IndyCar Results - 2013 Indy 500: Race results 2013 Indy 500: Race results 2013 Indy 500: Race results 26 May 2013 Results and top facts and figures from the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 race on Sunday May 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

2013 Indy 500: Race results It was the 97th running of the greatest spectacle of motorsport at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 102 years after the first time that the 500-mile race was staged at the 2.5-mile superpeedway on May 30, 1911 and won by Ray Harroun after a six hour, 43 minute marathon at an average speed of 74.602mph The 2013 Indy 500 took only two hours and 40 minutes and Tony Kanaan's victory came with an average speed of 187.433mph, which broke Arie Luyendyk previous 1990 record of 185.981mph - and that was just the first of several new records to be shattered by this year's event. There were 68 lead changes at the line - double the previous record set just last year of 34 - split between 14 different drivers, breaking the previous high of 12 set back in 1993.

And with 27 cars making it to the chequered flag, it beat the previous high of 26 which had stood since the very first race in 1911. Ed Carpenter led the most laps in this year's race (37) and Simon Pagenaud gained the most positions compared with his starting grid position (13, finishing in eighth place.) The fastest lap of the race was 226.940mph set by Justin Wilson on lap 185. Race results 1. #11 Tony Kanaan KV Racing Chevrolet 2hrs 40mins 3.4181secs after 200 laps/500 miles On lead lap under caution: 2. #26 Carlos Munoz * Andretti Autosport Chevrolet 3. #1 Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Autosport Chevrolet 4. #25 Marco Andretti Andretti Autosport Chevrolet 5. #19 Justin Wilson Dale Coyne Racing Honda 6. #3 Helio Castroneves Team Penske Chevrolet 7. #2 AJ Allmendinger Team Penske Chevrolet 8.

#77 Simon Pagenaud Schmidt-Hamilton Honda 9. #83 Charlie Kimball Ganassi Honda 10. #20 Ed Carpenter Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet 11. #22 Oriol Servià Panther/DRR Chevrolet 12. #8 Ryan Briscoe Ganassi Honda 13. #14 Takuma Sato AJ Foyt Racing Honda 14. #9 Scott Dixon Ganassi Honda 15. #18 Ana Beatriz Dale Coyne Racing Honda 16. #55 Tristan Vautier Schmidt-Peterson Honda 17. #78 Simona de Silvestro KV Racing Chevrolet 18. #5 EJ Viso Andretti Autosport-HVM Chevrolet 19. #12 Will Power Penske Chevrolet Off lead lap/retirements: 20. #16 James Jakes Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda + 1 lap 21. #27 James Hinchcliffe Andretti Autosport Chevrolet + 1 lap 22. #41 Conor Daly * AJ Foyt Racing Honda + 2 laps 23.

#10 Dario Franchitti Ganassi Honda + 3 laps Accident 24. #98 Alex Tagliani Bryan Herta Autosport Honda + 4 laps 25. #15 Graham Rahal Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda + 7 laps Accident 26. #81 Katherine Legge Schmidt-Peterseon Honda + 7 laps 27. #60 Townsend Bell Panther Racing Chevrolet + 8 laps 28. #67 Josef Newgarden Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Honda + 9 laps 29. #7 Sebastien Bourdais Dragon Racing Chevrolet + 21 laps Accident 30. #63 Pippa Mann Dale Coyne Racing Honda + 154 laps Contact damage 31. #91 Buddy Lazier Lazier Partners Chevrolet + 156 laps Mechanical 32. #6 Sebastian Saavedra Dragon Racing Chevrolet + 166 laps Accident 33.

#4 JR Hildebrand Panther Racing Chevrolet + 197 laps Accident Fastest lap: Rev up for Indy 500's 100-year anniversary - today > travel - TODAY.com Rev up for Indy 500's 100-year anniversary 'American race tradition' planning to celebrate with various events Below: By Harriet Baskas Travel writer msnbc.com contributor The Indianapolis 500 celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2011. “Ladies and gentlemen: Start your engines.” With slight variations on that phrase depending on the gender mix of the 33 participating drivers, those words mark the beginning of the annual Indianapolis 500 automobile race, better known as the Indy 500. “My favorite part is the first lap,” said 16-year old Alec Edick of Avon, Ind., who will be attending his 11th Indy 500 race this year. “It feels like the hair on top of my head is standing up. The rush is just amazing. Jeff Bliemeister, museum curator of Pennsylvania's Antique Automobile Club of America Museum at Hershey, knows that feeling.

“A lot of people focus on NASCAR and the Daytona 500, but the great race is the Indy 500,” he said. “And after 100 years, it’s become the American race tradition.” Billed as “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the Indy 500 has been held every Memorial Day weekend since 1911, except for 1917-18 and 1942-45, when the country’s attention and resources were focused on the world wars. Loud and long, and subject to wrecks and wash-outs, “The 500” pits cars and drivers against each other in a grueling 200-lap marathon around the 2.5-mile oval racetrack at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This year is the 100th anniversary of the running of the first Indianapolis 500. To celebrate, the racing community has planned many special events and a few surprises for the more than 300,000 fans planning to be at the racetrack on May 29.

In case you don’t have a ticket, here’s a bit of Indy 500 history and a look at a special exhibition of winning race cars. Early balloon race Indianapolis Motor Speedway Competitive racing at the historic Indianapolis racetrack actually began in 1909 with balloons, not cars. Although it was intended to be a testing ground for Indiana’s early automotive and aviation industries, the first event that took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on June 5, 1909, was a competition involving giant helium-filled balloons. The oval race track for cars was completed two months later. In 1911, after two years of hosting multi-race programs, track owners introduced a 500-mile, day-long race: the first Indianapolis 500. Just one yard of brick remains Shawn Gritzmacher / IMS The track was paved in bricks until 1961; now only a yard of bricks remains visible at the track. The earliest car races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway took place on a track made from a mixture of crushed rock and tar, which caused a lot of problems for drivers. “They didn’t realize it wasn’t substantial enough,” said Donald Davidson, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian.

“But they soon realized it was a mistake and immediately put down a new surface made of 3.2 million paving bricks” each weighing 9.5 pounds. The track at The Brickyard, as it became known, was later covered in asphalt, except for a 36-inch strip at the start/finish line. That strip of exposed brick is now known as the Yard of Bricks. First Indy 500 winner IMS Ray Harroun won the first Indianapolis 500 in the Marmon “Wasp.” Driving the six-cylinder, yellow and black Marmom “Wasp” he designed, Ray Harroun won the first Indianapolis 500 race in 1911. His time: 6 hours, 42 minutes and 8 seconds. Harroun not only won the race, he introduced an important automobile innovation. Instead of taking a spotter along to watch for other cars on the track, Harroun installed a rear-view mirror. How the milk-drinking tradition was born IMS Got milk? Three-time Indy 500 winner Wilbur Shaw takes a drink after crossing the finish line in 1940.

