Later on, Arnold qualified at 116.080 mph and was the fastest qualifier (started 18th).

1932	United States	Lou Moore	117.363	188.877	25

1933	United States	Bill Cummings	118.530	190.756	25	Ten-lap average

1934	United States	Kelly Petillo	119.329	192.041	11	Ten-lap average

1935	United States	Rex Mays	120.736	194.306	17	Ten-lap average; Kelly Petillo (121.687 mph) qualified for the pole, but was disqualified for using 5/8 pint too much fuel. Mays was elevated to the pole.

1936	United States	Rex Mays	119.644	192.548	15	Ten-lap average

1937	United States	Bill Cummings	123.343	198.501	6	New track record; ten-lap average; Jimmy Snyder (125.287 mph – New track record) was the fastest qualifier, and started 19th

1938	United States	Floyd Roberts	125.681	202.264	1	New track record; ten-lap average; Ronney Householder (125.769 mph – New track record) was the fastest qualifier, and started 10th

1939	United States	Jimmy Snyder	130.138	209.437	2	New track record

1940	United States	Rex Mays	127.850	205.755	2

1941	United States	Mauri Rose	128.691	207.108	26

1946	United States	Cliff Bergere	126.471	203.535	16	Ralph Hepburn (133.944 mph – New track record) was the fastest qualifier, and started 19th.

1947	United States	Ted Horn	126.564	203.685	3	Bill Holland (128.755 mph) was the fastest qualifier, and started 8th

1948	United States	Rex Mays	130.577	210.143	19	Duke Nalon (131.603 mph) was the fastest qualifier, and started 11th

1949	United States	Duke Nalon	132.939	213.945	29

1950	United States	Walt Faulkner	134.343	216.204	7	New track record

1951	United States	Duke Nalon	136.498	219.672	10	New track record; on the second weekend of time trials, Walt Faulkner (136.872 mph) broke Nalon's one-week-old track record, and became the fastest qualifier.

1952	United States	Fred Agabashian	138.010	222.106	27	New track record; on the second weekend of time trials, Chet Miller (139.034 mph) broke Agabashian's one-week-old track record, and became the fastest qualifier.

1953	United States	Bill Vukovich	138.392	222.720	1	Final 3/4 of final lap completed amid downpour

1954	United States	Jack McGrath	141.033	226.791	3	New track record

1955	United States	Jerry Hoyt	140.045	225.381	31	Jack McGrath (142.580 mph) was the fastest qualifier, and started 3rd. Most cars stayed off the track on pole day due to gusting winds, and threatening rain.

1956	United States	Pat Flaherty	145.596	234.314	1	New track record

1957	United States	Pat O'Connor	143.948	231.662	8	Paul Russo (144.817 mph) was the fastest qualifier, and started 10th

1958	United States	Dick Rathmann	145.974	234.922	27	New track record

1959	United States	Johnny Thomson	145.908	234.816	3

1960	United States	Eddie Sachs	146.592	235.917	21	New track record; On the second weekend of time trials, Jim Hurtubise (149.601 mph) broke Sachs' one-week-old track record, and became the fastest overall qualifier.

1961	United States	Eddie Sachs	147.481	237.348	2

1962	United States	Parnelli Jones	150.370	241.997	7	New track record

1963	United States	Parnelli Jones	151.153	243.257	1	New track record

1964	United Kingdom	Jim Clark	158.828	255.609	24	New track record

1965	United States	A. J. Foyt	161.233	259.479	15	New track record

1966	United States	Mario Andretti†	165.899	266.989	18	New track record

1967	United States	Mario Andretti†	168.982	271.950	30	New track record

1968	United States	Joe Leonard	171.559	276.097	12	New track record

1969	United States	A. J. Foyt	170.568	274.503	8

1970	United States	Al Unser	170.221	273.944	1

1971	United States	Peter Revson	178.696	287.583	2	New track record

1972	United States	Bobby Unser	195.940	315.335	30	New track record. Bolt-on wings were allowed for the first time, resulting in the largest one-year track record increase

1973	United States	Johnny Rutherford	198.413	319.315	9	New track record; Rutherford's third lap of 199.071 mph was a single-lap track record, and just 0.21 seconds shy of the elusive 200 mph barrier.

1974	United States	A. J. Foyt	191.632	308.402	15	Pop-off valves were fitted to the turbochargers, limiting boost to 80 inHG, effectively slowing speeds

1975	United States	A. J. Foyt	193.976	312.174	3

1976	United States	Johnny Rutherford	188.957	304.097	1	Mario Andretti (189.404 mph) who qualified on the second weekend of time trials, was the fastest overall qualifier, and started 19th.

1977	United States	Tom Sneva	198.884	320.073	2	New track record; entire track resurfaced in asphalt prior to the race; Sneva's first two laps of 200.401 and 200.535 marked the first-ever official laps over 200 mph (320 km/h) at Indianapolis.

1978	United States	Tom Sneva	202.156	325.339	2	New track record

1979	United States	Rick Mears	193.736	311.788	1	Pop-off valves limiting boost to 50 inHG

1980	United States	Johnny Rutherford	192.256	309.406	1	Pop-off valves limiting boost to 48 inHG

1981	United States	Bobby Unser	200.546	322.748	1	Rain stretched the pole qualifying round over three days. After the initial qualifying line was passed through, Unser was awarded the pole.

