Indianapolis 500 in History

Events 1 - 100 of 110

• 1909-08-19 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of automobile race Indianapolis 500, opens in Speedway, Indiana
• 1911-05-30 1st Indianapolis 500: Ray Harroun driving a Marmon Wasp for Nordyke & Marmon Company comes out of retirement, wins inaugural event; average speed: 74.602 mph (120.060 km/h)
• 1912-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Joe Dawson in the American-manufactured, 4-cylinder National, wins in race record 6:21:06; time is 21:02 faster than previous 1911 record

• 1913-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Frenchman Jules Goux becomes first non-American to win race in a car owned by French manufacturer Peugeot
• 1914-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Frenchman René Thomas driving for Louis Delâge wins ahead of Arthur Duray of Belgium
• 1915-05-31 Indianapolis 500: Italian-born American driver Ralph DePalma accompanied by riding mechanic Louis Fontaine wins from Englishman Dario Resta
• 1916-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Dario Resta accompanied by riding mechanic Bob Dahnke lead 103 of 120 laps to claim victory; only Indy 500 scheduled for less than 500 miles (300)
• 1919-05-31 Indianapolis 500: Howdy Wilcox accompanied by riding mechanic Leo Banks win; driver Arthur Thurman dies in a crash on lap 45; lap 96, Louis LeCocq and riding mechanic Robert Bandini wrecked in turn 2, both burned to death
• 1920-05-31 Indianapolis 500: French driver Gaston Chevrolet accompanied by riding mechanic John Bresnahan wins the race without a single tire change, a remarkable feat at the time
• 1921-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Tommy Milton accompanied by riding mechanic Harry Franck wins the first of two 500 victories after Ralph DePalma had led for 109 laps
• 1922-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Jimmy Murphy becomes first driver to win the race from pole position; accompanied by riding mechanic Ernie Olson
• 1923-05-30 Indianapolis 500: 1921 champion Tommy Milton becomes first multiple race winner; Howdy Wilcox drives relief for laps 103-151 as Milton's hands are bandaged due to blisters
• 1924-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Lora Lawrence Corum starts the race and is relieved midway by Joe Boyer who drives to victory; both drivers credited as "co-winners"
• 1925-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Race winner Peter DePaolo becomes first driver to complete 500 miles in under 5 hours, and have an average over 100 mph; Norman Batten drives 21 laps of relief while DePaolo has his hands bandaged due to blisters
• 1926-05-31 Indianapolis 500: First rain-shortened race in "500" history; Frank Lockhart wins after 20 lap duel with Dave Lewis; race called after 400 miles (160 laps)
• 1927-05-30 Indianapolis 500: First-time starter George Souders wins by 8 laps, largest margin since 1913; first driver to win full-500 mile race with no help from relief driver or riding mechanic

• 1928-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Rookie driver Louis Meyer takes first of 3 career Indy victories after 20 lap duel with Tony Gulotta and Jimmy Gleason
• 1929-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Ray Keech takes lead for final time on lap 158 for his first Indy 500 win; car owner Maude A. Yagle is first and only female winning owner in Indy history
• 1930-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Polesitter Billy Arnold takes lead on lap 3 and never gives it up; total 198 laps stands as all-time Indy 500 race record; accompanied by riding mechanic Spider Matlock
• 1931-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Defending champion Billy Arnold leads for 155 laps before axle trouble; Louis Schneider leads final 34 laps accompanied by riding mechanic Jigger Johnson
• 1932-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Fred Frame takes lead for good on lap 152, winning from 27th on starting grid; accompanied by riding mechanic Jerry Houck
• 1933-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Louis Meyer wins accompanied by riding mechanic Lawson Harris; Mark Billman killed in a crash on lap 79; Lester Spangler and riding mechanic "Monk" Jordan die in a crash on lap 132
• 1934-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Indianapolis native Bill Cummings accompanied by riding mechanic Earl Unversaw wins race where only 12 of 33 entrants finish
• 1935-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Kelly Petillo accompanied by riding mechanic Jimmy Dunham win; Pete DePaolo becomes first to win race separately as a driver (1925) and owner
• 1936-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Louis Meyer becomes first 3-time winner of the race; Lawson Harris is first 2-time riding mechanic; famous tradition of serving milk in victory lane commences
• 1937-05-31 Indianapolis 500: Wilbur Shaw and riding mechanic 'Jigger' Johnson win race from Ralph Hepburn by 2.16 seconds, closest finish to that point; Johnson last winning riding mechanic
• 1938-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Polesitter Floyd Roberts claims winner's cheque $32,075; car owner Lou Moore is also the chief mechanic
• 1939-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Reigning champion Floyd Roberts is killed in crash on lap 109; Wilbur Shaw wins his second of 3 Indy 500 titles
• 1940-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Wilbur Shaw drives same Maserati 8CTF he had driven to victory in 1939; first driver in the history to win at Indy in consecutive years