Of the many customs associated with the Indianapolis 500, the one that involves the race winner drinking milk in Victory Lane seems wholesome, but a bit peculiar. According to race historians, though, the tradition is a healthy one dating back to 1936, when a newspaper photographer snapped a picture of driver Louis Meyer downing some buttermilk after a win on a hot day. The unplanned advertisement for milk was soon formalized and a new tradition was born. The SBNation Indy 500 Primer: The Brickyard and the 500-Mile Race - Pop Off Valve The SBNation Indy 500 Primer: The Brickyard and the 500-Mile Race By Tony Johns on Apr 28, 2011, 11:21am EDT +  Tweet Share on Twitter Share Share on Facebook Pin Pinterest + Comments Perhaps all you need to know about just how long the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been around is that in 1909, the year when the facility opened, the Pittsburgh Pirates were the World Series champions and the best college football program in America resided at Yale University.

Or maybe you might be interested to know that Guglielmo Marconi was a Nobel Prize winner for physics that year. Marconi is best known for inventing the radio telegraph, a device that in two years’ time would broadcast the first-ever SOS signal from the radio room of the RMS Titanic... at the time, still under construction at Harland and Wolff Shipyard in Belfast, Ireland. You could buy a Coke for five cents and a gallon of gas for a penny more. The new car you’d put the gas in cost a whopping $1,300. If you were ready for a new home, you could purchase one for an average price of about $2,700. Nobody yet knew how much a Fenway Frank would cost - the Boston Red Sox’ now-legendary home would not be built for three more years. That was the way the world was on December 10, 1909, when the last of 3.2 million bricks from the Wabash Clay Company in Veedersburg, Indiana was laid to complete the most legendary track surface in auto racing’s history... and to christen what is now the oldest purpose-built closed course motor speedway in the world.

Carl G. Fisher, builder of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway "The Brickyard," as the locals took to calling the track, was the brainchild of an astigmatic promotional genius named Carl Fisher who had made his fortune by inventing the automobile headlight. An avid bicyclist and automobile enthusiast, Fisher had come up with the idea of building a automotive test track in 1906. Two years later, he and his associates purchased 320 acres of farmland northwest of Indianapolis in order to build the "Indiana Motor Parkway." Racing action at Brooklands in Surrey, England (via ) The nascent track was modeled in part on a 2.75-mile banked racetrack in Surrey, England called Brooklands which had opened in 1907. Brooklands was the answer for Britain’s auto industry to work around the British Motor Car Act of 1903 which limited speeds on public roads to 20 miles per hour. Fisher initially envisioned a facility similar to Brooklands with five total miles of testing area - a three-mile oval-shaped "outer course" combined with a two-mile infield road course.

But being the promotional whiz he was, Fisher recognized that he would have to reduce the size of the outer course in order to accomodate grandstands for the viewing public. Hence, he reduced the size of the rectangular oval course to 2.5 miles in order for the entire facility to fit on the property. The August 2, 1909 Indianapolis Sun reports on IMS track construction (via firstspeedway.com ) Local interest in the new track was intense. Correspondingly, the Indianapolis Sun newspaper featured the track in its spring and summer issues during the facility’s construction. However, whether by accident or by design, the paper referred to the Indiana Motor Parkway as the "Indianapolis motor speedway" [sic]. Apparently, Fisher and associates liked this new name better, for on March 20, 1909, their venture was incorporated officially as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Company. Five months later, the Speedway hosted its first racing event (the first competitive event of any type at IMS had been the annual U.S. National Balloon Championships in June prior to the track surface’s completion).

Over the course of a week in mid-August, the "extreme athletes" of the day congregated at the track to race motorcycles and automobiles. It was clear in short order, however, that the crushed-stone-and-pitch racing surface was wholly inadequate for the task it was designed for. Many of the motorcyclists refused to continue competing, which resulted in a premature cancellation of two-wheeled events. The subsequent auto races turned deadly - a total of five people, including the winner of the second day’s 250-mile race as well as two spectators, were killed. Shortly thereafter, Fisher and his management team elected to resurface the track completely with street-paving bricks, and thus "The Brickyard" was born. The Wright Brothers brought their new-fangled "aeroplanes" to IMS for an aviation expo (via firstspeedway.com ) For two years, the Speedway hosted a veritable smorgasbord of public events, from balloon races to automotive testing to aviation meets that featured the Wright brothers.

But it was clear from the outset that the crowds favored auto racing; more that 50,000 spectators packed the IMS grandstands and overflowed into the infield to watch drivers like Ray Harroun compete in a variety of trophy races that ranged in distance from five to 250 miles. Carl Fisher was no dummy. He saw that he had a gold mine to tap with his one-of-a-kind racetrack in the middle of the Indianapolis farmlands. So he and his management team went to work planning a so-called "International Sweepstakes," a special event that would bring worldwide exposure to IMS. At first, Fisher’s management team considered a 24-hour endurance race (13 years before the first 24 Hours of Le Mans in Sarthe, France). Then they discussed a 1,000-mile enduro in the tradition of the track’s testing ground roots. Finally, however, in a concession to the crowds they were sure would flood the track, they settled on a 500-mile distance and a $30,000 purse - an unheard-of sum which is the equivalent of three-quarters of a million dollars in today’s valuation.

Cars race through the first turn at the inaugural Indianapolis 500-Mile Race in 1911 (Photo: IMS ) On Memorial Day in 1911, the first Indianapolis International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race - later to be shortened to the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race - took place. IMS regular Ray Harroun, who many of his competitors felt was a hazard because he drove without a riding mechanic to keep track of his fluids and other traffic, ended up as the victor. 80,200 spectators paid a dollar apiece to watch Harroun’s Marmon Wasp win the event at a blistering 74.602mph average speed. From that point on, the track’s raison d'être was the annual 500-Mile race. In 1916, the shorter-distance races that ran at IMS were discontinued, and the Indianapolis 500 became the only auto race held at the Speedway until 1994. The race has since been run continuously except for the war years of 1917-1918 and 1942-1945.

Eddie Rickenbacker poses next to his aircraft in 1917 On November 1, 1927, famed World War I fighter ace Eddie Rickenbacker purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Rickenbacker had started his own car company in 1920 which featured the first automobiles with four-wheel braking, but his innovative products had trouble selling thanks to other automakers’ interference. After Rickenbacker recovered from his company’s bankruptcy - as well as his own - he took over the reins of The Brickyard. Rickenbacker’s tenure as Speedway owner was marked by a series of safety innovations, which included the advent of Magnaflux magnetic particle inspection of safety components on race cars, the installation of green and yellow track lights, requiring driver helmets, and instituting mandatory driver tests. Rickenbacker also oversaw the track’s repaving in the early 1930s with tarmac overlaying the bricks to address a rash of fatalities thanks to the growing speeds at the track.