1982	United States	Rick Mears	207.004	333.141	2	New track record

1983	Italy	Teo Fabi	207.395	333.770	26	New track record; Pop-off valves limiting boost to 47 inHG. The first weekend of time trials was rained out, and pole qualifying was held on the third day of time trials.

1984	United States	Tom Sneva	210.029	338.009	16	New track record

1985	United States	Pancho Carter	212.583	342.119	33	New track record

1986	United States	Rick Mears	216.828	348.951	3	New track record

1987	United States	Mario Andretti†	215.390	346.637	9	Radial tires introduced. Many teams stayed off the track due to windy conditions and handling problems, and only 11 cars qualified on pole day.

1988	United States	Rick Mears	219.198	352.765	1	New track record; Pop-off valves limiting boost to 45 inHG

1989	United States	Rick Mears	223.885	360.308	23	New track record; entire track resurfaced in asphalt prior to the race. Pole day (Sat.) was rained out, and pole qualifying was held on Sunday, the second day of time trials.

1990	Brazil	Emerson Fittipaldi	225.301	362.587	3	New track record. Pole day was rained out on Saturday, and was pushed to Sunday.

1991	United States	Rick Mears	224.113	360.675	1	Gary Bettenhausen (224.468 mph) who qualified on the second day, was the overall fastest qualifier, and started 13th

1992	Colombia	Roberto Guerrero	232.482	374.144	33	New track record. Crashed on parade lap, ending his day before the race started.

1993	Netherlands	Arie Luyendyk	223.967	360.440	2

1994	United States	Al Unser, Jr.	228.011	366.948	1

1995	United States	Scott Brayton	231.604	372.731	17

1996	United States	Tony Stewart*	233.100	375.138	24	New track record; entire track resurfaced in asphalt prior to the race; Arie Luyendyk (236.986 mph) who was a second day qualifier, was the fastest qualifier, and started 20th.

1997	Netherlands	Arie Luyendyk	218.263	351.260	1	Turbochargers banned, rules changed to 4.0L normally aspirated engines

1998	United States	Billy Boat	223.503	359.693	23

1999	Netherlands	Arie Luyendyk	225.179	362.390	22

2000	United States	Greg Ray	223.471	359.642	33	rules changed to 3.5L normally aspirated engines

2001	United States	Scott Sharp	226.037	363.771	33

2002	Brazil	Bruno Junqueira	231.342	372.309	31

2003	Brazil	Hélio Castroneves	231.725	372.925	2

2004	United States	Buddy Rice	222.024	357.313	1	rules changed to 3.0L normally aspirated engines

2005	Brazil	Tony Kanaan	227.566	366.232	8	Kenny Bräck (227.598 mph) was the overall fastest qualifier, and started 23rd; Entire track resurfaced in asphalt prior to the race

2006	United States	Sam Hornish, Jr.	228.985	368.516	1

2007	Brazil	Hélio Castroneves	225.817	363.417	3	rules changed to ethanol-fueled 3.5L normally aspirated engines

2008	New Zealand	Scott Dixon	226.366	364.301	1

2009	Brazil	Hélio Castroneves	224.864	361.880	1

2010	Brazil	Hélio Castroneves	227.970	367.809	9	New two-stage qualifying session used.

2011	Canada	Alex Tagliani	227.472	366.081	28	One attempt permitted in Q2 because of rain.

2012	Australia	Ryan Briscoe	226.484	364.491	5	Rules changed to 2200cc turbocharged 6-cylinder engines with ECU-limited boost of 140 kPA for qualifying only;

2013	United States	Ed Carpenter	228.762	368.156	10	ECU-limited boost of 140 kPA for qualifying only; Rain delayed qualifying where Q1 ended at 6 PM; Q2 started at 6:30 and one attempt permitted.

2014	United States	Ed Carpenter	231.067	371.866	27	Q1 held on first day; Q2 held on second day of qualifying.

2015	New Zealand	Scott Dixon	226.760	364.935	4	Because of weather and other incidents during qualifying day warmup, Q2 was not held.

2016	Canada	James Hinchcliffe	230.760	371.371	7	Q1 held on first day; Q2 held on second day of qualifying.

2017	New Zealand	Scott Dixon	232.164	373.632	32	Q1 held on first day; Q2 held on second day of qualifying.

2018	United States	Ed Carpenter	229.618	369.534	2	Q1 held on first day (approximately 4.5 hour rain delay); Q2 held on second day of qualifying.

Sentence(s)

In 2005, Kanaan appeared in the Indianapolis 500 pole.
In 2005, Kanaan won his first Indianapolis 500 pole position.
In 2005, Kanaan won the Indianapolis 500 pole position.

final_sentence: In 2005, Kanaan appeared in the Indianapolis 500 pole.
final_sentence: In 2005, Kanaan won his first Indianapolis 500 pole position.
final_sentence: In 2005, Kanaan won the Indianapolis 500 pole position.