• 1946-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Race resumes after WWII hiatus, George Robson wins by 44 seconds ahead of rookie Jimmy Jackson
• 1947-05-30 31st Indianapolis 500: Mauri Rose leads for final 8 laps after confused pit messages with teammate Bill Holland to take the controversial victory; race marred by a 41st lap crash that claims life of Shorty Cantlon
• 1948-05-31 32nd Indianapolis 500: For the second straight year, Blue Crown Spark Plug teammates Mauri Rose and Bill Holland finish 1st-2nd; Rose the second driver to win the 500 in consecutive years
• 1949-05-30 33rd Indianapolis 500: After finishing runner-up the previous 2 years, Bill Holland finally wins giving car owner Lou Moore his 3rd consecutive Indy victory; 1947-48 winner Mauri Rose fired after the race for ignoring team orders
• 1950-05-31 Indianapolis 500: Johnny Parsons becomes first American to win a World Championship event; race stopped after 138 laps (345 miles) due to rain
• 1951-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Lee Wallard wins in a Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser that loses its brakes, suffers damaged exhaust pipe and broken shock absorber mounting
• 1952-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Troy Ruttman at 22 years 80 days sets record for youngest 500 winner in history; his Kuzma-Offenhauser is last dirt track car to win at Indy
• 1953-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Labelled "Hottest 500" due to high temperatures, Bill Vukovich wins first of 2 consecutive Indy 500 victories; Carl Scarborough drops out of race, and later dies of heat prostration
• 1954-05-31 Indianapolis 500: Bill Vukovich takes the lead on lap 150 to win his second consecutive 500; sets then record 130.840 mph average race speed
• 1955-05-28 Indianapolis 500: Bob Sweikert wins; defending champion Bill Vukovich killed in a crash while seemingly on his way to an unprecedented third consecutive Indy 500
• 1956-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Pat Flaherty wins in a Watson-Offenhauser; first 500 to be governed by the United States Automobile Club
• 1957-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Sam Hanks wins in his thirteenth attempt; first driver to win a $100,000 single-race payday
• 1958-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Jimmy Bryan wins a race best known for a massive first-lap, 15-car pileup that results in death of fan-favourite driver Pat O'Connor
• 1959-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Rodger Ward earns first of 2 career Indy 500 victories as a record 16 cars complete full 500 miles; for the first time all cars required to have roll bars
• 1960-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Greatest two-man duel in race history; winner Jim Rathmann and Rodger Ward battle out then-record 29 lead changes until Ward slows with tire trouble

• 1962-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Rodger Ward and Len Sutton finish 1st-2nd for Leader Cards Racing; Parnelli Jones breaks 150 mph (240 km/h) barrier in qualifying
• 1963-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Parnelli Jones takes his only Indy 500 win despite his car spewing oil from a cracked overflow tank for many laps
• 1964-05-30 Indianapolis 500: A. J. Foyt wins but race primarily remembered for fiery 7-car accident resulting in deaths of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald; last race won by a front-engined "roadster"

• 1967-05-31 Indianapolis 500: A. J. Foyt weaves his way through a pileup on the final lap to win his third Indy 500 victory; first Indy 500 win for Goodyear tires since 1919