Between 1936 and 1938, he also had the inside concrete wall removed in favor of "safety aprons" lining the inside of the track surface, and a pit wall was built to separate the Gasoline Alley work area from the pit lane. But by the end of World War II, the racetrack had fallen into a shocking state of disrepair. Rickenbacker had let the track go to seed while the boys were off to war, and when three-time winner Wilbur Shaw returned to the track in 1944 to conduct a tire test he was appalled at the deteriorating conditions there. For a year, Shaw tried to interest the auto manufacturers to save IMS, but was dismayed to realize that the automakers were interested only in turning The Brickyard into a private test facility. Anton "Tony" Hulman (L) and Wilbur Shaw (R) saved the Speedway from ruin in 1945 (Photo: IMS ) Finally, Shaw found local businessman Anton "Tony" Hulman.

Hulman was the heir to the Hulman & Company legacy, and during the Great Depression he had built the company’s Clabber Girl baking powder into the country’s top-selling brand. Shaw convinced Hulman to purchase the Speedway, and in November 1945 the track passed into Hulman’s hands with Shaw as the track president. Hulman immediately set to work renovating the dilapidated racetrack, and by 1946 the facility was back in racing shape. It was the beginning of the track’s glory years - under Hulman’s administration, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway became the national focal point for American auto racing. The list of famous names of those who have won the Indianapolis 500 reads like a "Who’s Who" of auto racing - A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Mark Donohue are just a few. Additionally, the Speedway has made famous names like Unser, Mears, Fittipaldi and Rutherford. The Borg-Warner Trophy which is awarded to Indy winners is as recognizable worldwide as the Vince Lombardi Trophy and the Stanley Cup.

After over a century of existence, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an American icon woven into our social fabric. The 500-Mile Race, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year and its 100th running in 2016, remains the largest single-day sporting event in the world with an estimated 400,000 spectators. Like the Kentucky Derby, the World Series, the World Cup and the Super Bowl, it is a tradition-filled sporting event that crosses all generational and demographical lines to appeal to a universal audience. 13 Amazing Indianapolis 500 Stats You Need to Know 13 Amazing Indianapolis 500 Stats You Need to Know 13 Amazing Indianapolis 500 Stats You Need to Know By Braden Gall , 5/23/14, 2:00 PM EDT The bizarre, important and historic numbers from the Indy 500. The Indianapolis 500 is the Greatest Spectacle in Racing for a reason. Nestled in the suburbs just west and north of downtown Indianapolis, the greatest racetrack and the biggest sporting venue in the world is host to the most prestigious event in motor sports every Memorial Day weekend.

The Indy 500, for those in the know. And, trust me, I know. I’ve been to seven such events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — and one Brickyard 400 — and there is no experience in sports like watching 33 open-wheel rocketships fly past your nose at over 220 miles per hour. And all seven, even the ones that ended early by rain (looking at you Ashley Judd), gifted me an unforgettable experience. We celebrate those who have fought and died to protect this country on Memorial Day weekend, and for three decades, my family has done that by enjoying the most coveted championship in racing. The 98th running of the esteemed 500-mile sprint won’t be any different. Here are my favorite stats you need to know before settling in for 200 laps around IMS on Sunday afternoon: 187.433: Record average speed for 2013 race The fastest Indy 500 ever run took place just last year when fan favorite Tony Kanaan won the event with an average speed of 187.433 MPHs.

It was only the second time in the history of the race in which the average speed was in excess of 180 MPH — Arie Luyendyk in 1990 at 185.981 MPH. The race took a record two hours, 40 minutes and three seconds to finish. The ’13 race also featured the most lead changes (68) and different leaders (14) in Indy 500 history. Never before had a race seen more than 35 lead changes until ’13. 236.986: Fastest qualifying lap in history Speaking of Luyendyk, the French champion owns the fastest qualifying lap in race history when he won the pole in 1996 with an average speed over four laps of 236.986 miles per hour. Hometown hero Ed Carpenter won his second consecutive pole this year with an average four-lap speed of 230.661 MPH. 6: Former winners racing in this year’s event Including the defending champion Kanaan, there are six former winners in the field in 2014.

Helio Castroneves (2001-02, ‘09), Scott Dixon (2008), Juan Pablo Montoya (2000), Buddy Lazier (1996) and Jacques Villeneuve (1995) all have hoisted the Borg-Werner Trophy. The record for most race winners in one field is 10 back in 1992 and this year’s field also will include seven rookies. Castroneves is attempting to join elite company… 4: Most Indy 500 championships by a driver Only three drivers in history have ever won the Indy 500 four times. A.J. Foyt (1961, ’64, ’67, ’77), Al Unser (1970, ’71, ’78, ’87) and Rick Mears (1979, ’84, ’88, ’91) are the three most successful names in IMS history and Castroneves could join them with a win this weekend.

Foyt also owns the record for most consecutive starts in the race at 35 while Roger Penske’s 15 wins are a record for an owner. 257,325: Capacity of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Affectionately known as IMS, the historic track is the largest sporting venue in the world. The official seating capacity is reported at 257,325 seats but the infield space and standing-room-only crowd push attendance over 300,000 annually. The Associated Press has reported in the past, at the height of its popularity, that the race drew roughly 400,000 spectators a year — making it the largest sporting event in the world every year. 0.043: Seconds of margin of victory in 1992 The closest finish in race history took place when Al Unser Jr. held off Scott Goodyear in 1992 by a fraction of a second. The duo battled for laps and were nose-to-tail coming off of turn four on lap No. 200. Goodyear peaked inside “Little Al” right at the finish line but was unable to complete the pass.

The IMS Radio Network call still gives me chills and nearly brings me to tears to this day: 253: Acres within the track The infield at IMS is a sight to behold. Four holes of The Brickyard Crossing golf course are located along the backstretch of the 253-acre infield. The remaining 14 holes run just outside of the backstretch. According to WalletHub.com, the infield could house Churchill Downs, Yankee Stadium, The Rose Bowl, The Roman Coliseum and The Vatican City combined. 1.9: Miles-to-the-gallon the current Indy car obtains One lap around the famed Brickyard is 2.5 miles and it takes roughly 1.3 gallons of fuel to make it all the way around the perfect oval. So the current Indy car gets roughly 1.9 miles/gallon in fuel mileage. The fuel capacity of the current vehicle is 18.5 gallons (70 liters), meaning the fuel window for the machines is roughly 35 laps. 28: Worst starting spot for a race winner The race has been run 97 times and only 10 times has a winner started 20th or worse.

The lowest starting spot to crown a winner is 28th and it happened when Ray Harroun won the inaugural event in 1911 and then again in 1936 when Louis Meyer was a champion. Only twice since 1936 has a winner come from 20th or worst — Johnny Rutherford started 25th in 1974 and Al Unser began the race 20th in 1987. The best starting position to never win a race is 18th. Oriol Servia has the unlucky draw of beginning the race on the outside of Row 6 this weekend. 1: Fewest race laps led by a champion The late Dan Wheldon won arguably the most painful finish of any of the 97 Indy 500s. Rookie J.R. Hildebrand held the lead by a wide margin entering the final turn of the 500-mile race when he slid into the outside wall while passing a much slower car. The wreck allowed Wheldon to make the final lap pass and clinch his second Indy 500 win.

It was the only lap Wheldon led all race long, giving him the fewest laps led by any winner. Only one other time has a winner led fewer than 10 total laps and that was American Joe Dawson in 1912 when he led just two laps. The final lap pass by Wheldon was also only the second last lap lead change in race history. This historic final lap by Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006 might have been the most dramatic finish in race history (and I was lucky enough to see both) and is the only other final lap pass by a champion: 8,116 and 17,527: Oldest and youngest champions in race history (in days) The youngest driver to win the Indy 500 was Troy Ruttman in 1952. He was 22 years, two months and 19 days old — or 8,116 days. The oldest driver to win the championship was Al Unser in 1987, who was 47 years, 11 months and 25 days old — or 17,527 days.

1,100: Miles Kurt Busch will attempt to race on Sunday It’s been a decade since Robby Gordon attempted to run both the Indianapolis 500 and the Sprint Cup Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. Kurt Busch will attempt the double-dip this weekend. He will start on the outside of Row 4 at Indy and there is no possible way he won’t qualify for the 600. In all, should he finish both races, Busch will race 1,100 miles in one day on two tracks while also traversing the 500-mile distance between Indianapolis and Charlotte. The help of a Cessna Citation X 750 — which flies at 600 miles per hour — will allow Busch to run both races. 1: Pace car wrecks In only once in Indy 500 history has the pace car wrecked. In 1971, Eldon Palmer, a local car dealer in Indiana, paced the start of the race in a gorgeous red Dodge Challenger. The only problem is he lost control of the car and crashed into an entire grandstand at the end of pit lane.

Unbelievably and fortunately, no one died in the bizarre incident. You May Also Enjoy Race Day, May 28, 1910 | First Super Speedway First Super Speedway Race Day, May 28, 1910 Article Categories By: Mark Dill The great Los Angeles-to-Phoenix off-road race (more commonly known as " The Cactus Derby ") was another of the terrific classics from the sport's early days. In its 1914 edition, track racing legend and barnstormer Barney Oldfield entered the same Stutz racer he had piloted to fifth place in that year's Indianapolis 500. Below are the margin notes David composed to support his art: This attachment contains an article which orginally appeared in the May 29, 1910 Indianapolis Star. The article reports on the race results for the second day of racing (May 28) for the May 1910 race meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . These races were part of the May 1910 weekend that included " national championships ," a newly-announced distinction by the American Automobile Association (AAA) for select race meets. Car manufacturers were keen to make a great showing.

Check out ot her articles that provide additional summaries on the results of the races staged the previous day (May 27). You can also find an article published May 28 that set the stage for the day's program elsewhere on First Super Speedway. C.E. Shuart (who later served as Joe Dawson's manager) was recognized with the byline of the attached article. The report starts off with a call out summarizing results of the day. Come to think of it, that's a good way to kick off this analysis as well: 200-Mile Wheeler-Schebler Trophy: Ray Harroun ( Marmon "Wasp" ); Leigh Lynch ( Jackson ); Johnny Aitken ( National "60" ). Winning time: 2:46.31.00. Shuart adheres to the unfortunate convention of the day and fails to provide first names even on his initial reference. I supplied them in the above information based on my own knowledge. Despite the rundown of events above what Shuart really does with this article is report on the feature of the day, the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy .

For several reasons this may have been the single most important of the pre-Indianapolis 500 races staged at the then-young Indianapolis Motor Speedway . Consider that it, along with the biggest events of the other two summer race meets in July and September , it was the longest of the races held on the track prior to the first 500-miler . As the first 200-miler it provided compelling evidence long-distance trials could be staged on the brick running surface without catastrophic accidents. It also demonstrated that the Memorial Day weekend timing was ideal for attracting large crowds - and became what is annually auto racing's biggest day of the year, a tradition today that extends beyond the confines of IMS. Consider this, too - Ray Harroun , forever memorialized as the first man to win the Indianapolis 500 , was the winner of this amazing race. While the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy was not an Indianapolis 500 and so by no means can you say Harroun is effectively a two-time "500" winner I suggest he was something close to that. In terms of Indianapolis open wheel cars on the oval he is the winner of the race with the third-longest planned distance.

Dario Resta is recorded as a winner of the 1916 Indianapolis 500 but that race was only planned to be 300 miles. Other Indianapolis 500 races have been shortened by rain but the rule requiring that the winner at least cover 250 miles or half the scheduled distance prevents anyone being awarded the prize at a shorter distance. Also, as noted elsewhere on First Super Speedway, Harroun drove the same Marmon Wasp he soared into iconic status a year leader by seizing triumph at the first Indianapolis 500 . This is not a well-known fact as the folklore promulgated by publicists for decades was that he designed the Wasp especially for the Indianapolis 500. It just simply isn't true . What's more he nearly totaled the Wasp two days later when he blew a tire entering the Speedway's turn three wall and nearly launched out of the ballpark. Instead, the badly damaged yellow car rode the wall and fell back onto the track. While Marmon mechanics considered junking the racer they reconsidered and it was restored within a few weeks.

Note that in the article the car is referred to as both a " Wasp " and a "Yellow Jacket." His winning time was a national record. Competiors should have paid closer attention to Harroun's strategy in winning the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy . It is discussed in this article and is the exact same approach he employed in his 1911 win. Instead of pushing his car and perhaps more importantly his tires to the limit he let the race come to him. He drove at a brisk but measured pace, averaging 72.12 MPH. This allowed him to stop only once for fuel - not tires. The article reports that he used one set of tires for the entire race. This was impossible a year later in the face of 500 miles but on that occasion the tire changes were held to a minimum. Only the right rear tire was changed because that is where most of a car's weight shifts in the banked left-hand corners and consequently produces greatest scuffing of rubber.

The article reports that the event drew 25,000 people who cheered Harroun like he was "a victorious Roman general." Note that in the early portion of the article he is referred to as " The Bedouin ," in reference to some alleged Arabian heritage that the facts did not bear out. The starting field consisted of 19 entries with 16 cars running at the finish - an impressive number in these still-nascent days of auto racing. Buick 's Louis Chevrolet , true to his relentless reputation, shot into the lead at the start with Harroun trailing. Bob Burman , in a second white Buick team car, got past both drivers to lead briefly but by the fifteenth mile or six laps Harroun was in front to stay. It was pure domination despite his consistent performance that never pushed his equipment to its limits. National driver Tom Kincaid held second at ten miles but faded for reasons unreported. Harroun 's teammate, Joe Dawson , worked his way to second place only to be undone by an accident , I believe exiting turn two. There was a tall plank fence lining the track at that point and the yellow Marmon crashed through it.