• 1971-05-29 Indianapolis 500: Defending champion Al Unser Snr becomes first and only driver to win race on his birthday; leads for final 83 laps
• 1972-05-27 Indianapolis 500: Mark Donohue wins after leading only the final 13 laps; owner Roger Penske's first of eighteen Indy 500 victories
• 1973-05-28 Indianapolis 500: Gordon Johncock wins first of his two Indy triumphs after rain halts the race at lap 133
• 1974-05-26 Indianapolis 500: Johnny Rutherford claims first of his three Indy victories; first Sunday start of the event
• 1975-05-25 Indianapolis 500: Bobby Unser wins rain-shortened race ahead of defending champion Johnny Rutherford and pole-sitter A. J. Foyt for his second Indy title
• 1976-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Polesitter Johnny Rutherford awarded race after taking the lead on lap 80, and leading when rain halted the race on lap 103; shortest Indy 500 in history
• 1977-05-29 Indianapolis 500: A. J. Foyt. becomes first driver to win Indy 500 four times; last time winning car built entirely within US; Janet Guthrie first female to qualify, lasts 27 laps
• 1978-05-28 Indianapolis 500: Al Unser Snr in a Lola dominates second half of race to hold off Tom Sneva for his third Indy victory
• 1979-05-27 Indianapolis 500: Polesitter Rick Mears takes lead for the final time with 18 laps to go, to win his first of four Indy 500 races
• 1980-05-25 Indianapolis 500: Johnny Rutherford wins from pole position for his third Indy victory; sixth driver to win the race three times
• 1981-05-24 Indianapolis 500: Bobby Unser crosses finish line ahead of Mario Andretti; Unser disqualified for pit lane infraction, later reinstated for his 3rd race victory
• 1981-10-09 United States Auto Club appeals panel restores disputed Indianapolis 500 victory to disqualified first-across-the-line Bobby Unser
• 1982-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Gordon Johncock beats Rick Mears by 0.16 seconds; closest finish in Indy 500 history to that point
• 1983-05-29 Indianapolis 500: Tom Sneva wins his first Indy 500; represents record 7th Indy victory for chief mechanic George Bignotti
• 1984-05-27 Indianapolis 500: 1979 champion Rick Mears wins second Indy 500 two laps ahead of the field after contenders Tom Sneva and Mario Andretti drop out in second half of the race
• 1985-05-26 Indianapolis 500: Danny Sullivan wins by 24 seconds from Mario Andretti after surviving famous 360° spin on lap 120
• 1986-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Bobby Rahal becomes first driver in race history to complete the 500 miles (800 km) in less than 3 hours; average speed 170.722 mph (274.750 km/h)
• 1987-05-24 Indianapolis 500: 47 year-old, now part-time driver Al Unser Sr. wins his record-tying 4th Indy title in a huge upset
• 1988-05-29 Indianapolis 500: Rick Mears claims his third-career Indy 500 victory; 50th victory in Championship racing for owner Roger Penske and Penske Racing

• 1990-05-27 Indianapolis 500: Dutchman Arie Luyendyk takes lead with 32 laps to go to earn first-ever victory in championship-level competition; average speed 185.981 mph is a record that stands until 2013
• 1991-05-19 Willy T. Ribbs overcomes numerous mechanical problems in qualifying to become first African-American driver to make Indianapolis 500 starting grid
• 1991-05-26 Indianapolis 500: Rick Mears wins from pole, becoming the third 4-time winner (joins A. J. Foyt and Al Unser); record 6th career pole position for Mears

• 1993-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi passes reigning F1 World Champion Nigel Mansell with 16 laps to go for his second race win
• 1994-05-29 Indianapolis 500: Al Unser Jr wins from pole position for his second Indy 500 victory for Marlboro Team Penske
• 1995-05-28 Indianapolis 500: Canadian driver Jacques Villeneuve wins as race leader Scott Goodyear is controversially black flagged on lap 195
• 1996-05-26 Indianapolis 500: first Indy 500 contested by Indy Racing League; many top CART teams boycott; Buddy Lazier wins marking Firestone's first Indy victory since 1971
• 1997-05-27 Indianapolis 500: Dutchman Arie Luyendyk wins from pole position for his second Indy victory; Treadway Racing finishes 1-2 with Luyendyk's teammate Scott Goodyear runner-up
• 1998-05-24 Indianapolis 500: American ex-Formula One driver Eddie Cheever Jr finishes 3 seconds ahead of 1996 winner Buddy Lazier; first Indy fully sanctioned by the IRL
• 1999-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Kenny Bräck of Sweden wins after race leader Robby Gordon runs out of fuel with just over one lap to go
• 2000-05-28 Indianapolis 500: reigning CART champion Juan Pablo Montoya leads for 167 laps to cruise to victory; first rookie winner since Graham Hill 1966
• 2001-05-27 Indianapolis 500: race rookie Hélio Castroneves of Brazil leads for the final 52 laps to win first of 4 Indy 500s; Penske Racing sweeps 1st-2nd with Gil de Ferran the runner-up
• 2002-05-26 Indianapolis 500: Defending champion Hélio Castroneves of Brazil becomes fifth driver in Indy 500 history to win back-to-back races for his second of 4 race victories
• 2003-05-25 Indianapolis 500: French born Brazilian driver Gil de Ferran passes Penske teammate and defending champion Hélio Castroneves with 31 laps remaining for his first Indy 500 win