The grueling contest took its toll on other entrants as Burman blew a tire at 61 miles - just before Dawson's wreck. Although the article is unclear it does report that Chevrolet had to report to the pits with tire or engine problems - or both. Crowd favorite Barney Oldfield - not well known for caring for his tires - blew a rear tire (probably the right rear) on his Knox racer entering turn one at 31 miles. The demountable rim - a sperate piece in those days that came affixed to the tire and then could be bolted to the hickory wheels - loosened and the destroyed tire parted from the car entirely. It rolled to the outer wall. The Knox skidded violently but Oldfield , as good a wheelman as there was in the business, displayed his car control mastery to fans who responded with applause and cheers. The cigar-chomper regained control of the brown Knox and limped around to the pits for service. He had been running seventh but the incident took him completely out of contention.

The reality is that his machine was truly stock car - provided by the Conduitt Automobile Company , a local dealership - could not hope to be a match with the likes of the purpose-built Marmon Wasp . He reportedly drove valiantly to pass other competitors but he was several laps down. National's star driver Johnny Aitken delivered an inspired performance despite setbacks. He was forced to stop three times to replace spark plugs and tires. Even with the delays his efforts did yield some reward as he brought his midnight blue car home third. In his efforts to make up time he may have been the fastest car on the track, passing Harroun to earn back one of his lost laps. He lapped second-place finisher Leigh Lynch in the Jackson twice but was simply too far behind to advance beyond third. Shuart heaps high praise on second-place finisher Leigh Lynch and his Jackson car. He describes a conservative but determined race strategy similar to Harroun's which enabled Lynch to drive the entire contest without a pit stop. Lynch averaged just under 71 MPH for the 200 miles. Shuart spins a nice piece of prose in describing the color of the substance of the race.

I want to share it here: "As the race came near the finish motors began to snap more vigorously and occasionally a car would send a thrill through the stands when the oil burned from the exhaust pipes and flames shot out the hood sides many feet. Tires popped and sent cars skidding along the course and smoke clouds half concealed the fast moving caravan many times as the gas was fed fast to bring about a sudden spurt of speed. The picture thus painted came in keeping with the grimy faces of the drivers and mechanics as they whirled around the course, the white teeth showing almost the only human semblance of the entire flying figure." Even more spectacular than Joe Dawson's fence-splintering mishap was the accident that befell veteran speedster Herb Lytle in the American. This occurred during the last lap of the 10-mile handicap race on the short chute at the north end of the track. Both his car's rear tires reportedly exploded within 30 feet of each other to hurtle the big machine into the soft dirt of the infield at 90 MPH.

This no doubt caught the disintegrating wheels and induced an abrupt stop, the energy of which sent both Lytle and his riding mechanic William Clifton of Philadelphia hurtling through the air. Lytle suffered a broken left leg while Clifton sprained his shoulder. The car was apparently, and not surprisingly, severely damaged. Attachment Hall of Fame Museum Welcomes in 67 Indianapolis 500 Winning Cars | Bleacher Report Hall of Fame Museum Welcomes in 67 Indianapolis 500 Winning Cars No Name Analyst INovember 10, 2016 Hall of Fame Museum Welcomes in 67 Indianapolis 500 Winning Cars 1 of 27 There are many Hall of Fame Museums around the country that have some interesting things on display. Every so often, they are able to add another baseball bat, football helmet, or basketball jersey to their massive collection. In Indianapolis, you can now walk in and see something that you are not able to see anywhere else in the world. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts just celebrated their 50th year anniversary two years ago.

Having been there, I can tell you that they have some pretty interesting things inside that will keep you there for a long time. The Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum in Canton, Ohio is one of the more famous ones in sports. Obviously they have a lot of people coming in to check out the many things they have inside as well. The first class of Hall of Famers were inducted in 1963. The National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, New York goes back to 1939. This museum features more than 38,000 items, including three million books and documents, and 500,000 photographs. Still, none of these three can compare with what the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has to offer now. Where else can you go and find 67 winning cars from the Greatest Spectacle in Racing? The museum has really put together an amazing collection of the most famous race cars in the world. From Ray Harroun's 1911 Marmon Wasp to Dario Franchitti's Dallara/Honda, the museum is now the place where you can find nearly every winning car from the Indianapolis 500 mile race.

Welcome to the IMS Hall of Fame Museum 2 of 27 The museum's first director, Karl Kizer, and the late Tony Hulman established the original Hall of Fame Museum in 1956. The building was located at the southwest corner of the Speedway's property. During 1975, Hulman built a larger, more modern museum within the Speedway oval, where it opened in 1976. When first entering the Museum, I was happy to find the famous Borg-Warner Trophy sitting there at the entrance. Borg-Warner Trophy 3 of 27 The famed Borg-Warner Trophy is still the first thing you see when you walk into the museum. Though it is always seen with the winning driver each year, the trophy itself is actually kept in the museum permanently. The drivers actually take home a miniature 18-inch replica of the trophy. Overview 4 of 27 When I first walked in, I didn't know which direction I wanted to go first. All of the cars are in chronological order so you can see how they have changed over the years. From the two-man cars, to the single ones, and from the rear engine cars, to front engine machines.

Most of the older cars were towards the left when you first go in, while on the lower floor the later-year cars were all lined up. Lower Level 5 of 27 It's hard to pick a favorite section of these cars. On one hand, you have to love the rich history and tradition of the older-model cars that are nearly 100 years old. Seeing how different those cars are is something that will keep you thinking. The track was not a flat, paved surface, and there was nothing to absorb the shock. I haven't even mentioned the lack of seat-belts in the cars. On the other hand, you have to appreciate the later-generation cars on the other side. From the golden days of the '60s, '70s, and '80s, to the Penske domination of the past decade. Just seeing the dramatic changes within these generations is something to marvel at. Rick Mears 6 of 27 The 1984 winning car (yellow Pennzoil No. 6 pictured) was driven by Rick Mears for Team Penske. This car was driven to victory lane to give Mears his second Indy 500 victory.

Though he won a total of four, this one may have been his most dominant car. In this race, he was virtually unchallenged for the final 38 laps of the event. In this car, Mears started in third, and led four times for a total of 119 laps. This gave Penske their fourth Indy 500 win, as they broke the record for average speed during the race, with an average speed of 163.612mph. Harroun and His Marmon Wasp 7 of 27 The oldest, and possibly the most famous of the Indianapolis 500 winning cars, the Marmon Wasp was driven to victory lane in the very first Indianapolis 500 mile race in 1911 by Ray Harroun. Unlike his competitors, Harroun decided not to have a riding mechanic along with him during the race. Because of this, he designed what would be the very first instance of the rear-view mirror. Winning with an average speed of 74.602mph, Ray took this car to victory, and then promptly retired.

The "Spin-and-Win" 8 of 27 Pictured closest here is the 1985 winning car for Penske, driven by Danny Sullivan. Sullivan has one of the more famous wins in this car, properly labeled as the "spin-and-win." Going into turn one on lap 120 of the race, Sullivan went below Mario Andretti to take the lead, but spun out across the south "short shute." He spun one and 1/4 turns before his amazing recovery. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend this race, mostly due to the fact that I hadn't been born yet. I was born just a couple of months after this famous race, and it has been one of my favorite races to watch over and over, for good reason. Modern Day Winners 9 of 27 Most fans can recognize the cars in this particular lineup. Dario Franchitti's winning car from last year is the most recent car in this massive collection, as it sits beside a pair of Penske-winning cars. Helio Castroneves and Dario have both had their fair share of moments in the past decade.

This year, Helio will once again try to join the infamous four-time-winners club, which currently features just three drivers; Rick Mears, A.J. Foyt, and Al Unser. One and Done Winners 10 of 27 In this picture you can see a couple of winning cars that made their trips to victory lane in 1995 and 1996. The purple No. 91 car owned by Ron Hemelgarn was driven by Buddy Rice in his first and only win in 1996. This race had three different leaders within the final 12 laps. He made an incredible pass on the front stretch with just eight laps remaining to seal the deal. In 1995, Jacques Villeneuve took the blue and white No. 27 car to victory lane after finishing in second place one year earlier. Surprisingly enough, those were the only two Indy 500 races that Villeneuve participated in. Not a bad resume at all. Montoya Goes 1 for 1 11 of 27 In 2000, Juan Pablo Montoya entered the Indianapolis 500 field.

This would be the first and only '500' that he would race in. Impressively, Montoya actually won the race! Not only did he just win this race, he completely dominated it, leading 167 of the 200 laps. He has raced at the speedway multiple times after this win in 2000, but for the United States Grand Prix, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He was sitting pretty in last year's Brickyard 400 race, before a late mishap out of turn four cost him the race. Watson Roadster 12 of 27 In 1962, Rodger Ward took his Watson "roadster" to victory lane in Indianapolis. He started in second place, and led all but nine of the last 75 laps. This was his second Indy 500 win, as he also won the race in 1959. Foyt Gets Number Four 13 of 27 This is one of the most special cars of the entire bunch. In 1977, A.J.

Foyt drove this car to victory lane and became the first person ever to win the Indianapolis 500 for the fourth time. This was also the last winning car ever that had both the engine and chassis built in the United States. Quite a Pair 14 of 27 These two cars are very special, and very alike. Not only do they share the same car number, but they won the Indy 500 in consecutive years. Also, both were driven by legendary drivers in route to victory. In 1969, Mario Andretti won his first and only Indy 500 in the No. 2 STP sponsored car pictured to the right. This was actually a backup car for Andretti in this race, but it didn't matter, as nearly half of the field was taken out or slowed down too much to compete. The following year in 1970, Al Unser drove this blue No. 2 car to victory lane in dominating fashion. He led 190 of the 200 laps after starting from the pole, only losing the lead while making pit stops. The car was/is owned by former "500" winner Parnelli Jones.

This would be the first of four Indianapolis 500 wins for Unser. Classic Foyt 15 of 27 A.J. Foyt won the first of his four Indy 500 races in 1961 with this machine. This front-engined roadster won with an average speed of 139.130 mph. Chief-mechanic George Bignotti was with the team this year, winning the first of his record seven Indy 500 victories. Jim Rathmann 16 of 27 After finishing in second place three times in the "500" (1952, 1957, 1959) Jim Rathmann finally came up with a win in 1960 in this car. He and defending winner Rodger Ward battled for the lead during the whole race, but Ward had to slow with just three laps remaining as his right-front tire began to show white cords. This was Rathmann's only "500" victory.

Another One for Luyendyk 17 of 27 Arie Luyendyk, who was present at this media event, won his second Indy 500 race in this car in 1997. In this race, his teammate Scott Goodyear finished right behind him in second place. This marked the first time in 35 years that a team had finished 1-2 in the Indianapolis 500. Dario Franchitti 18 of 27 Dario was able to admire his winning car from last year's race once again. The defending race champion, and series champion, will be going for his third Indy 500 victory this year. Rick Mears 19 of 27 In 1979, Rick Mears won his first of his four Indy 500 races. This was only his second time to race in the "500." Despite starting from the pole position, he managed to lead only 25 laps of this race. He found himself in the cat bird's seat in the end though, when brothers Al and Bobby Unser both ran into problems after dominating the race.

Rutherford, Unser, and De Ferran 20 of 27 The 2003 Indy 500 race winner, Gil de Ferran admires the winning cars from 1980 and 1981. Johnny Rutherford took his "Yellow Submarine" to the checkered flag to earn his third Indianapolis 500 win. The following year, Bobby Unser took the No. 3 car on to victory lane, but not without debate. A dispute was filed as to who won the 1981 race, and it took nearly five months to resolve. In the end, Unser was declared the winner over Mario Andretti. This would be Bobby Unser's third and final "500" win. This would also be the last time he would ever race in the event. Each of Bobby's three wins were in a different decade ('68, '75, and '81). Dario's Dream 21 of 27 Here, Dario Franchitti poses in front of the Lotus Ford car driven by his hero Jim Clark in the 1965 Indianapolis 500.

Clark was the first person to win using the new rear-engine design. Dario actually got to drive this car last year in a special event at IMS. If you want to read more about this event, you can find "The Rebirth Of A Legend" article here. Gil De Ferran 22 of 27 Gil de Ferran spent most of the evening admiring the generation of cars that came before him. His 2003 winning car for Team Penske is just a couple of rows behind him in this picture, though. With his win that year, he prevented teammate Helio Castroneves from becoming the first driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500 a record three times in a row. This was also the only time that a Toyota engine was part of an Indy 500 winning car. Tom Sneva 23 of 27 Tom Sneva finished in second place three times in his previous Indy 500 races. After doing so in 1977, 1978, and 1980, Sneva was finally able to break through and win the event in 1983 with this car.