• 2006-05-28 Indianapolis 500: Sam Hornish Jr. wins from the pole position; record 14th Indy victory for Penske Racing; 0.0635 second margin from runner-up Marco Andretti second-closest finish in history at the time
• 2007-05-27 Indianapolis 500: Scotsman Dario Franchitti declared the winner with 34 laps remaining when race halted by torrential rain
• 2008-05-25 Indianapolis 500: Scott Dixon of New Zealand wins ahead of Vítor Meira and Marco Andretti; 19th winner from pole and first victor from NZ
• 2009-05-24 Indianapolis 500: 2001 and 2002 champion Hélio Castroneves of Brazil wins his record tying 3rd Indy title from the pole position; 60th victory in the race for Firestone
• 2010-05-30 Indianapolis 500: Scotsman Dario Franchitti driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing wins his 2nd Indy title ahead of Dan Wheldon and Marco Andretti
• 2011-05-29 Indianapolis 500: 2005 champion Dan Wheldon of England wins his 2nd Indy 500; 4 months later he is killed in a race accident in Las Vegas
• 2012-05-27 Indianapolis 500: Dual champion (2007, 10) Dario Franchitti of Scotland wins his record tying 3rd title; teammate Scott Dixon finishes second, sweeping a 1-2 finish for Chip Ganassi Racing
• 2013-05-26 Indianapolis 500: Tony Kanaan becomes 4th Brazilian to win the race; fastest Indy 500 in history with Kanaan's average speed 187.433 mph; record stands until 2021

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• 1879-01-12 Ray Harroun, American auto racer (inaugural Indianapolis 500 1911; Motorsports Hall of Fame of America 2000), born in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania (d. 1968)
• 1882-08-17 Dario Resta, Italian-British auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1916; Vanderbilt Cup 1915, 16; AAA National C'ship 1916), born in Faenza, Italy (d. 1924)
• 1882-12-19 Ralph DePalma, Italian-American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1915; American AAA Dirt Track C'ships 1908, 09, 10, 11; International Motorsports Hall of Fame), born in Biccari, Italy (d. 1956)
• 1883-09-08 Théodore Pilette, Belgian auto racer (first Belgian Indy 500), born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1921)
• 1885-04-06 Jules Goux, French auto racer (first European to win Indianapolis 500 1913), born in Valentigney, France (d. 1965)
• 1886-03-07 René Thomas, French auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1914), born in Périgueux, France (d. 1975)
• 1886-12-02 Earl Cooper, American auto racer (AAA National Championship 1913, 15, 17; Indianapolis 500, 1924 runner-up), born in Broken Bow, Nebraska (d. 1965)
• 1889-07-17 Joe Dawson, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1912), born in Odon, Indiana (d. 1946)
• 1892-10-04 Gaston Chevrolet, French auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1920), born in Beaune, Côte-d'Or, France (d. 1920)
• 1898-04-06 Pete DePaolo, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1925; first driver to average > 100mph at Indy, recording 101.13mph), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1980)
• 1902-10-31 Wilbur Shaw, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1937, 39, 40; Motorsports Hall of Fame of America 1991), born in Shelbyville, Indiana (d. 1954)
• 1903-08-04 Tony Gulotta, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500, 1927 3rd), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1981)