This car was the final of 16 lead changes during the race. Oldie but a Goodie 24 of 27 While the cars driven by Mears, Foyt, Unser, Andretti, and the more modern day drivers will attract most people, the older cars may be more appealing to others. On the other side of the first floor of the museum, you can find all of the classic cars, driven by legends like Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw, Floyd Davis, Mauri Rose, and Jimmy Murphy. Reservation for Two 25 of 27 How far we have come in 100 years of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Many of the two-seater cars have garnished much of the attention by historical fans. These cars are nothing like what we see today, yet it is mind boggling to think about how those races went. Conclusion 26 of 27 Beginning today, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the home to the largest collection of Indianapolis 500-winning cars ever assembled. The exhibit, which will be on display through June 1, will provide fans an opportunity to see 67 winning cars, representing 71 Indianapolis 500 victories.

“We are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the world’s greatest race by building a once-in-a-lifetime collection of winning cars,” said Ellen Bireley, IMS Hall of Fame Museum director. “The entire Museum will be devoted to the cars that won the Indianapolis 500 over the last century.” The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum is open every day of the week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for ages six to 15 and free for five and under. The Museum is located inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and can be accessed through the Main Gate (Gate 2) tunnel from W. 16th Street. A special track tour also will be available Sunday, March 20 for fans that includes a lap around the famous IMS oval in a tour bus, with a stop at the historic Yard of Bricks for photos. The tour fee is $10 for adults, $5 for ages six to 15 and free for five and under. For a complete list of all of the winning cars on display in the museum, click here.

27 of 27 Jim Nabors performs at Indianapolis 500 one last time FacebookEmail Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Jim Nabors performs at Indianapolis 500 one last time The first time Jim Nabors sang "Back Home Again in Indiana," he thought he was supposed to be singing the national anthem. Post to Facebook Jim Nabors performs at Indianapolis 500 one last time The first time Jim Nabors sang "Back Home Again in Indiana," he thought he was supposed to be singing the national anthem. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 5 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Jim Nabors performs at Indianapolis 500 one last time Jeff Olson, Special for USA TODAY Sports Published 12:38 p.m. ET May 25, 2014 | Updated 1:09 p.m. ET May 25, 2014 Jim Nabors attends the drivers meeting for the 2014 Indianapolis 500 on Saturday.

(Photo: Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports) INDIANAPOLIS — The first time Jim Nabors sang Back Home Again in Indiana, he thought he was supposed to be singing the national anthem. "When I got over there to meet the conductor of the Purdue band, I said, 'What key do you do this in?' He looked at me and said, 'We only got one key.' I said, 'No, Star-Spangled Banner's got two keys.' He said, 'You're not singing that.' I said, 'What the hell am I singing?'" The year was 1972. It was five minutes before the start of the Indianapolis 500 when Nabors discovered he was singing about new mown hay and moonlight on the Wabash. GLAMPING: Indy 500 fans revel in camping with perks "I had never seen that many in all my life," Nabors said. "He said, 'You're singing the traditional song that opens the race, Back Home Again in Indiana. And I looked at him kind of funny and said, 'I'm from Alabama.

You still want me to do it?' He said, 'Well, do you know it?' I said, 'I know the melody, but I don't know the words.' This is a true story. I'm writing on my hand the words in this five minutes." WATCH: Nabors performs at 2014 Indy 500 Since then, Nabors has sung the song 35 more times. He announced his retirement earlier this year. "You know, there's a time in life when you have to move on," he said. "I'll be 84 this year. I just figured it was time. … This is really the highlight of my year to come here. It's very sad for me, but nevertheless there's something inside of me that tells me when it's time to go." Follow Olson on Twitter @jeffolson77 PHOTOS: History of the Indianapolis 500 Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Coined "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the Indianapolis 500 has been held annually every year since 1911 except for 1917-18 (World War I) and 1942-45 (World War II). Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen Thirty-three cars driven to victory in the Indianapolis 500 form the staring grid on the main straight during a photo shoot for the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Oct. 12, 2010. The front row, from right to left, included the 1911 Marmon "Wasp, driven by Ray Harroun, the 2010 car driven by Dario Franchitti, and the 1961 roadster driven by A.J. Foyt for his first of four Indianapolis 500 wins. Michael Conroy, AP Fullscreen Drivers speed into the first turn on the Brickyard during the first Indianapolis 500 on May 30, 1911.

The drivers, from left, are Will Jones (9) driving a Case; Joe Jagersberger (8) in a Case; and Louis Disbrow (5) in a Pope-Hartford. AP Ray Harroun won the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 driving a Marmon Wasp. Harroun finished with an average speed of 74.602 miles per hour. The Indianapolis Star A view of the famous pagoda at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the 1913 Indianapolis 500. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Fullscreen With a crippled engine, Ralph DePalma crosses the finish line to win the 1915 Indy 500 as the checkered flag waves. Another engine failure had stopped him near the end of the 1912 race when DePalma led by at least 10 miles. AP Tommy Milton pilots over the finish line in his H.C.S. Special in 1923 to win his second Indy 500 with an average speed of 90.950 miles per hour. Milton also won the 1921 race.

AP Louis Meyer, shown in his Tydol car in 1933, was the first three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. Meyer won in 1928, '33 and '36. AP Kelly Petillo, shown with mechanic Jimmie Dunham, won the 1935 race driving a Gilmore Speedway Special. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Three-time winner Wilbur Shaw poses before the 1936 race. Shaw, who designed his own car, a streamlined comet, won his first Indy 500 in 1937 and won back-to-back races in 1939-40. AP The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Pagoda, shown here during the 1929 race, had already been expanded and upgraded since its debut 20 years ago. The Indianapolis Star Fullscreen After earning his first Indy 500 win in 1941, Mauri Rose won the 1947 race in this Blue Crown Spark Plug Special with an average speed of 116.338 miles per hour. Rose followed his 1947 victory with another win in 1948.

AP A view of the straightaway near the first turn from the stands during the 1946 Indianapolis 500. The Indianapolis Star Italy's Luigi Chinetti enters the track from the pits for a test run in his Don Lee Alfa-Romeo on May 16, 1948. Gene Herrick, AP Tragedy struck two-time winner Bill Vukovich, who burned to death in a five car pile-up in the 1955 race. Vukovich, shown here with an unidentified man, was aiming for this third consecutive win after driving to victory in 1953-54. AP Fullscreen Rodger Ward, holding the family dog, gets a kiss from his wife in victory lane after winning the 1959 race. Ward, who set a new Indy 500 record with an average speed of 135.857 in his Leader Card 500 Roadster, also holds a bottle of milk, a tradition for Indy winners since 1933. AP Jack McGrath, driving a Hinkle Special, leads a pack of 33 competitors to the first curve during the 1952 race.

AP Pat Flaherty waves from the winner's circle after winning the 1956 race. Flaherty won while wearing a lucky shamrock decal on his helmet. AP A.J. Foyt smiles in the garage area after winning his first Indy 500 in 1961. Foyt was the first four-time winner of the race, driving to victory in 1961, '64, '67 and '77. AP Fullscreen Smoke boils up from burning cars after a fatal pileup at the north end of the main stretch during the 1964 race. On Lap 1, Dave MacDonald skidded into the northwest inside retaining wall and Eddie Sachs crashed into him as both cars exploded. Sachs was killed on the track and MacDonald later died as well. The race was stopped for 1 hour and 42 minutes as other drivers were injured and burned. The Indianapolis Star Defending champion Parnelli Jones dives sideways out of his flaming car when it caught fire in the pits, eliminating him from the 1964 race. Jones, who won in 1963, was hospitalized with burns but was not seriously hurt.

AP Crowds stand near the exit to "Gasoline Alley," the garage area at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, to view activities as cars are readied for the 1962 race. AP Scotland's Jackie Stewart (43) passes his countryman Jimmy Clark (19) and temporarily takes the lead during the 1966 race. However, with only eight laps to go, Stewart dropped out of the race with car trouble. AP Bobby Unser celebrates after winning the 1968 Indianapolis 500. Unser won the Indy 500 in three different decades, also scoring wins in 1975, and '81. Bobby was the first of three Unsers to win at the Brickyard. AP Fullscreen Mario Andretti (1) leads the field at the start of the 1967 race. Andretti would go on to win the Indy 500 in 1969 and was the patriarch of the Andretti IndyCar dynasty with sons Michael and Jeff, nephew John and grandson Marco.

AP Al Unser , younger brother of Bobby, salutes the crowd as he takes the checkered flag in his Johnny Lightning Special to win the 1971. Unser would join Foyt as a four-time winner, with victories in 1970, '71, '78 and '87. AP Johnny Rutherford waves from his Mc Laren-Offy-T after winning the 1974 race, his first of three victories at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Rutherford also won in 1976 and '80. AP Janet Guthrie, the first woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in 1977, poses with a toy race car at a news conference in New York City in 1978. Marty Lederhandler, AP Gordon Johncock, who won the Indy 500 in 1973 and 1982, prepares to take Janet Guthrie's Wildcat racer for a test drive in 1978. AP Indy 500 champs (from left) A.J.

Foyt, Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan and Al Unser joke with the crowd as they stand along the pit wall at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1988. AP Rick Mears holds up two fingers to signal his second Indy 500 victory after the 1984 race. Mears won the race four times in total: 1979, '84, '88 and '91. Charlie Bennett, AP Tom Sneva hits the wall on turn 1 after his right front tire blew out during practice for the 1980 Indy 500. Sneva went on to win the Indianapolis 500 in 1983. Don Larson, AP Danny Ongais hits the wall in turn 3 on the 64th lap of the 1981 Indianapolis 500. Ongais was hospitalized with multiple fractures. AP The race car of three-time Indy 500 champion Johnny Rutherford disintegrates as it flies along the wall on turn 3 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1990. Rutherford suffered a concussion in the incident.

Steve Weaver, AP Emerson Fittipaldi's crew members jump from the pit wall after Fittipaldi drove to victory in the 1993 Indianapolis 500. The former Formula One champion won his first Indy 500 in 1989. Tom Strickland, AP Al Unser Jr., right, celebrates with car owner Roger Penske after winning the 1994 race. Two years earlier, Unser Jr. became the third member of the Unser family to capture an Indy 500 title. Al Behrman, AP Arie Luyendyk leads Robbie Buhl and the rest of the field into turn 1 on his way to his second Indy 500 victory in 1997. Luyendyk won his first Indy 500 race in 1990. Tom Strattman, AP Canada's Jacques Villeneuve raises his fist while holding the winner's bottle of milk in victory lane after winning the 1995 Indianapolis 500. Al Behrman, AP Tony Stewart leads the field during the restart of the 1997 Indy 500.

The race was resumed on lap 16 after two days of rain allowed only 15 laps to be completed on Memorial Day. Arie Luyendyk is running second. Tom Strattman, AP Eddie Cheever crosses the finish line to win the 82nd running of the Indianapolis 500 in 1998. Chuck Robinson, AP Lyn St. James jokes with fans after practicing for the 1996 Indianapolis 500. In 1992, St. James became the first woman to win the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year award. Tom Strattman, AP Fullscreen Stan Fox, his legs exposed, sits in his airborne car after the front end was torn off while slamming into the first turn wall on the opening lap of the 1995 Indianapolis 500. Fox's legs were uninjured, but he was hospitalized with serious head injuries. Martin Seppala, AP Juan Pablo Montoya, of Colombia, hoists a bottle of milk in victory lane while standing in front of the Borg-Warner Trophy as crew members help celebrate his win in the 2000 Indy 500.

Al Behrman, AP Helio Castroneves climbs the front stretch of fence with his teammates after winning the 2009 Indianapolis 500. Castroneves, a three-time winner, also won back-to-back races in 2001-02. Robert Laberge, Getty Images Actress Ashley Judd congratulates her husband Dario Franchitti after he won the 2007 Indy 500. Franchitti won the race again in 2010 and 2012. Tom Russo, AP An aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Handout Danica Patrick talks with her father, T.J. Patrick, after she finished third in the 2009 Indianapolis 500. In 2005, Patrick became the first woman to lead a lap during the Indy 500. Tom Strickland, AP Mike Conway's car goes airborne and crashes into a wall between the third and fourth turn in the last lap of the 2010 Indianapolis 500. The English driver sustained leg, ankle, foot and back injuries.

Kerry Keating, The Indianapolis Star The gold centennial brick stands on the row of bricks at the start-finish line as Scott Dixon passes by on pit lane during practice for the 2011 race. Dixon won the Indy 500 in 2008. Greg Griffo, The Indianapolis Star Fullscreen Dan Wheldon dumps the traditional bottle of milk over his head after winning his second Indianapolis 500 in 2011. Wheldon, who won his first Indy 500 in 2005, died after a crash in the 2011 IndyCar season finale in Las Vegas. Darron Cummings, AP The U.S. Postal Service honored the Indianapolis 500 with this stamp, a design which is included in the 2011 U.S. postage stamps collection. US Postal Service handout via AP Takuma Sato, right, spins in Turn 1 of the final lap while Dario Franchitti safely drives by en route to winning the 2012 Indy 500.

Bill Friel, AP Dario Franchitti, center, celebrates with wife Ashley Judd and his crew after winning his third Indy 500 on May 27, 2012. Darron Cummings, AP The Borg-Warner Trophy, on display at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 19, 2012, is given to the winner of the Indianapolis 500. Michael Hickey, USA TODAY Sports After 12 starts and three top-3 finishes, Tony Kanaan finally won the Indianapolis 500 in 2013. Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports A day after his 2014 win, Ryan Hunter-Reay poses for photos as his son Ryden waves a flag. Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries: Replay

Question: Won by Ray Harroun at the amazing speed of 74.602mph, the first Indianapolis 500 race was held in what year?
Answer: 1911