• 1907-12-18 Bill Holland, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1949; runner-up 1947, 48, 50), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1984)
• 1909-10-14 Bernd Rosemeyer, German race car driver (Indy 500), born in Lingen, Germany (d. 1938)
• 1918-07-04 Johnnie Parsons, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500, 1950; AAA/USAC Championship, 1949), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1984)
• 1918-12-13 Bill Vukovich, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500, 1953-4), born in Fresno, California (d. 1955)
• 1923-03-18 Andy Granatelli, American motorsports entrepreneur (CEO STP automotive products; innovative Lotus four-wheel drive car 1969 Indy 500 winner), born in Dallas, Texas (d. 2013)
• 1925-08-09 Len Sutton, American auto racer and broadcaster (Indianapolis 500, 1962 runner-up), born in Portland, Oregon (d. 2006)
• 1926-01-06 Pat Flaherty, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500, 1956), born in Glendale, California (d. 2002)
• 1928-07-16 Jim Rathmann, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500, 1960; Race of Two Worlds at Monza, 1958), born in Alhambra, California (d. 2011)
• 1929-03-10 Pat Patrick, American auto racing team owner (Patrick Racing; Indianapolis 500, 1973, 1982, 1989; Emerson Fittipaldi IndyCar title, 1989), born in Kentucky (d. 2021)
• 1933-08-12 Parnelli Jones, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500, 1963) and team owner (Indy 500, 1970–71; USAC National Championships, 1970-72), born in Texarkana, Arkansas

• 1937-03-18 Mark Donohue, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500, 1972), born in Haddon Township, New Jersey (d. 1975)
• 1938-03-07 Janet Guthrie, American auto racer (1st woman to race in Indianapolis 500 & Daytona 500; first woman to lead a lap in NASCAR Winston Cup Series), born in Iowa City, Iowa
• 1938-03-12 Johnny Rutherford, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1974, 76, 80), born in Coffeyville, Kansas
• 1939-02-27 Peter Revson, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1971 pole winner, runner-up), born in New York City (d. 1974)

• 1944-03-29 Bill Vukovich II, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year 1968; Indianapolis 500 1973 runner-up), born in Riverside, California (d. 2023)
• 1948-06-01 Tom Sneva, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1983; USAC C'ship 1977, 78, 82-83), born in Spokane, Washington
• 1950-03-09 Danny Sullivan, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1985, CART C'ship 1988), born in Louisville, Kentucky
• 1951-12-03 Rick Mears, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1979, 84, 88, 91; Indycar series/World Series champion 1979, 81-82), born in Wichita, Kansas
• 1953-12-21 Arie Luyendyk, Dutch auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1990, 97; Formula Super Vee 1984), born in Sommelsdijk, Netherlands
• 1956-01-03 Willy T. Ribbs, American auto racer (first African-American to drive in Indianapolis 500), born in San Jose, California
• 1959-02-20 Scott Brayton, American auto racer (4 x top 10 finishes Indianapolis 500; 2 x pole), born in Coldwater, Michigan (d. 1996)

• 1966-03-21 Kenny Bräck, Swedish auto racer (Indy Racing League 1998; Indianapolis 500 1999), born in Arvika, Sweden
• 1967-11-11 Gil de Ferran, Brazilian auto racer (Indianapolis 500 2003; Champ Car Series 2000, 01), born in Paris, France (d. 2023)
• 1971-04-09 Jacques Villeneuve, Canadian auto racer (World F1 champion 1997; Indianapolis 500 1995; Indy Car World Series 1995), born in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec
• 1974-12-31 Tony Kanaan, Brazilian auto racer (Indianapolis 500 2013; IndyCar Series 2004; Indy Lights Series 1997), born in Salvador, Brazil
• 1976-01-31 Buddy Rice, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 2004, 24 Hours of Daytona 2009), born in Phoenix, Arizona
• 1977-01-28 Takuma Sato, Japanese auto racer (Indianapolis 500 2017, 20), born in Tokyo, Japan

• 1979-09-04 Kosuke Matsuura, Japanese auto racer (IndyCar & Indy 500 Rookie of the Year 2004; Formula Dream 2000), born in Aichi, Japan
• 1981-03-01 Will Power, Australian auto racer (Indianapolis 500 2018), born in Toowoomba, Queensland
• 1984-05-18 Simon Pagenaud, French auto racer (IndyCar champion 2016; Indianapolis 500 2019), born in Poitiers, France
• 1990-09-02 Marcus Ericsson, Swedish auto racer (Indianapolis 500 2022, runner-up 2023; Formula BMW UK 2007; All-Japan Formula 3 C'ship 2009), born in Kumla, Sweden
• 1990-12-22 Josef Newgarden, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 2023; IndyCar Series 2017, 19; Indy Lights 2011), born in Nashville, Tennessee

• 2005-11-05 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice (29) weds Michelle Noonan in Arizona
• 2005-11-19 Indianapolis 500 racer Danica Patrick (23) weds physical therapist Paul Hospenthal in Scottsdale, Arizona

• 1920-11-25 Gaston Chevrolet, French auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1920), dies in a racing accident at 28
• 1921-05-03 Teddy Pilette, Belgian auto racer (first Belgian Indy 500), dies in a road accident at 36
• 1924-09-03 Dario Resta, Italian-British auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1916; Vanderbilt Cup 1915, 16; AAA National C'ship 1916), dies in a land-speed record attempt at 42
• 1939-05-30 Floyd Roberts, American auto racer, killed in a 100 mph crash during 1939 Indianapolis 500 at 39
• 1946-06-17 Joe Dawson, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1912), dies at 56
• 1954-10-20 Wilbur Shaw, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1937, 39, 40; Motorsports Hall of Fame of America 1991), dies in an airplane crash at 51
• 1955-05-31 Bill Vukovich, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1953-4), dies in a car crash at 36 while competing in the Indianapolis 500
• 1956-03-31 Ralph DePalma, Italian-American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1915; American AAA National Dirt Track C'ship 1908-11), dies of cancer at 73
• 1965-03-06 Jules Goux, French auto racer (first European to win Indianapolis 500 1913), dies at 79
• 1965-10-22 Earl Cooper, American auto racer (AAA National Championship 1913, 15, 17; Indianapolis 500 1924 runner-up), dies at 78
• 1968-01-19 Ray Harroun, American auto racer (inaugural Indianapolis 500 1911; Motorsports Hall of Fame of America 2000), dies at 89

• 1973-07-02 Swede Savage, dies of injuries at Indianapolis 500
• 1974-03-22 Peter Revson, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1971 runner-up; 2 x F1 GP wins), dies in testing accident for South African GP at 35
• 1975-08-19 Mark Donohue, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500, 1972), dies from injuries suffered in a crash during a practice run in Graz, Austria at 38
• 1975-09-23 René Thomas, French auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1914), dies at 89
• 1980-11-26 Pete DePaolo, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1925; first driver to average > 100mph at Indy, recording 101.13mph), dies at 82

• 1981-03-02 Tony Gulotta, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1927 3rd), dies at 78
• 1984-05-19 Bill Holland, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1949; runner-up 1947, 48, 50), dies at 76
• 1984-09-08 Johnnie Parsons, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1950; AAA/USAC Championship 1949), dies at 66
• 1990-11-25 Bill Vukovich III, American Indy 500 driver, killed in a crash during practice at 27
• 1996-05-17 Scott Brayton, American auto racer (4 x top 10 finishes Indianapolis 500; 2 x pole), dies in a practice accident at 37
• 2002-04-09 Pat Flaherty, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500, 1956), dies from cancer at 76
• 2006-12-03 Len Sutton, American auto racer and broadcaster (Indianapolis 500, 1962 runner-up), dies from cancer at 81

• 2011-11-23 Jim Rathmann, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500, 1960; Race of Two Worlds at Monza, 1958), dies after a seizure at 83
• 2013-12-29 Andy Granatelli, American motorsports entrepreneur (CEO STP automotive products; innovative Lotus four-wheel drive car 1969 Indy 500 winner), dies from congestive heart failure at 90
• 2021-01-05 Pat Patrick, American auto racing team owner (Patrick Racing; Indianapolis 500, 1973, 1982, 1989; Emerson Fittipaldi IndyCar title, 1989), dies at 91

• 2022-01-04 Kevin Kalkhoven, Australian auto racing team owner (KV Racing Technology, Indy 500 2013), co-owner Champ Car World Series, investor Cosworth Group Holdings Ltd, dies at 77
• 2023-08-20 Bill Vukovich II, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year 1968; Indianapolis 500 1973 runner-up), dies at 79
• 2023-12-29 Gil de Ferran, Brazilian auto racer (Indianapolis 500 2003; Champ Car Series 2000, 01), dies from a heart attack at 56